I am originally from a very small, out-of-the-way rural town. To find a job in software engineering after school, I had to relocate to a much more urban area a couple hundred miles from home. I've done very well in my job thus far, several quick promotions and raises. But, I really hate having to live in this area - not really my kind of place, and all my friends and support network are elsewhere.
At this point the only thing keeping me here is the fact that there are decent jobs here, and back home you're lucky to get in at Walmart.
My lease is running out in a couple months, so I've been thinking about what I want to do for the next year. The safe thing to do would be to find another cheaper apartment near work (I'm currently renting a place that's way more space and expense than I need, after a break up), suck it up, and deal with being stuck in the city.
On the other hand, if I could swing it such that I could do 90% of my work remotely, I could move back home, slash my expenses, be nearer to the things I love doing, and avoid the psychological toll of working in the office. Huge win for my mental and physical health.
The only sticky part here is how to convince my employer to buy in to the idea...
I'd be willing to take a 25% pay cut. Is that crazy?