Can you use leverage and say that your skills merit a pay more than a little above federal minimum wage ($7.15/hr)?? I mean, $7.50/hr is a starting out wage and if you have experience and can prove to them that hiring you would benefit them and you're worth more than that, that would be a good deal. If you live on your own, and you take a chop that like in pay, you're going to be hurting big time. You may hate your job, but if you need the pay, I'd stick to the current job until you can get a job that has the same pay, or better. Plus, when you apply at other jobs, and they see you've taken a lower pay job, with less bennies and all that, than the previous job, they'll be wondering what you did that for, and won't think twice about offering you less. Work on going up the salary ladder and enjoying the job at the same time, unless the perks at the vet clinic are just too good to pass up.