Sometimes, staying loyal comes with a price.

The following story is about a man who worked for his friend’s startup but struggled with very low pay.

While he wanted to stay, his family had been pressuring him to find a better job.

He eventually decided to tell his friend he was going to look for another job. It didn’t go well.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITA for telling my friend I’m leaving his startup for a stable job after my family called me irresponsible?

I feel stuck between loyalty and survival right now.

I work at a friend’s startup. He gave me this opportunity when I did not have much going on.

I have genuinely learned a lot here, like client work, freelancing basics, and how things run in real life.

I am really grateful for that.

This man was concerned about the pay he was receiving.

The problem is the pay. It is very low.

Earlier, it was fine because I was learning.

Now, my family’s financial situation is not stable.

I cannot even properly cover my basic expenses.

His family thinks he’s being irresponsible.

Things escalated recently. I had a serious argument at home.

They said I am being irresponsible by staying in a low-paying setup. That I could earn more elsewhere.

After that, I decided to talk to my friend and told him I am planning to leave. I said I would look for a more stable job.

His friend did not take it well.

He did not react well.

He said he thought I was committed long-term.

He said that leaving now would hurt the team because they trusted me.

He also mentioned that we are “building something bigger.” And that everyone has to make sacrifices early on.

He started feeling guilty.

Now, I feel guilty.

He gave me a chance when I needed it. I do not want to feel like I used him just to gain experience and leave.

At the same time, I realistically need something that pays 2–3 times more.

I need to support myself and my family.

Now, he’s wondering if his decision was right.

I told him I will give proper notice. I will also help with the handover.

Things feel awkward now. I can tell he is disappointed.

My family thinks I did the right thing, but I am not so sure.

AITA for telling him I am leaving for a better-paying job?

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That’s a tough spot to be in, to be honest. Loyalty is great, but bills don’t wait.

You can be grateful and still choose what’s best for you.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who wasn’t keen on contributing more to a coworker’s gift than originally planned.

Let’s check out the comments of other people on this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

This person gives their honest opinion.

Short and simple.

Here’s a valid point.

Finally, another person chimes in.

You can’t build a future on experience alone. Sometimes, you need a paycheck, too.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who is told to work a holiday without overtime pay, and how they ended up getting their money.