Whenever I take a new position, salary is always the first deciding factor. Am I going to be able to afford to pay my bills, my mortgage, can I afford the lease on my car, can I afford to eat or travel?

This is why so many people are in jobs they hate because they have no alternative. Life is expensive and depending on where you live, even more so than other places. If you live in San Francisco or other places near Silicon Valley, you need a lot of money to live.

Anyone who tells you money is not important when it comes to taking a job (unless it's volunteer work) is not someone I would ever trust.