Originally Posted by EWRflyr

I know you say you've got a "stand alone 401k" going (whatever that is), but do yourself a favor and make sure to contribute at least enough to the company 401K to get the match. They are going to give you a set percentage anyway even if you contribute zero, but don't leave the other free 4-6% of matching on the table. That's a 100% return on your investment that will help reduce your taxes anyway. At that percentage and income you are not going to take a noticeable hit on your take home pay.

Make sure you DO NOT OPT OUT OF THE LONG TERM DISABILITY program either. You will be enrolled automatically when you are hired and it will cost you a few dollars each pay period. It is well worth it for the piece of mind of having an income if you lose your medical (it does happen to young pilots). If you opt out and then decide later to get it, it is an almost impossible feat to get back into the LTD program because of the physical requirements and health history they ask you.

Just asking you to consider carefully before you refuse any of the things that might reduce your paycheck even a few dollars.