Or is it paycheck first, principles later?

Well, that all depends. How many kids do you have? Are you behind on bills? Was it the same amount of doo that everyone has to eat? Are you skilled in passive aggression? :-D
There are always more jobs (if you actually want to work) but you only have one dignity. Some things you bend on and sacrifice for and sometimes ... thaaaat's just about enough of that. ;-)

I hear you. Have a hard time though getting past a really good Sunday School series we did on Christians & work (and keep in mind, we did this series well over 10 years ago, and the series itself was produced 10 years or so before that). At any rate, the series covered the full gamut of living out your values in the workplace... diligence in your job, being reliable, maintaining integrity, positive attitude even with difficult people, and so forth. And among those lessons was a very tough one: what to do when your job demands that you do something that directly violates your principles. The answer was: quit, and find a new job. Trusting God to honor your commitment to Him, and see you through whatever circumstances that lands you in.

Well amen. There's always more money. ;-) It won't be the last $5 you ever hold in your hand. And my integrity costs more than any employer has.
Well if it is like that and you are open to God's leading I will only affirm with you and offer this :-)
He doesn't always put us in what seem the best of positions. I remind myself, there is no way that Joseph would have been able to fathom being second only to Pharaoh when he was betrayed, heartbroken and confused sitting at the bottom of that well. No way that he could have known that him sitting there would fulfill the prophesy and save his family (and ALL of Egypt) But I am sure he did have faith that God had it in hand and faith that if he would follow God's lead that things would be as they should. Likewise, only a generation later, there is no way that Moses' mother could have understood when she was coating that basket with tar to carry her son down the Nile that he too would be second only to Pharaoh. But her faith that she was doing as God would have her do not only saved her son but freed the Jews and brought them to the promised land.
God doesn't always put us in great positions or positions we are sure about. He also doesn't always ask us to suffer. :-) It is His leading that should always be our guide.
I know exactly what you are talking about. I've been in that position several times myself. If that is where you are now, hang in :-) We ARE a peculiar people ;-)