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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: troark on October 18, 2013, 12:05:35 PM

Title: To commute or not to commute
Post by: troark on October 18, 2013, 12:05:35 PM
I am trying to figure out whether or not I should accept a job that would require a 37 mile (45 minute) one way commute. I know that such a long commute is not very mustachian, and it's not something I would normally do... but I am still conflicted. Here is some more information:

I have been unemployed and looking for a job for about two months. This is the first job I have been offered, and it's pretty good. It is in my field, it is something I think I would enjoy and be good at, the pay and benefits are good. But the commute is horrible. I would be driving an older corolla that my husband and I share (he bikes) and we own it outright. I estimate the costs at about $300 per month (plus my time), but online cost estimators ranged from $170 to $1000. So, one of my questions is, what are some food tools/equations for calculating these costs? It's not ideal but spending $300 a month is probably worth it to me for the job. Another consideration is that I don't plan to live in this city more than another two years so the commute would be more or less temporary and I am not sure how much sense it makes to hold out for the perfect job when I don't think I'll stay here long term.

Possible alternatives, there is a train, but providing my own vehicle is a requirement for the job. I would like to find a carpool buddy but am not really sure of the feasibility of that since I would be commuting the opposite direction of most people. Obviously, I also can't guarantee a car pool buddy before accepting the job. There is also a bike path the whole way, but I just don't think I am bad ass enough to do a 75 mi bike commute every day.

So, I would love some mustachian advice? Does a really long commute make sense.
 
Title: Re: To commute or not to commute
Post by: lackofstache on October 18, 2013, 12:37:32 PM
If it's temporary and you need the job, I'd take it. Once you have the job, you can find other ways of commuting that might be more cost effective or another job closer to home. If moving 1/2 way between your husband's job & your new job would be a possibility at some point, that could at least lessen the drive...
Title: Re: To commute or not to commute
Post by: grmagne on October 18, 2013, 12:40:24 PM
Personally, I'd prefer a great job with a terrible commute (in fact, greatly prefer it) to a terrible job with a great commute.  If you hold out, are you likely to find an equally good job that's much closer to home?
Title: Re: To commute or not to commute
Post by: hybrid on October 18, 2013, 12:52:23 PM
A job with a lousy commute vs. not having a job?  This is an easy call....  Yes, you will be shelling out $8 a day in gas plus wear and tear on the car.  But a job will more than cover those costs.
Title: Re: To commute or not to commute
Post by: Pylortes on October 18, 2013, 01:18:29 PM
I agree with the previous posters.  This is a situation where you'll want to accept the job, then work on transportation logistics or finding another job later.   It's often easier to find another job once you already have one, so if the commute ends up more than you want to handle you can begin to look elsewhere or find a carpool.    Plus f you may only stay 2 years I probably would just suck it up at this point since you seem to be excited about the job offer itself.
Title: Re: To commute or not to commute
Post by: Numbers Man on October 18, 2013, 01:38:26 PM
Take the job. The net impact will be that you can grow your mustache because your income will be much greater than your expenses.