New member seeking advice

[poeli]

Hi all,

I'm new here and seeking some advice (Even Europeans love Mrmoneymoustache ;-)). My current situation: graduated from university as master of science in engineering (aeronautical) and work at a local factory of one of the biggest aircraft engine makers in the world (we don't make them though at our place, just take care of them). I have no student debts, and I'll just be honest about what I make now, which is all together after taxes around €1750.  I started working in june and have saved around €12k since then (also saved some money from my student jobs). I use the train to go to work, combined with a foldable electric bike. But this is where the problem is. I'm all pro trains, I even love them way more than driving: i can watch series, chat on my phone, actually do stuff instead of driving.But here is the problem: I always have to take a train earlier than the schedule says or I'm late. This week I haven't had a train yet which was on time. So if I start at 14h I have to leave home (68km from work) at 11.45. If I start at 6 i the morning I have to get up at 3h45.
Is it doable right now? It is, but I feel like it's draining my energy. I have always found that a car is a waste of money (according to my calculations it would cost me around €350-400 a month all together). So I thought about moving closer to work, which is certainly an option. Next problem: don't have enough savings yet to buy something myself, and when hiring something i have the same problem as the car: waste of money. I still live with my parents now so I'm able to save around €1200 a month to my bank account, 80 to a pension fund and around 300 to another long term fund. I did some research about taking a loan on buying an appartment close to work so I can go by bike, but even that seems to be impossible when you're single.

I guess I can 'hold on' the train (it's so frustrating not knowing whether you arrive on time at work or not when you already took a train earlier) travelling for a few more months, but not more than that, as I also feel it's taking energy I could put into my job instead of commuting.
A car would reduce my travel time from 2h to 45minuts but would cost 5 times as much. What would be the best advice for this young (25) new member?

[matchewed]

You're basically asking us how you should view your own situation. We have no clue where your values lie. You know what your choices are, stick with getting up ass early, ask your supervisor/manager if you can come in later given the lateness of the trains, buy a car, or move closer. At some point you will probably have to move out of your parents house, no matter how sweet that deal is, you'll have to get used to paying for a roof over your head. Might as well do it now IMO.

[SU]

Hi there

Your commute sounds like a drag. Commiserations. It's tough when your best plans can be upset by things you have no control over, like trains.

This blog has some good 'later in life' perspective on the decision you're facing now (http://www.livingafi.com/2014/01/mistakes-were-made/ #1 Overspending on Housing!). Is house-sharing closer to work an option? Sharing can be great (see MMM's post-uni experiences) or terrible (see 'He Died with a Felafel in His Hand') but if FI is your goal, it is certainly worth the effort.

Living with your parents sounds like the best option financially, so I was wondering if you could live with someone else's parents closer to work? As in, find some local moustachians close to work who could rent you a room during the week - or even exchange assistance with the house/garden/kids for free board.

It doesn't sound as if either buying or renting a single person flat is a sound financial decision, and the longer you can stick with shared housing the better off you will be (financially) in the long run.

Good luck!

[Thegoblinchief]

Why do you have to buy an apartment to get closer? Can't you rent, rent with a roommate, rent even a room?

If the trains in your county are that unreliable, I'd bike. Keep in mind that unless you have super hills, anything under 13km one way is an easy (with conditioning) and enjoyable commute which takes less than an hour. Surely you can find affordable living somewhere within a 13km radius of where you work?

[Must_Stash]

Can you find a good ride-sharing website, to enter a commuter pool?  Could you pay for a service, like Uber or Lyft (if you have a local version)?  Car ride service to get to work, and train to return.  Even with that expense, your living arrangements may be less costly than moving out.

[oinkette]

I'm in a similar situation. I take the bus/rail and my commute is twice as long. But you yourself point out the benefits: reading, relaxing, saving money not using a car. Plus the drivers here are idiots.

Ultimately it would make sense to move closer (for me that financially unsound).

As for the unpredictability? Welcome to the world of commuting! I leave a 15 minute cushion in there just for that. One thing I did do was change my schedule at work. Is that an option?

[poeli]

Thanks for the replies all!
I have looked for car pooling yes, but it's not an option. Changing my shedule isn't too as I work as production support, and have to be there when the technicians are working, so from 6 to 14 or 14-22.  Biking isn't an option, as it's 68kms. If it would be under 20 I'd bike straight away. I've been thinking about a cheap motorcycle too, buy one for €1500, insurance 200 if i go to the same insurance of my parents car and so on. Would be much much cheaper than a car.
I also build in a reserve for when the trains are late. But still then, If I finish at 22 in the evening my train is at 22.56, not earlier, even though I'm in the train station 22.21.
Going it's the same problem: always taking a train half an hour earlier in case there are delays (which i had EACH day this week). I'm all pro trains, and would easily do this if they wer reliable. But it's frustrating you can't predict when you will arrive at work or can't count on the trains to be on time.

15th of december the train schedule changes and it should become more on time, and it would save me (in theory) 32 minuts of commuting. I'll check for rooms close to work and maybe see, but even then a room can be almost expensive as a small studio because of all the students. A friend of mine is looking for work in the same city, and we would look to hire something together, but he first has to find a job.
We'll see, i'm going to do a test ride on a motorbike in a few weeks and try that out, if not an option i'll have to look further.

[JoanOfSnark]

What country do you live in that you can't rent an apartment?? Find one big enough to get a flatmate- with your salary and career I would be surprised if a landlord wouldn't accept you as the primary leaseholder, and then you could live close to work and not bear the entire cost of independant living. A rule of thumb I've heard is that housing should be 30% of your take-home or less... that gives you a decent amount to work with.

Unless your time on/waiting for the train is REALLY productive, I would think you could use it better at home doing something on purpose, rather than just playing on your phone for 4-5 hours a day in transit. Maybe even start some hobby/side-thing that could eventually pay for the cost of the apartment!

[poeli]

I can, but it would cost me at least 50% of my wage, unless I go to the outskirts (12km from the city, less public transport), but even then, the village close to work is also very expensive (also 50% of my wage). Brussels, capital of Europe, so I guess lots of EU representatives and NATO people and journalists hiring places which makes it more expensive. I hope the friend of me easily finds a job in the same area, so we can start looking for a place, which would make it cheaper.
Another problem is that i am still on trial and work with weekly contracts for a few months, so for the next few months I'd certainly have to keep going by train until I have an unlimited contract.
Believe me, it's Belgium, we pay the highest taxes in the world.

[SU]

That explains it... some of the happiest 4-hour periods of my life have been spent in Brussels traffic jams.

Have you talked to your colleagues about how they deal with this? If you're looking at 50% of your wage to move closer to work, hate to say it but it might be worth looking for a different job, unless you expect rapid growth in salary over the next few years - in which case I'd look into buying a flat (with at least two bedrooms, so you can get a housemate and get income from rent) nearby if/when you have an unlimited contract.