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I once used to drive 75 miles one way plus traffic for a higher paying job. The near misses, wear and tear on car and horrible traffic conditions didn't make it worth it in the long run even when there was a significant pay raise. The only option which would make sense was car pooling. So if you are in for the short term go for it. Otherwise don't do it especially if you hate driving.
I agree with this, even with not much traffic, it got very old quick on my last job commuting 30 miles each way.
Are there any other advantages to the new job, other than the salary bump? Is it a better opportunity, will it position you in a better place in your career? Are the benefits better? I would say for me, I probably wouldn't want to do it just on the pay increase alone. Not only is commuting stressful, but that is an additional couple of hours lost each day. But for me, I already make a decent salary in a place where I feel like I have great opportunities and benefits, so YMMV based on where you are currently in your career. Bottom-line, you should consider the entire picture, not just the salary and the commuting miles.
I would have to weigh the benefits. I'd look at wear and tear on the car vs. my sanity of being in traffic vs monetary gain vs time lost.
As it stands for me personally, the extra $1666 (I know I am not removing taxes) a month would be welcome, but I really don't like traffic. I have a lot of patience and can enjoy music, but there are people on the road who simply should not be allowed to turn on the ignition of a car, let alone drive the streets and expressways. I would ask about the ability to work from home/telecommute from time to time to help balance it out.
As for the car, even with a new car or a car with low mileage, the wear and tear on your vehicle can't be avoided. Tires, brakes, oil changes, gas costs, etc - all of that will come around much more often with the increased mileage. Let's not forget the things outside of your control - cracked windshield from a truck tossing rocks, someone bumping into your car just enough to crack the paint, mysterious markings showing up from who knows where... You will probably be using some of your additional income just to put aside for both expected and unexpected car needs.
But out of the above mentioned, lost time is a big deal for me. Losing 2-3 hours in a day just to commute back and forth adds up. When I don't have time for other responsibilities or just other things I would like to accomplish, that gets to be an issue, big time. Again, reason to ask about the telecommute policy.
I drove 40 miles one-way in Vermont, but Vermont miles mean = 40 minutes.
When I was in the Philly area, I drove 25 miles to a job in Del, and it took an hour and a half. Even though it was with XEROX, just couldnt keep up that pace. Im not a driver. To me, a half hour is the most I will sit in a car. Quality of life is more important than money. My job right now is horrible, but I can get to work in 15 minutes on a bicycle. Thats the only thing keeping me there.
It would depend on where I lived. If it was somewhere where it snowed a lot in the winter, then ugh, I would not want to drive 80 miles round trip to work every day. Noooooooooo thank you.
Employment is the number one factor that dictates where I live. I currently live 25 miles from work and eventually will end up moving closer to where I work. So sell your house or find a new apartment for a better job. However I don't own personally and would probably never buy a house with the unstable government situation we have going on in Illinois. The retarded dems here think nothing about mailing out $15k property tax bills to middle class families.
In 2001 I took a job with an increase of 15K base. But I was a contractor so I didn't get paid time off or health insurance.
Then factor in that I was leaving a job 1 mile from home for a job 10 miles from home. Which is not a lot miles-wise but some days it took me 45 minutes to make that trip on all heavily traveled back roads (stop lights and school buses). Winter was the worst! (I actually had a job 26 miles from home that was easier and quicker to get to).
Thankfully it was a contract job, but it was the most miserable 3.5 years at a job of my life.
And I absolutely love to drive. But I hate commuting.
I'm im this situation now. My drive now is about 17 miles. ..with this new job it would be 40 miles one way...I really hate traffic and I dont have the best car. I could always get a new one with my first few paychecks but I'm alway paranoid.
Would love to hear opinions from anyone else who was in this situation. .
I'd heard horror stories from people living in Ct having a 3 hour 25 mile commute. I'd never go for that. I have driven 1 hour for work, but they were paying me for 12 but I only had to work 10.
As a rule, I try to minimize commute time as much as possible. I generally factor a commute time as a net loss.
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