Got a promotion, now have a long commute to work. Advise/thoughts?

Interesting dilemma.
The money is nice but happiness and a stress free life is what we all should aim for.
The mere fact that you've asked the question shows that something doesn't quite sit right with the new change.
Personally I'd take the job on while you have an income and seriously look for closer work..

Nice raise! I wouldn't want to lose that much time every day though. Could you move closer?

I would go ahead and try taking the train... if you can spend that time reading a book you enjoy or researching, or even playing a game you like, you won't feel like you're being cheated out of your time.

OTOH, Driving gives you freedome to come and go when you please, even really early or really late.

If it were me, I would try the train since they are willing to pay for it, then if it didn't work I would try driving. If I decided to keep on driving, I would invest in a Toyota Prius 'C'. They start at about $20K and get 53 mpg or there abouts. A friend of mine at work just bought one and its a pretty nice little car.

Delimma for sure, the only thing not sitting right is the long train ride. Maybe i can learn to sleep on the train to make it pass a little more quickly.

Thats kinda the plan but it cant be immediate, i am currently in a lease(i rent) till march. so realistcly april would be the earliest i could move closer.
The other issue is my wife travels about 20 miles west to her place of work, the headquarters i will be at is 60 miles west. Idealy we would move 40 miles west so she would travel 20 miles east to work and me 20 miles west. But for at least the next 6 months i will have to make this work w/o going insane on the train.

I wouldn't take the job.

Sorry mate.

I work a 5min drive to and from work.

Have been offered $10-20k more per year to change jobs to somewhere that would be a 1.25 - 1.75 hour drive.

That's 2.5 - 3.5 hours a day!!!

Not worth it!

I love having my time to do my thing.

More important than money.

Is moving closer to work an option?


Unless you mean a 3x times salary increase going from 14K to 42K, would make little sense. But if it's like 50K to 150K go for it.

I will do the train and not drive for the sole fact of $$$, plus if i were to drive i then have to pay for parking in additon to fuel, that runs an extra $200 a month or so. I would love to have the freedom of my own viehicle with me all day but i cant justify the cost for such little time savings.


Thanks for the responses, they are already making me feel a bit better. =)

What if it was 50k more per year they offered with another bump in <6 months.. Plus better bennies more vacation and much much less strenuous work environment.

Its a done deal as of now, i already took it and start monday. Even took today off to familiarize myself with the train schedual and station layout, i rode out there and back in just over 3 hours. The ride wasnt unbearable, but i can see it wearing thin on me over time.

50k is more realistic to have me challenge my life for it.

I would likely consider moving closer to work if I liked the area it was in.
...But, I am a single man with no string - easy for me.

A VP who use to work for us;
He lived 700km away.
He rented a house close to work he slept at whenever he didn't want the 5 hour commute.
Or, when he wasn't renting. He would get a quick hotel room.

I know these aren't great options.
But, in the beginning - until you develop a knowledge of routine, you will need to do what's necessary.

Go for it, I drive from poconos to NYC everyday. you get used to it, use the time to listen to podcasts or audiobooks.. I have my own land, trees, cabin and PA living expenses with NYC income. a fair trade for me.

Find a place & move sooner. Break the lease & deal with it. If its really tripple the pay you can survive losing the security deposit.

If you're upfront with the landlord, & help find a new tenenet it may all work for the best.

Money will make you happy. Always do whatever makes you more money.

Load up on Podcasts.

Adam Carolla is great.

Ask your Mobility / relocation or HR dept for Lease Breakage Assistance. they may reimburse you for what you would pay to break the lease.

I commute 80 miles each way leaving before dawn and I'm commuting 4-5 hours a day. I feel your pain. Changing jobs would mean a serious hit to the wallet, and I like my job and company, so I will keep doing it a while longer.

Nearly 100 views and not one "your fukkin crazyy" that makes me feel ALOT better. I know others have long commutes some even longer than mine who do it for years and remain happy. I think it will be a good deal even if i have to spend hours in a cattle car every day untill i have the ability to move closer.

And with any luck they wont be too sticky about being there exactly on time if they know im comming in on a long train ride. If i can fudge about 5 mins past my start time i can take the express and cut 30 mins off the trip in the morning. I will try the " i can work the the train if you let me leave a bit early " too and hopefully retain as much personal time at home as possible. No kids to miss me but i will certainly miss spending time with my wife and dog in the evenings. I guess it is all apart of responsibility.

Buy a Hybrid. When i lived in Houston i got a job on the other side of town. I was having to fill up every other day. That gets really expensive.

youre set up perfect...
gut it out for 6 months, then move to a better location.

congrats on the promotion.

Thats a long commute, i definatly feel for you also. In the paperwork at the offering HR explained there is no relocation assitance, and breaking my lease would mean a loss of a nearly $4500 security deposit and the benifit of having my current landlord willing to 'vouch' for me as a good tenant. Being younger it can be difficult renting a nice place without a good rental history, i learned that moving here as they wanted a HUGE security deposit due to my age.

Thank you, i do feel blessed. Hard to think less than a year ago i had lost my job and was trying to hustle with anything i could find. Crazy how stuff works sometimes

The prius is a good vehicle to be sure, I chose the VW Jetta TDI. I get 50.1MPG on the highway and I dont have to worry about replacing batteries. Another nice thing is that the TDI (if properly maintained) will go for over 350K miles before requiring any service.

Until your lease is up seems like the perfect opportunity to
decide if you like the job or not. If you don't, then you will
not have made a permanent move.
It will give you time to figure out what all the best options are.
Driving vs train
what type of living arrangements(Buy or rent)
You could be dong research on your commute as to schools, taxes, local
gov't, cultural/recreational opportunities of one area over another.

Well, in my Job promotion means one step close to be fire, because we are union, the promotion became administration staff those are the first to go....I hope is not your case !!!!

Well, in my Job promotion means one step close to be fire, because we are union, the promotion became administration staff those are the first to go....I hope is not your case !!!!

Buy a motorcycle.
It will decrease the cost of gas and at the same time speed up your commute.

my 2 cents... Man up and deal with it until you can move.. Im in the same boat as you, driving 85 miles 1-way to work everyday.. Shit sucks lol, but its worth it...

My insurance is already too high, I bought a new honda civic last year( right before i lost my job) to be the car thats easy on gas. Before that i just had my 01 silverado and the wifes 06 explorer. 39 mpg, i know its not 50+ but it is night and day compaired to my others.
Since the company covers the train buying a new car would mean the new payment on the car, more insurance, plus the fuel, and paying to park near work (prolly close to $700 extra a month). Its only 4 miles to the train station so the wifes in the honda to save on her commute(55 cents a mile reimbursment) and the cost for me to take my truck to the station will be minimal at worst.

Moving from represented to non represented as a part of management. So in a sense you hit the nail on the head, they will now be able to fire me for the hell of it if they choose to. Thankfully that’s not an issue as the company as a whole is hiring like crazy right now, and i like to think i am of the quality they wish to retain. Most people in my company send years trying to break into management, i did it in 10 months with hard work and good skill sets to demonstrate my abilities.

Comming from a private union i understand the benifits they provide, although i really dont like the 'stand in line for seniority' to move up the ladder. I preferer the best man for the job. Just my humble opinion

I feel ya, gotta make that money...