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Living an hour from work?
05-23-2015, 08:45 AM
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#1
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 125
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Living an hour from work?
I will soon be transfering to a new location for my job. The job itself would be about a 50 minute drive on most days (all highway) from my hometown where both families (my wife and my own) live. We haven't lived close to family in the last 5 years and it would be really nice to be that close to help with our 1 year old (and we have one on the way).
Family isn't the only reason we want to live there. We both know the area very well as we were raised there and feel it would be the perfect setting to raise our kids (good schools, lower cost of living, plenty of activities, family...etc, etc).
Don't get me wrong, there are other areas we would consider living but both are about a 35 minute drive to work. The way I look at it, we get our dream location for an extra 15 minutes each way. My wife does not currently work, so it would only be me doing the commute. I used to have a 45 minute communte each way and felt the drive helped me relax after work before getting home. Also, with family in town, it would be easier for her to pickup some work as well.
What do you guys think? Did anyway else commute almost an hour by choice? I'm a little worried it may get old after a while. Just looking for other opinions to help us decide on what to do here.
__________________
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05-23-2015, 08:57 AM
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#2
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Houston
Posts: 958
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Many people around where I used to work would travel that much to get to work. I only did for a very brief time. For me personally, I didn't want to spend >10% of my waking hours (2 hrs per day / 16 hrs awake) during the week driving and not being around my family. So instead, we chose to live close to work (I had a drive of < 10 minutes) and enjoyed the added family time.
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05-23-2015, 09:05 AM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
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Yes for 10 years I drove 62.5 miles one way, 6 of those on gravel. My commute was at least 1:15 one way, often longer. There was no work from home. We were in a very rural area where wildlife was amazing; watching turkeys and deer fighting to defend their mates, bobcats and coyotes were frequent visitors, holding injured birds in our bare hands to get them out of shock... Peace, solitude, nature were our closest neighbors. Three hour commute on snowy days, I'd take a day off if there was major snow falling.
I really never minded the commute, the property was too much for me to take care of, DW was tired of living on multiple levels. I am remorseful we moved, but it was the right thing to do.
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05-23-2015, 09:07 AM
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#4
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,069
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I consider commuting literally burning hours of your life away. Think about it, thats 10 hours a week you lose, that's a lot of your discretionary time.
I always have moved very close to work, or telecommuted. Haven't driven to work since i was 22.
Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
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05-23-2015, 09:29 AM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,958
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Are you being realistic about the commute time, in my experience people who sign-off on a long commute tend to minimize the time it really takes to make it look better.
Will it been in an area that has weather issues of any kind, we are in central MN and the winter would be a deal breaker for even considering this.
And last of all, will you ever need to put in more then an 8 hour day? If you have any overtime paired with a longer commute means you won't see your family much during the week.
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05-23-2015, 09:30 AM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,179
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40 minutes commuting each way is my limit. My work location will change later in the year, and if I desired an office there, my commute trip will go from 40 miles round trip/30-40 minutes each way to over 100 miles round trip/1:15-2 hours each way.
If I were younger I would deal with it, but at 57 time and energy are my most valuable assets, which I'd rather not waste commuting. Fortunately I have the choice to work full time from home and that is what I will opt for.
__________________
FIREd date: June 26, 2018 - "This Happy Feeling, Going Round and Round!" (GQ)
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05-23-2015, 09:56 AM
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#7
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Utrecht
Posts: 2,650
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I've done consulting work where the client was pretty far away. It's tolerable for a while, and it helps if you can get work done in the car too (phone calls).
Statistically speaking though people tend to get fed up and move once their commute hits 45 minutes. That's across all kinds of jobs and societies, even farmers in Africa move their house or swap fields if the field is too far away.
So, prepare for it getting old after a year or two I'd say.
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05-23-2015, 10:01 AM
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#8
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Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 40,714
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ATC Guy
What do you guys think? Did anyway else commute almost an hour by choice? I'm a little worried it may get old after a while. Just looking for other opinions to help us decide on what to do here.
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So many people have long commutes because of job or housing issues and become resentful and unhappy because they have few or no options. This isn't your case. If it is a dream location, the whole family benefits and you don't mind the commute, why not?
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05-23-2015, 10:30 AM
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#9
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,448
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Is it 50 minutes in rush hour traffic or 50 minutes flying down the highway? For me, the latter is much more tolerable long-term than the former, even if the number of minutes in the car is exactly the same.
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05-23-2015, 10:33 AM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,958
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelB
So many people have long commutes because of job or housing issues and become resentful and unhappy because they have few or no options. This isn't your case. If it is a dream location, the whole family benefits and you don't mind the commute, why not?
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Just be sure it's what you want. The only "why not" would be once you buy a house and get the kids settled in schools and such most people won't relocate.
So you might end up hating your commute, but feel you have no other options.
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05-23-2015, 10:44 AM
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#11
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 125
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We are also considering renting for a year there to see if it is tolerable. I just hate the idea of moving twice (once into the rentla, and again into a homoe we buy).
__________________
Money is freedom.
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05-23-2015, 11:14 AM
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#12
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 61
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I have commuted 37 miles, about 50 minutes, since 2004 as all of the family's school, sports, friends, church, etc. are near our house. The company provides me a car and gas, so there is no cost issue to me. When I started this, I thought it would be a few years. I can't say it is ideal, but it has worked out ok. I've never missed an important event in their lives, but I work for a family who is very flexible.
The kids will graduate from high school next year and go away to college. We may move closer to work if we can find an area we like and pay for it with the sale of our existing house. The only thing that concerns me about that is that I will be moving from just outside of downtown to the far off suburbs. I plan on only working about 8 more years, at that point I'm not sure where we will want to live. Not sure if we should move for that period of time.
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05-23-2015, 11:22 AM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,958
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ATC Guy
We are also considering renting for a year there to see if it is tolerable. I just hate the idea of moving twice (once into the rentla, and again into a homoe we buy).
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Yes, a double move is no fun, but it's the only you have some flexibly with this decision. It could cost you some money too, if the area has a hot housing market.
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05-23-2015, 11:32 AM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,223
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soupcxan
Is it 50 minutes in rush hour traffic or 50 minutes flying down the highway? For me, the latter is much more tolerable long-term than the former, even if the number of minutes in the car is exactly the same.
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+ 1. My last location assignment was 50 minutes (25 miles) in thick, but moving traffic on the way in and 2- 2.5 hours in bumper to bumper on the way home. I had worse short term situations when I was young, but it really consumed my time and soul. Weigh the whole situation.
__________________
" A person is smart, but People are dumb, dangerous, panicky animals, and you know it " Agent "K", Men in Black
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05-23-2015, 11:40 AM
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#15
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 125
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soupcxan
Is it 50 minutes in rush hour traffic or 50 minutes flying down the highway? For me, the latter is much more tolerable long-term than the former, even if the number of minutes in the car is exactly the same.
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I work a lot of shift work, so my hours rarely align with normal traffic flows, but it is not generally in a large city. All highway, any traffic usually only adds a 5-10 minute delay during rush hour, otherwise it is a smooth 75 mph. It is about 52 miles though.
__________________
Money is freedom.
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05-23-2015, 11:41 AM
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#16
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Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 14,212
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My first job out of college was 40 minutes (if there was no traffic). It sometimes took longer than an hour.
I swore I'd never have a commute longer than 30 minutes again. If you have an emergency and need to get home... If you get sick at work and need to get home... all of those become awful if the commute is long.
My short (in miles commute) was starting to regularly take at least 30 minutes on the way home a few years before I retired. Then freeway construction made that into 40 minutes on a regular basis. It was a contributing factor in my retirement.
I agree with the recommendation to rent in the area first and see if the commute is tolerable. You have a young child and do you really want to spend the time in the car, away from that child?
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Retired June 2014. No longer an enginerd - now I'm just a nerd.
micro pensions 6%, rental income 20%
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05-23-2015, 12:07 PM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 2,179
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ATC Guy
I will soon be transfering to a new location for my job. The job itself would be about a 50 minute drive on most days (all highway) from my hometown where both families (my wife and my own) live. We haven't lived close to family in the last 5 years and it would be really nice to be that close to help with our 1 year old (and we have one on the way).
Family isn't the only reason we want to live there. We both know the area very well as we were raised there and feel it would be the perfect setting to raise our kids (good schools, lower cost of living, plenty of activities, family...etc, etc).
Don't get me wrong, there are other areas we would consider living but both are about a 35 minute drive to work. The way I look at it, we get our dream location for an extra 15 minutes each way. My wife does not currently work, so it would only be me doing the commute. I used to have a 45 minute communte each way and felt the drive helped me relax after work before getting home. Also, with family in town, it would be easier for her to pickup some work as well.
What do you guys think? Did anyway else commute almost an hour by choice? I'm a little worried it may get old after a while. Just looking for other opinions to help us decide on what to do here.
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I haven't seen anyone comment on the fact that they are very close to family. If the wife picked up a job, then you would have to drop off the children at your family's house. That would take much longer (presumably) than the extra 20 minutes each way you would be adding to your commute. Plus you don't mention what kind of work/what area your wife might get a job at. She would have a commute - would hers be shorter in this new area?
The way I look at it, it's 20 mins in the morning, and 20 mins in the evening. not much different in the morning, so would you really notice 20 mins extra in the evening? Add in the lower cost of living and good schools, the much shorter commute to your family, and to me it's a no-brainer to move!
__________________
Dryer sheets Schmyer sheets
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05-23-2015, 12:27 PM
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#18
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 13,566
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I have an hour commute, partly on rural roads and then some heavy congestion in town. It is killing me. I've been doing it over 10 years and it has really started wearing me down on both ends of the day.
Not really any other option for me but to suck it up, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone else. That's a long time to spend in the car each and every day, I can tell you.
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“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching.”
Gerard Arthur Way
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05-23-2015, 12:40 PM
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#19
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,600
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I had a 35 minute commute from 1974 to 2014. I hated it toward the end. Luckily there was never a lot of traffic.
Sent from my iPhone (:.using Early Retirement .//82339)
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05-23-2015, 01:55 PM
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#20
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Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,941
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As traffic got worse the last few years before I ER'd, my evening commute went from 35 to 45-55 minutes. Those extra 10-20 minutes were he11. Morning was still under 30 as long as I left the house by 6:55, which was fine by me. Now if I need to go downtown for something first thing in the morning, it takes a minimum of 40 minutes even if I leave by 6:45am (now known as the middle of the night). So I would check out traffic trends before committing to that long of a commute.
__________________
"One of the funny things about the stock market is that every time one person buys, another sells, and both think they are astute." William Feather
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ER'd Oct. 2010 at 53. Life is good.
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