Would you do this commute?

[Longcommute]

I've been offered a new job. I currently work 95% at home with occasional travel. New job is 2 days per week in the office and occasional travel. Unfortunately the office is 80 miles away so it's a pretty big round trip. The remaining 3 days I can work from home.

It would be a 1.5-2 hour drive. It would be double this on the train due to poor service options near the office. I'd probably have to leave at 6am and get back about 6pm (and work a bit those evenings to make up for leaving the office early ish to collect the dog. Child at uni so no childcare to worry about.

I don't know anyone who lives near there so I can't couch surf and will need to find a dog sitter too.

The job is more exciting, a better career development opportunity and around £10k pay rise.

What would you do?

I used to do pretty much exactly that - it’s exhausting - I hated it! I’ve been wfh since covid and never gone back - so much better.

I have that drive three days a week. It's not awful but it's pretty tiring. And expensive!

Not looking forward to winter and will likely look for another job before then.

Can you expense the fuel for the commute to the office?

No I wouldn't do that unless it was very short term.

No, the older I get the more I value not having a compromising commute. it's a time suck (it messes with your sleep if you're having to get up at crack of sparrows) and a money suck - travel is expensive whether you take public transport or drive yourself.

I doubt it.

No I wouldn't.

It may be an extra 10k but that'll soon go on fuel if they start putting fuel duty up and car repairs. It's also a drain on your time.

You can't put a monetary value on how it may affect you like tiredness, not wanting to do anything in the evenings you get back so it may affect your relationship etc.

Maybe for 20k but for 10, no.

My commute is only 1hr 20 each way, but the number of times there's a traffic problem is significant, and each time it eats away at my soul a little bit. I've agreed to it because i know it's time limited and the benefits are worth it. But if it wasn't an end in sight I wouldn't do it.

It's a 25% increase for me

Would you do it for 1 day a week if I could negotiate to that?

So 40k to 50k? I’d be asking for another 5k at least.

10k would be a 33% increase for me. Still wouldn't do it with that commute.

If it was a good career move a good building block on my CV, yes, I'd do it. The additional pension co tributions would pay dividends in the future.

Could you arrange to drive up on one day, abnb overnight and do a long day that night and drive back the following day?

If it's a great job, could you move closer?

Personally no I wouldn't, having a reasonable commute is important to me. If you wouldn't mind it though then go for it! I'd try and get the % in office and % at home agreed in writing contractually though or they could turn around in the future and expect you in everyday. I did a similar commute pre covid and it was awful.

35 to 45

I would but I like driving.

I used to do a 1.75 hr each way commute a couple of days a week.

If it was possible to find a nearby airbnb or hotel, I would consider it, but the dog sitter costs plus the hotel costs would eat into the pay rise significantly. It is also tiring and has a knock on effect to leisure time: I was not at all keen to travel at weekends when I was commuting. It was worth it to me to do it for a couple of years as i gained experience that allowed me to take a new career direction. I would not have done it forever.

I don't want to move really and an Airbnb would be expensive and difficult with the dog.

Not for £10k, you’ll be spending a lot of money on fuel, increased insurance due to higher milage and probably more money on food / snacks on office days.

Work out how much extra per hour you’ll be getting net (eg after tax, NI) once you factor in the extra commuting time, eg 48hr week vs 40hrs week and extra fuel, car wear and tear etc.

No way for me, that's the equivalent of a whole working day each week just sat in a car.

Personally I physically couldn't drive 4 hours a day on top of a full day's work, and then sit down and finish my work at home. Two days of that per week would be far too much for me. Depends on how much you want it though.

I might consider taking the job and staying away overnight, if I could find suitable dog care.

Why can't things be easy 😭

Do it for a year get the job title and experience and then move role again.

I've moved around a bit so I wouldn't want a quick move unfortunately