Long commute for a big pay rise... would you?

[KingHyx]

I work in a specialist field where jobs in my area are very hard to come by. I live outside of the city where salaries are generally very low. I am lucky enough to work close to home at the moment and whilst my salary is considered very good for where I live, it’s low for the field I work in.

I’ve been offered an opportunity in central London (where most of the jobs in my field seem to be), which would be a £30k pay rise plus benefits for doing the same role I do now. The commute to work would be around 2 hours each way.....!

I’m 25, married but no children and we own a property, so moving closer isn’t really an option for us at the moment. We are comfortable financially, but of course it would be amazing to have such a large pay rise and an opportunity to make some significant overpayments on the mortgage etc.

Am I crazy for considering this? It would be really helpful to hear from anyone else who has a long commute to work and what your experiences are!

[Roxyxoxo]

It depends, I did it and hated it- it wasn’t long before I was job hunting closer to home for a pay drop but to reclaim a lot of my time! Remember that public transport isn’t always reliable, and you can spend hours waiting around on top of the ‘best case’ commute time. However, I did work with people who enjoyed it and didn’t regret choosing a job with a long commute. You could always do it for a few years and then maybe take something closer to home if your situation changes and it no longer suits? Although I guess it’s easy to get comfortable with the increase in pay and not be able to readjust to lower.

[Mouikey]

Time is the most precious commodity we have so I would have to think long and hard about the commute vs the cash. Gray to have the extra cash but when will you enjoy it? You’ll be shattered!

However if you plan on doing it for a maximum of x years to get a load of your mortgage paid off or to purchase x y or z (or fab holidays) then do it.

If you think kids are on the cards in the mid term, do it and set tourself up with a nice nest egg to ensue eyou won’t have money worries when the time comes.

[cranberrymoon]

You are only 25! Sod it, rent out your house and move to London, it will be great and you won't need to worry about a looong commute.

[Littlemissdaredevil]

With a 30k pay rise would you be able to lodge in the week somewhere closer to work. It may work out cheaper that getting the train or driving every day (and would be less draining).

[Crunchymum]

If there is no option to WFH, then that's 20 hours a week commuting. Depending on how generous the holiday package is that could be 900+ hours a year spent commuting (I've taken my holiday as an example. Which is 6 weeks year)

It's a lot of time. The extra 30k is actually £33.33 per hour you spend commuting.

Excuse the crappy maths. I'm just trying to put it to you a different way. Is £33 an hour worth the commute?

[flyings0l0]

4h is a lot.

have you checked of WFH is an option for some of your hours?

whilst 30k sounds good, how much are you better off after tax and crucially transport.

unless you really really need the money, I probably would not.

[serenawren]

Rent your house out and move closer. Do it for a few years, get some money behind you and make the most of the experience. Not sure if kids are on the horizon, but if it is, it will most likely limit you so make the most of what you can now

[flyings0l0]

also, have you done a 'test' commute during rush hours. 2h may well be nearer 2.5/3h.

[Nowthenforever2019]

I did it for a year and then feel pregnant and did it 4 days a week (1 day from home) until my maternity leave. Mine was just a single train for 1h45 then 20 min walk. I quite liked it. Could read, watch a film, occasionally do emails, have a drink and breakfast, read the paper. It was like nearly 2 hours of quality me time!

[ScruffGin]

Could you move closer and rent your house out? I think 4 hours commuting a day, plus whatever hours you are working is a recipe for burnout in afraid...

[MrsSpenserGregson]

I did a 2-hour each-way commute when I was your age. I was burned out before I was 30

Realistically, if your commute is 2 hours, you will need to get up, shower, dress etc a certain amount of time before you leave the house .... so even if you're just working a 9-5 job (which I imagine you aren't if the salary increase is £30k after costs), you're probably getting up at 6am at the latest, and not arriving home before 7pm on weekdays. My working hours were more like 8am - 6pm on a good day, so I was leaving the house at 6am and not arriving home until 8pm regularly, and when I was doing overtime every sodding week I could easily be out of the house for 18 hours. It played havoc with my health. I never ate a meal in my home during the week, which cost a fortune, I was constantly knackered, never had any time to exercise of socialise, and was just generally miserable.

Given the chance again, I wouldn't do it!

[CarpetGate]

Just move! You're very young and have no kids - absolutely no reason to stay where you are forever?!

[Redglitter]

Why couldn't you move closer??

2 hours each way sounds a nightmare

[Justonemorepancake]

As you don't have kids yet can you do Mon-Thurs nights in London and rent a cheap room in a flatshare there? Or rent your house out and get a london rental, or somewhere within 45 mins commute.

[TheGlitterFairy]

You should go for it! Amazing to have such an increase in a small field of your expertise while you’re mid 20s - will set you up for the future.
As others have said - might be worth looking to move closer, assuming this would work for your DH too.
Would be worth a discussion about wfh once a week too.
I commute approx 1hr 15-30 each day - you get used to it. I spent the time reading. Of course some days are crap and there are issues with the tube etc but generally speaking it’s fine.
Go for it while you can. I’m sure you won’t regret it!!!

[19lottie82]

I don’t think travelling for 4 hours a day would be sustainable. You’d end up knackered and miserable.

Could you not move closer, or perhaps stay in a B and B, travelling down on the Monday morning and returning home on the Friday, after work?

[Loopytiles]

2 hours each way is too much IMO, I do 90 mins each way and it’s pretty shit (do have DC though which makes a difference).

It’d be better to move closer to london and rent out your property. Or live in London during the week, eg lodging.

Why are you living in your current location? Does it benefit both of you? (Eg family/friends, work opportunities).

[CaMePlaitPas]

25 and no kids? I'd do it in a heart beat.

[happyasasandboy]

Yes, yes, and another luck - YES!

We both commuted 2 hours each way for years on end (about 5 years for me, and about 10 years for DH). It's long but perfectly doable. For a £30k payrise I would do it in a heartbeat.

It is a long slog, but you get used to it. With no children you can spend some time in town socialising in the evening then travel back. It doesn't have to be forever - do it for 5 years/until you have kids and then reconsider, having banked £150k in the process ......

[blueshoes]

I would explore flexible working with your new employer. Apart from working from home, which other posters have suggested, what about compressing your hours so you work 4 days in 3 and stay in a B&B/room in london for 2 nights a week. You then get one extra day WFH and one extra day off to recover?

[Perty01234]

Yes for 30k rise I would, its more than a lot of people’s wages! What time will you be leaving the house and what time will you be getting home?

[whymewhynow]

I'd do it but find a room (through Airbnb or similar) for two nights a week so that I wasn't doing that journey every day. Are you sure it will only cost £6k for a two-hour commute?

[CamdenTownie]

I'm currently in a similar position, work locally to home but considering a new job with a commute that is a 20 minute drive to the station then around an hour and ten minutes on the tube. Salary is 2.5 times my current earnings.

From friends who work in the city that commute isn't unusual, and it means just over a 12 hour day door to door, also my children are all senior school age. So can in theory all chip in.

Life is pretty easy at the moment, in your position I'd definitely do it to further my career.

[Dragongirl10]

Why don't you consider letting your house and renting in a convenient location much closer( depending on your Dhs work location of course.)

Otherwise why not do a couple of nights staying close to work, and put in longer hours allowing possibly shorter days you commute?
I would (and have done this)
a few years down the line with dcs you will really be glad of the financial jump ahead you will have made....

[titchy]

Assuming the two hours is door to door go for it! I'm 50, unfit and commute 1.5 hours each way. With delays it can be longer. I find it perfectly fine. That said no one clock watches, so it doesn't matter if I'm late in, I work 6 rather than 7 hour days (although often work more than my contracted 6 hours).

Look at ways to make home easier - cleaner, supermarket delivery, plan quick to make meals etc