Is this commute too much?

[commuterquery]

Hi!

just wondered if someone could give some advice or perspective on this.

right now I’m commuting about 55 minutes door to door by car, both to and from work. It’s only 25 miles from my house to my work but busy traffic. I work 9-5.30.

I’ve got the opportunity to take a higher paid job but with different hours and a much longer commute. But also- much higher salary. It’s 55 miles, 1 hr 30 minutes door to door but more of a country drive so no traffic. Hours 8.30-5.30

Does anyone know if realistically this would be too much? Just thinking it would be a great opportunity to save some money for a deposit (i still live at home) but realistically I don’t want to be too exhausted. It’s a much higher milage but not a significantly higher commute (30 mins more each way) because of the traffic differences- although with the earlier start I’d need to leave much earlier than I am now

and with the extra petrol I’d be spending a lot more than I am now although I’d be earning more too

just wondered if anyone has any advice or thoughts or experience in this sort of thing at all? Thanks in advance 🙂

How easy would it be for you to get a new job after a while? I think it is doable for a while - DSis had same commute for a while and at first she didn't mind but after a year or so was exhausted especially when there periods of bad traffic. Sounds like a lot more money though so definitely worth it for a bit

I do 1.5-2hrs/50 miles one way, so 3-4hrs of driving a day. It's not ideal, but you do get used to it fairly quickly. I'd do it and see how you get on. It doesn't have to be forever.

That's a normal day for a young adult, lots of people commute into London with similar journeys.

This is what you need to do to make career advances, sounds like a great opportunity

I wouldn't agree to any job working 8.30 to 5.30. 9- 5.30 or 8.30 -5pm. Human beings just aren't productive that many hours a day 5 days a week, and I regard employers who try to push for a 40 hour week as standard as workaholic with poor culture.

The song is "working 9-5" because that was the standard office hours. Why are so many people accepting employers stretching that out by 5 hours every single week? Its rare that they offer the higher pay those hours should warrant either.

So I commute 1.5hrs to work, but it’s by train, so I read, scroll my phone and I generally find it quite a relaxing downtime. Driving commutes of that length are known to be detrimental to overall health, so I’d be cautious. My DH faced a driving commute of that length a couple of years ago. Luckily he landed a new, closer job within 4 months, so it was short lived, but he found it extremely tough, and he had also dealt with a long train commute before that.

It’s so subjective. I think only you can really know how you’d feel and I think you’d likely have a pretty good idea since you do 55 mins already. That’s it’s a country drive is a big positive. Sitting in traffic is stressful even if it’s for less time.

Because people need jobs and aren't really that often in a position to refuse to work the hours that all the existing staff are already contracted to.

I would rent a room in someone's house in the same place as the job on a Monday to Friday basis. This will be quite cheap and not hugely more than the petrol costs that you save.

This all depends on your priorities. When I still lived at home, I would go out to the pub/gym/ do hobbies a few nights a week. Spending time with friends and dating was really important to me as I was looking to meet someone to settle down with and really valued the time I had to spend with friends before I had kids- so many great memories of good conversations putting the world to rights and having a good laugh! I would have hated getting in too tired/ too late to see friends and go on dates etc.

You’ve mentioned a big priority is to save for a house. Is this job something you could do for a short period? Could you take the job and also keep your eye out for something closer to home, with the advantage of this new role on your CV?
it’s all so personal to what you want and what you can handle.

There's no way I'd sign up to a commute like that - it sounds horrendous, even with the pay rise.

That being said, if you're living at home with no commitments, could you maybe drive down on a Monday and back on a Friday, and stay in a cheap travel lodge?

It will probably cost you about the same amount as all the fuel and wear and tear.

although it’s rural northern Scotland so as soon as winter kicks in the country roads will be a nightmare

That sounds horrendous to me!

£3ok to £5ok sounds like a big career boost - do it.

Will the added pay cover your added commuting costs? If so, yes, I’d do it. You have all the time in the world without children or the commitments of looking after a home. I used to commute 3 hours each way (6 hours a day, 3 days a week) with young children and a home of my own to look after. It’s very doable.

The thing is, once you factor in 15 hours of commuting time a week, plus all the extra fuel costs, it's not as big a pay rise as it seems on paper.

It depends how you find driving really. I worked as a locum for a year and it involved a tonne of driving, but I saved enough for a house deposit so it was worth it in the short term. It wasn't pleasant though, and sometimes I would book a cheap room to avoid so much driving. It also depends if you could move close to home after x years etc I think- short term is a different mindset to I don't know when I can change jobs!

I’d consider it if it means you’ll be in a better career position in five years. If not, then no.

If you are living at home with no kids go for it with the aim of buying a place closer in future if you like the job.

Consider whether you can negotiate a couple of days WFH. Only commuting some of the days would make a big difference.

It might also be worth considering a cheap rent a room arrangement a few nights a week. I used to work with lots of people who did a big commute and quite a lot used a website to find spare rooms to stay in or would get a cheap b&b. The ones living furthest away would often get a place 4 nights a week work late Mon-Thursday and then start late Monday and finish early Friday to allow for the commute.

I have done 50+ mile commutes myself, both times for around 6 year stretches. I do less than 20 miles now but it takes almost as long due to city centre traffic and parking issues.

It would be too much for me. But plenty of people commute like that for years. I guess you need to consider how much you like being in the car and how much it might impact on your evenings. But, given the money is good and it wouldn’t be forever, it sounds like a good opportunity to save.

I think you should definitely consider it particularly if it's a good stepping stone in your career. But be mindful that you're working an additional 2.5hours a week, plus the extra 5 hours per week commuting time. And then factor in you'll pay 40% tax on the portion of salary over £37,700. Suddenly what looked like a massive pay rise is much less when you look at it on an hourly basis taking all the time into consideration. But with those sums done it might still be a great opportunity, good luck deciding.

would always be in work because with the job it’s not possible to WFH

Lots of comments on this thread about how it would be much easier if the OP could just opt to WFH a few days a week to save money. Loads of people can’t WFH-the OP is one of them.

Do it, because you'll be setting your price point for your next job much higher than it is now.

I would do this given the pay rise and opportunities for the job could bring. Especially as you have no responsibilities currently.

Download some podcasts, get some playlists made and you’ll be fine.

I did the 3 hour daily commute OP. After a few months it became soul destroying. I applied to WFH 2xdays per week which made it slightly more bearable.

But honestly I wouldn’t do it again! I WFH FT now and it’s bliss!

Pre kids and at home is absolutely the time to do this if it'll push your career forward. I had some hellish commutes early in my career, but it paved the way to the work life balance I have now in a senior position at a time I've needed it most.

And the 30k to £50k jump is the hardest in my experience, to wade your way through the average salaries competing with swathes of people with similar experience, once you get to £50k it's much easier then to progress beyond that, if that makes sense?? Not all sectors of course, but certainly in mine.

First - there is reputable research that shows that lengthy commutes do have health consequences, especially around stress and mental health. Every 10-15 minutes above 30 min increased health consequences in one study I remember reading some years ago.

Second - there is reputable research that shows that income has significant bearing on health including stress and mental health.

You’re balancing between the two here. I personally find 1.5 hour commutes very tiring, and doing that every day has impacts on life outside of work. Keeping on top of things like shopping/cooking/house maintenance/exercise/social connection etc with 11 hour days is challenging. Living at home you might have a lower burden with some of that stuff but if you’re actively contributing to your home it won’t be none. 30min each way is an hour a day - that’s not insignificant.

One option is to commute every other day and put some of that pay rise into staying at a hostel twice a week. If there’s a hobby you could do on those nights close to your job that is even better.

Aggressively saving gets you into the housing market earlier - but I’d recommend ensuring you have a sufficient budget for some fun life stuff to - as well as things like joining your colleagues for the occasional coffee or lunch out. One way is to take your current post-tax salary, calculate the cost of this new job - and automatically put the “extra” into a savings account (plus your current savings plan). Then split any raises between you and the piggy bank.