London opportunity

[Anidealopportunity]

I am considering applying for a role in London (close to King’s Cross Station) but wondering if I can make it work. I have spoken to management there and asked a few details. After 12 months it would be remote with only one visit, to London, per month on-site. Issue is, I live up north (but on the main line to KX). It is the role I have been after for a while (I have all of the required experience and qualifications). My current role is hybrid and across the other side of the country - I pay for a hotel one night a week and fill the car up £60 a week. I also spend 2 to 2.5 hours driving each way to my current role, once a week.

I can get to the London role in less than 2.5 hours by train. And, obviously , answer emails or do some work on the train! Cheap tickets if I book in advance. I have questioned how much time I’d need to be there in the first year. They have said 2 days for 12 months, to get used to systems and become familiar with the place. After that, I can work from home with just one visit per month. It is a pay rise and I’d probably get the London weighting on top. To start with, anyway.

I go to London a fair bit anyway and stay in Premier Inns on the outskirts and I absolutely love London/Richmond/Kew etc. I’d love to make this work. Divorced and no parents alive so I’m pretty lonely up here. Kids are over 18 and off at university etc. I would love to be able to do this, especially as it’s the job role I’ve wanted for a while (they come up every now and then).

Looking for ideas on how I can keep costs down for the 12 months. I know it’s expensive to stay in London. I figure the train tickets won’t be much more than what I’m paying out in my current role anyway. Hotels, I’ll probably stay in a PI. If pay rise and London weighting is there, this should cover any expenses.

Wondering if doing Thursday/Friday one week and Monday/Tuesday (and staying in London at the weekend - as I’d love that) would work. This would halve the train fares. It’s literally across the road and down a bit from King’s Cross station and my train goes there! 5 minutes away.

Happy to hear and good suggestions!! Is it doable for the 12 months?

Not happy in current job as it’s not what I want to do (well, part of it isn’t). Plus, place is in trouble.

Im currently in london for work. If work didnt subsidise it i would really struggle. Even with a decent wage the cost of things here is ridiculous.
My train and hotel was over £550+ Offpeak trains and the hotel was mega budget with not even a window or a kettle...
Crappy microwave style curry in the "hotel resturant" £11.
Even an itsu lunch £10

Hotel and travel are the biggest outlay but if you think you can get a good deal and youll still be better off month to month why not?

I'd go for it.

If you can arrange the days as you suggest, it might just work. In any new role you would probably have to invest some extra time or even costs (e.g. transport)

The inital buzz would help you power through the potentially longer hours of commute and work.

Having nearly consecutive days might make it easier to learn systems and get up to speed generally and you could do some afterwork socialising witht the team.

You can rent Mid week only rooms on SpareRoom that might suit you

Totally do it! Is it Lumo trains where you are? If so they’re cheaper in advance. Tons of options for hotels, on last minute.com you could get an overnight stay in a central London hotel with a pool for £81 (I used the filter 4 star and above) so you can definitely find something nice for £100 or less.

At your stage in life I would go for it. You don’t have dependants at home you need to be around for all week.
Yes the initial outlay will be considerable but look on it as an investment in your future. After a year you’ll have the job you want, remote with no commuting costs.

Good luck

Do it!

You might find once you start that they're flexible with the two days. You'll get annual leave too, to break things up a bit from time to time.

Anything is possible for a year!

I know a lovely ex colleague who has a house in Finsbury and hardly there. I'm sure she'd let a roommomr might a week for a reasonable amount..

I know someone who would paid to lodge midweek in London. It ended up cheaper than a hotel as she had somewhere to cook so wasn’t spending astronomical money on food, and also even though she was just paying midweek, the landlady let her leave some things there so she wasn’t carting everything back and forth on the train every week.