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Ask HN: Would you take a pay cut for a shorter commute?
So I'm at a crossroads. I just moved to a smaller city, about 50 miles from the nearest large population center. I still have a job in said population center making 110k. This results in a commute of about an hour
The problem is, if I take a job locally, I'm looking at a pay cut of 10-15k.
I really can't judge if that's worth it or not. I've done long commutes before and there are pluses and minuses of course. But I really am struggling to decide on what's the better choice: more money, or more time...
Thoughts?
- sjg007 8y agoGas is costing you $3k per year already, plus the mileage and upkeep. That 10k is really like 7k after tax so your extra income is $4k which is $333 per month. Plus you are using 2 hours per day of your life to the commute. This is 40hrs a month for the $333 or about $8.32 an hr.
- ed_at_work 8y agoI guess I just needed somebody else to confirm it for me. I did the math after posting this. I don't like the ego hit of a salary reduction, but it just makes sense it seems...
- DoreenMichele 8y agoStudies show: Sitting for many hours a day takes a toll on your health that cannot be fully reversed by exercise. Medical bills get spendy fast, plus how miserable are you willing to be for the "bragging rights"? Do you really routinely tell folks your salary number to enhance your ego? Those are sort-of rhetorical questions. I don't need or want answers to them. Just think on it all for your own edification.
- elpakal 8y ago> Plus you are using 2 hours per day of your life to the commute This is the biggest intangible to me. There's a lot more you could be doing in those 2 hours per day (family time, exercise etc) which might make you more relaxed and/or productive at work. Sitting in a car for this long drives me crazy. You could maybe even be using those extra 2 hours per day to work on side projects or generate income to make up the difference.
- flyer428 8y agoI've commuted 1hr by car for 2.5yrs. Don't recommend it. I'd happily take a 15k paycut if my company relocated within a 15 min drive. The driving became so mind-numbing after a few months. And I shudder to think of all the lost sleep from the early mornings.
- gaspoweredcat 8y agopersonally im not that averse to commuting, i use the time to read and listen to music, its probably different if youre travelling by car rather than train though
- fturco 8y agoIf I were you I would certainly take the local job. I strongly hate commuting.