My school is 36 kilometers form home. It takes 40-50 minutes of motorcycle ride from home to school and 1h15 - 1h30 the other way. The back home journey is longer because of traffic. I've been teaching in several school, and this one fits me well. It's far from home but the work and pay is good.
For a time, while I was in the military, I was commuting from San Jose to Alameda 5-6 days a week. While it was about a 90 mile round trip, most times it was a 3 hour or more round trip... add that to the 12 hour shift...well...I'm not crying fer ya. Edit...BTW I'm retired now...so HAHAHAHA! to all the sob stories...including my own. :banana:
If you work 45miles from home, maybe you should consider doing what Japanese business men do and stay in hotels near work for the work week, and come home on days off. This can complicate family matters though. However, if you are single, I'd just move closer to work. I remember when I was so happy to have a job 1.5miles from home because I bike that in 5 minutes. Now I work at home. Working from home may sound awesome, but you'll go crazy if you don't go outside and talk to someone.
Interesting, it doesn't look like anybody considers public transport. Unless of course, it's not applying to any of you, because there is none, or it's way longer. 31-45 minutes. I have a 5 minutes drive to the railway station (could walk or ride the bike), then I ride the train for about half an hour. Surely is more relaxed than going by car over my countries most used highway to get to work!
For me 5 minute drive to ze railway station then 28 minutes on train and 8-10 min walk to work place.
Half an hour one way, so about an hour total daily. Distance is appr. 35 km (= 22 miles) one way. I recently switched to a newer car with a smaller engine (1.5 L gas) and indeed the cost of driving dropped. Especially as the insurance and taxes are also less for the newer car vs. my old one.
An hour or so commute is very common. I'd put it this way: if a job ticks all the right boxes, I wouldn't turn it down just for the longer commute if it's still reasonable. 50 min one way equating to little under 2 hrs total. Surely a bit out of the comfort zone, but doable, given most of the drive is along the highway. For an annual raise of 15k plus other things you mentioned, go for it imo! With luck you'll be able to car pool with someone once you get to know your workmates. But like I posted above, consider "upgrading" your car if you get/take the job. Getting a diesel engine one if you currently drive gas is something worth looking at. Depends greatly on fuel prices and other costs in your area naturally.
Now during the vacation period, around 10-15 minutes for 23 km (mostly highway). Otherwise, it can go up to 1 hour one way.
Ok, they just offered me the job! The only kicker is, it won't be the 15k a year boost from my current job I was expecting. They are now telling me their "ceiling" for the position would put me at around 12k more than I am making now. I also did the numbers (like the other poster in this thread) and saw the gas would cost me in excess of $3000+ more a year, including tolls for the new drive. So take that 12k annual raise and bump it down to around 9k!! I also just noticed that this new wage would put me into a new tax bracket. I would be at the 25% tax level vs the 15% tax level, according to a .gov website..... I am wondering if this is worth it now?? This is really questionable now. decisions decisions....
With me I am 5mins or so away from my job. I am pretty much in walking distance but that would take about 15-20mins instead of 5.
So how much more would you be getting after all that? If it is anything over like 3k$ a year why not? It is loads of money already.
I'm not sure but I am happy to announce that I sent them a counter-offer and they accepted! So I am back at the original compensation package we were talking about. Looks like I will be making this drive to work very soon I have to put in notice at my current job today. It is exciting but a bit nerve wracking at the same time! I know the travel and car maintenance expenses are going to add up, but I think it will be worth it now. I should still come out on top, for more reasons than one with this new job.
^ congrats! I think you made the right choice, especially as you mentioned other things like better future prospects in your first post. Not everything is about money. However as you're earning more too, it's a win-win situation really So after the commution costs are covered that's about +12k (15k - 3k) a year. Taxes bump to 25 %, so your real increased earnings would then be 0,75 x 12000 = 9000. Ie roughly 9k / year more dough for you. That's not bad at all. Actually it's the very opposite of bad. It's good! edit: a bit hasty math on my part. You need to deduct taxes first and then take out other costs (as the tax-reduced amount is what you truly get). Meaning 15000 * 0,75 - 3000 = 8250. Let's say 8k then. Still not bad tho!
^ yeah it is, especially in the Dubai traffic. No matter how much they pay you (unless it's something astronomical), that's too much of a commute you have. As we have discussed before Hope you get your debts paid off soon so you can start considering the move back to UK.