Better house but bigger commute or vice versa?

boxman2000 said:
Eh? An additional 40 minutes travel time per day at 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year (240 working days) is 160 hours per year or 6 days and 40 minutes travel. Or 40 minutes is 2/3 of an hour so 240 days divided by 2/3 = 160 hours. I don't understand how he would be wasting 2/3rds of a year travelling?
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Over a 40 year career.

Depends how you use the time isn't it? If I had to commute that far then I would be putting the time to learning a language (particularly if you're in the comfort of your own car) or at the least listening to audio books.

I have friends that work in the City that have to commute 2 hours each way which is 960 hours (40 days) travel per year. In the grand scheme of things I personally don't see a 1/2 hour commute each way as being a big deal. Down to the OP if he wants to do that though of course!
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Any time spent commuting is time wasted as far as I'm concerned, tack it in to the time spent at work.

I used to commute a couple of hours a day, never again, wouldn't wish that on anyone.
 
pitchfork said:
Over a 40 year career.


Any time spent commuting is time wasted as far as I'm concerned, tack it in to the time spent at work.

I used to commute a couple of hours a day, never again, wouldn't wish that on anyone.
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Ah right, well if you look at things that way I guess going for a dump is quite a lifelong commitment for some ;)

Realistically I imagine most people commute an hour a day to their place of work - as much as we'd like to get there quicker, having a bit of distance between the two isn't a bad thing!
 
One good thing about my hour each way commute at the minute is that if I need to do something at home such as a Dr's appointment it gives me the perfect excuse to work from home in my pants and there's no danger of me bumping into the boss on my days off!
 
boxman2000 said:
Ah right, well if you look at things that way I guess going for a dump is quite a lifelong commitment for some ;)

Realistically I imagine most people commute an hour a day to their place of work - as much as we'd like to get there quicker, having a bit of distance between the two isn't a bad thing!
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Nah because then you just crap on company time :D

Joys of my place, I don't commute but so many other people do, it's great having a low risk of bumping into anyone on a day off.
 
For most of my working life I've managed to live within 5-10 mins of my place of work and it's been fantastic.
 
pitchfork said:
Assuming you worked 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year thats 266 x 24 hour days you've wasted...

Is 2/3rds of a year of your life worth wasting for a bigger house?
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It's not like you are knocking that time off thouigh and not having it.
I used to be a fairly agressive driver (ie little stupid things other drivers do really wound me up) but since extending my commute to 60/75 minutes EACH WAY per day i have just learnt to switch off and get on with it, so my commute is relatively stress free now and I just get an 2 hours a day to ponder things, listen to the radio and laugh.
Plan my evening/week/weekend/project/whatever.

Given the choice I would shorten my commute but I don't regret taking the decision to extend to where I am now. Perhaps my mind will change when I have been doing it for a number of years but up to now (coming up to 12 months) I am pretty happy :)
 
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I commute 40 miles too and from work

around 45-60 minutes each way, I would love to live closer to work.
for me there's no point in owning a massive house if when I get home I'm too tired from driving.
also take into account things like snow in winter on country roads. flooding.

may not happen a lot but for them few weeks a year you'll be one miserable person.

and accidents or roadworks suddenly turn my 50 minute drive into a 3-4 hour long gauntlet
 
It's down to the individual.

I've just moved and now have a 80 minute commute, however, it is as pleasant as could be - 30 mins drive on a quiet road, free secure parking and then the tram into work for just under an hour. My home stop is one from the end and the work stop is the last stop, so whereas i'm on it for an hour, I always get a seat both ways and so it is comfortable.

I do however have to get up early and go to bed early but for me the quality of life makes up for it. It is so quiet here, the neighbours are lovely and crime is apparently a non issue. I have lots of room and a big garage.

Swings and roundabouts.
 
30 mins really is nothing - I quite enjoy the time it gives me to listen to music / podcasts. My commute is very easy though; hardly any traffic, lots of places to overtake and nice countryside views. I used to drive 1 hour from B'ham city centre everyday so in comparison it's bliss.
 
My 40 minute commute means I miss out on 40 minutes of time with the kids every evening. Means I get about 0-30 mins before they're in bed instead of the 30-60mins I'd get with a 10 minute commute.

I'd not want to live nearer to work, due to where I would then have to live (this is obviously particular to me), but I would love for work to move nearer to me :)
 
It really does depend where the house and the job are, If you can bare the commute and ultimately if you believe it is worth it.

Is your job likely to change any time soon and your commute become worse?

As I said I currently do an hour long commute from Luton to London then London to Luton. The commute can vary from 50 minutes (no traffic) to 2 hours (Very bad traffic) which really does take its toll. If you are driving it is something you have to consider. After a real bad day at work when you are shattered can you face the drive home or do it safely? If it is by train at least you can switch off.

The best advice has been given already. Do the commute a few times and see if you can deal with it.
 
I had a colleague who was switching companies and bought his first house right next to the new office, only for the office to relocate 25 miles away!! He'd never lived more than a 10 minute drive from work.

A friend from uni graduated and found a job in the countryside but it had a population similar to Hot Fuzz. He decided to relocate to London so his commute took an hour longer but he was so much happier for it.
 
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20 minutes drive would be my biggest commute but I would stretch to 30-35minutes if the house and job were worth it.

whenever youare thinking of a job or house with longer commute you have to add the commuting time onto your work hours to find our your hourly wage and deduct the increased fuel costs and car wear and tear.
Often it just isn't worth the extra distance, especially when the commute time really chews up your limited free time. E.g. you spend 9-10 hours at work you don;t want to add 2 hours of commute (1hr each way) on to that. I generally work 8am to 6pm, and with a baby waking me through the night I go to bed around 9-10pm so I have 3 to 4 hrs in the evening. An hour commute would be 25-30% of my evening's personal time, worse still the baby goes to bed around 7pm so adding an hours commute would be I never see my baby. Similarly I get up between 6 am and 7am and since I don't commute I get 1-2 hrs in the morning to be with my baby- and hour commute might see that disappear.
 
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I wouldn't class a half hour drive as a commute, I do about that in the morning and I just see it as "the drive to work".

As said already, do the drive during what would be your normal times. Add on you've had a crap day, dog has died and the petrol light is on. If you think it'll be okay then buy the house!
 
I'd put up with a 30 minute commute for a significantly better house - the psychological effect on quality of life alone would be worth the extra time spent IMO.
 
I moved from what in effect would have been a 5 minute walk to my office (office moved, so it was around 20 minutes by train), to a 3 to 3.5 hour journey in via train, each way. My house is 3 times the size to where I originally lived, and I'm much happier living in the country rather than a town/city, as is my wife. We are closer to family as well.

I travel in 3 days a week (soon to be 2) although I was doing 4 days until recently. Typically I sleep on the train, and also get to read books, something I'd have only done whilst on holiday in the past. It's worse now as it's dark when I leave home at just before 6, and dark when I get home at 8.30.

House every time.
 
MassiveJim said:
It's not like you are knocking that time off thouigh and not having it.
I used to be a fairly agressive driver (ie little stupid things other drivers do really wound me up) but since extending my commute to 60/75 minutes EACH WAY per day i have just learnt to switch off and get on with it, so my commute is relatively stress free now and I just get an 2 hours a day to ponder things, listen to the radio and laugh.
Plan my evening/week/weekend/project/whatever.

Given the choice I would shorten my commute but I don't regret taking the decision to extend to where I am now. Perhaps my mind will change when I have been doing it for a number of years but up to now (coming up to 12 months) I am pretty happy :)
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You are though, any time spent on working is time wasted as far as I'm concerned - commuting, making lunch for work, washing work clothes, actually working. All a waste of time.

I'd go part time if I was able, certainly 3/4 of my wage would be more than enough to survive on, got better things to do than spend my life on work.
 
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