How to weigh up commute vs pay / experience

[HangTime]

As mentioned earlier school is the main reason we don't want to move and disrupt my son's education, and moving nearer to my office won't really put us much closer to relatives, the realistic sort of areas we've looked at are about the same travel time. My wife would also be happier here where she has a network of friends I think.
The original plan had been to move and my wife took a job nearer to where I work for a while (so we could move to that area), but it kind of back-fired a bit because it just restricted how much time we had to do chores on weekdays even more and before we knew it it was approaching time to apply for school places which had to be done before my son was even 3.5.

In some ways it would be easier if we disliked where we live (which we did with our previous house) as that would give a stronger drive to move but there's always that nagging feeling about moving and finding the area isn't quite so good or our son struggles at school etc.

 

[mid_gen]

If you have your house paid off, plenty of savings, don't take foreign holidays, and have kids...seems pretty straightforward to me.

What do you want from your future prospects? Sounds like money isn't an issue. Are you someone that needs career advancement in your life? Or will you be happy to just plateau money-wise, do a job that pays the bills and be happy spending time with your family.

I haven't done anything more than a trivial commute for the last 8+ years, currently live < 1km from work. I wouldn't consider going back to a 1hr+ commute. Ever. For any reason. Life's too short to spend huge chunks of it sat in traffic.

 

[SPG]

Indeed the commute is not worth it, I am in the same boat anything more than 30mins is a no no.

Its also nice to mention to your colleagues while they leaving the house to get to work your alarm has not even gone off Life is too short, so unless it is big money that enables you to retire when you are 45 its just not worth it.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

No, not a chance.

That hour leisure time lost to spend with friends, family and hobbies is worth way more than an hours pay.

Completely agree. Whilst modern technology allows you to entertain yourself wonderfully these days on public transport, you’re still spending that hour doing something other than what you’d choose and not being paid for your time either. In fact, your no doubt paying £1000’s a year to sit or stand in a cramped metal box which smells like an elderly and incontinent yak just died in it.