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Ask HN: Would you take a pay cut for a shorter commute?

6 pointsed_at_work7y ago7 comments

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?

7 comments

7 comments · 4 top-level

sjg0077y ago· 3 in thread

Gas 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_workOP7y ago

I 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...

DoreenMichele7y ago

Studies 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.

> 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.

I'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.

fturco7y ago

If I were you I would certainly take the local job. I strongly hate commuting.

gaspoweredcat7y ago

personally 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

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