Consider this apartment situation:
You are currently living in your dream apartment, with a wonderful landlord. Your rent includes covered parking, laundry, utilities, and wireless internet. You have a beautiful little backyard space to hold your dinner parties. You are paying a very fair market rate for this gem of a place. You never worry about anything to do with the apartment – all repairs are done same-day or in one-day. Basically, you’ve hit the apartment + landlord jackpot.
You receive a great job offer, however, in a city 30 miles away. If there were no traffic, it’d take you 30-35 minutes each way. At a minimum, the round trip commute would be an hour a day. If there were traffic or accidents, it could take over 2 hours, easily. Fortunately, you are going against traffic for most of the way, so your drive is usually very smooth. Still, your car insurance would increase quite significantly because your expected mileage per year would shoot through the roof. Your car will have more wear-and-tear. You will spend more on gas and possibly repairs.
Should you stay in your apartment or move?
You’ve always thought that you’d take a shorter commute, no questions asked. But now you’re not so sure. You can move about 15-20 miles closer to work, where apartments are a little cheaper (a studio can be had for around $800). Added in the utilities, you’ll probably be paying the same amount as you are currently paying or at most $50 cheaper. You cannot find a comparable studio for the same price you’re paying now, if you can find one at all. You will never find a landlord as great as the one you have now.
But if you move, you will have a much more predictable commute (and the peace of mind that comes with it), lower gas prices, lower insurance premiums, and less wear-and-tear on your car. You would love to stay in your current apartment. You would love to have a short commute. You cannot have both.
Dream apartment vs. shorter commute – which would you choose?
image credit: sfgate.com
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Move closer for sure!!
Research shows that the unpredictability of a long daily commute is the one thing that makes people the most unhappy!
I know about that study too! But seriously, I think words fail to adequately describe how much I love my current place.
I SO don't envy you making this choice. Personally, I've never had the dream apartment. I do have a much better commute now, though. Honestly, I don't know. because I know how amazing your place is, from your blogs and tweets. Which is more important to you at this point in time? How does it compare to the commutes you've had with previous jobs?
Personally, I don't think 30 minutes is much of a commute each way at all. I drive about 25 minutes to work in a large city, and it's only about 10 minutes further than when I lived in a small city. Listen to some NPR and use the time to arrange your thoughts and your to-do lists. The stress should NOT be a factor if you are going against traffic
And, I doubt your car insurance would go up considerably. In fact, why would your car insurance even know about the change? 30 minutes each way is definately not far enough to move away from the perfect apartment. Boy, that 15 minutes each way to work every day won't seem so great if you hate where you live.
It's not so much the 30 minutes (I once had a 6-mile commute and it took me 30 minutes in local rush hour) as much as the distance. 30 miles each way means I'm putting 600 miles a week (and that's no driving on the weekends) on my car. I'll have to report it to my insurance carrier and my premiums will justifiably go up because the risk to getting into an accident is greater just by the virtue of distance traveled. I do have a perfect apartment though… maybe I'll delay my decision until my landlord decides to raise the rent!
When I saw 600 miles a week I freaked out. I think you miscalculated. 60 miles a day for 5 days is 300 miles. You do have a tough choice, I think you are right in the middle with the pros and cons for moving. I would lean towards moving because I value time so much.
You're right – I've corrected that. It's 300 miles a week just for the work commute.
30 miles… ugh. : I would have to move closer.
I'd move. No question about it.
Then again, we're super mobile people.. But if the new ones are cheaper AND closer? Score on both counts.
I hate, hate, hate commuting. And my insurance would go up as well.
Oooooooohhh, that's a toughie. However, I completely despise commuting. It is such a waste of time and so stressful! Then again, you can't put a price on a good apartment set-up. Hmmm….I still think I would move. Perhaps your landlord knows of an equally perfect landlord in the city where you'd like to move?
Nope, I think I've used up all my landlord luck in this lifetime! My landlord gives me rides to the airport, gave me really nice paper to print my resumes on while I was job-hunting, brings my packages inside my apartment when I'm out of town, provides me with free internet. I would never expect to find anyone as great as my current landlord & landlady. Plus, my apartment is very unusual in that it's extremely private – I have only share 1 wall, and I have no one above me. It's almost like a little house.
I moved. I was also moving IN with someone, but I had an amazing little apartment. But I hated my commute. My trip was quick until I got to the bus station where I had to wait for one of two buses to appear, and then I had to fight with other people for space on the bus, and if I didn't make it for my preferred bus (which dropped me off two doors away from the apartment), I still had to walk for it.
Oh, and mornings were a fight too…
And every day, I would be on the streetcar to the bus station, and I would pass by this apartment with a nice view of the city, and every day I would think "I wish I lived there – then it would only be 15 minutes to get home from work…*sigh*".
So I moved there. No more of this bus station crap.
If you aren't sure, why don't you try the commute, and see how you're feeling after a week. If you're unhappy with it, then it could be time to move on, depending on how permanent your contract/position is meant to be. If this is a short-term thing, I would just deal with it, and in fact, I lived in my first apartment for more than a year (having tried the commute from even further before!), but eventually I couldn't deal with it anymore.
I do still miss my cute little apartment, but the new place has its own perks too.
I am (somewhat) in the same situation where I am working in downtown Toronto and then living in a beautiful smaller city centre about 1 hour drive away (on a good day). I thankfully don't have to drive (I take the Greyhound bus) so I am lucky because I don't have to drive- it takes an hour and a half in the morning and the same to return home at night. As much as it would be easier to move to Toronto, I really do love where I live so much and I'm willing to make that sacrafice- I'm young!
If I were you, I would maybe try driving for the first little while to at least try it and if you absolutely hate it, then I would start looking for a new place closer to work. But you never know, you may find the drive isn't bad at all and that you enjoy the quiet time to yourself to sing along to the radio! Ha-ha
Most landlord rarely raise rent for tenants they are happy with – you might wind up staying in the apt longer then you think.
Moving would make more sense commute and time wise. + You will time for other activities. Its a choice you have to make.
I know how much you love your apartment, and your landlord. What a tough decision. I have always been fortunate in that I have worked in places which causes my commute to be against traffic. When I was younger, I commuted 1h15min just so I wouldn't get caught in traffic. Then the time commuting got on my nerves and I changed jobs.
Does your new job have flexible hours? Maybe you could go in earlier and leave earlier to avoid traffic, or go in later/stay later. Traffic one way would be better than traffic both ways AND you can keep your apartment.
What about your lease? Do you have to break it or is it almost up for renewal?
I think my commute is what it is – 30 minutes in the morning, 40 minutes at night. I've been keeping track for a few days and it almost never changes. I wouldn't expect traffic to move any faster than that.
30 min/45 min really isnt' that bad compared many people's commute, as you have read. I think it's worth it because your landlord and current arrangement is great! Do you hate driving that much? Try getting some books on tape (or CD for those fancier people. ha ha). That will make the time go by, and you'll get hooked on some of the stories that are out there.
As you work more, you just may find someone that lives near you. You just started so you don't know where everyone lives just yet. Even if you were to carpool 1 or 2 days a week, you're saving on wear and tear and getting to know a new friend. You'll make the right decision, whatever you decide.
Instead of driving, use public transport and take the commute time to read your email and the news. Makes it "productive" time – and a lot less stressful than driving!
No public transportation is available – I wish it were!
I've had both – the perfect apartment and the short commute. If it's really your dream apartment, and it only 'costs' you 30 miles, I'd say that's worth it. If the commute were closer to an hour each way, I'd say move closer, no question. But for 30 miles, I don't think it's worthwhile to move from your current apartment, until (as you mention) the rent goes up more than you're willing to pay.
Stay.
I have been driving to and from work at least 40 minutes for the past 4 years and will continue to do so for as long as it is necessary. I am in a similar situation as you, though I do not pay rent at all. So the added cost of rent, utilities, etc is simply not worth it.
Yes, it sucks sometimes. Some days I stay longer, some days I try to sneak out the dor a bit earlier but either way, it's still roughly 35-40 minutes ONE way.
As for mileage. Yes, I agree, it's a hefty load but as long as you have a fuel efficient car I wouldn't worry too much about putting miles on your car. After all, that's what it's there for. Where I live there is also options for Public Transit (though not an option for me at the moment due to other circumstances), but if it's the same for you, maybe you could look into that.
As you said, it's your dream apartment. I'd stay for now and suck up the hour and the miles and enjoy your living space.
Yikes! Choices Choices. I'll post my story. Last year after I got married the DH and I decided to buy a house. I fell in LOVE with Woodland Hills and no the place would compare. So much so that instead of buying a free standing house, we bought a condo…we couldn't find a house that I liked in the price range. At first I was anti-condo living, I thought it would be the same as living in an apartment…
The issue: I attend church in Pasadena. Twice a week, I'm there. Maybe more for meetings. Pasadena is 29 miles from Woodland Hills. 35 minutes minimum drive. Only on Sunday morning do I make it in 40 minutes to church. Bible study through the week: 1 hour. No compromise going, thankfully 40 minutes on the return trip with no traffic at 9pm.
So, I understand your pain. I knew this when I was house hunting. And when I found the perfect condo, I thought about the trips to Pasadena. But I like the fact that I have a church that I love and a home that I love. And an ipod connection in my car. You can maybe find the perfect place again…not likely the landlord situation…but I'd look. If you fall in love with a place closer, move. If not, don't. Coming home to a happy place that you like will outweigh the commute.
It's tough to say, really….I've had experience with long commutes, and they just suck. I'd try out the commute for a little while, and if you feel the life drained out of you day in day out, go for the change; you won't have much energy left to enjoy your dream apartment. That being said, if you look and can't find a place you're comfortable in you might find it's worth the sacrifice to stay in your dream apartment. Good luck!
What a dilemma. You’re so lucky to have found the perfect apartment, a place you feel at home. It’s really hard to be happy when we don’t like where we’re living, where we’re waking up each day, etc. It’s important to have a place that feels like home, whether you own it or not.
I’d only give it up if not moving meant commuting by public transportation, for which I have zero tolerance. I especially can’t stand overhearing music through others people’s headphones, and with the ubiquity of the iphone, that’s become impossible. I also, truthfully, just don’t like to be around so many people in the morning. There’s a certain unsavoriness to public transit (at least in my city – I understand that in New York City and Washington everyone takes the train). I think if I were commuting by car, I could make the experience pleasant, even meditative.
Personally, I'd hold off on making a commitment either way. Stay put for awhile, and see how the commuting goes. I don't think it will take that long to know whether the drive is something that's doable for you long-term or not.
Is this a long term deal or a contract deal?
This also depends on if you plan to drive all the time. Is public transportation not an option?
How much do you love your current apartment/neighbourhood?
I used to commute across the city for a contract job by public transportation. Took me 90 minutes to get there and 2.5 hours coming back. I averaged 4 hours a day on JUST commuting. I hated it but I got used to it eventually. I slept on the bus. Used my time to read. etc.
I would also factor in where the people you "hang out" with live. Where your family are. If you intend to visit them often. If they're all near your current apartment, you might find yourself driving back to your old haunts anyways even if you do move just to visit them.
This is a long-term job. And unfortunately, public transportation is not an option. Where I live now IS closer to great dim sum places… so I am taking that into consideration as well!
Yeah – we often go back to our old neighbourhood – our friends and family are all there.
Keep the perfect place. I just got married and moved, and my commute time increased about 15 minutes (from 30 to 45, each way) and yet the place is so great (and the neighborhood so perfect for me) that I honestly don't mind. I'm also traveling against the flow of traffic each way, so I find a good radio station or CD and settle in for a decent ride back to a place I love. I've lived in terrible apartments before with loud neighbors and neglectful landlords. What you have sounds wonderful enough that I'm sure it will make up for a moderate increase in car insurance (I also have experienced this, but I'm so happy about the place/location/going against traffic that it's not much of an issue for me).
I'm currently in a similar situation. My husband and I bought the house of our dreams. 3 acres. 2800 sq feet. 360 views. An orchard. A garden. Two shops. Words cannot express the love I have for my kitchen. A canning pantry. The catch? It's 30 minutes from my work. It's 40 minutes from my daughters preschool. It's 45 minutes from my husbands work. We've been sooo happy in this house. We love this house. We are selling this house this summer to move back into town where: 1. We will not kill ourselves or our daughter during the commute. 2. We will be able to spend more time together as a family with upwards of 2 hours a day more time. There are other reasons as well (less time on a very time consuming house, being in a neighborhood with other kids instead of in the country with no neighbors… etc). I say, give it a try – but be open to change as well.
Keep the apartment and make the commute. When you're done with the work day, your home should be you sanctuary. So while your commute may be heck some days, arriving in to a place you love helps a looooot. And yes, during my commute, I got tons done. I watch shows on my ipod, sleep, review my to do list, listen to a book (from the library). I'm not sure how you feel about this, but what about carpooling to avoid the wear/tear and mileage on your vehicle?
The chance of me finding someone to carpool with is basically 0%. The chance of me taking public transportation IS 0%. I would definitely consider those options if they were feasible.
I live in my "dream apartment" – ok not really, but it is where my little family lives, it is actually a rather large home with a nice-sized fenced yard for the dogs, two living rooms, three bedrooms, etc. There are things I hate about it, but it is a wonderful home to rent… and we pay $300. Yes, we live in a rural town (of like 1500 people) and everybody knows our business, but I mean come on!! For that price?? My commute is one hour each way, and I go in five days a week.
It's. So. Worth it.
Wow one hour each way!? I don't think I can do that. But kudos to you for finding something that works for you.
Tough one. I would tend toward staying put for now and see how much the commute bothers you. Considering I have a really bad landlord right now, I would be very reluctant to give up your place! It also depends how much you like your neighborhood vs. the alternative. And factor in where you like to go on evenings/weekends because if you moved, you could end up driving just as much anyway. And where CB lives, etc. I would tend to underestimate the mileage you report to your insurance company – I've never had a problem – when reporting accidents etc., they never checked up on it.
My family and CB both lives closer to where I live now than my work… so if I move I (or CB) would have to make a longer drive. But the weekends are only 2 days while a daily commute is 5 days a week.
This is a tough one that one of my friends is struggling with, although she is staying at the same job, but wants to buy a house, but can only afford one that is a much further commute.
In your case, I don't think your insurance premium will go up THAT much. It would go up more if you moved to a less desirable neighborhood, like I did when I bought my loft. Our insurance jumped about $1,000 a year, and my husband now lives closer to work. It kind of depends on what you value more, your apartment or how much time you spend in the car. If you do stay in your place, invest in satellite radio, it will change your life!
You could also try out the longer commute for a certain period of time, and if you REALLY hated it, you can always move, rather than give up your dream place.
Having a non-hybrid car that gets over 30 miles/gal, its more a function of time/distance. I'd rather spend 30 mins commuting 30 miles than 20 mins commuting 5 miles. The stress does not come from the driving itself, but from the traffic.
It sounds like you're considering moving for the new job? And really don't want to leave your awesome place? If the costs are truly negligible, then it seems like you should stay.
Oh, I HATE commuting. And I've definitely had the 30 minute to 2 hour commute before. EVIL. I personally will not do it.
This year in France, my husband chose to commute because he wanted to live in a nicer apartment in the countryside (Aix en Provence is a really expensive city). I didn't have to commute so I was ok with it. Cost wise, it was about equal, but my poor husband was spending 5 hours a week driving. That's a lot of time. Finally he got in a car accident–I know it's not BECAUSE he had the long commute, but driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do on a daily basis. I say the less driving the better. We intend to work things out so that my husband spends less time on the road in the future.
I've been commuting an hour on average (usually 1.5 hrs though) for 3 years! We're moving soon, which will cut my commute in half. I'm excited. But I wouldn't move to a place where I was unhappy just for that reason. Plus, think about the area you'd be moving too. It's possible, that if it's in a sketchier area your insurance would go up. Mine went down when I moved from middle class suburb to upper class suburb, even though the latter was 15 miles further away from work.
Dream apartment!
At the end of a long day of work, even with a bit of a commute… wouldn't you just be SO HAPPY to come home to your dream apartment?! With your incredible landlords who give you food! Based on your descriptions of your place, it feels like a serene and wonderful place
To me, a nice place/location is worth the commute, wear/tear on my car, slightly higher car insurance, etc. Most people I know drive 30+ miles to work daily, so that doesn't sound like too bad of a commute at all! (But I can't complain, my farthest commute was 15 miles one-way from my old apartment and it's been 7 miles one-way for the last 2 years…)
Good luck with your decision!
I say stick with the current apartment unless the commute starts to make you miserable. That is, stick with it unless the long commute makes it no longer a "dream". There's also a chance (however small) that you can find another apartment/landlord combo that's as awesome or nearly so.
As for putting miles on the car I guess it's not good, but if you cut that in half are you really saving that much? Also, I've heard of low mileage discounts but I've never heard of high mileage penalties with insurance. If insurance does go up I doubt it would be much. Take this at face value though because I don't have any major experience in the insurance world.
For the record, I have a 25 mile, 45 minute backroad commute. I'm fortunate that the commute time never varies more than 5 minutes (unless there's 4 weeks of flooded roads and detours, but that's another story). This is after being used to a 15-20 minute commute living by myself, but now I'm living with the girlfriend and our jobs are in opposite directions.
I would choose the dream apartment. As someone who is currently apartment hunting, it's really not fun. You have a place and a landlord that you love; and while you may not like the time/distance/cost of commuting, the reward of coming home to your perfect apartment will likely be worth it. At the very least, give the commute a few months and see how it feels. You'll know when you've been pushed to the limit and "need" to move closer…or you'll stay put because your wonderful place is worth the commute.
As wonderful as it is to have the "dream apartment" — I assume, never having had it myself — i think the commute is just too much. Traffic is unpredictable at best. And a commute is soul-sucking by and large.
I am assuming you can't find a bus or train or something? Then you could sleep/read/listen to music or audiobooks.
If not, I say you need to bite the bullet and move. You can look for a decent place and, eventually, you can probably find another dream apartment.
I would start casually browsing for a closer place as well as get a feel for alternate hours at work. Do you have to work from 8 to 5? Maybe you can pull off a 6 to 3 or a 10 to 7? Lastly, when you start your commute, really pay attention to traffic flows. It's amazing what leaving my house 5 minutes sooner or later in the morning does for my commute time.
When you figure out your car insurance, let the rest of us know what kind of percentage increase you are looking at. It would be interesting to know.
I've found that no matter what I do, commute in the mornings take me 30-35 minutes and commute in the evenings take me 35-45 minutes (average 40 minutes).
Stay in the apartment, no question about it. I commute the same mileage every day and it barely affected my insurance. Cars depreciate no matter what, so there’s no sense leaving a great apartment to avoid a longer commute. Plus I think it’s nice to put some distance between where you live and where you work. It helps with the “leaving work at work” thing.
.-= TeacHerยดs last blog ..April Goals =-.
Sounds like you are definitely not happy about the prospect of a 30-minute-plus commute — so you'll be really mad when that commute grows to 45-60 minutes in the case of accidents, construction or other traffic backups. For you, I'd advocate moving closer, unless you really like the area you live in/would be moving to.
I drive 30-35 minutes to work each day, 25 miles each way, and get off the last exit before NYC and the George Washington Bridge. Since my work schedule has me a bit off the peak commuting hours, it's usually no problem, and I don't mind the drive. But I'm the one cursing in my car when there's traffic that results in a one-way commute of 1 or 1 1/2 hours. I have no urge to move closer to my job, though, because 1) it's too expensive and I don't like the area, and 2) who knows, I may not be there in another few years.
It's all about priorities and quality of life. Moving closer would probably make it easier on you, especially since you're going to have to adjust to a new job, too.
For 30 minutes I would definitely stay.
However, for 45+ minutes (one-way) I would move. The increased rent closer to work will balance out the money you'll be saving in gas/car maintenance monthly. So financially it'd be a wash, but mentally you will have less traffic stress and more time at home.
Anecdotal only, but here you go:
My husband and I bought our dream house in Fairfax, VA — 19 miles away from my office in Washington, D.C. and about the same distance from his office in Arlington. The commute is between 1 hour and 1.5 hours in the morning (leaving between 7 am and 730 am), and 40-60 minutes at night (leaving between 7 pm and 8 pm). The driving isn't actually that bad. It provides plenty of time to catch up on the news, books on CD, etc. And going home to our dream place is such a treat!
Ah, but you can take the metro / subway, right? I'm driving the whole way, but I do listen to public radio on my commute… so I suspect I will be VERY well-informed if I stay in my current apartment. Congrats on your dream home!
Driving the whole way — thought I’d hate it, but it actually doesn’t feel like that much time in the car! If you love your apartment (which sounds awesome), I wouldn’t leave it. At least try out the commute for a few months before making a decision, for sure!
Have you ever done a 30-mile commute before? I've pretty much come to accept that as a way of life around here. My commute is slightly shorter than yours distance-wise at 22 miles one-way, but time-wise it's still at least 40 minutes. I'll echo some of the others and say stay at your current apartment. If, after a while, the commute drives you crazy, then at least you have the option to move and shorten your commute. If you move now and end up hating it and really missing your old place, you might not have the option to move back to your great landlord!
On the other hand, for a brief moment I used to live 7 miles away from work. The area was cute and I loved the closeness to work, even though the apt. itself wasn't great. I ended up moving farther from work when I bought a condo. As much as I love my condo, there are definitely times that I miss being able to go home at lunchtime to my old apt! However, a 20-something mile commute wasn't anything new to me. It was just a matter of getting used to it again. Pros and cons to every situation I guess.
My workplace is in a horrible suburb, about 45 minutes each way from and to my apartment, but I love living in the city and would NEVER move out to the 'burb. Ugh. I listen to music or NPR in the car and that makes it more bearable. If the job is in a cool area that you would like living in, though, then it might be worth moving for.
I don't see a 30-35 minute commute as a very long time. That seems like an average commute so I would keep the perfect apartment.
If it's not working when the lease is up (or in a year if you're renewing now), then move.
Sounds like you really love your apartment! I think if I were you, I'd see if after a short while see if your employer would let you work an staggered shift, so you could come in a hour or 2 to avoid the traffic. Maybe even telecommute once a week.
That is what I do
I go to work at 7:00am, and telecommute once a week!
I also live about 30 minutes from work. It's actually not that long of a drive… I do occasionally borrow an audio book from the library and listen to it in the car as I drive to and from work…
If my employer wouldn't accommodate my requests, only then I would move closer!
Tough choice good luck!
I hate commuting. I drive 25 miles and my commute would normally take around an hour but I utilize the express lanes. I don't want to live near my work. I want to leave where I want to.
I had a friend think that I should live closer to work instead of spending time commuting and not buy a house where I want (near the beach) and instead closer to work. I don't plan on staying at my job forever. So if I had to change jobs for any reason, I would then have a house in an area I didn't want to live.
Since you're renting, I'd commute as long as you can stand it. Also, um, I never update mileage driven when I did change jobs.
This is a really tough one. I would move, but then I am a very stressed out driver.
Something to consider is that nowadays you can get a bazillion podcasts to listen to in the car. That just might get your media and your driving at the same time.
I don't have a commute like that, but I have co-workers who do, and they listen to religious/news/language/whatever else podcasts, which keeps them informed.
Here is something to consider: How about using your body power (walk, bike) and public transportation to and from work -no increase in car insurance, mileage or wear and an environmentally and personally healthy alternative.
I am in a similar position of girl in the middle. I live between two cities that are about 30 miles apart. My apartment is perfect. I love it. My job is in one town to the north and my friends and all the activities are in another town to the south.
It isn't exactly ideal (I'd rather live where the action is) but it is an acceptable compromise.
I commute by bus and bike and it takes me only slightly longer (30 minutes compared to 20 minutes).
I truly wish public transportation was an option, but it's not. There are no buses along my route. There are no subways or commuter trains. There is the freeway, which is what everyone who lives where I live and work where I work take. Fortunately, I'm against traffic for most of the way – the other side is double my commute time, easily.
Don't you live in the Bay Area? Depending on which direction you're commuting….never mind. Move. I spent the last couple months reverse commuting only 11 miles, and it made me BATTY. If your new commute involves either (a) driving across the Bay Bridge every day (or any other bridge), or (b) driving up and down one of the freeways on either side of the bay, I'd move. There will be other apartments with wonderful landlords. Even if you don't save money on rent, you save on car insurance/gas/repairs and more importantly, hassle and frustration. Now if you can do the commute on BART or CalTrain, that might be different.
I would choose a shorter commute, any day! Besides saving me money on gas, insurance, car maintainence it would give me the peace of mind that I'm not spending time on just commuting to and fro but instead can use that time for something else.
Depends on how you feel about sitting behind a steering wheel breathing toxic fumes and staring up other people's tailpipes. Depends on how homicidal the traffic is in your part of the world.
My commute, before I was (mercifully!) laid off, was about 40 minutes door to door; 80 minutes round trip. On a bad day, a one-way trip could take two hours. Driving to and from the job was the thing I hated most about it. Indeed, I'd say the commute is what first began to sour me on the job, sensitizing me to other issues that I might have dealt with better if I hadn't just loathed having to drive back and forth.
Others, however, don't seem to mind spending their time and risking their lives in pursuit of the dollar. If they did, we wouldn't have urban sprawl.
One huge advantage of renting is mobility: it gives you the opportunity to move at your convenience. It might be worth staying in the apartment for a few months to see how well you can adjust to driving. If the commute drives you nuts, you always can move later. Just don't sign a full year's lease, if you can get out of it.
Another strategy is to leave for work very early and stay in the office until the afternoon rush-hour dissipates. This makes you appear to be such an eager beaver — the boss will love you — and it gives you time to get things done before coworkers show up. Or leave early, have breakfast close to the office, and go to a nearby gym for an hour after work.
Hey Funny, thanks for dropping by! By the way… I commented on your post about Women's Work Manisfesto but I don't see my comment there.. just wanted to check to see if it got accidentally caught by the spam filter.
I think I'll stay in my current apartment for a bit and see how the commute goes… but I truly love where I live and I'd be loathe to give it up. The staying after work is a good idea – I'm looking up some local Toastmasters clubs near work where I can camp out for a few hours before I'd have to hit the road at 8pm or so.
I hate long commutes, so I'd move if I had a long commute. BUT, I live in Houston and a 30 minute commute is SHORT. It takes me 25 min-35 min just to get to my job that is 11.2 miles from my house. My fellow coworkers drive 45 min, 1 hr, and 1.5 hrs ONE WAY to get to work (but the 1.5 hr commuter is special…we all think he's nuts).
Try the commute one morning and one evening…if it really is less than 1.5 hours total and you love your apartment, I'd stay. Like someone else suggested, listen to NPR or books on CD and the drive soesn't feel so bad.
I have to ask, since you didn't mention it, is there anyway you could take public transportation. Say a train or bus? That would maybe save you the cost of the gas, wear and tear on your car, and traffic jam nightmare. If you really love your current housing situation, it might be an option to consider.
my gut is keep on driving. you like the place and you said its a better job so all in all that's two good things out of two. hard to beat that.