[Nicos]

First time poster here and I have a general question. I have a great chance in taking a job opportunity in Little Rock which will pay me an extra $15K on pay. Here's my problem - sort of...I'm coming from Japan (getting out of the military). I have an aunt in Memphis and she already told me I could stay at her place free of charge (Her house is paid for and she lives by herself in a 4 bedroom/2 bath home).

I'm comtemplating on living with her and taking the 2 hour commute to LR for this job. However, I'm not familiar with the gas price and I will be driving either my motorcycle or a dodge neon. I'm used to the long commutes as I'm accustomed to taking the train from Yokosuka, Japan to Chiba which is 1.5 hours.


Any comments is greatly appreciated if I should take this route.

regards,

Nicos

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Nicos

First time poster here and I have a general question. I have a great chance in taking a job opportunity in Little Rock which will pay me an extra $15K on pay. Here's my problem - sort of...I'm coming from Japan (getting out of the military). I have an aunt in Memphis and she already told me I could stay at her place free of charge (Her house is paid for and she lives by herself in a 4 bedroom/2 bath home).

I'm comtemplating on living with her and taking the 2 hour commute to LR for this job. However, I'm not familiar with the gas price and I will be driving either my motorcycle or a dodge neon. I'm used to the long commutes as I'm accustomed to taking the train from Yokosuka, Japan to Chiba which is 1.5 hours.


Any comments is greatly appreciated if I should take this route.

regards,

Nicos

Where in Memphis does she live? From downtown Memphis to Little Rock is a very, very long 2 hours, and I-40 isn't in the best of shape. If your aunt lives on the east side of Memphis, take on another half hour.

It'll probably be worth it to get a place in Little Rock. It's a nice city with some nice neighborhoods, and you can probably think of better things to do with your time than spend 5+ hours a day commuting to and from work.

At least that's what I would do.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by Nicos

First time poster here and I have a general question. I have a great chance in taking a job opportunity in Little Rock which will pay me an extra $15K on pay. Here's my problem - sort of...I'm coming from Japan (getting out of the military). I have an aunt in Memphis and she already told me I could stay at her place free of charge (Her house is paid for and she lives by herself in a 4 bedroom/2 bath home).

I'm comtemplating on living with her and taking the 2 hour commute to LR for this job. However, I'm not familiar with the gas price and I will be driving either my motorcycle or a dodge neon. I'm used to the long commutes as I'm accustomed to taking the train from Yokosuka, Japan to Chiba which is 1.5 hours.


Any comments is greatly appreciated if I should take this route.

regards,

Nicos

That would be quite a rough commute. I can see doing that as a temporary thing, but there is no way I would do that permanently. Should cost you about $1000-$1500/month at $4/gallon for gas depending on what you drive, and would eat 5 hours out of your day.

[Nicos]

Originally Posted by JMT

Where in Memphis does she live? From downtown Memphis to Little Rock is a very, very long 2 hours, and I-40 isn't in the best of shape. If your aunt lives on the east side of Memphis, take on another half hour.

It'll probably be worth it to get a place in Little Rock. It's a nice city with some nice neighborhoods, and you can probably think of better things to do with your time than spend 5+ hours a day commuting to and from work.

At least that's what I would do.

JMT many thanks for your comment. My aunt lives in the Germantown area and from what I hear it an easy route to I-240 and onto I-40. Appx how much will I have to pay for rent? I would like to spend no more than $1000 - $1150 a month.

r/Nicos

[Nicos]

Originally Posted by bchris02

That would be quite a rough commute. I can see doing that as a temporary thing, but there is no way I would do that permanently. Should cost you about $1000-$1500/month at $4/gallon for gas depending on what you drive, and would eat 5 hours out of your day.

bchris

Thanks for your reply. On a train it's much simpler coz I'm not driving. I just plug in my iPod and mind my own business; however, realizing a 2 hour commute on the road would be tiresome.

r/Nicos

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by Nicos

JMT many thanks for your comment. My aunt lives in the Germantown area and from what I hear it an easy route to I-240 and onto I-40. Appx how much will I have to pay for rent? I would like to spend no more than $1000 - $1150 a month.

r/Nicos

In LR you can find a decent place for around $600/month, FAR less than the $1200 or so it would cost you to commute. Also, Germantown is a far east suburb of Memphis, which would add about an hour to your commute. Memphis traffic is LOT worse than Little Rock traffic. So overall you are either looking at $600 to live in LR, or $1500 and 6+ hours on the road to live in Memphis. Not a smart decision to go the Memphis route IMO.

[adysmom]

Originally Posted by Nicos

JMT many thanks for your comment. My aunt lives in the Germantown area and from what I hear it an easy route to I-240 and onto I-40. Appx how much will I have to pay for rent? I would like to spend no more than $1000 - $1150 a month.

r/Nicos

It sounds like what you would pay in rent would be about the same as gas from Germantown. And I am sure you could think of something better too do with your time than 5 hours on the road. Also the wear and tare on your car.

[bagelw]

Definitely move to LR. Driving a motorcycle on any freeway in Arkansas is scary and I40 between LR and Memphis would be very dangerous. People don't pay attention, especially to motorcyclists. Not to mention the weather can take a turn for the worse very quickly. It may be nice and sunny for the morning commute but a torrential downpour going home. And as other posters have stated with gas prices where they are you won't be saving any money.

[Nicos]

All many thanks for you comments and I'll take the LR route. I definately don't want to stressed out my body by driving 5+ hours. Again thanks for the friendly comments.

r/N

[paramour]

My partner had a contract in Memphis a few years back that he considered commuting to & from (from central AR). He quickly realized that it wasn't feasible (due to travel time, expenses (gas had just started increasing at that point), etc.) and ended up living out of a hotel in Memphis and coming home periodically rather than make the drive on a daily basis.

I would vote with the others that it's really not worth it.

G'luck!