Is commute from Annandale to Rahway, NJ too much? (Jersey City: rent, daycare)

[inga25]

I'm a 24 y.o. immigrant single mom of a 2 year-old toddler with no family support here but with a nice professional job (make 65K) at Rahway, NJ. I currently rent in Rahway ($1300) 2 bedroom. I hate Rahway and surrounding areas and also hate renting(paying my landlord's mortgage). Schools aren't good here either. I want to buy a house 230K max. You can't find anything in this price range in Westfield of Scotch Plains, where they have better schools. I used to live in Hunterdon county before and LOVED it. I found a great single-family house in Annandale for 215K. I want to buy it immediately. I'm looking to have 1.5 hours commute one way even though mapquest says 58 minutes. I have a 1989 Honda Civic with 150,000 miles on it that is falling apart. Is commuting to Annandale from Rahway a good idea?

[BobKovacs]

I guess it depends on your definition of "good idea".

Personally, I'd never subject myself to a commute like that- depending on what time you'll be commuting, your 1.5 hour commute estimate may actually be low. By the time you factor in the gas, car costs, and daycare costs for your child, I'd say you'd be much better off spending even $100k more on a house (say $600/mo additional payment) and living closer to your job.

There are plenty of homes in Woodbridge township that are in the +/- $300k range (some even lower) that will put you 5 miles from work and save your sanity.

Bob

[inga25]

By good idea I mean "doable" commute without causing severe stess. I would try to commute at 6 am to avoid traffic if I get a place in Annandale (near Clinton). I don't think they have good schools in Woodbridge. Also I want to live in a green, quiet, countryside-like area.

[BobKovacs]

Ohh, I think it'll cause plenty of stress- both for you and your child. You'll end up having to drop the kid off at 5:30 am, and pick up around 7 pm- that's not good for either of you IMO.

If you're looking for quiet and green, and are set on Annadale, I'd start looking for a different place to work. Unless you're in some highly specialized career, you should be able to replace a $65K/year position fairly easily with something much closer to home.

And, while Woodbridge's schools aren't necessarily the top 10 in the nation, they're pretty good for central NJ- especially if you're willing to participate in your child's education, which is something you won't be doing much of when you're spending 4 hours/day commuting.

Bob

[latvan7]

Originally Posted by inga25

I'm a 24 y.o. immigrant single mom of a 2 year-old toddler with no family support here but with a nice professional job (make 65K) at Rahway, NJ. I currently rent in Rahway ($1300) 2 bedroom. I hate Rahway and surrounding areas and also hate renting(paying my landlord's mortgage). Schools aren't good here either. I want to buy a house 230K max. You can't find anything in this price range in Westfield of Scotch Plains, where they have better schools. I used to live in Hunterdon county before and LOVED it. I found a great single-family house in Annandale for 215K. I want to buy it immediately. I'm looking to have 1.5 hours commute one way even though mapquest says 58 minutes. I have a 1989 Honda Civic with 150,000 miles on it that is falling apart. Is commuting to Annandale from Rahway a good idea?

That will be to far to comute. What have to consider is your child. Will you be bringing him or her to Rahway with you when you come to work? And that morning traffic on the Turnpike is a parking lot. Just make sure that to count up the cost. I'm in that same position as you are but I have 3 Kids.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by inga25

I'm a 24 y.o. immigrant single mom of a 2 year-old toddler with no family support here but with a nice professional job (make 65K) at Rahway, NJ. I currently rent in Rahway ($1300) 2 bedroom. I hate Rahway and surrounding areas and also hate renting(paying my landlord's mortgage). Schools aren't good here either. I want to buy a house 230K max. You can't find anything in this price range in Westfield of Scotch Plains, where they have better schools. I used to live in Hunterdon county before and LOVED it. I found a great single-family house in Annandale for 215K. I want to buy it immediately. I'm looking to have 1.5 hours commute one way even though mapquest says 58 minutes. I have a 1989 Honda Civic with 150,000 miles on it that is falling apart. Is commuting to Annandale from Rahway a good idea?

Hi Inga
Don't know why you dislike Rahway so much but that is your right
I live in the Inman Hgts section and love it here.

As far as subjecting yourself to a 1 to 1.5 hour commute each morning and again at night --it is doable (as are a lot of things that are not good for you )
You also have a little one at home that you will be spending a lot of time away from
If you don't like Rahway or surrounding area's than at least look for something a little closer (maybe 20-30 minutes max)
Or find a job closer to where you want to live.
You don't want to look back and see that you missed kid
growing up


Also as Bob K says
schools are as good as you make them be
you have to be involved be it the Pta or some other group

What people don't realize is being involved helps your kid
succeed in school and in life

Also like to say well done to the Rahway high school Mcjrotc drill team
Boys 5th in nation
Girls 8th in nation this year at the nationals

[ehs]

What you folks really missed is that:

1. She may be working on an IT professional job that normally allow "work remotely", like my brother-in-law's wife working at AT&T and only need to drive to work once two weeks, and he working at JP Morgan Chase, some of his colleagues living at Long Island, one way would be 3 hours to Jersey City, but then they showed up only once two months!!!

2. If she does work on IT at Rahway, then she may be working at Merck which has headquarter at Whitehouse station which is so close to Annadale!!! It's like above mentioned far to commute to AT&T but can use AT&T facility at Piscataway, so ... misleading ...

3. If she does work on IT for Merck at Rahway, hey, do you know Merck is the employer has one of the best childcare? What kind of good school a 2 year old need? Childcare ... right?

4. In this country, average people move every 7 year, and by the time, I bet she may have sold her house at Annedale, may be due to relocation. Merck may move her to, say Blue Bell or West Point PA ... you never know...

5. Honda Accord with 150,000 miles? So what? The above mentioned wife driving Toyota Corolla 1990 with over 160,000 miles, and another colleague drove 180,000 miles Toyota Corolla 85, and her professor at Rutgers drove 330,000 miles Toyota Corolla 87 with engine replaced ...

So, I would say nothing to worry about, go ahead!!!

p.s. No support? what you mean no support? In this country, with a job, with many colleagues, you got many support. Only jobless and homeless people would have family support turn them down or cut them off (afraid borrowing money?) The above mentioned wife got 4 kids ...

[inga25]

Thanks for your replies. I actually do work for Merck but not in IT field, I'm a biochemist. I'm aware of Merck's Whitehouse station headquaters but they don't have a scientific division there only the administrative. I don't know how easily I can transfer to West Point. I was employed by Merck for a little less then a year (probably not a good time to transfer yet)