How Long Would You be Willing to Commute to Your Job? (home job, career)

[canudigit]

I think I'm convinced that this is a bad idea. If there was some kind of public transit that would make a difference, but I live in a small town and would be commuting through the countryside to an outlying suburb of a large city, so that's not an option.

[Calwine]

For me 20 minutes is the maximum driving time to go to work.
In New York City 25 minutes with the metro.

[brownbagg]

I commute 73 miles one way now, 90 minute drive

[jakabedy]

I'm not sure what my limit is. I had about a 30-minute commute from '96-02. That being said, I am in the process of moving from city #1 to city #2 60 miles away (about an hour commute) because I took a position in city #2. The commute would have been virtually all interstate (save for a bit of surface road at each end to get to home or office), but is still enough of a deterrent that I'm willing to uproot my entire life and sell and buy houses to avoid it.

So, apparently my limit is an hour. Or maybe less.

[Maki_Chicago]

I commute 1.5 each way on public transport. Listen to podcasts, aside from smells on bus and crowded train not too awful. My commute has been at least an hour each way for 20 years.

[jaynarie]

Originally Posted by canudigit

I think I'm convinced that this is a bad idea. If there was some kind of public transit that would make a difference, but I live in a small town and would be commuting through the countryside to an outlying suburb of a large city, so that's not an option.

So it is all/mostly non-expressway? That would be messier in the winter. However, you only work 3 days a week. You have two months with high chances of a snowy commute, two months with a moderate change of a snowy commute, two months with a rare chance of a snowy commute, and six months with zero chance.

If it is a job you think you would enjoy or thrive in, I'd risk it.

This past winter, I only had two or three days where my commute was effected by weather (and then only slightly) and I commute 5-6 days per week. The winter before was terrible. You never know with Michigan weather.

[eaton53]

I did an hour and a half for a little over a year.
Then I wised up and moved within walking distance.

[blktoptrvl]

In one of my early jobs I committed 70 minutes. That put 35,000 miles on my new Vert in 6 months (a big mistake). It also made for extremely long days whenever there were any traffic jams and when it snowed.

I decided after that - that I would only take jobs that were within walking distance (2-1/2 miles) from my clients.

[CGab]

My husband drives 48 miles one way, every day. Now, he's up and out the door at 5am to miss the traffic and on his way home early as well. It takes him an hour on the expressway. If he was in rush hour it would be well over an hour and a deal breaker. We moved across state lines last year to save on COL. His commute was 20 minutes shorter before our move, but he said the extra 20 minutes is worth is on what we are saving. I have done an hour commute each way in the past and it wears you down. Especially in the winter since we are in the Midwest! Would I do it again, probably not, but it doesn't bother my husband. I think it depends on the individual! Since it's days a week and not I think it would be doable, but still frustrating.

[Carolina Knight]

I would be willing to commute where pay exceeds the costs of commuting. Commuting is not ideal if you have a low paying job far away. Commuting is okay if you have a job that pays well, you are willing to commute some distance, and you wisely manage your expenses associated with commuting.