Is a 30 minute drive to work too long?

[BadPinkTink]

I would LOVE a 30 minute commute. I do contract work, one building is a 60 minute commute, 45 minutes by bus plus 15 minutes walk, another building is a 90 minute bus plus 15 minutes walk

 

[NHdisneylover]

If it were onyl about money (and not about moving into a job or atmosphere I preferred, or one with more potential down the road, etc) then I would look at it as:

you currently commute for about an hour total per week--you will be commuting about 5 hours total.

is the raise enough to cover an extra 4 hours per week of your time plus the cost of gas and a bit more to cover added wear and tear on your car?

 

[BellsFam]

it's all highway! When I get off my exit it is very close by to the new job.

Highway can still mean traffic issues.

My commute is 33 minutes door to door by gps standards... Because of rush hour (both ways) I am 40-50 on s good day, 75+ if there's an accident.

 

[PollyannaMom]

30 minutes was considered long where I grew up, but it's considered short where I live now.

My own commute varies (I substitute teach at several different schools) but my farthest is about 25 minutes and I don't mind it.

If you would enjoy the promotion, I say go for it!

 

[wvjules]

I would love a 30-35 minute commute.

 

[teacup princess]

It depends what you're making to offset the gas and if you love the job.

 

[kamik86]

Mine is about 20 and is fine. I used to do 45 and that sucked sometimes. Mostly because they were working on a bridge for three years and that slowed things down much more (Bridge is one of only two roads into the town from one direction, the other one goes under train tracks that are not tall enough for a big rig so they couldn't just take the bridge down and rebuild it... so they did it in pieces and it took forever)

 

[jerseygal]

I think that is reasonable! DS, entering junior year of college is starting today a seven-week internship and the drive with traffic will be about 50 minutes each way. In today's competitive job market you have to" do what you have to do" to build experience and career opportunity . Good luck!

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I live in a rural area, I have to drive 30 minutes just to get to the nearest Target. It's an hour, sometimes longer in bad traffic, to get into the city and I've decided that's too long. I did it when I was younger, but now that I have 2 kids I don't want to be that far from them. What if there's an emergency? Unfortunately, most of the jobs are in the city. I've been looking for something close for months and have yet to find anything, but I'd be perfectly happy with a 30 minute commute.

 

[richmo]

I would also love a 30 minute commute. I've been working about 35 years: first job was about 40 minutes, second was 45-50, third started out at about 50, but expanded to 70 when the office moved and this one started at about 55, but moved to 40-45 when the office moved.

A more important thing concerning the time involved is what is the difference in time of the job itself. Are the hours roughly the same? Would you be expected to work additional paid or unpaid overtime? Or maybe the new job is even a shorter day...

I don't know your age, but also remember that a promotion is building your career. I don't think the additional 40 minutes a day in the car should be too much of a factor, and if it turns out to be, you could still do that job well for a year or two, then find something closer...maybe with yet another promotion.

Because of the promotion and if the new job looks really interesting, I'd be inclined to take it.

 

[indimom]

I currently commute 40 minutes on a two-lane highway. I have very limited options if my main road is blocked/slowed in any way, so I typically leave an hour before I have to clock in. (I've worked there a couple years, and I've had a tree across the road, a car on fire on the edge of the highway with firetrucks blocking the road, and of course winter weather is an issue at times.) I don't mind the drive, but I wish I didn't have to give up 2 hours every time I go to work for a 12 hour shift... that means I have very little free time on my work days. But, the pay and the work atmosphere make it worth it to me at this point.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

30-45 mins. Commute time is what I expect. Any more than that is pushing it. For what I make right now, I'd do it, but I wouldn't drive a long distance for a low paying job.

 

[Shanti]

Okay, I have read many different opinions, seen every angle, but now i want real life experience opinions! I have been given an opportunity for a promotion! This promotion would need me to travel about 35 minutes to work. Currently my commute is about 10 minutes. Do you all think 35 is too long of a commute? Do any of you commute to work? If so how long?

Nothing unusual about a 30+ minute commute. If the promotion is a big step up/will likely lead to greener pastures, take it. If the promotion is really no big deal, I would stick to the short commute. I currently have a short commute and love it, but have coped with much longer ones in years past. You will be giving something up (some free time & freedom from a lot of traffic hassles), so don't underestimate the impact that will have day after day. But it will be worth it to build your career, if that promotion will likely do that.

 

[Hisgirl]

In the Atlanta area, 50 minutes is common.

 

[Disneychix]

When we moved I went from a 20 min commute to a 30+ min commute. Truth, it does seem long, many days I really just want to be home. But you do get used to it. I have 1/2 highway, 1/2 one really long road to drive on. I am lucky that I don't have a job where I 'need' to be on time. I have a lot of flexibility.
If you are in a position where this promotion could set you up for your future I wouldn't think twice about the increase in drive time.

 

[Cadiewampus]

My commute is about 30 min and it's fine. I listen to podcasts to pass the time.

The downside is that it is more time away from my kids, but I like having the time to myself to decompress at the end of the day.

Your kids must be young? Once they are teens some would consider the time away a perk

 

[abdmom]

My back of the envelope calculation goes like this:

You will be spending an extra 50 minutes per day in the car. The mileage increase is maybe 50 miles per day. That will cost about (250 miles/week x $2.50/gallon x 50 weeks/year )/22 miles/gallon = $1420 for gas alone each year. Another $3000/year for wear and tear on the car. Add in the value of your time - you will be spending 5 extra hours per week in your car. That's 250 hours per year. If you're making $10/hour, that's $2500/year, if $20/hour, it's $5000/year. For me, I'd need an increase in after tax salary of at least $10000 - or an increase in salary before tax of $13000 or more. If you make more than $20/hour, it would be higher.

 

[Ndusmama]

I currently get about 30 miles per gallon. I fill up my car about once every week and half and it cost 22 dollars to fill up my car. I currently have no car payment, as I own my vehicle.

Can I fill up my car with $22 that would be so nice. Gas is just too expensive here, especially summer blend.

 

[tasha99]

As long as that's pretty normal, no big deal. If it can turn into an hour plus with traffic issues, then I might be concerned. I've done much worse (90 minute commute that could extend to 3+ hours), but my current commute is about 20 minutes & there are never any major traffic delays. Where I live, that's about the very best I could hope for.

My current commute is 90 minutes each way. Well, it would be, but I rent a room near my job. So it's 90 minutes at the start and end of the week, but less than 10 in the middle. I think it's cheaper to keep a second place than to make the drive daily, and it keeps me from spending 3 hours a day on the road.

OP, I don't think 30 minutes is too much. You are adding 40 minutes of driving per day, almost 3.5 per week. Only you know if that's OK for you, but it seems doable to me.

 

[mnrose]

I've commuted, generally, that much and longer. Whether it's "worth it" is subjective. I'd definitely expect an overall increase at least worth one more hour's pay per day, as this makes your "work" one hour longer. So, for example, if you are making $10 per hour now ($80 per day), you'd need to be making at least $90 per 8 hour day, or $11.25 per hour with the new job. I'd also factor in the extra wear and tear on your car, and extra gasoline. I'm assuming that today you drive roughly 20 miles (10 miles each direction) and with the new job, roughly 60. If you get 20 mpg, that's two more gallons of gas. At 30mpg, it's 1.3 more gallons per day.

Will you pay extra for daycare? It might mean, for example, an extra hour per day in daycare.

On the flip side, if this is the first step in a series of promotions that will lead to a significantly higher paying position, you'd need to factor that in as well.

It is not a straightforward calculation.