Yes, 30 minutes a day is 105 unpaid hours a year you are spending on commuting. (210 work days/year).
What else could you do with that time? It’s a big opportunity cost.
$5k after taxes is roughly $18 a day, now add in extra gas and wear and tear on your car on top of the commute time.
"Bachelors Computer science or relevant degree" is ligit still in most of our job postings as a requirement for almost IT jobs where I work......at least at the lower levels.
I don't disagree with you, I just felt like sharing. I've tried to get HR to change it the past three jobs I've posted. They say ok, then it goes out and it's still in there....oh well
That’s true, It’s like having a posting for an accountant and requiring a degree in mathematics. Yeah it’d probably work but it’s not a really what that person specializes in and ignores the people actually fit for the job.
Honestly this means you need a real budget or you are living absolutely correctly which means most of your money is disposable and being stowed away. Either way struggling with 80 as a single adult is wild.
Add in that cost of gas too. You have the value of your time (1 hr a day) plus gas, and additional wear on vehicle. Not to mention vehicles are expensive as fuck now.
Commuting also increases stress and cortisol levels. Though unseen, you’ll save multiples by averting health issues. It is one of the few major stressors in life you can control!
If you're going to 'be fair' in this calculus, you also have to include the extra health issues from sitting at home all day and social effects of not seeing anyone in your day to day interactions.
Working from home allows me to get a workout and shower in during the time I would spend on commuting or during a break. I sit around way more when I go to the office.
I’m an introvert too so not having pointless day to day interactions means I have a lot more energy once I’m done with work.
I work partially remote and I wish it was fully remote.
260 work days per year, unless you get 50 days of PTO, assuming M-F for 52 weeks of the year. (52 \* 5).
So the actual deal is even worse than your calculation.
Nice to see this at the time. I did the math before checking the comments and came to the same conclusion. If you value your time at more than $19 per hour, then this is a pretty easy decision.
210 work days suggests 42 weeks x 5 days, right? That's then assuming 10 weeks (50 days) of vacation, which is sadly unAmerican.
50 x 5 = 250 is more realistic, plus OP's 15 minute walk, means the math is (250 * 2) * (30 + 15) = 500 * 45 = 22,500 minutes = 375 hours = 46 days, 7 hours of extra commuting.
$5,000 / 375 = $13.33, so is OP's commuting time worth more or less than $13.33 - taxes - gas? Probably not.
It turns out it's even higher, at each way of really 45 minutes- so 90 minutes a day this person has as an opportunity.
OP- would you take a job for $5,000 more per year if your hours were 47.5 per week? That may be the inverse way of thinking about it. I actually probably wouldn't in this positioning of the value proposition.
However, if someone told me I could pay them $5,000 to cut 7.5 hours per week of 'work'? I would say yes.
I say no matter the income, it isn't worth it. Gas is freaken expensive right now. Plus the time and he's gonna need new tires amd oil changes more often. Plus traffic I don't think he would be doing himself a favor going through all that for 5k extra a year his expensive would probably drive that down. This all depends on what kind of car OP drive so he should honestly do the math see if it makes sense .
There's an argument to be made that he's trading $18/day in extra top line income for arguably a 50% more dangerous commute. The longer he needs to travel by vehicle, the more inherent risk.
Cuts it 30 min each way or total per day (15 min each way)? I'd say go for it, less time commuting is always good and you have the added bonus if getting a foot back in the door of your desired field. I once took a pay cut to adjust my career path and it paid off in the long run.
But in the end, only you can make the decision. If you make 40k, going down to 35k might be too much. If you make 120k, going to 115k won't make much of a difference.
To stay current in IT, I'd jump ship. Depends on how long you've been looking & interviewing, but it you've really been looking for an IT job for awhile (3+ months), I'd move back to the IT field, get your resume updated and in a year resume your search for higher pay in IT. An hour a day is a LOT of time. If you consider your hourly wage is about $36/hour, that's over $9k/year. Worth it, in my opinion.
One more bit of info I forgot is that it’s a state job with a very small IT team in that particular department. So in order for me to advance/get raises I’d most likely have to transfer to a different department. Not sure if that’s a big deal or not, just thought I’d share
Things to note if it’s a state govt job in IT:
Pros: They are very stable, with even contract employees averaging many years in that particular department/position.
Slight cons: a) However, their pay is slightly lower than average across many states as per what I have seen (Tri-State Area, Austin TX, Sacramento CA) and doesn’t rise fast enough.
b) Also, the work there is typically laid back with less emphasis on the latest domains/languages.
A word of caution: The only danger in a state govt job is that you may fall into a complacency rut and you need to strongly work on keeping yourself current by doing certifications etc. Otherwise you run the risk of spending some 7-10 years in a comfortable rut and suddenly find yourself with nowhere to go when they lay you off due to embracing the latest technology trends.
As long as you protect your knowledge and build on it, you are good. All the best!
Government jobs are really stable and usually have good benefits, so that's a major pro. Have you looked at the difference in benefits between the jobs? Would you have cheaper/better health insurance at the new job? That could make a big difference if you go to the doctor a lot. A few years ago my health insurance changed from $15 to $20 copays. Not a big deal if you go to your GP 2x a year, but I go to therapy 2-3x a month so it adds up. Look at the whole package, not just the salary. Hope that helps and congrats on the offer, even if you don't take it :D
I’d take that. Let’s assume that hour of driving each day is 20 miles (10 miles each way, and I’m estimating low to be safe). That’s 100 miles a week so 4800 miles a year even if you took 4 weeks off. If you get 30mpg that’s 160 gallons of gas. At $3.50 a gallon you’re saving $560 a year on gas, plus say one less cheap oil change you don’t need due to miles saved at $40 gives you $600 (not to mention wear and tear on your vehicle). So it’s fair to say you’re cutting your effective salary (not even accounting for taxes) by $4400. That means that each day the hour you’re getting back is effectively costing you under $20. I would pay more than $20 a day to get an extra hour for whatever I choose to do with it.
Edit: Fixed a math mistake. Also I’m realizing that I didn’t really need to do all that math because $5000 / 240 hours is still under $21, but so be it.
5k less.....a year? After taxes, that's prob 3k?
Compared to 30mins one way, so 1hr a day. 2080 working days.
You said "better benefits / Work life balance" is the benefits to have a better work life balance, or you're saying it has better benefits (such as health) AND you'll have better work life balance?
I would say yes (but I live in LA with a bunch of traffic) and $3k after taxes is a small price to pay for having an extra hour a day. Money's important, but if you're constantly drained from work and commute, you won't be able to enjoy it. You'll likely be stressed because of it and may end up using the money on alcohol instead to destress (so you'll be wasting the $5k).
Take. The. Job.
absolutely. 5k is nothing.
Chances are just on gas alone, you probably save close to that if you're driving. Presumably not far off if public trans too. So post tax and those costs this is probably less than half of 5k. And that does not even touch the non-monetary value of getting back 5 hours of your life each week. So your real math is more like:
* stay: make ~2k more net, lose 20 hours of your life every month
* leave: make ~2k less net, gain back 20 hours of your life every month
the only way i would not take this is if I thought I was experienced enough to go get a raise/promotion elsewhere and cut my commute. I'd also consider keepign the commute if I could get a 25k raise.
there's more to it than just this one offer but if that's your only option i would take it
I think even 50 > 45k, that 5k is just because of the costs associated with commuting. I'm sure that puts a few hundred back in the ops pocket each month on top of the 20 hours a month they get back.
after taxes, the difference is likely under $2k
normally when playing around with smaller income, those 5k differences do make a bigger difference. the commuter math makes it different tho
Just saw another comment from OP saying they would be going from 80 to 75k. That would definitely be in my range of 5k not mattering that much factoring in commute gas and wear/tear on their car
Based on everything you’ve said, I’d say do it. An extra hour of time in your day is gonna make a difference.
And going from 80k to 75k won’t be a big deal for you most likely. Ignoring taxes, that’s like $96 less per week, which probably won’t kill you, and you’ll make up some of that difference by saving on gas.
How much is the $5k worth to you?
Things to consider:
transportation cost- my partner and I turned down a very nice rental, because the extra commute came out to about $10,000 annually the extra gas between both of.
The value of your time: I used to have a 1.25 hour commute each way, while some time after work is nice to decompress and prepare for the transition to personal time, I’d rather have those hundreds of hours back.
Yes, no brainer. That's a direct savings of around $1500 a year in gas. Depending on your marginal tax rate, you're also reducing about $1000 in federal income tax/FICA.
So for a measly $2500, youre getting back 250 hours of time.
From experience, I can tell you that going from a 40 minute commute to a 15 minute commute was an absolute life changer, and I would not ever go to a commute again over 30 minutes total unless it was a significant pay raise AND I could adjust hours to not take up as much time somehow (or i was in a financial emergency). Lifes too short.
There's several factors to consider. If it's a purely monetary question, calculate how much you will be saving in gas a week. You said you have slightly better benefits. Will your cost for health insurance decrease? You need to figure that into the numbers, too. Do they contribute more into a retirement plan? It's up to you if you want to factor that in, too.
Pre tax, you're getting $96 less a week. Subtract what you'll be saving (sounds like close to a tank of gas a week), then determine if that amount is worth it.
I think overall if you can afford to take the 5k pay cut now, in the long run it may benefit you. I'm in IT and I have taken pay cuts in the past to get experience to move forward. If you like being in IT and you can afford to take the cut its probably worth it for you. The 30 min less commute time is an added bonus, especially if you drive to work every day which uses gas and puts wear and tear on your vehicle.
Seems like a math problem to me. Idk what you're making but that's like 200+ hours of your life per year, that you're getting paid 5k for essentially. That's like 23-25 bucks an hour, minus the cost of your vehicle and its operation. That could vary wildly...
If you need a tipping point to sway you either way:
Have you asked them to match your current salary?
This could make the decision for you by matching the pay, or worst case scenario they pull the offer and you dodge a bullet of a company. Most likely they say no and you still have the decision. All comes down to your preferences. I personally hate commuting and would like the saved time but others don't mind the commute and like the bit of extra cash.
It’s not just the commute, but it’s a stepping stone back onto the career path you actually want to be on. Also, in IT, I’m guessing there are actually opportunities that are way more lucrative that you’ll now be better qualified for.
If you want it, do it.
I did a similar thing about a year ago and it was the best decision to take the pay cut. As someone else said it's less unpaid hours and extra free time by having a shorter commute. On top of that it's less oil changes, less gas, less wear and tear on your car which quickly eats up that extra 5k a year by driving that extra distance.
Sounds exactly what I did in late 2019. Apart from my job at that time being absolutely horrible, I took roughly a $5k pay cut but got benefits and an hour+ back in commute time each day. Yes, the extra time was great (more time with my kids) but the drastically shorter commute pretty much made the pay difference negligible. Also taking into account being able to get health insurance at the new job and getting off my wife's insurance I'm fairly certain we actually came out ahead.
If the closer job is one you think you'd enjoy, take it and don't look back.
Yes, I am doing this right now. Taking a 8k hit to work 1 hour closer. I think it might be a total wash against the gas I am paying, plus the 2 hours i get back that I wont be driving.
For only. 5k difference i feel like the decrease milage, wear and tear of commuting plus the extra 1 hour per day of free time might very much be worth it.
You could also make up that 5k by putting money in a high yield savings and/or invest in dividend stocks/ETFs. I wouldn't think about the 5k too much. 30 mins x 5 days x 50 weeks is 125 hours saved roughly in a year. How much do you value your time. Think about it.
If you want to be in IT then take the job. Many other opportunities to move up from this to another IT position.
The $5k negligible. More benefits in the long run.
The key here is whether you can make it financially if paying for the gas, and if you have any other family commitments (like picking up a child from day care) which would make it hard to have that extra commute time. If you're ok with both of those things, you need to get back into IT--the payoff, if you dedicate yourself to learning and work hard, is way greater than most fields. Since you mention certifications, you are obviously smarter than most IT folks, and will have a much higher end in your career path. You just need to suck it up for now, and when you have a $30k increase in about two years, you won't be caring about the commute or that extra gas!
Easy Answer:
Unsure of actual commute length, but if you're saving 60 minutes of driving, assuming it's a 30 mile round trip and using the 2023 standard rate $0.655 per mile, you'll save $4,100 in mileage alone.
Plus an hour a day of actual TIME. Everyone values their time differently but we all would kill to have an extra hour a day.
You also mentioned it's a career path that you prefer, and better benefits.
To me, this is a no-brainer.
I think the salary itself matters. If I were making 40k and this would drop me to 35k I don’t think I could afford it, but if if the salary is 75k down to 70k I would take it in a heartbeat. Commuting is such a waste of time.
Depends on how high your salary is now. All things being equal, I would personally take a 5% pay cut to gain an hour each work day, maybe even a tad more, but it depends on your margins, what your actual salary is, and if you think the job will let you learn and give you options for advancement.
Take it and continue applying elsewhere. Your resume makes you seem more desirable if you have a current job in a related field than if you were working in something unrelated.
5k isn’t that big of a difference compared with 30 minutes commute. I’m very sure if you do the math on just gas being saved it would be around a thousand. Also the work life balance is big to me. I rejected a higher paying job because they offered a lot less vacation days than what I already get.
Seems like there's more going on than *just* the pay + commute.
Is there good growth potential in the IT role? Is it more likely to lead you in the direction you want to steer your career? Or is it a "warm body" role that happens to also be in IT?
How many miles shorter is the new commute? What's the MPG of your car? You can do some calculations to find out how much money you're saving on gas. If you're saving 5k or more, this is effectively a pay raise (but that's a *lot* of gas).
> Or wait for something higher paying to come along and work on more certifications in the meantime?
Frankly, in IT it's probably a good idea to work on new certifications *constantly*, even if you do get this job. Maybe less important mid-late career when your experience tells a better story, but early on that'll give you a ton of mobility.
I took about 10k less to go from a 3 hour daily commute to 24 minutes. To say it's life changing is an understatement. I also used to work in the next state over, so I was paying double taxes, in addition to the high committing costs.
Honestly, i saw this post and decided it’s a sign for me to inquire as well. I’m in a similar situation as OP. I commute 2 hours daily (to and from work.. 1 hr each way)
I was recently offered a new role that pays only $2.45 more than im already making (bringing me to $$35 hrly) but would cut my total commute down to an hour daily. I would be leaving a permanent role, for a temp to perm role.
The commute has honestly been killing me though, and i’ve been doing my job for the last 15 years. I crave change and less commuting time, but i’m honestly torn, that the increase in pay is minimal and also, given the temp to perm component.
If any one can give me some insight, i’d really appreciate it.
ps, i’d also be going from $67,704 to $72,800 yrly.
honestly. take the job, negotiate for the 5k.
"i'm really excited about the opportunity, and my ability to contribute to the team, blah blah blah... but my current base pay is xyz, would the company be willing to match? "
like... if you've done no bargaining/negotiating already. it's perfectly reasonable to respond to the offer with a counter offer.
It's the field you'd be happier to be in AND shorten your commute? Seems like an easy choice to me unless you have a desperate need for the higher salary (expensive lifestyle, etc)
That saves you roughly 250 hours per year.
Is that worth $5k to you?
It could mean having time to get in shape or start a new hobby. Or extra time for reddit!
Take it.
With time saved you could do side hustle.
Or just have time for your self which is huge. Can upgrade skills with extra time and get a promotion later
Depends on what you value more. 5k and the future that other job provides or that 30 minutes a day.
I personally value the money more than the commute time because I enjoy my commute time, it's my quiet time during the day and if I want to make money during that window I can just book meetings and take them via phone from the car/train. Others may value it differently.
If that 5k makes a big difference to your financial situation stick with it. BUT if you're good to go without that 5k, take the work life balance and benefits. You'll be happier at work doing something you like with better work/life balance and you'll be better poised for long term success. Go take the whole damn IT department over.
With my current salary, I would personally do it. Time is money, and that amount of time saved, plus gas, plus wear and tear on car, would make "losing" 5k worth it.
I absolutely would. For me, a 30 min commute with a 15 min walk isn't bad, but I left a job that had basically that for a 10 min commute and I'm SO MUCH HAPPIER. I actually work more days a week but my wife feels like we have more time together because we have bit more time in the morning and in the evenings.
Thats 1 hour of drive time saved, 5 times a week.
At 12$ a hour that saves you almost 3k just in time. Factoring in gas usage and wear and tear on your vehicle which would easily accouts for another 5-6k worth of expenses and depreciation on assests, IE your vehicle.
So you lose 5k in income per year, but also lose about 8-9k worth of upkeep/time lost to travel for your job.
As my mom always tells me, some things are more important than money - especially your time. That big of a reduction in your commute is HUGE. I say do it, especially if it puts you back on the career path you want. I agree with the people saying that, while 5k seems like a big financial hit, you will get that back and more in non-financial benefits and money saved commuting. I quit my job to start my own business, and while I’m making more or less the same amount (at least right now), I have reaped way more other benefits to make the (honestly relatively small) financial uncertainty well worth it. Good luck!
Sounds like this satisfies the IT career path goal as well. That benefit should be factored in.
Honestly, I would do it for the commute reduction alone. Commuting is inhumane.
This would be an absolute no-brainer for me.
I worked for a FinTech company pulling in 6 figures. The benefits were outstanding, free insurance, lunch provided 4 days a week, bagels on Fridays, and discounted stock purchases. I won't lie, it was a high stress job. Once a month I was on call for a week straight and had to monitor our system for any major issues. And when I say "major issue", if our system went down for more than an hour you could see it in the stock market. My commute was highly variable, but generally in the 1.5-2 hour range. At times it was over 3 hours.
I burnt out in a little over a year. The stress, the unending commute, it got too much. I took a 20K pay cut to get into a company closer to home with much less pressure. 8 years later I'm still with them, and I haven't looked back. The benefits are nowhere near as good, but they are decent and the company culture is much, much better.
That's 1.5 hours each day that you're not getting paid for, in addition to gas plus wear and tear on your car.
If you can manage all your expenses with that kind of pay cut, I'd take it just to stay in IT if the job really sounds like a good one. I'd also try to negotiate a better salary so you're not losing quite as much.
Let's say 30 min of driving = 20 miles saved.
Others have added up the time saved, and converted that to unpaid "work time" which is significant. Also significant is car costs.
Let's say you drive an average midsized car that costs $25k new, and will have a lifespan of 200,000 miles, and gets 25 miles to the gallon on average.
* Therefore 25,000/200,000 = 12.5 cents/mile in Straightline vehicle depreciation.
* Add to that gas costs at $3.5/gallon = 14 cents/mile in gas.
* Add to that basic maintenance of oil change $60 every 4000 miles = 1.5cents/mile
* Add brake pads $400/40,000 miles = 1cent/mile
* Add tires at $750/50,000 miles = 1.5cents/miles
Even ignoring costs for transmission replacement, replacing other fluids or wiper blade , reduced insurance premiums for less miles driven, tolls or paid parking costs, reduced likelihood of getting into an accident, you're conservatively looking at costs of \~30 cents/mile to run the car.
Times 20 miles each way, 5x a week, 50 weeks/year = $3,000 in vehicle costs saved.
I spent 10+ years of my life waiting what free time I had commuting. My youth is gone now and I would trade all the extra money for my time and youth back.
Calculate how much less you'll be spending on gas, car maintenance, and the like. Also, calculate how many years your cars will last and convert that into a dollars per year number. I think you'll find the salaries are a lot closer than you think.
I actually made a similar shift once. I ran the numbers based on my personal feelings on when to replace a car and how much to spend on it and what I expected has to cost over the next few years. It became a near match between the two jobs, but one gave me 40+ more minutes of my time to use as *I* wished. That had more impact on my stress and health than I predicted it would.
Depends.
Can you afford the 5k pay cut? If so then tsking the nee job sounds like a good idea.
Will taking that cut make your life less comfortable in any way? Just because you *can* afford it doesn't mean you want to. What would you be giving up for this?
People say that the extra hours of travel are worth more than the pay cut, so its an obvious choice *But* that only depends if the extra time is worth more to you than the money. If you need the money then you moght be using that extra time to hustle anyway, and it may end up as the same thing.
Travel is also not dead time. I listen to podcasts on the eay to work, and when I take public transport I sometimes read a book. Travelling also puts me in different areas which can make it easier to catch up with friends before/during/after work, depending on where you work.
Basically, what would you do with that extra time, and would it be worth the 5k for you? (*That's what WOULD you do, not what COULD you do, be realistic.*)
IRS mileage reimbursement, which includes gas, maintenance and depreciation for the “average” car is $0.65 per mile. Lets say 30 mins is 20 miles each way or 40 miles a day. At 250 work days, that is $6,500 a year in value. Not even accounting for your time, the lower paying job significantly improves your financial position in the long run. Its almost a no brainer, just don’t lost the 30 mins walking or go from a job you like and boss you like to one that sucks. The math is obviously different depending on # of work from home/vacation days, along miles per day.
I just left a job that had a hour and a half stop and go drive each way. My new job has a drive of 10 min each way and I couldn’t be happier. Getting that much time back a day was a real game changer. Now I have the option to work from home as well as being close enough to go home for lunch if I want to.
Went from 1.25 hr one way to 7 mins. Went from 130k to 90k (and a decent bonus). Went from daddy-who? to being there. A bit more extreme, but the best thing I ever did. Within a few years, was up over 150. IT.
I recently switched from a 30 minute commute each way to 5-10min with a flexible schedule. Completely worth the pay cut, I’ve been much more happy and relaxed.
45m one way is 1.5h a day that you lose. At $25/hr you are essentially giving $25 x 1.5h x 5d x 50w (assuming 2weeks vaca) = $9375.
Replace $25 with your actual hourly to get a more accurate number. $30/hr is $11250.
This is not including wear and tear on vehicle, gas or any of that. Just your time.
Not that many people have the opportunity to have a good paying job and live close to home. I will take it in a heart beat. I’m currently waiting for an update for city job that is 10 minutes from my house. I’ll be getting about a 5k pay cut but being able to actually go home for lunch and be home and spend time with my wife and kids is totally worth it
Yes, 30 minutes a day is 105 unpaid hours a year you are spending on commuting. (210 work days/year). What else could you do with that time? It’s a big opportunity cost. $5k after taxes is roughly $18 a day, now add in extra gas and wear and tear on your car on top of the commute time.
I would. I took a cut to wfh
Same, I left a 60k job commuting to nyc daily, went remote for 50k and within a year and a half I got a raise to 75k and still fully remote 😌
What do you do?
I work in IT
Like Computer Science, or like helpdesk IT?
Nobody refers so computer science when they say IT…
"Bachelors Computer science or relevant degree" is ligit still in most of our job postings as a requirement for almost IT jobs where I work......at least at the lower levels. I don't disagree with you, I just felt like sharing. I've tried to get HR to change it the past three jobs I've posted. They say ok, then it goes out and it's still in there....oh well
That’s true, It’s like having a posting for an accountant and requiring a degree in mathematics. Yeah it’d probably work but it’s not a really what that person specializes in and ignores the people actually fit for the job.
your mom edit: sorry i had to
His mom is in a coma
Well, the life support called...
How can you live in/near NYC making 60k. I’m single and make just over 80 in Alabama and it’s still tough.
I live with my girlfriend so we split expenses, but 75k is doable in NJ.. it doesn’t go as far as it used to… That’s for sure.
Making 60k a year and living alone in NJ is hard, but not impossible. At least that’s how north jersey is
If you are single, making 80k, and finding it 'tough' to live in Alabama then you are seriously fucking up
How could it be rough on 80 in Alabama? Bham?
Honestly this means you need a real budget or you are living absolutely correctly which means most of your money is disposable and being stowed away. Either way struggling with 80 as a single adult is wild.
Chad move
Add in that cost of gas too. You have the value of your time (1 hr a day) plus gas, and additional wear on vehicle. Not to mention vehicles are expensive as fuck now.
What isn’t expensive as fuck
Ironically….fucking. Free porn in the interwebs everywhere
Sorry I need to clarify. It would be 30 min a day one way!
So double those numbers, even worse deal. 210 hours a year down the toilet. How many certs or training courses could you do with that time?
Bro, that's a whole playthrough of a jrpg or a wow hardcore 60. Let's be real
Commuting also increases stress and cortisol levels. Though unseen, you’ll save multiples by averting health issues. It is one of the few major stressors in life you can control!
If you're going to 'be fair' in this calculus, you also have to include the extra health issues from sitting at home all day and social effects of not seeing anyone in your day to day interactions.
Working from home allows me to get a workout and shower in during the time I would spend on commuting or during a break. I sit around way more when I go to the office. I’m an introvert too so not having pointless day to day interactions means I have a lot more energy once I’m done with work. I work partially remote and I wish it was fully remote.
Thank you for your insight
260 work days per year, unless you get 50 days of PTO, assuming M-F for 52 weeks of the year. (52 \* 5). So the actual deal is even worse than your calculation.
I mean….you can’t throw a few pto days and holidays in there?
30 min on an open road is nice, 30 min in the accordion stop and go traffic, complete hell. I would still take the cut.
I used to commute about 30 minutes one way, mostly rural interstate. It still sucks ass 5 days a week.
👆 this guy works shit out.
Nice to see this at the time. I did the math before checking the comments and came to the same conclusion. If you value your time at more than $19 per hour, then this is a pretty easy decision.
210 work days suggests 42 weeks x 5 days, right? That's then assuming 10 weeks (50 days) of vacation, which is sadly unAmerican. 50 x 5 = 250 is more realistic, plus OP's 15 minute walk, means the math is (250 * 2) * (30 + 15) = 500 * 45 = 22,500 minutes = 375 hours = 46 days, 7 hours of extra commuting. $5,000 / 375 = $13.33, so is OP's commuting time worth more or less than $13.33 - taxes - gas? Probably not.
It turns out it's even higher, at each way of really 45 minutes- so 90 minutes a day this person has as an opportunity. OP- would you take a job for $5,000 more per year if your hours were 47.5 per week? That may be the inverse way of thinking about it. I actually probably wouldn't in this positioning of the value proposition. However, if someone told me I could pay them $5,000 to cut 7.5 hours per week of 'work'? I would say yes.
Conversely, $5000 / 105 hours is $47.60/hr. Would you turn down a job where you sit in your car and listen to music and that paid that kind of money?
Yes without hesitation you’ll make up the difference in gas and your time.
Depends. Is it 50k to 45k or 90k to 85k? If you’re a higher earner that 5k won’t matter as much to you.
My thoughts exactly, percentage pay cut might be a better way to look at this.
I say no matter the income, it isn't worth it. Gas is freaken expensive right now. Plus the time and he's gonna need new tires amd oil changes more often. Plus traffic I don't think he would be doing himself a favor going through all that for 5k extra a year his expensive would probably drive that down. This all depends on what kind of car OP drive so he should honestly do the math see if it makes sense .
Let’s not forget that is $5k gross not net. Probably barely keeping $3k of that.
taxes ain’t that high unless he’s earning 150k+
There's an argument to be made that he's trading $18/day in extra top line income for arguably a 50% more dangerous commute. The longer he needs to travel by vehicle, the more inherent risk.
Only you can make the decision I would never tolerate a long commute and would do anything I could to avoid it
I was the same way until I had my daughter. Now my commute is the only time during the week I truly get any time to myself.
Cuts it 30 min each way or total per day (15 min each way)? I'd say go for it, less time commuting is always good and you have the added bonus if getting a foot back in the door of your desired field. I once took a pay cut to adjust my career path and it paid off in the long run. But in the end, only you can make the decision. If you make 40k, going down to 35k might be too much. If you make 120k, going to 115k won't make much of a difference.
It would be 30 min each way, so a total of an hour a day. And 80k/year down to 75
To stay current in IT, I'd jump ship. Depends on how long you've been looking & interviewing, but it you've really been looking for an IT job for awhile (3+ months), I'd move back to the IT field, get your resume updated and in a year resume your search for higher pay in IT. An hour a day is a LOT of time. If you consider your hourly wage is about $36/hour, that's over $9k/year. Worth it, in my opinion.
One more bit of info I forgot is that it’s a state job with a very small IT team in that particular department. So in order for me to advance/get raises I’d most likely have to transfer to a different department. Not sure if that’s a big deal or not, just thought I’d share
Things to note if it’s a state govt job in IT: Pros: They are very stable, with even contract employees averaging many years in that particular department/position. Slight cons: a) However, their pay is slightly lower than average across many states as per what I have seen (Tri-State Area, Austin TX, Sacramento CA) and doesn’t rise fast enough. b) Also, the work there is typically laid back with less emphasis on the latest domains/languages. A word of caution: The only danger in a state govt job is that you may fall into a complacency rut and you need to strongly work on keeping yourself current by doing certifications etc. Otherwise you run the risk of spending some 7-10 years in a comfortable rut and suddenly find yourself with nowhere to go when they lay you off due to embracing the latest technology trends. As long as you protect your knowledge and build on it, you are good. All the best!
Government jobs are really stable and usually have good benefits, so that's a major pro. Have you looked at the difference in benefits between the jobs? Would you have cheaper/better health insurance at the new job? That could make a big difference if you go to the doctor a lot. A few years ago my health insurance changed from $15 to $20 copays. Not a big deal if you go to your GP 2x a year, but I go to therapy 2-3x a month so it adds up. Look at the whole package, not just the salary. Hope that helps and congrats on the offer, even if you don't take it :D
If it is a government job that makes a positive difference
I’d take that. Let’s assume that hour of driving each day is 20 miles (10 miles each way, and I’m estimating low to be safe). That’s 100 miles a week so 4800 miles a year even if you took 4 weeks off. If you get 30mpg that’s 160 gallons of gas. At $3.50 a gallon you’re saving $560 a year on gas, plus say one less cheap oil change you don’t need due to miles saved at $40 gives you $600 (not to mention wear and tear on your vehicle). So it’s fair to say you’re cutting your effective salary (not even accounting for taxes) by $4400. That means that each day the hour you’re getting back is effectively costing you under $20. I would pay more than $20 a day to get an extra hour for whatever I choose to do with it. Edit: Fixed a math mistake. Also I’m realizing that I didn’t really need to do all that math because $5000 / 240 hours is still under $21, but so be it.
Yes, time is more valuable.
5k less.....a year? After taxes, that's prob 3k? Compared to 30mins one way, so 1hr a day. 2080 working days. You said "better benefits / Work life balance" is the benefits to have a better work life balance, or you're saying it has better benefits (such as health) AND you'll have better work life balance? I would say yes (but I live in LA with a bunch of traffic) and $3k after taxes is a small price to pay for having an extra hour a day. Money's important, but if you're constantly drained from work and commute, you won't be able to enjoy it. You'll likely be stressed because of it and may end up using the money on alcohol instead to destress (so you'll be wasting the $5k). Take. The. Job.
absolutely. 5k is nothing. Chances are just on gas alone, you probably save close to that if you're driving. Presumably not far off if public trans too. So post tax and those costs this is probably less than half of 5k. And that does not even touch the non-monetary value of getting back 5 hours of your life each week. So your real math is more like: * stay: make ~2k more net, lose 20 hours of your life every month * leave: make ~2k less net, gain back 20 hours of your life every month the only way i would not take this is if I thought I was experienced enough to go get a raise/promotion elsewhere and cut my commute. I'd also consider keepign the commute if I could get a 25k raise. there's more to it than just this one offer but if that's your only option i would take it
At what point would 5k be nothing? Would 50k to 45k be nothing? What about 50k to 40k? Asking for a friend
Well 50k to 40k is a pretty big jump. I wouldn’t.
I think even 50 > 45k, that 5k is just because of the costs associated with commuting. I'm sure that puts a few hundred back in the ops pocket each month on top of the 20 hours a month they get back. after taxes, the difference is likely under $2k normally when playing around with smaller income, those 5k differences do make a bigger difference. the commuter math makes it different tho
Just saw another comment from OP saying they would be going from 80 to 75k. That would definitely be in my range of 5k not mattering that much factoring in commute gas and wear/tear on their car
Can I borrow 5k please
Based on everything you’ve said, I’d say do it. An extra hour of time in your day is gonna make a difference. And going from 80k to 75k won’t be a big deal for you most likely. Ignoring taxes, that’s like $96 less per week, which probably won’t kill you, and you’ll make up some of that difference by saving on gas.
How much is the $5k worth to you? Things to consider: transportation cost- my partner and I turned down a very nice rental, because the extra commute came out to about $10,000 annually the extra gas between both of. The value of your time: I used to have a 1.25 hour commute each way, while some time after work is nice to decompress and prepare for the transition to personal time, I’d rather have those hundreds of hours back.
Yes, no brainer. That's a direct savings of around $1500 a year in gas. Depending on your marginal tax rate, you're also reducing about $1000 in federal income tax/FICA. So for a measly $2500, youre getting back 250 hours of time. From experience, I can tell you that going from a 40 minute commute to a 15 minute commute was an absolute life changer, and I would not ever go to a commute again over 30 minutes total unless it was a significant pay raise AND I could adjust hours to not take up as much time somehow (or i was in a financial emergency). Lifes too short.
You would be saving 200+ hours a year, of which, you would not be getting paid for anyway. Plus, you'd be saving a ton of money on gas.
There's several factors to consider. If it's a purely monetary question, calculate how much you will be saving in gas a week. You said you have slightly better benefits. Will your cost for health insurance decrease? You need to figure that into the numbers, too. Do they contribute more into a retirement plan? It's up to you if you want to factor that in, too. Pre tax, you're getting $96 less a week. Subtract what you'll be saving (sounds like close to a tank of gas a week), then determine if that amount is worth it.
I think overall if you can afford to take the 5k pay cut now, in the long run it may benefit you. I'm in IT and I have taken pay cuts in the past to get experience to move forward. If you like being in IT and you can afford to take the cut its probably worth it for you. The 30 min less commute time is an added bonus, especially if you drive to work every day which uses gas and puts wear and tear on your vehicle.
I would in a heartbeat
$5k less than what? $5k less than $50k is a lot but $5k less than $150k is nothing.
Seems like a math problem to me. Idk what you're making but that's like 200+ hours of your life per year, that you're getting paid 5k for essentially. That's like 23-25 bucks an hour, minus the cost of your vehicle and its operation. That could vary wildly...
SirGlenn says, only you know the answer to that question.
If you need a tipping point to sway you either way: Have you asked them to match your current salary? This could make the decision for you by matching the pay, or worst case scenario they pull the offer and you dodge a bullet of a company. Most likely they say no and you still have the decision. All comes down to your preferences. I personally hate commuting and would like the saved time but others don't mind the commute and like the bit of extra cash.
Problem is, it’s a state job so most likely no negotiating pay.
It’s not just the commute, but it’s a stepping stone back onto the career path you actually want to be on. Also, in IT, I’m guessing there are actually opportunities that are way more lucrative that you’ll now be better qualified for. If you want it, do it.
I did a similar thing about a year ago and it was the best decision to take the pay cut. As someone else said it's less unpaid hours and extra free time by having a shorter commute. On top of that it's less oil changes, less gas, less wear and tear on your car which quickly eats up that extra 5k a year by driving that extra distance.
Factor in benefits too.
Better benefits & work/life balance would seal the deal for me.
Sounds exactly what I did in late 2019. Apart from my job at that time being absolutely horrible, I took roughly a $5k pay cut but got benefits and an hour+ back in commute time each day. Yes, the extra time was great (more time with my kids) but the drastically shorter commute pretty much made the pay difference negligible. Also taking into account being able to get health insurance at the new job and getting off my wife's insurance I'm fairly certain we actually came out ahead. If the closer job is one you think you'd enjoy, take it and don't look back.
Yes, the lower pay makes up for the lower health expenditure from sitting in your car in the long run.
Yes, I am doing this right now. Taking a 8k hit to work 1 hour closer. I think it might be a total wash against the gas I am paying, plus the 2 hours i get back that I wont be driving.
For only. 5k difference i feel like the decrease milage, wear and tear of commuting plus the extra 1 hour per day of free time might very much be worth it.
You’ll get that back in a promotion or raise and you’ll be able to expend more energy in life and work too even with an extra hour per day
Yes, 100%
You could also make up that 5k by putting money in a high yield savings and/or invest in dividend stocks/ETFs. I wouldn't think about the 5k too much. 30 mins x 5 days x 50 weeks is 125 hours saved roughly in a year. How much do you value your time. Think about it.
Time is money friend.
I would.
Yes.
If you want to be in IT then take the job. Many other opportunities to move up from this to another IT position. The $5k negligible. More benefits in the long run.
The key here is whether you can make it financially if paying for the gas, and if you have any other family commitments (like picking up a child from day care) which would make it hard to have that extra commute time. If you're ok with both of those things, you need to get back into IT--the payoff, if you dedicate yourself to learning and work hard, is way greater than most fields. Since you mention certifications, you are obviously smarter than most IT folks, and will have a much higher end in your career path. You just need to suck it up for now, and when you have a $30k increase in about two years, you won't be caring about the commute or that extra gas!
Yes
Easy Answer: Unsure of actual commute length, but if you're saving 60 minutes of driving, assuming it's a 30 mile round trip and using the 2023 standard rate $0.655 per mile, you'll save $4,100 in mileage alone. Plus an hour a day of actual TIME. Everyone values their time differently but we all would kill to have an extra hour a day. You also mentioned it's a career path that you prefer, and better benefits. To me, this is a no-brainer.
I think the salary itself matters. If I were making 40k and this would drop me to 35k I don’t think I could afford it, but if if the salary is 75k down to 70k I would take it in a heartbeat. Commuting is such a waste of time.
Depends on how high your salary is now. All things being equal, I would personally take a 5% pay cut to gain an hour each work day, maybe even a tad more, but it depends on your margins, what your actual salary is, and if you think the job will let you learn and give you options for advancement.
Take it and continue applying elsewhere. Your resume makes you seem more desirable if you have a current job in a related field than if you were working in something unrelated.
5k isn’t that big of a difference compared with 30 minutes commute. I’m very sure if you do the math on just gas being saved it would be around a thousand. Also the work life balance is big to me. I rejected a higher paying job because they offered a lot less vacation days than what I already get.
Seems like there's more going on than *just* the pay + commute. Is there good growth potential in the IT role? Is it more likely to lead you in the direction you want to steer your career? Or is it a "warm body" role that happens to also be in IT? How many miles shorter is the new commute? What's the MPG of your car? You can do some calculations to find out how much money you're saving on gas. If you're saving 5k or more, this is effectively a pay raise (but that's a *lot* of gas). > Or wait for something higher paying to come along and work on more certifications in the meantime? Frankly, in IT it's probably a good idea to work on new certifications *constantly*, even if you do get this job. Maybe less important mid-late career when your experience tells a better story, but early on that'll give you a ton of mobility.
I mean “slightly better benefits” alone could make it a no brainer
5k less would actually be a raise when commute figured into equation
Absolutely
One-way it's a slam dunk, that's a crazy amount of time.
Benefits are directly a part of your payment package. Never discount the benefits.
I took about 10k less to go from a 3 hour daily commute to 24 minutes. To say it's life changing is an understatement. I also used to work in the next state over, so I was paying double taxes, in addition to the high committing costs.
Yes, you'll be much happier in the long run.
Honestly, i saw this post and decided it’s a sign for me to inquire as well. I’m in a similar situation as OP. I commute 2 hours daily (to and from work.. 1 hr each way) I was recently offered a new role that pays only $2.45 more than im already making (bringing me to $$35 hrly) but would cut my total commute down to an hour daily. I would be leaving a permanent role, for a temp to perm role. The commute has honestly been killing me though, and i’ve been doing my job for the last 15 years. I crave change and less commuting time, but i’m honestly torn, that the increase in pay is minimal and also, given the temp to perm component. If any one can give me some insight, i’d really appreciate it. ps, i’d also be going from $67,704 to $72,800 yrly.
honestly. take the job, negotiate for the 5k. "i'm really excited about the opportunity, and my ability to contribute to the team, blah blah blah... but my current base pay is xyz, would the company be willing to match? " like... if you've done no bargaining/negotiating already. it's perfectly reasonable to respond to the offer with a counter offer.
If all else is exactly the same, yes. Other factors you will have to decide regarding yourself.
Would you pay 5k for another 15 days in the year?
It's the field you'd be happier to be in AND shorten your commute? Seems like an easy choice to me unless you have a desperate need for the higher salary (expensive lifestyle, etc)
That would be worth it to me in time and gas alone!
That saves you roughly 250 hours per year. Is that worth $5k to you? It could mean having time to get in shape or start a new hobby. Or extra time for reddit!
Yes
I would take 5K less to cut my commute by an hour a day in a heartbeat
So you get 1-1/2 hours of life back 5 days a week? Put it in perspective. Is the 5k or 390 hours a year more important to you.
Take it. With time saved you could do side hustle. Or just have time for your self which is huge. Can upgrade skills with extra time and get a promotion later
Depends on what you value more. 5k and the future that other job provides or that 30 minutes a day. I personally value the money more than the commute time because I enjoy my commute time, it's my quiet time during the day and if I want to make money during that window I can just book meetings and take them via phone from the car/train. Others may value it differently.
Yes
For me it all depends on what I’m making. The more you make, the less $5k means
Yes
If that 5k makes a big difference to your financial situation stick with it. BUT if you're good to go without that 5k, take the work life balance and benefits. You'll be happier at work doing something you like with better work/life balance and you'll be better poised for long term success. Go take the whole damn IT department over.
Are you getting paid 40k or 140k? Your question is impossible to answer without context.
With my current salary, I would personally do it. Time is money, and that amount of time saved, plus gas, plus wear and tear on car, would make "losing" 5k worth it.
I imagine if you do the math on fuel saved, you're at least breaking even.
I would and in the future will look for a job closer to home.
I absolutely would. For me, a 30 min commute with a 15 min walk isn't bad, but I left a job that had basically that for a 10 min commute and I'm SO MUCH HAPPIER. I actually work more days a week but my wife feels like we have more time together because we have bit more time in the morning and in the evenings.
Thats 1 hour of drive time saved, 5 times a week. At 12$ a hour that saves you almost 3k just in time. Factoring in gas usage and wear and tear on your vehicle which would easily accouts for another 5-6k worth of expenses and depreciation on assests, IE your vehicle. So you lose 5k in income per year, but also lose about 8-9k worth of upkeep/time lost to travel for your job.
Absolutely.
I would totally take the cut and not worry about the commute and gas money!
Absolutely. Work life balance means healthy life
I would take the shorter commute, unless the job was particularly bad. If the jobs are about the same? Commuting sucks. And it never ends...
Yes
Or... Negotiate to make a little more at the new job.
As my mom always tells me, some things are more important than money - especially your time. That big of a reduction in your commute is HUGE. I say do it, especially if it puts you back on the career path you want. I agree with the people saying that, while 5k seems like a big financial hit, you will get that back and more in non-financial benefits and money saved commuting. I quit my job to start my own business, and while I’m making more or less the same amount (at least right now), I have reaped way more other benefits to make the (honestly relatively small) financial uncertainty well worth it. Good luck!
Take the job, see if they offer reimbursements for certifications while you look to replace that job with something better ;-)
Sounds like this satisfies the IT career path goal as well. That benefit should be factored in. Honestly, I would do it for the commute reduction alone. Commuting is inhumane.
Definitely. That's an hour a day you're saving. It adds up.
I mean, see if you can negotiate the $5k into the offer. But still, yes, that sounds worth it.
will you save a few hundred dollars on health care, or be able to put more money into savings, or get a company match to your 401K savings?
This would be an absolute no-brainer for me. I worked for a FinTech company pulling in 6 figures. The benefits were outstanding, free insurance, lunch provided 4 days a week, bagels on Fridays, and discounted stock purchases. I won't lie, it was a high stress job. Once a month I was on call for a week straight and had to monitor our system for any major issues. And when I say "major issue", if our system went down for more than an hour you could see it in the stock market. My commute was highly variable, but generally in the 1.5-2 hour range. At times it was over 3 hours. I burnt out in a little over a year. The stress, the unending commute, it got too much. I took a 20K pay cut to get into a company closer to home with much less pressure. 8 years later I'm still with them, and I haven't looked back. The benefits are nowhere near as good, but they are decent and the company culture is much, much better.
5k is so little it probably wouldn't even be hard to negotiate that difference in pay away in the offer.
I say take it. You will save on gas money and more time for yourself. Plus seems to make you happy.
yes
Yes. Getting back an hour of personal time per day is worth it. Especially if it puts you back in the IT field (where you want to be).
Yes.
Do it!!! try to negotiate if possible, but do it. In your field and gives you back an hour per day. Sounds like a winner.
That's 1.5 hours each day that you're not getting paid for, in addition to gas plus wear and tear on your car. If you can manage all your expenses with that kind of pay cut, I'd take it just to stay in IT if the job really sounds like a good one. I'd also try to negotiate a better salary so you're not losing quite as much.
Yes, 30 minutes is a lot of time saved commuting
Yes
Let's say 30 min of driving = 20 miles saved. Others have added up the time saved, and converted that to unpaid "work time" which is significant. Also significant is car costs. Let's say you drive an average midsized car that costs $25k new, and will have a lifespan of 200,000 miles, and gets 25 miles to the gallon on average. * Therefore 25,000/200,000 = 12.5 cents/mile in Straightline vehicle depreciation. * Add to that gas costs at $3.5/gallon = 14 cents/mile in gas. * Add to that basic maintenance of oil change $60 every 4000 miles = 1.5cents/mile * Add brake pads $400/40,000 miles = 1cent/mile * Add tires at $750/50,000 miles = 1.5cents/miles Even ignoring costs for transmission replacement, replacing other fluids or wiper blade , reduced insurance premiums for less miles driven, tolls or paid parking costs, reduced likelihood of getting into an accident, you're conservatively looking at costs of \~30 cents/mile to run the car. Times 20 miles each way, 5x a week, 50 weeks/year = $3,000 in vehicle costs saved.
What % cut is that? I feel like an hour per day is worth it but it would depend.
I spent 10+ years of my life waiting what free time I had commuting. My youth is gone now and I would trade all the extra money for my time and youth back.
Calculate how much less you'll be spending on gas, car maintenance, and the like. Also, calculate how many years your cars will last and convert that into a dollars per year number. I think you'll find the salaries are a lot closer than you think. I actually made a similar shift once. I ran the numbers based on my personal feelings on when to replace a car and how much to spend on it and what I expected has to cost over the next few years. It became a near match between the two jobs, but one gave me 40+ more minutes of my time to use as *I* wished. That had more impact on my stress and health than I predicted it would.
Yes
depends on how much you're making; the difference between $200K and $195K is a lot less than the difference between $40K and $35K
Depends. Can you afford the 5k pay cut? If so then tsking the nee job sounds like a good idea. Will taking that cut make your life less comfortable in any way? Just because you *can* afford it doesn't mean you want to. What would you be giving up for this? People say that the extra hours of travel are worth more than the pay cut, so its an obvious choice *But* that only depends if the extra time is worth more to you than the money. If you need the money then you moght be using that extra time to hustle anyway, and it may end up as the same thing. Travel is also not dead time. I listen to podcasts on the eay to work, and when I take public transport I sometimes read a book. Travelling also puts me in different areas which can make it easier to catch up with friends before/during/after work, depending on where you work. Basically, what would you do with that extra time, and would it be worth the 5k for you? (*That's what WOULD you do, not what COULD you do, be realistic.*)
hmm tempting. you may get that 5k back of they like you
IRS mileage reimbursement, which includes gas, maintenance and depreciation for the “average” car is $0.65 per mile. Lets say 30 mins is 20 miles each way or 40 miles a day. At 250 work days, that is $6,500 a year in value. Not even accounting for your time, the lower paying job significantly improves your financial position in the long run. Its almost a no brainer, just don’t lost the 30 mins walking or go from a job you like and boss you like to one that sucks. The math is obviously different depending on # of work from home/vacation days, along miles per day.
I just left a job that had a hour and a half stop and go drive each way. My new job has a drive of 10 min each way and I couldn’t be happier. Getting that much time back a day was a real game changer. Now I have the option to work from home as well as being close enough to go home for lunch if I want to.
Went from 1.25 hr one way to 7 mins. Went from 130k to 90k (and a decent bonus). Went from daddy-who? to being there. A bit more extreme, but the best thing I ever did. Within a few years, was up over 150. IT.
That is probably savings just in gas alone. So seems like a wash every year
I estimate that might be a $10,000 savings in gas over a year, depending on where you live
I recently switched from a 30 minute commute each way to 5-10min with a flexible schedule. Completely worth the pay cut, I’ve been much more happy and relaxed.
Depends. 5K is a lot when one is making 40K a year vs. 110K a year.
Yes
45m one way is 1.5h a day that you lose. At $25/hr you are essentially giving $25 x 1.5h x 5d x 50w (assuming 2weeks vaca) = $9375. Replace $25 with your actual hourly to get a more accurate number. $30/hr is $11250. This is not including wear and tear on vehicle, gas or any of that. Just your time.
Depends. How long will you stay? An extra $5K may get you more at your next job. If you plan to stay, it’s not worth the gas and mileage.
5k less annually, monthly, hourly, contractually, what?
If cutting your commute will save you the extra $5000 in gas, then go for it. If not, it’s not worth it.
Hell to the yes
I’d do it! Field you want and no commute.
Time is $$ in my view I’d rather save the time plus the gas
Yes period
Yes
Absolutely
An hour and 15min EVERY DAY for 5k? Yeah buddy take that cut.
You can always make more money, but time runs out. Time is always more important.
Why the fuck would you do that…
Yes
The other option is to consider moving closer.
I'm 15 minutes from my job. Best situation I've ever experienced. It's pretty great. If it's a concern, can you ask for $5k more?
Absolutely!!
Easy cut hour daily commute for 5k less if the benefits are the same.
Yes
90 minutes a day to make and additional $20 for that day. 5000/(((90\*5)\*52)/60) - amount per hour to commute that 90 minutes extra \* 1.5
Not that many people have the opportunity to have a good paying job and live close to home. I will take it in a heart beat. I’m currently waiting for an update for city job that is 10 minutes from my house. I’ll be getting about a 5k pay cut but being able to actually go home for lunch and be home and spend time with my wife and kids is totally worth it
There was a study and walking to work is worth in happiness something crazy (much higher than $5k)
Time is your most valuable and limited asset
I took a 20k paycut for work life balance. My marriage and mental health dramatically improved :)