Commuter Travel

wymondham

I'm curious as to how many people commute long distances so they can afford to buy/live in better area etc, and how this impacts on them, with the costs of the travel and the time eaten away from their 'home time' - is it worth it?

I work about 10 miles from where I live and often do work on the way in/home so this is nothing compared to most. I did do a stint working in London, but found the commute both in terms of time and money simply wasnt worth it and gave this up after a few months with the attitiude 'work isnt everything' !

who travels the furthest, and why, how much do you spend commuting? Discuss!

FATBALLZ

Currently do about 10-15 miles each way a day, although it's mainly on public transport so takes 45-60 mins. Costs about £1k per year. Job before that was a 5 minute commute, but moved as my career had hit the brakes where I was. Hopefully tomorrow will be offered a job with 60 mile each way a day commute, reckon it will cost about £500 a month for fuel, car, breakdown cover and insurance but the pay rise will cover it. Wouldn't ordinarily look to commute so far but it's a much better job than i have now.

JonnyBravo

I do live away from where I work but it's actually more expensive where I live.
I've changed roles and areas regularly in my company and that may continue so I have no intention of moving.
My commute (which isn't every day as I also work form home) can be 1hr upto 3hr each way depending on where I'm going. Costs nothing as paid for by work.

vivatifosi

Up until the past couple of years I've always commuted. Went into London by train every day for 10 years followed by many more years battling round the M25 in the rush hour. My rule is that if I have to commute, it should be for no more than 1 hour in each direction. The reason is nothing to do with house prices, its because I've never wanted to live in London, even though a lot of the good jobs are there. I like having countryside nearby too much to live in town.

amcluesent

I'm 75m from where I work in London as the crow flies. I spend about £900/month on commuting as I travel 1st class on the East Coast but cover that by spread-betting on my own account during travel time.

Graham_Devon

Depends where I am working. But the longest one is 90m, but dont go there as often.

It's normally 40m per day

wymondham

amcluesent wrote: »

I'm 75m from where I work in London as the crow flies. I spend about £900/month on commuting as I travel 1st class on the East Coast but cover that by spread-betting on my own account during travel time.

wow, you must love your job!

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Commuting is an inevitable function of population growth. There are not enough houses within a city to support the needs of the growing local economy, so the city grows and the cheapest properties are always the ones furthest away from most employers. Which is why cottages originally built on the outskirts for bank clerks 100 years ago, are now prime London million pound houses. It's why peoples grandparents or parents could afford to live in areas as a manual worker, when houses there now are populated by doctors and lawyers. etc....

It's the ripple effect, and we have seen it around every major employment hub in the country.

mickbhall

Only about 12 miles round trip but,I would be willing to travel hour on public transport each way if i had to, Or i good job.

Cleaver

amcluesent wrote: »

I'm 75m from where I work in London as the crow flies. I spend about £900/month on commuting as I travel 1st class on the East Coast

Good lord. No wonder you're so bitter and twisted about everything and anything.

I'm technically classed as working from home, so it's the time it takes to get from the main bedroom in to the spare bedroom which is our office.

I don't like working from home though, so tend to always book a desk in the office for three or four days a week. It's either a 25 minute car journey, 15 minute public transport journey, 20 minute bike ride or 55 minute run depending on my preference on any given day.

PasturesNew

When I worked 200 miles from home, I did a weekly commute and stayed in B&Bs four nights a week. That way the commute only cost me about £200/week, but I was on £1k/week as a PM.

When I worked 50 miles from home, it was 1.5 hours each way each day (narrow/winding roads, can't overtake, encounter tractors or tourists). Pain in the bum job, £22k, cost of commute didn't leave me enough to cover the basics (if the car went wrong I'd have never been able to afford to fix it, or to get to work without it) ... then I got made redundant anyway after 9/11 (they had a new US office).

After that, having spent a year on an expensive commute -v- salary, I decided to walk to work only ... so took on a job at £16k, but no transport costs (so worked out the same, but no commute, no stress).

I've worked from home too (for international companies, as well as for my own current income streams).

To me time/cost/distance has to be made up for in £££. For £1k/week I'm prepared to work anywhere. For £250/week I'll stay local. For £400/week I'm prepared to go 15 miles.

When you have a job that needs a car to get to it - it's a big stress that it might be off the road, so you have to think about how you might pay for that ... because if the car breaks down you still need to be at work, every day ... can't just give them a call and say you'll be back next year when you've saved up for the garage bill.