Job Offer - Doubts

todayisagreatday

I'm in a civil service job, I'm happy and enjoy it overall though I don't find it particularly challenging, one of the main perks is that I generally can work from home from a laptop, which means I can literally wake up, log on and not worry about getting dressed out my PJ's or the time spent commuting. I sometimes have to travel around to different locations, when this happens, work pays for the travel and I get any travel time back owing and I can manage my own diary. In this sense I have no commuting costs, just the electric for laptop use at home. My pay is just over £40k.

I have been successful in applying for another civil service job. This is office based although they've indicated I may be able to work from home one day a week. It would cost around £16 a day to travel in by train and I'd be leaving the house at 6:45am and getting home around 6:30pm, if there were no train delays. The difference in pay is around £8400 but then I have the travelling cost to account for. This job is right up my street, something I'd find challenging and enjoy and would help any career progression.

The issue is I don't know if I want it. We are lucky that we have a healthy income as my other half is on a slightly higher salary, and we'd be looking at no mortgage by time we are 40. I realise this is a great position to be in I'm just after people's opinions.

Thanks

Exodi

People on here constantly debate Money V Happiness in employment and take very different views on which is the most important.

Yet you've indicated that the second job pays more and would make you happier?

I would write down your pro's and con's of both, work out exactly how much extra you'd earn in the second and weigh it against the extra time you'll be spending commuting.

Undervalued

todayisagreatday wrote: »

I'm in a civil service job, I'm happy and enjoy it overall though I don't find it particularly challenging, one of the main perks is that I generally can work from home from a laptop, which means I can literally wake up, log on and not worry about getting dressed out my PJ's or the time spent commuting. I sometimes have to travel around to different locations, when this happens, work pays for the travel and I get any travel time back owing and I can manage my own diary. In this sense I have no commuting costs, just the electric for laptop use at home. My pay is just over £40k.

I have been successful in applying for another civil service job. This is office based although they've indicated I may be able to work from home one day a week. It would cost around £16 a day to travel in by train and I'd be leaving the house at 6:45am and getting home around 6:30pm, if there were no train delays. The difference in pay is around £8400 but then I have the travelling cost to account for. This job is right up my street, something I'd find challenging and enjoy and would help any career progression.

The issue is I don't know if I want it. We are lucky that we have a healthy income as my other half is on a slightly higher salary, and we'd be looking at no mortgage by time we are 40. I realise this is a great position to be in I'm just after people's opinions.

Thanks

Is this gross or net? If gross, by the time you deduct tax, NI, pension contributions (although that bit is actually an investment) and travelling costs there is not a huge lot of the £8400 left!

Plus too, you may feel you have to buy extra office clothes and unless you are very disciplined and take a packed lunch those costs will increase too. What about getting to the station or parking?

£16 a day is £80 a week if you end up having to go in five days. Maybe round that up to £20 with other odds and ends.

What value do you put on the "wasted" travelling time? How often will the train be late getting you home?

On the other hand, does it have better career prospects?

Your call!

todayisagreatday

Undervalued wrote: »

Is this gross or net? If gross, by the time you deduct tax, NI, pension contributions (although that bit is actually an investment) there is not a huge lot of the £8400 left.

Plus too, you may feel you have to buy extra office clothes and unless you are very disciplined and take a packed lunch those costs will increase too. What about getting to the station or parking?

£16 a day is £80 a week if you end up having to go in five days. Maybe round that up to £20 with other odds and ends.

What value do you put on the "wasted" travelling time? How often will the train be late getting you home?

On the other hand, does it have better career prospects?

Your call!

That would be gross pay difference and as you say by time you take off travel there isn't a lot left. Parking at our station is free and it's a couple of miles away, but yes I'd have to drive there and then lunch costs etc, which ok if I made lunch wouldn't be too bad but not the same as whipping something up at home.

I'd have one connection at Crewe but the issue is the connection to/from my small town. Only one connection an hour which is always delayed!

Career prospects are better, but I guess I'm thinking our mortgage will be paid in less than 5 years and my OH is due a £5k rise before the year is out too....

Having had the benefits of rarely commuting in peak time, it's only now I'm starting to realise how much I value working from home and managing my own time.

[Deleted User]

Compromise is the best option.

Take the new job, but go into the office in your pyjamas.

It's a win win.

todayisagreatday

Deleted_User wrote: »

Compromise is the best option.

Take the new job, but go into the office in your pyjamas.

It's a win win.

love that response! I'm sure they will value my Disney PJs, cow onesie and UGG boots!

Undervalued

todayisagreatday wrote: »

That would be gross pay difference and as you say by time you take off travel there isn't a lot left. Parking at our station is free and it's a couple of miles away, but yes I'd have to drive there and then lunch costs etc, which ok if I made lunch wouldn't be too bad but not the same as whipping something up at home.

I'd have one connection at Crewe but the issue is the connection to/from my small town. Only one connection an hour which is always delayed!

Career prospects are better, but I guess I'm thinking our mortgage will be paid in less than 5 years and my OH is due a £5k rise before the year is out too....

Having had the benefits of rarely commuting in peak time, it's only now I'm starting to realise how much I value working from home and managing my own time.

OK so four miles each day, that is 20 a week or a thousand a year. Even petrol alone will be 20p per mile and using a car actually costs more than that.

No charge for parking at the moment but who knows what the future holds. £4 a day at a small station near me, nearer £12 a day at the big one in town - if you can find a place!

As I said the real big issue is what value you put on 3 hours plus a day spent travelling?

Maybe spend those three hours a day on a little work from home sideline business?

Seanymph

I worked from home - traded it for an office - and have recently traded back.

I didn't like it, all those people, and not being able to get deliveries when I wanted them, or stop and hang the washing out. Or, oh the bliss, throw the dog in the car and go to the beach just because it's sunny and I'd rather finish the task in the evening.........

It depends what price you put on the potential progression. But as you've mentioned no mortgage, and the OH earning well actually you don't need that progression either.

Do what makes you happy.

todayisagreatday

Undervalued wrote: »

OK so four miles each day, that is 20 a week or a thousand a year. Even petrol alone will be 20p per mile and using a car actually costs more than that.

No charge for parking at the moment but who knows what the future holds. £4 a day at a small station near me, nearer £12 a day at the big one in town - if you can find a place!

As I said the real big issue is what value you put on 3 hours plus a day spent travelling?

Maybe spend those three hours a day on a little work from home sideline business?

You raise a valid point, I never thought of that in terms of car wear and tear and even four miles a day adds up. I really do value the three hours a day, I already do some earning from home on a blogging site self employed so this is time spent doing this. My other half gets home at 430pm so it's nice we can go for a walk, sit outside with our meals in summer etc and it's time together and even going to my yoga class in the evening. If I wasn't getting in til 630om I wouldn't even get to do that!

The point about hanging the washing out, it's doing things like this when I'm working from home, being able to pop to shops, post a letter, go for a run.

sammyjammy

One other thing is to consider is that you have it good right now but as a fellow Civil Servant I know that things don't stay still forever, this job could disappear/the grade could change/ you could be reassigned to another role....

Undervalued

todayisagreatday wrote: »

You raise a valid point, I never thought of that in terms of car wear and tear and even four miles a day adds up. I really do value the three hours a day, I already do some earning from home on a blogging site self employed so this is time spent doing this. My other half gets home at 430pm so it's nice we can go for a walk, sit outside with our meals in summer etc and it's time together and even going to my yoga class in the evening. If I wasn't getting in til 630om I wouldn't even get to do that!

The point about hanging the washing out, it's doing things like this when I'm working from home, being able to pop to shops, post a letter, go for a run.

I think you are close to answering your own question.......