Commute vs salary

12ellie12

I work full time but condensed my hours to 4 days - heavenly! miss rush hour, both ends of the day, save travel expense 1 day per week and my hump day is spent doing whatever I please! Makes it feel as if I do 2 x 2 day weeks, get chores done on Weds and weekends are my own. My grounds for the request were improved mental health and productivity, combined with the eco element. Hope that helps and good luck!

Baileys_Babe

My OH works full time, he works a compacted week 3 long days in the office and half a day a week. This saves 2 days of commuting as well as numerous other benefits.

bamgbost

This forum reminds me of another that was running last year:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5791757

But I took the plunge and switched jobs for a longer commute for more money. from 30/35mins to 1h10min. So double my commute.
For 15% rise.

On the face of things, it wasnt worth it. But as we wanted to apply for a mortgage we needed the extra income. Now the mortgage has been secured...I am considering if possible to reduce to a 4 day week or work from home. I need to put my request in, but need to choose my reasoning carefully- watch this space!

Anyways the crux was i made the choice as part of a bigger picture. And I dont envisage doing it forever!

Soot2006

I calculated I would happily take a 25% reduction in salary to work one less day per week (20% reduction in working).


And I would happily take a 20% cut in salary to remove my commute, but not for an equivalent job nearer to me. So basically, for a 20% cut in my salary I would be happy for my work to move it's entire business nearer to me . Sounds realistic?!

crispy_chris

silvercar wrote: »

My son took a job with a longer commute for a 20% increase in salary as it came with far better prospects.

This is worth bearing in mind. I changed jobs from one that paid £18k with a 20 minute commute each way, for one that paid £21k but had a 60-75 minute commute each way. The increase in salary was negligible when travel was factored in.

Fast forward several years and my salary has more than doubled from there because the prospects were so much better at the newer role.

Alz1986

Yes, you'll probably save on travel anyway.

I recently turned down a higher paying job due to the cost of travel which would exceed my increase.

zagubov

I swapped a one hour round-trip for a three hour one for a few years that allowed me to climb the salary ladder. I couldn't have kept that going for much longer especially as my commuting costs soared.

I then took a similar job that was again a 1 hour commute but an enjoyable commute. Did the sums. I had a slight cut in pension and salary, but spent less on travel.

But I got my life and my energy back - can't figure out how to put a price on that.

EnterUserName

Just on the off-chance that anyone was following this thread!

After lots of research, thought, interviews, conversations and weighing up of options. I finally decided on a 4 day week at my current employer via a flexible working request.

Perhaps ironically enough, the 4/5 salary is about the same as a full-time local one... so :huh:

At the same time as going through the above, I also sort of settled on "downshifting" and minimalism on some levels... My new "career path" if you like is to spend wisely and work less... :beer:

suki1964

Thanks for the update, I often wonder what people decide

Spending wisely is my mantra, and it saves me what I miss out on take home pay so to speak