High paying job away from family or lower paying job near family

stphnstevey

I moved to an area where I can get a high income, but it is away from the small amount of family I have (brother and mother). They are about a 2.5hr car journey away. I am not with a partner and do not have kids. I have found it hard to make friends in the new area, but I am am trying as much as I can. I have been trying this for a few months
The much higher income has the potential to really give me a better life if I can just stick the time on my own  
I have considered moving back and taking a lower paid job, just so I can get the family interaction
Wondering what others might do?  

[Deleted User]

Definitely high paying and away from family. 

That way you get the best of both worlds.

Comms69

stphnstevey said:

I moved to an area where I can get a high income, but it is away from the small amount of family I have (brother and mother). They are about a 2.5hr car journey away. I am not with a partner and do not have kids. I have found it hard to make friends in the new area, but I am am trying as much as I can. I have been trying this for a few months
The much higher income has the potential to really give me a better life if I can just stick the time on my own  
I have considered moving back and taking a lower paid job, just so I can get the family interaction
Wondering what others might do?  

I have been trying this for a few months - there's been quite abit going on in that time period, i'd personally give it longer

jackieblack

For me, my family is more important than money, but everyone's priorities are different and every family's relationships are different.
If your career is something you love that you find fulfilling, and/or you are not especially close to your family, for example - it might work for some but not for others.

Is there a compromise?
Could you move closer to your family and still keep your high paying job? Would the longer commute balance being able to visit family more easily?

AW618

I havent lived anywhere near any of my family since I was 21.  I have a perfectly good relationship with them.  This is not in the least unusual.

gettingtheresometime

In fairness the time you've been away hasn't, as Comm69 has said, hasn't been normal so the isolation (for want of a better word) you've been experiencing may not be typical either.
Personally I'd give it another six months and then revisit your options then

Doshwaster

AW618 said:

I havent lived anywhere near any of my family since I was 21.  I have a perfectly good relationship with them.  This is not in the least unusual.

Same here. I've lived away from family since I left home to go to University at 18 and know many people in the same situation who live hundreds or even thousands of miles from "home". You have to go where life takes you not be tied to one place. I still speak to my mum a couple times a week by phone and get to see the wider family a few times a year (at least under "normal times"). Living away has brought many advantages but hardly any downsides.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Could you spend part of the week living closer to the high paying job and go home to see your family at weekends?  Lots of people do, in fact it used to be fairly common for professionals to have a house outside London and a city flat in the old days.  General pattern was to commute in on the Sunday evening or Monday morning then go back to the house on the Friday evening, spending Friday night, Saturday and Sunday at home and the remaining nights at the flat.  

elsien

Two and a half hours isn't that far for weekend visits, if that's what you want to do. Although that would then limit your opportunities to make new friends further, now that lockdown is easing again.
You can see family every day via video calling if you want to.

Doshwaster

Some people commute more than 2.5 hours for work. It certainly should be no problem for the occasional weekend visit.

Marvel1

Higher paying job.

My family live in the same town, I don't see them weekly.