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Commuting - how far is too far?

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  • spirit
    spirit Posts: 2,886
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    Have you looked around Marple? There is Rose hill station there so easy commute. I live just South of manchester. There's the tram stop not far from here and also train taking 11 minutes to Manchester.
    Mortgage free as of 10/02/2015. Every brick and blade of grass belongs to meeeee. :j
  • KatieDee
    KatieDee Posts: 709
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    spirit wrote: »
    Have you looked around Marple? There is Rose hill station there so easy commute. I live just South of manchester. There's the tram stop not far from here and also train taking 11 minutes to Manchester.

    Hi Spirit. Funnily enough, we have just arranged to view a house in Marple :D

    It's either there, or Disley/Furness Vale - both are nice areas within 40 minutes train journey from Manchester. Thanks for the tip though - it's great to get more ideas of potential areas. Can I ask where in South Manchester you're living?
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967
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    edited 10 February 2018 at 10:45PM
    For me it's not about the financial cost of commuting but the lost time. I wouldn't want over an hr door to door to work each way. And if kids appear you'll want to be available as much as possible.

    I would look to an area to suit a family, near decent schools.

    What are the chances of getting another job one day away from the city a bit?
  • KatieDee
    KatieDee Posts: 709
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    glasgowdan wrote: »
    For me it's avout the financial cost of commuting but the lost time. I wouldn't want over an hr door to door to work each way. And if kids appear you'll want to be available as much as possible.

    I would look to an area to suit a family, near decent schools.

    What are the chances of getting another job one day away from the city a bit?

    Thank you for your reply. There are a few organisations I could apply to who would be closer than my current employer if I moved further out, but this would reset all of my maternity leave allowances which are very generous at my current employer. I also have the option of flexible working where I am, which would be hugely beneficial if we moved further out.

    It's an excellent point though, and something I would keep in mind if I found the commute to be too difficult. I am not tied to my employer, although they are fantastic.
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,468
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    I commute on trains with a walk either end. My hour and a half (nearly) is loads nicer than my old hour door-to-door commute.

    Each to their own. I might not have wanted to be so far out when I was in my 20s or even 30s.

    Jx
    2023 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967
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    KatieDee wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply. There are a few organisations I could apply to who would be closer than my current employer if I moved further out, but this would reset all of my maternity leave allowances which are very generous at my current employer. I also have the option of flexible working where I am, which would be hugely beneficial if we moved further out.

    It's an excellent point though, and something I would keep in mind if I found the commute to be too difficult. I am not tied to my employer, although they are fantastic.

    I run my own business and when my first kid arrived my wife and I cut our hours. When my second arrived I cut mine further and now I work 3 days a week, watch the kids 2 full days then we share things at weekends. I work on jobs between 5 and 35 mins from home. My wife is a ten min train ride away. Family life, to us, is more important than top earning capacity and we get by, save some and enjoy lots of time with the little ones. What do you do when the nursery/childminder phones to say the kid appears to have an infectious illness and they need to be picked up urgently? Or the nursery has to close due to flooding. If you're going to be 60-90 mins away this can make the practical things very awkward.

    BUT, people do manage in those situations. I reckon in your shoes I'd be looking to buy towards the top of the budget as close to work and a decent area to bring up kids as possible
  • Commutes are funny things. 60 minutes on a free-flowing motorway can be much easier to take than 60 minutes on busy city streets.

    Having had both long and short commutes in my career, I'd say a 40-minute commute isn't to much to deal with - either by car or train.

    Personally, I'd pay the extra for the season ticket and take the train, because then that time becomes more valuable: assuming you have a seat (not always a given, I do understand), then you can read, sleep, listen to podcasts, music, work on a side project !!!8230; even start work so you can leave and get home earlier.

    (My perspective is: I live and work in London, with a 40-minute commute each day from zone 3 to `one 1. But that 40 minutes includes about 15 minutes of walking, so I get to enjoy some fresh air and the time on the tube goes by pretty quickly.)
  • zagubov
    zagubov Posts: 17,873
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    I think the OP needs to do a lot more reconnaissance about good areas closer to work. Accurately predicting your ability to tolerate a long commute is frankly a superpower that only Superman could manage when he's at the top of his game, when in reality we're all just a bunch of Clark Kents.
    There is no honour to be had in not knowing a thing that can be known - Danny Baker
  • harz99
    harz99 Posts: 3,617
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    KatieDee wrote: »
    Very true, PasturesNew. I think I need your friends job :rotfl:

    I drive a very bumpy little Mini Cooper which is already close to being on its last legs - I barely trust it to get me to work most days, never mind with double the mileage!

    I have the option of commuting on the train as well, which would be far less stressful and tiring. It's around an hour travelling that way, so probably very similar to the drive. You've definitely given me a fair bit to think about though, as after purchasing a house I definitely won't be in the position to buy a new, comfy commuter car! :(


    If you are considering the train, what options are there if the main rail line "falls over" and services cannot run for any reason- any viable alternative route or bus/coach services?


    Also consider the effect of winter weather, ie the dreaded snow, whether driving or train.
  • spirit
    spirit Posts: 2,886
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    KatieDee wrote: »
    Hi Spirit. Funnily enough, we have just arranged to view a house in Marple :D

    It's either there, or Disley/Furness Vale - both are nice areas within 40 minutes train journey from Manchester. Thanks for the tip though - it's great to get more ideas of potential areas. Can I ask where in South Manchester you're living?

    Sure. The area called The Heatons (4 Heatons in total,) h mersey. H moor, h chapel and h norris. I've lived here 10 months and love it.
    Mortgage free as of 10/02/2015. Every brick and blade of grass belongs to meeeee. :j
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