Renting close to work?

thomasross20

Will read through this properly later... Yeah £25 a day is ok but also really adds up. If I was minted (I'm not lol!), could buy a flat close to work - maybe even rent a room out to help - but it's expensive to get a second place and it's enough work having one place. Can't sell the house as it was with Sheena, it's too soon, and Lisa's autism support services are nearby. Otherwise could have got one closer to work. It's usually 50 mins in... and 35-50mins back. Getting INTO work, I have to leave before 7am or after 9am. Leaving work... I have to leave after 5:30pm... so it restricts me to 10am-6:30pm sort of work hours. I think working later takes its toll - you see less sunlight etc. When I lived just 15-20 mins it made a huge, huge difference...

Iamnobody

I’d also recommend you investigate a working from home day (or days). Employers seem to be quite  encouraging of it these days.

I used to have the same commute 1.5 - 2 hours for a 32 (or 50 mile round trip depending if I used motorways). I hated it for the 10 plus years that I did it...

I now work less than 2 miles from the office but still drive or get driven in most days due to logistics of getting kids to school and then to their after school classes.

But I miss the longer drive some days -
it was my time to unwind - listen to a whole album or make some phone calls (handsfree of course).

45 mins ish each way isn’t that much time - maybe just use it  more positively?

TTony

Phil_aka_Pip said:

In the meantime I've just agreed to rent a tiny 12x12 room 

@Phil_aka_Pip - when I've been working away and had to stay away during the week, I've used spareroom.co.uk to find a place.

OK, you'll still get some dodgy places advertised there that won't tick your boxes, but with a bit of patience and sometimes widening my search area, I've always found something suitable - and always better than a 12x12 room.

HTH.

thomasross20

FYI WFH is only an occasional option for me - only when we need something done, it wouldn't be a common thing. Core hours are also 10am-4pm every day.

Phil_aka_Pip

@TTony fanx

ToneControl

I have commuted 1 hour+ each way for 20 years, it does have a cost. Currently I don't, and I really value that reduction in wear and tear. I did stay over before and after having kids. Before, with my Mrs.

I think that if you stop over too much, it will damage your relationship with your step-daughters
It's a fine balance, you can do this for a short time, but not long-term. I did it for 10 months, that needed healing with my young kids later.

My recommendation is 1 or 2 non-consecutive nights away max, but 1 hour each way is the new normal to be honest.

57Deluxe

in the languages dept at the Uni that my partner lectures at is a relatively new Chinese member of staff who we think doesn't have accommodation cos when we are in the Uni at weekends for my partner to do all her admin, we see a small tent in the office that the Chinese woman shares and lots of instant noodles leftovers in the little communal kitchen!

thomasross20

I agree doing this for too long could strain any sort of relationship.. 

peteri

I've spent probably most of my adult life doing long commutes, mainly on public transport - but lots of stuff 1:30-2:30 each way with early starts (needing to be in work by 6:45am etc)

Post divorce, I've moved back into Central London - started off with a 30 minute commute now it's 15 minutes.

The difference is staggering not only in time, but in lack of pressure - you don't realise how sub-consciously you're looking at a clock, thinking if I don't leave now etc. whereas now - someone talks to me, I don't care I just get the next tube.

So yes, work as close as you can to home

But I would never have worked away, you're working to provide a home, have your possessions etc why separate yourself from them? I think it must be completely lonely to sit in a room, with your laptop etc plus the stress on the Sunday - have you got everything for the week? Have you got your laundry done etc

I've worked with a few people who live in Ireland and come over for the week, every week - I think they're mad frankly.

I would push for flexible working - put your commute outside the peak times, WFH when you can etc. most firms are a lot more flexible than they used to be if you put a solid case together

EricTheWeary

https://youtu.be/KGg1567fzTY

vasselmeyer

Unless I drive to the airport or the railway station to travel for face to face meetings, my commute is 15s when I walk from the kitchen to my home office. 

I cannot conceive of a situation where I would be sitting in traffic on my way to work for more than 15 minutes. What a waste of life. 

Moe_Zambeek

Get yourself a maxi scooter Thomas There'll be 2 months of the year when you can’t ride but the rest of the time you’ll shave a good bit of time off your commute.

I’m doing a similar commute but i have to go further into Leith, on a really bad day in a car it’ll be an hour and a half, on a good day 50 minutes. On my bike, it’s usually 45 minutes more or less regardless of traffic. 

Id rather do that than *shudder* live in Leith


Your other option would be to get an electric folding bicycle and take the train with a short e-bike at either end? 

Phil_aka_Pip

vasselmeyer said:

Unless I drive to the airport or the railway station to travel for face to face meetings, my commute is 15s when I walk from the kitchen to my home office. 

I cannot conceive of a situation where I would be sitting in traffic on my way to work for more than 15 minutes. What a waste of life. 

I totally agree, Sir, but unfortunately a lot of employers expect you to waste your life and you get little choice ...

thomasross20

I'd kill myself travelling on two wheels lol...

ToneControl

peteri said:

I've spent probably most of my adult life doing long commutes, mainly on public transport - but lots of stuff 1:30-2:30 each way with early starts (needing to be in work by 6:45am etc)

Post divorce, I've moved back into Central London - started off with a 30 minute commute now it's 15 minutes.

The difference is staggering not only in time, but in lack of pressure - you don't realise how sub-consciously you're looking at a clock, thinking if I don't leave now etc. whereas now - someone talks to me, I don't care I just get the next tube.

So yes, work as close as you can to home

But I would never have worked away, you're working to provide a home, have your possessions etc why separate yourself from them? I think it must be completely lonely to sit in a room, with your laptop etc plus the stress on the Sunday - have you got everything for the week? Have you got your laundry done etc

I've worked with a few people who live in Ireland and come over for the week, every week - I think they're mad frankly.

I would push for flexible working - put your commute outside the peak times, WFH when you can etc. most firms are a lot more flexible than they used to be if you put a solid case together

I used to feel a bit sick every sunday morning when I knew I had to travel at 8pm or 9pm to get down south.
It used to spoil all of Sunday 

NPP

ToneControl said:

peteri said:

I've spent probably most of my adult life doing long commutes, mainly on public transport - but lots of stuff 1:30-2:30 each way with early starts (needing to be in work by 6:45am etc)

Post divorce, I've moved back into Central London - started off with a 30 minute commute now it's 15 minutes.

The difference is staggering not only in time, but in lack of pressure - you don't realise how sub-consciously you're looking at a clock, thinking if I don't leave now etc. whereas now - someone talks to me, I don't care I just get the next tube.

So yes, work as close as you can to home

But I would never have worked away, you're working to provide a home, have your possessions etc why separate yourself from them? I think it must be completely lonely to sit in a room, with your laptop etc plus the stress on the Sunday - have you got everything for the week? Have you got your laundry done etc

I've worked with a few people who live in Ireland and come over for the week, every week - I think they're mad frankly.

I would push for flexible working - put your commute outside the peak times, WFH when you can etc. most firms are a lot more flexible than they used to be if you put a solid case together

I used to feel a bit sick every sunday morning when I knew I had to travel at 8pm or 9pm to get down south.
It used to spoil all of Sunday 

I'm working in the UK, my wife in Germany. So we get that same feeling every weekend outside the holidays (we share the travelling 50/50). Unfortunately we're far away from earning enough to make it worth while, but still are not in a position to be able to just jack in one of the jobs and start afresh with us both in the same country.