Distance to Work Does Matter

The wheels on the commute go round and round...pexels.com
Ever since I became a disciple of MMM I have dreamed of biking to work.  This dream has some roadblocks specifically I don't own a bike and my drive to work was 49 minutes solid over a rolling 23.4 miles.  To bike it would have taken me 2 hours and 10 minutes each way.  I am not in that great of shape and would not be able to function at work by the time I got there. 

Even 49 minutes each way was hard on me and the family.  I switched to that job back in October 2016 with the hope of being an IT architect and bringing in more income.  The hope also included my family being OK with a longer commute.

While work was more satisfying my personal life slowly deteriated.  My back problems worsened sitting for that long of time.  I would rush in the morning to get the kids to school, speed to work and still be late.  When I finally got to work I was already stressed out.  Rinse and repeat on the way home to make dinner in time.  If all went well I would get a whopping 1/2 hour with the kids before bedtime.

The stress was compounded because my job wanted me there from 8-5.  I was lucky to get there by 9:20 everyday.  They neglected to inform me there was no flex time when I took the job.

More burden was also placed on my wife to take care of all 5 kids.  We were turning to more and more unhealthy frozen meals and she was plain just stressed out.

Finally I made a call to my former boss.  We met for lunch and they offered me my job back making what I made at my new (well now old) job.

The drive is back to 15 minutes through our park system totaling 7 miles each way.  My (and my family) stress levels are way down and I am able to get home and cook some good stuff from scratch almost every day.  We finish dinner and I have several hours to play with the kids or work on chores.

There is this spreadsheet I keep to calculate if it is worth switching jobs or not.  With what happened with this job I added some calculations for mileage using the standard rate of $.535 and how much I pay myself to drive back and forth to work (my hourly rate).

Example

Old Job Mileage
46.8 * .535=$25.038  per day
New Job Mileage
14 * .535=$7.49 per day

Mileage Savings = $17.548 per day

Say I earned $50 per hour for this example. 

Old Job
$50*1.5=$75.00 per day
New Job
$50*.5=$25.00 per day

Another $50 saved per day

I would save $68 per day by switching jobs

When all is said and done I should never have taken that job.  I was actually making less than my previous and the family wasn't any happier for it.  Now I make way more because I am closer to home AND we are all happier.

Next I am looking into a bike and getting in shape to ride to work…

When you switch jobs do you calculate your commute?

Happy Saving,

Dividend Family Guy

Comments

  1. Money BeagleJuly 18, 2017 at 3:34 PM

    My commute is a round trip of 5 miles per day. I think of how much I save in gas alone as a big reason why, even though I make a little less than some of my friends, I know that I am still coming out ahead or at least breaking even.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dividend DiplomatsJuly 18, 2017 at 7:23 PM

    DFG -

    Great way to introduce this. I travel 65-85 nights a year and am looking to leave, I simply can't do this anymore, currently typing this from Chicago (hometown is Cleveland). My personal life has suffered tremendously. Looking to work within a ~20 minute radius and home every night. That's something that you can't put a price on, should be happening soon, as well...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dividend Family GuyJuly 19, 2017 at 3:07 PM

      Good luck. My brother was in sales and used to travel allot as well. It was stressful to his marriage and he missed his kids growing up. Eventually he found a job working close to home. I should have learned from him but had to learn the hard way. Again good luck on the job hunt.

      Delete
  3. ADDJuly 19, 2017 at 10:42 AM

    The contract I worked on moved from a corporate office to an onsite/army base office. Before we had won the contract I told my boss that I would like a $2,500 raise to compensate for my additional travel time if we won the contract. My commute went from 10 minutes to 30 and as such I demanded that my time be compensated. Luckily it was granted but as you mention, the stress level has definitely gone up. I hate my commute. Once just 4 miles, it is now 12.

    $2,500 might not have made up all of the difference but the shock on my boss's face still amuses me today. His first response "Are you serious (Laughter)". A minute later, he knew I was serious and his tone/admiration/demeanor changed. The wheels began spinning in his head to ask for a raise because of the commute. It was an interesting conversation and our relationship improved because of it.

    ADD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dividend Family GuyJuly 19, 2017 at 3:10 PM

      Good for you ADD (maybe you should have asked for more ;-) I used to work for Lockheed and work from home doesn't exist when you have to be in a secure facility.
      Cheers,
      DFG

      Delete

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