Should i take a job that’ll add 2 hours to my commute?

Personal Finance Canada Forum
1

hi everyone, i’m in mississauga and my current job is only a 15-minute drive away. just got offered a job in scarborough, but it’d add around 2 hours of driving each day. my work-life balance is pretty good right now, and i’m not sure if the extra drive time is worth it.

here’s a quick rundown:

current job:

  • salary: $65,000
  • vacation: 4 weeks
  • half-day fridays
  • 15-minute commute

new job:

  • salary: $75,000
  • vacation: 3 weeks
  • regular 9-5, with about 2 hours of commuting

if i take the new job, i’d be getting roughly $400 more a month after gas expenses. honestly, the half-day fridays and short commute are making me hesitant. would love some outside opinions on this.

edit: thanks for all the replies! you guys helped confirm what i was already leaning towards.

2

doesn’t seem worth it. extra $10k is closer to $7k after taxes, which is like $600 a month. losing a week of vacation is worth about $2500, so you’re really only getting a $4-5k boost.

then, you’re looking at around $3k more a year for gas, plus wear on the car. the added 2 hours of commuting just isn’t worth it.

3

@Zach
even if it was $100k… 2 hours is a lot.

4

think about that winter drive. noooooo.

5

@Zach
agree, it’s not worth it, especially with the risk of gas prices going up or traffic getting worse. sounds like a regret waiting to happen.

6

@Zach
a lot of people don’t think through this kind of stuff and end up making rough life decisions.

7

Nicole said:
@Zach
a lot of people don’t think through this kind of stuff and end up making rough life decisions.

sometimes they just want to feel validated in what they decide.

8

Nicole said:
@Zach
a lot of people don’t think through this kind of stuff and end up making rough life decisions.

well, thank goodness we have YOU to sort it out for us.

9

Nicole said:
@Zach
a lot of people don’t think through this kind of stuff and end up making rough life decisions.

sometimes the job title or a small bump up does factor in, though.

10

no way, not worth it.

11

Jody said:
no way, not worth it.

not by a long shot

12

Jocelyn said:

Jody said:
no way, not worth it.

not by a long shot

definitely not by a long shot.

13

Jody said:
no way, not worth it.

if it was way more money, maybe, but 10k isn’t worth hours on the 401 each day. and honestly, the commute time can vary so much.

14

nope, not for 10k and less vacation. long commutes are terrible, especially in winter.

15

absolutely not. as someone who commutes, here are some extra things to consider:

  • chance of car trouble or accidents goes way up. i’ve had my fair share of incidents due to other drivers getting distracted.
  • leasing a car? there might be mileage limits and penalties.
  • bad weather makes long drives worse.
  • if you have appointments, commuting so far makes it harder to get there on time or even schedule them.

it’s just not worth the extra stress, time, and cost.

16

@Alston
thinking about bad weather commutes is honestly terrifying. add in road rage and it’s just a bad mix.

17

Nicol said:
@Alston
thinking about bad weather commutes is honestly terrifying. add in road rage and it’s just a bad mix.

i’m lucky i can work from home sometimes – winter commutes in the snow, driving next to big trucks, can be super nerve-wracking.

18

@Alston
for sure!

one winter, i was driving and slid right into a ditch. doing 180s on the highway was terrifying. still can’t believe i didn’t flip the car.

19

you’d need to really dislike yourself to take that new job.

20

honestly, seems questionable… trying to drive mississauga to scarborough in rush hour will probably take more than an hour each way. if you haven’t, try the drive one day during peak times. it’s way worse than it looks on a map. might be worth using the offer to negotiate a raise at your current place instead.