PharmD

Ok guys/gals - I need some input from a cyclist's perspective on a job change. I currently work for a financially unstable place that could go out of business by the end of the year. The schedule is awesome - I work 4 10 hour shifts and have a 5-day break every 3 weeks. I work 2 out of 3 Saturdays - so I miss most events I want to ride in. I commute to work because I live less than 5 miles away. I get about 150 miles a week in. The new job is a 45 minute drive each way - so that would end my commuting. It would be Mon-Fri 8-4:30pm. No weekends, no holidays. 3 weeks paid vacation. The new job pays the same, but the benefits are amazing. I would save $450/month on insurance premiums for my family. My medical deductible would drop from $4k to $750 - just had a baby that cost us $5k out of pocket after paying for insurance (we plan on having more kids in the future). I would get 4% 401k matching - my current job doesn't match. I would get a 5% bonus each year and at least a 2% raise each year - my current job does neither of those.

My biggest obstacle is my house - we bought our first home last year and love it. We have only owned it for a year, but we bought at a good time. We would only be taking a slight loss if we sold it after figuring in Realtor fees. If we moved closer to my new job - houses are more expensive (but it would probably be the same as buying another car and commuting).

If we moved, I would also have the chance to race crits every week.

I am looking at my cycling schedule too - now I ride from 6-7:30 every morning plus my commute. I guess I could change to 5:00-6:30 am.

Any thoughts/advice on what I should do?

heffdiddy

Based on the bonus/raise and insurance alone I would take it. Then lease a Prius for $200 a month and enjoy riding on the weekends.

Leinster

Simple answer; you should do what's right for you and your family.

I work 8-4 most days with a 45 minute drive each way. I bring my bike in the trunk 2-3 days a week and at 4pm a group of us get together and go for a 1-1.5hr ride, and then go home. The rides get shorter in the winter months of course, but they can be longer in the summer if we want.

It sounds like you really want the new job. Better benefits and a mroe stable employer? Those things are, in the great scheme of things, more important than getting your 10 hours/week in the saddle in.

mlander

You didn’t mention how your significant other’s commute would be affected. Assuming it’s a simple as laid out here, I would move. Long commutes are proven to very negatively impact one’s happiness. Screw spending that much on gas too. It will only go up.

mlander

I was under the assumption the question was more about whether to move than whether to take the job.

qcpmsame 

Only thing that comes to mind is selling your current home. How is the market for selling houses where you are now? If its no loss looming in selling the current place, and if buying a new place wouldn't be a big hassle I would say the package at the new employer sounds like a good choice. As said above, your wife's situation in any employment she has and her relocating would be a question. If she is flexible and isn't against the move and job, I would take the new employment with its pay and benefit package and the stability you feel that new company has, especially as your current employer sounds as if they may fold at some point. One last question, would the new job possible call for a relocation at some point? Just something to consider, if that wouldn't pop-up just put it aside.

To keep cycling content in the thread so the thread can stay here: what are the riding conditions where you would relocate to like? Is the riding risky or no big deal there? How about the LBS situation and your brand of ride, also. There bicycle content.

Best of luck on your decision, it sounds like a good opportunity for you and your family.

Bill

roadwarrior

Get faster and turn pro.

Just kidding. You already have good advice.

PharmD

The new location would be Salt Lake City - excellent riding and huge climbs anytime I wanted. I lived there for 4 years as a college student and loved it. The market is good - My house would probably go for 10-15k more than we paid for it a year ago according to my Realtor friend, which would just about cover the fees. My wife is a stay-at-home Mom - we have 3 kids, so that keeps her pretty busy. Just the idea of moving again...with a 1-month-old...ugh. We could always rent our house out, and then rent a place in Salt Lake I guess.

Also - current mortgage is at 3.6%...A new house would be 4.3% not a huge hike, but it makes a difference.

RJM

45 minute commute isn't all that bad and with all the benefit increases, plus having holidays and weekends off, it sounds like it is a good move. All of those benefit increases add up to a pretty decent raise. Add on top of that that if you stay at your current employer you could be out of a job anytime, I think the decision makes itself. I don't see where it would absolutely necessary that you move, at least right away. 45 minute commute isn't terrible...get a good ipod with your favorite music and sit back/relax.

You will find time to ride, but you might have to ride after work and take your bike stuff with you in the car/truck. You will be able to devote weekends to riding when you feel like it too. Lots of pros to the new job situation when it comes to riding time.

TrojanHorse

I don't know how many miles a 45 min. commute equates to, but I used to do one-way commutes when I was younger. Drive in Monday morning with two day's worth of clothes... ride home Monday night. Ride in Tuesday morning, Drive home Tuesday night. Etc. Obviously that requires a secure parking situation.

rms13

I live about 2 miles from work. I left my job last year for another that came with about a 40% pay increase but involved commuting by car over an hour each way and working a lot of overtime and being on call 24x7.

Two weeks later I called my old boss and was lucky enough to get my old job back. Call me crazy but living 2 miles from work and having a set schedule were more important to me for my quality of life then the extra money. Living in Los Angeles and never having to get in my car is priceless. I also save a lot by not paying for gas and sharing one car with my wife instead of having 2 payments (wife doesn't work) and my current job has great benefits and is a very stable company. So everyone's situation is different but for me working close to my house was the deal breaker

dbf73

re the commute - can you drive part way and then ride the rest? It'd let you choose how far to ride each day assuming you can find intermediate places to park

Leinster

I'd love to bike to work, but have no interest in living in the town where I work, and there isn't much work in my field in the town where I live. So I drive. My wife works 2 miles from home. Annoyingly, I can't persuade her to bike to work. It's like she's taunting me or something.

I lived car free in San Diego for 2 years and loved it. Sure there were times when a car would have been convenient, but in general I'd go back to that lifestyle in a heartbeat.


To the OP, I would still say take the new job, but commute at first and look into moving when the time and price is right. Sounds like you have plenty of options between the buy/sell and rental market, so don't rush into anything that saddles you with a big debt; like you say, the change in rate will make a difference so be careful.

cmschmie

I think it's pretty damn simple. Take the new job. More secure and though the pay is the same, the overall compensation package seems like it would be much better.

Buy a beater car and commute for a while or at least until things get settled with the baby.
Then move closer to new job and sell car or keep as a beater commuter if biking to work is not feasible (i.e. interstate or high traffic areas).

A 45 mile commute (I have one myself) is not all that bad thanks to satellite radio. I bring my bike into work and ride with a small group of people at lunch. It's just a 15-18 mile ride, but it's something.

Phil_gretz

Seriously consider renting out the current home. See if your realtor can help you with the calculations, but at ~30minutes away, you're not too far to make periodic visits as needed. You'll be able to deduct repairs, improvements, interest, transport/travel, insurance and taxes, among others. Run the numbers for various rental charges and assuming your annual expenses for the above list. You'll be surprised. Plus, you'll gain the property's appreciation over time. Actual out of pocket costs yearly may not be much at all... and you might be right-side up, depending on your rent at the new place.

Or... stay where you are and become a multi-modal commuter 3 days a week. Drive 2/3 and bike 1/3 of the distance. Mix it up.

How does your wife feel about the current house? Is she up for the adventure of a move?

Good luck.

rms13

Things are all relative. I had to commute 35 miles each way for 2 weeks for training classes I was taking. In the Los Angeles area that was 2+ hours each way, about 5 hours in the car each day. I know people here that do that every day

indyfabz

Anyone who calls you crazy will have to call me crazy, too. I live about 1.75 miles from work. I can walk, ride or take the bus and have a set schedule and flexible work "rules." I absolutely love it and have always chose to live close to where I work.

Earlier this year some a-hole kid slammed into my parked car (he was probably texting) and totaled it. Haven't bothered to replace it as my live-in GF has a car and we both ride or walk to work. Even before the accident, I didn't drive much. My car was over 18 years old and had about 108,000 miles on it. Not bad considering that for much of its life, it was shared by me and my mom and that 1,000 of those miles were put on during one trip to Canada--for a bike tour, of course. I couldn't tell you with any accuracy what a gallon of gas costs in my neck of the woods.

pavemen

My commute is 3 hours each way by car. Glad I only go one day a week! Now I take public transit and ride from home to the train and the train to the office when I can. Its about the same time overall, sometimes faster.

Perhaps there is a public transit option for you? One where you can ride one or both ends and take the bulk of the commute by train/bus.

cmschmie

Tis true, my 45 mile commute takes 40-45 minutes. I also leave the house at 5:45am and leave work at 4:00pm.

dalava

For me, cycling is big part of quality of life and it impacts in where I choose to live and work. From what you described, sounds like being able to bike to work is very important to you, or otherwise it would not be such a struggle for you to make a decision. Again, personally, I would not change to a job which takes that option away from me. I tried to commute to work every day, and I can tell you on the days I have to drive (for whatever reason), I am definitely feel different in a negative way.

I would take the new job only if moving is part of the consideration.

CenturionIM

I would stay until your current place turns profitable. Or, rent it out if you can.

JamesInSJ

In regards to the job, sounds like there are lots of good reasons to take the new opportunity. In fact, from what you typed about it, sounds like it's an obvious choice that you have pretty much already made.

In regards to the house, without going into it, I have lots of personal and professional background as the basis of my opinion. Based on Salt Lake's status as a growth city right now, especially drawing more businesses from out of state, I suggest you keep your existing house and rent it out. That becomes a great long-term investment piece, and with the 3.6% interest rate will be one of the best decisions you'll ever make. Then buy another house in Salt Lake closer to the new job. Sounds like you weren't going to get anything from the existing house anyway, so I assume you have at least a small down payment to buy another house. FHA only requires 3.5%, and you'll get hit with lots of fees because of recent changes and since you're no longer a first time home buyer. 5% conventional loans are becoming easier to get and better for most again than FHA, and of course if you have 20% down payment saved up you're all set. 4.3% rate is still not going to hit you hard in the long run (not compared to the 5's+ we're headed to within a year or so...which is still very low by all historic standards).

Leinster

And that is why I got the heck away from the LA area.

The OP does say his new commute would be 45 minutes, rather than miles, which suggests the traffic on the route is pretty consistent, whatever his distance is. And like you point out, it's the time that's the main factor, rather than the mileage (though that is a consideration).

clausen

Your family will be better off with the new benefits, you will find a new house to live in, it's your family that makes it a home.
Take the new job and sell the house.

Dudelsack 

Beware the rental business. My s-I-l tried that and discovered he couldn't get financing on a second house, so he's stuck in a rental in his new city.

If you like skiing, you can hop the interstate and be at Park City in no time flat. No brainier for me.