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Can You Make That Long Commute Pay For Itself?

Can You Make That Long Commute Pay For Itself?Photo from pexels

Originally Posted On: Can You Make That Long Commute Pay For Itself? | (priceofbusiness.com)

 

Most of us consider at least a few key things when we’re planning a career change, including pay grades, future potential and, once you begin looking for viable applications, location. 

With the average American now traveling 52.3 minutes to work each day, geography very often gets in the way of, or at least dictates, our dreams to some extent. Unfortunately, in an age where most positions are becoming ever-more city-centric, this leaves many of us in an awkward situation with regards to business dreams vs realistic capabilities. 

But, to discard the dream job just because of distance isn’t always best. While a four-hour commute both ways obviously isn’t viable, an hour or two there and back might not be as out of reach as you think, especially if you’re able to cover the costs of your commute in the following ways. 

 

Consider costs in advance

No matter how much a position seems like it’s made for you, this career move simply won’t work if you’re paying more to get to work than you’re earning while you’re there. As such, the first thing to do here is weigh up those commuting costs. To do this, factor for everything from fuel down to general vehicle wear. Considering that you’ll rely on your vehicle to make money, you’ll also want to invest in the best auto insurance you can find for peace of mind. And, of course, you’re also going to need to account for your time. If you can easily cover these costs with room to spare from your new salary, then all ends well. If not, you might want to consider the viability of this commute a little further.

 

Don’t be afraid to negotiate

We often tend to be passive as job hunters, but in many cases, job offers are open to a lot more negotiation than we realize. Obviously, this is going to be more the case if you have qualifications and experience but, if a manager’s offering you a position, then they clearly value your skillset. Make the most of that by being open about commute costs and seeing what they can do for you. It may be that they can up the ceiling on that salary or, probably more likely, they may be able to offer insurance or fuel benefits that can keep your commute within the right price range. 

 

Make the most of new flexible working

The vast majority of careers have gone remote this year, and an impressive 82% of business leaders intend to carry on offering remote work at least some of the time. By grabbing this opportunity by the hands and arranging something that works before your start date, you may find that you can get away with just two or three days in the office each week. That will surely make any commute worth your while, especially if it lands you your dream new career at last. 

Commuting can be stressful but, if the career and the costs are right, you might just find that it’s not such wasted time after all.

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