New Job 35 miles away

DPSGraduateNurse · Mar 21, 2011

Count your blessings! Congrats!

kessadawn, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

I understand, in order to get a job in pediatrics I travel 60 miles one way. But it's a job I love, and I don't think it's worth uprooting my family. Thank goodness I work 12s so it's only 3 days a week. Once in awhile I find someone to carpool with, but they usually find a new job within a year. Maybe you can find a carpool buddy?

jesuslovesme · Mar 21, 2011

I hope I can find a carpool buddy. Within the next two months I am going to purchase a fuel efficient vehicle. My big Oldsmobile drinks gas.

casi, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

I feel your pain. I live 30mins from my job and gas is just a pain in the butt. See if there are people in your area that you can carpool with.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

35 miles is nothing! I've driven 900 kilometres in one day. Tiring but doable.

Why don't you try a car pool option, would that work? Or can you rent accommodation the nights you have to work shifts close together, or stay with a friend? Does the hospital have any accommodation they can give you overnight? What about moving closer to work even?

I hope u find a solution anyway, travelling all the time sucks.

lesliebeth1 · Mar 22, 2011

I also have a log drive (50 minutes) BUT as a new grad there werent a lot of options at the time. Thankfully its just 3-4 days a week and because I love the job so far, its worth it...even with the gas!

jesuslovesme · Mar 22, 2011

I have a sister that doesn't live that far from my job. I could crash at her place but she has a family, I really

don't want to interfere.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

Be thoroughly blessed that you have a job in this rough economy. Seriously, many unemployed new grads and experienced nurses across the U.S. would trade places with you in a New York minute if it meant that they could have your job.

These higher gas prices are truly a rough pill to swallow, and I fear it is only going to get worse. We might very well see $5 per gallon gas prices by the end of the summer.

I've lived 120 miles from my workplace in the past, so I had a 240 mile round trip commute to work at one point in my working years. I also lived 95 miles from the LVN program that I attended several years ago, so you can add on a 190 mile round trip commute to my travels. Now, this one takes the cake: I lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas and attended an RN bridge program in Oklahoma City, so that was a 225 mile one way commute (450 miles round trip).

My user name (TheCommuter) is due to the fact that I've done plenty of commuting during my 30 years of existence.

Little Panda RN, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

I feel your pain!!! I travel 80 miles one way, five days a week. I am unable to commute with anyone do to the nature of the job that I do. I am currently in a hotel in the city I work in, due to a storm coming our way and I dont want to not be able to get here. The gas prices are horrible and it seems like I spend most my paycheck on gas.

LilDolphin · Mar 22, 2011

I do the same thing. Travel 35 miles to work. I don't even have the option for friends or family to stay with so I work weekend doubles. It really helps on the gas issue. I get my hrs and save gas. Working 16 hr shifts every single Sat and Sun is by far NOT the easiest but when I look at having the option to take Mon-Fri off to spend time with my family or work PRN it is totally worth it to me. Again, the hrs are insane and definitely NOT for everyone but it works for me. Maybe your employer offers that. Just make sure it is the Baylor Plan. Work 32 (16 hrs Sat, 16 hrs Sun) and get paid for 40 hrs.

Jonathank · Mar 22, 2011

I saw an article about this recently. If you'd be getting a new car anyway, by all means get a fuel efficient one. But if you're trying to get a decent resale value on your old car, realize that the gas price climate is making lots of people want to sell gas guzzlers right now (supply exceeds demand). When you factor in car payments, higher insurance on the new car, and the hit you'll take selling the old one, you might cost yourself a fair bit of money in the short run.

There are other reason besides monetary ones to drive a fuel efficient vehicle. But it sounded like short term cash flow was your primary motivation, so you might want to consider these factors.