is it worth driving 20 miles to work to get paid 6 dollars more?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2006

I currently drive 28 miles to work each day, so it is 56 miles round trip for me. If the new job is offering higher salary and better benefits, then the 20 mile commute just might be worth it.

20 miles is a piece of cake. I used to drive 116 miles each way to work. Then again, it depends on your life situation. I am single with no kids, so commuting is no problem for me. Also, I drive a gas-saving car.

RazorbackRN, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2006

hi all

i need your opinion on this. currently my work is only 2 miles away from my home. when i searched for more jobs, i located a job that pays 6 dollars more an hour than my current job but its 20 miles aways from my house. do you think its worth driving 20 miles more to get paid that more money or do you think the money is going to be wasted on the gas? what would you do?

20 miles is nothing.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2006

20 miles is nothing.

Exactly!

If a job paid me 6 dollars extra per hour, I would make the 20 mile commute.

Medic2RN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Mar 4, 2006

I presently drive 160 miles round trip for a job.

I am looking to drive only 60 miles round trip......20 miles would be a dream!

I say go for it - use the commute to mentally prepare for your day and the drive home to relax. That's what I do.

Good luck!

:balloons:

camay1221_RN · Mar 4, 2006

Here, here!

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2006

20 miles is nothing. I go 30 miles one way and average 300 miles per week on my car - which is why I bought it, to drive!

Unless you drive a Sherman tank :) you won't spend the extra $6 per hour per day in gas. I get 28 miles to the gallon, and a gallon is about $2.31 here for me. So I spend about $4.62/day. An extra six bucks a gallon is $48/day (assuming an 8 hour day) - so about an extra $44, maybe $38 after taxes! Per day!

Yeah - it's worth it!

Mulan · Mar 4, 2006

I would be more concerned about the time involved than the money. How long is it going to take you to drive that 20 miles? Are you going to be in rush hour traffic so that it takes you forever to get there? Are you going to have to get up much earlier to avoid the traffic so that you get to work much earlier than the start of your shift? That will add to the length of an already tiring day.

clee1 · Mar 4, 2006

Look at it logically.

$6 more per hour is $48 MORE per 8 hr shift and $72 MORE per 12 hr shift.

Even if your vehicle is a gas guzzler and only gets 10 mpg, that is only 2 more gallons each way for a total of 4 gallons per shift. At $2.50 per gallon, that is an extra expense of $10 per shift (cost of services sold). Most cars get better mileage than that, and additional wear and tear for a 20 mile trip is not appreciably more than just starting the thing in the driveway.

If everything else is equal, and the hourly rate is the only decision point, you'd be doing better to take the new job.

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Mar 4, 2006

20 miles in nothing. I would do it.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Mar 4, 2006

You "roadrunners" may love HH. I live 3 miles from the hospital where I have been for 20 years. I am now PRN due to burnout. I'm doing HH and loving it! The gas has not been an issue for me yet. I pray it doesn't go pay up to $3.38 like last summer. Right now it's $2.06/gallon. I stay in my county.

NurseStace · Mar 4, 2006

If found a job that paid me $6/hr more... I'd WALK 20 miles to work.