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Thread: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

  1. #1
    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
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    New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    I was made redundant a few weeks ago, and due to my daughter, family, friends etc in the Midlands I have always wanted to move back there. My girlfriend is happy to make the move (we planned to do it in August), but she is a teacher and can cannot in good moral leave the school half way through the teaching year (Won't someone think of the children!?). Now I also have a house near Gatwick with most of my assets tied up and willl be trying to sell it from January onwards.

    In the meantime I have accepted a job in High Wycombe, it would work if we went to the midlands and it *should* work whilst I am down here waiting for the house to sell/gf to finish her time off at school. it is however a 90min commute from Gatwick to High Wycombe...round the M25 during rush hour.

    Now the cheapest way I can work it (without risking exhaustion & stress) currently is a travel lodge from Sunday -> Friday that the girlfriend could drive up and stay with me most nights if traffic allows...and then have my place (she lives with me) to come to when traffic is bad/she has to work late. We then have my house to come back to at weekends.

    Now For the next couple of months, all I can think of is the Travelodge for £30 + £7.50 parking per night, and cold sandwhichs & crisps for dinner. I reckon I can hack this with my films & laptop etc, but I just wanted to run it passed the educated masses, some of you who may have been in a similar situation.

    It is an awkward 6 months to make it work, and I would rather not commit to anything big at this stage (new job as a contractor), I also don't want to rent this house out due to needing to sell it to free up the capital to house hunt in the Midlands come spring. I am all over Spareroom looking for short term rentals that would work for me & the gf.

    Cheers guys!
    Last edited by Andeh13; 03-12-2012 at 09:01 PM.

  2. #2
    Boooooom Barakka's Avatar
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    What about a Guest House, I worked at BAe many years ago and all the contractors I worked with stayed at Guest Houses, they got damn good rates when wanting to stay every week for a few months. More comfortable than a hotel and you can use the kitchen to cook etc, short term lodging really.
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    Pork & Beans Powerup Phage's Avatar
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    Congrats on the job !
    As above look for a good B&B /Guest house.
    Society's to blame,
    Or possibly Atari.

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    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    Sometimes mad hours are a means to an end. I now adays always include in the travel, accommodation and such when quoting clients for projects. It's a factored cost.

    Now if your saying would you be happy in a travelodge for 7 months, well that depends on you. What the costs are (ie how much you'd hate it) and what the benefits are.

    Just because someone else will say "I've done worse, when I was your age I had to walk 30 miles int pooring snow" doesn't really help.

    Its about you and your relationship. Myself I've never found distance to be that much of an issue, if handled correctly in any kind of relationship. The main drawback is the lack of been able to apply chocolate + cuddle, damnit that is just so easy compared to reasoning it out via the phone.
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

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    Editable... jimbouk's Avatar
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    -1 on the Travelodge, +1 on the guest house. I did 3 nights in a Travelodge to reduce the toll a long commute was having on my, but it was soul destroying. A nice guest house / B&B will be a better option, other contractors did this and rated it.

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    Big, Mean and Ugly! circuitmonkey's Avatar
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    Funnily enough, this is similar to my commute
    Purley to Borne End
    Luckily I only do this twice a week, and I leave early to avoid the worse of the traffic

    Is there any change you can work at home, is a BIG saving for me

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    Senior Member Smudger's Avatar
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    5 nights a week at £37.50 a night is £187.50 a week, or £750 a month for a 4-week month. For that cost, could you not get a 6-month lease on a local flat? You'd have your own everything then, and have your soul intact.

  8. #8
    Not a good person scaryjim's Avatar
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    Quote Originally Posted by Smudger View Post
    5 nights a week at £37.50 a night is £187.50 a week, or £750 a month for a 4-week month. For that cost, could you not get a 6-month lease on a local flat? You'd have your own everything then, and have your soul intact.
    This is exactly what I was just about to say - I'm sure there are plenty of places the other side of High Wycombe where you could rent a flat for less, commute from there during the week, and then you'll also have a more midlands-oriented base for going house searching in a few month's time when you're ready to think about the permanent move.

    That said, I wouldn't call High Wycombe even vaguely close to the Midlands personally! You southerners have some weird ideas about geography

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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    Quote Originally Posted by Ephesians
    Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin you, but be filled with the Spirit
    Vodka

  10. #10
    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
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    Thanks for the replies guys, with it being a contract position I am worried about the potential job not working out and having a 6 month contract as well as selling a house.

    I have a couple of viewings on some cheap rentals around Heathrow to see how it would work but even at £750 a month a fully flexible hotel sounds ideal for peace of kind job wise. Just need to convince SWMBO.

    I will look Into b&b type places and see if they offer discounts for a couple of weeks bookings, maybe a private place or two might be willing to beat travel lodge pricing!


    Edit; 'home' needs to be commutable from the M23 as girlfriend is a teacher and see can't move to the Midlands until she finishes her hear as a teacher. Damn kids . We need to be half way between her and my work!

  11. #11
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    Re: New Job, Commute & alternative Options...

    I made a move away from the wife and kids a few years ago (just for 5 months) for the 'perfect job', and was having the same dilemna as you.

    Do you know the answer?
    Look for a little house where an old lady wants a lodger. They treat you like a KING!
    I paid her £300 a month, and that icuded all bills. She even used to cook for me in the evenings.

    When i left she was heartbroken, as she said she loved having the company. I was in my mid thirties, so if you are a loud music lover at 3am, or a drunken party animal, this isnt the best way, but if you are properly house trained this is a great remedy.

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