I just recently started a contract job that is a 90 mile commute one-way, or 1 hour and 25 minutes. Supposedly it will last until the end of the year. I'm getting paid 110$ in per diem and work 10 hour shifts Monday through Friday and will sometimes be asked to work Saturdays. I have to wake up at 4:30am and don't get home until 6:30pm. With the cost of gas, wear and tear on my car, and my own mental health, I'm seriously considering relocating for work, but I don't know how to gauge the worth of a hotel, or maybe even a rental property. Thoughts?
Should I get a hotel or just make the commute?
byu/YourDadsMilkCarton inpersonalfinance
Posted by YourDadsMilkCarton
22 Comments
How much is a decent hotel? Can you get a monthly rate?
At that rate it is more effective to rent a place until the end of that job.
Ideally, if you can arrange to split a rental with other guys working the same job as you, you can actually pocket a lot more money by doing so.
Obviously if you have a spouse or kids that will heavily alter the decision.
There may be a sublet for a room in someone’s house/apartment that is cheaper (and potentially nicer with a kitchen). Check FB, furnished finer, etc.
man that’s a rough commute, fr. if the gas and wear on your car is adding up and it’s messing with your head, a hotel or short-term rental might be worth it, especially since you have to wake up so early. check local listings for prices, and do the math to see if the per diem covers it. your sanity is key, don’t underestimate the toll of that drive.
craigslist, rent a room nearby. That drive will k*ll you/bu*n you out if you do it daily along with saving you little after factoring in time, gasoline, wear and tear.
I did that back in 2013…..got a job 1.5 hours away. I lived in Orange County, job was in San Diego county. I moved and ended up loving San Diego, still here.
Here’s how I’d think about it…
If it weren’t for this, you’d still have to eat. So although the per diem is for food among other expenses, as long as you don’t have to eat out all the time and have a place with a kitchen, on-site laundromat/laundry (so a Residence Inn if you’re thinking hotels, an Airbnb otherwise) where you can make food, you can consider the per diem money toward your rent. You’d need to eat regardless of where you are so for this purpose I wouldn’t “pay” for it with my per diem.
Airbnbs often won’t let you stay more than 30 days so that you don’t establish full tenancy that would require a full court eviction if you refuse to leave. Check with hotels that have the full suites. You didn’t give your location, but typically the cost of a Residence Inn when I stay there for a 3-4 days at a time is $150 a night, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all if you booked it for months if you could get it down to $100 a night if you weren’t taking maid service but maybe once a week.
I would absolutely live there while you have the gig, it’s a no-brainer unless your responsibilities at your current home won’t allow it.
Where do you live now? How much is your rent and do you live alone or have responsibilities in your current city?
It’s really only 4 nights (ignoring the possible Saturday shift here and there)
Anyone in a similar situation wanting to share a hotel room?
I forgot to mention that my partner that I am currently living with is heavily against the idea, regardless of the long term financial benefits
Just to verify, are you ONLY being paid $110 per day, or are you being giving an additional $110 for wear and tear or lodging?
I’d be worried safety wise for the commute home. 90 min after a full day starting at 4:30 is asking for trouble. Plus it might be hard on you to perform at your job if the morning is super intense. I read a long time ago that 45 min is the tipping point for folks to move.
You could use a camper and find a reserved parking space or live near the works site Lots of railroad and construction guys do this in certain states.
Just Airbnb long term a place. All utilities are paid for and it comes furnished. Most of the time it’s cheaper than hotel (for long term), because host usually gives out discounts for monthly guests. You also have kitchen to cook, save money on take outs.
I was/am in a similar situation only my drive is 2h each way and no way was I going to relocate since we have almost paid off the house, condos anywhere near my job are easily $400k + and my wife would have to quit her job since she works in the other direction from home.
I also am only on site 3 days/week. When I started, it was 5days in office til I got up to speed, but now it’s 3. Anyway, the cheapest place I could find would have been ~$1200/mo + utilities and then there is the commitment of a lease. I can rent a room with a kitchenette at a hotel for about $70-80/night. That works out to about $600/mo. I bring food from home so I’m not eating out all the time.
Definitely. Look at subletting on Craigslist or Long term hotel stays. That’s too much to be commuting.
$110 in per diem is over $2,000 a month if my math is correct. Find a place to stay and save yourself the hours of driving and miles on your car.
I’m currently working a night shift contract with a per diem. I’m four hours away from home and decided that going neutral with my per diem was worth the security, privacy, and comfortability of not renting a shared space. But most guys I know choose the opposite.
If you’re truly 90 minutes from driveway to fob clock, I would personally drive that, assuming you still get the per diem. But 90 minutes is my max commute range.
Just my two cents, good luck out there.
If your workdays are in a row I would look at Airbnb’s or contact a few hotels to see if they have any know of arrangements. Rent a few days mid week to cut down on the mileage and wear and tear . See if a co worker would be able or willing to chip in.
3 hours of driving on top of a 10 hour work day? Recipe for an accident or poor health. Rent a room from someone on the cheap and go home for the weekends.
wait why can’t you move?
there’s 0 chance I’d do a 1.5h drive one-way commute, I’d either move somewhere closer or simply have not taken the job at all
and why do you need a hotel? “until end of year” that’s like 7+ months still, long enough for a house rental or apartment
My thought go straight to short term furnished apartment. Can you rent your current place out for that timeframe? Might work out great!
Sublet or some kind of extended stay hotel
you’ll probably burn out before the end of the year if you’re not used it