Geobachelor job - How would you commute

[corn18]

I have been offered a job to be president of a company (fits perfectly with my life plans). It is 240 miles away and I will be leaving my family in place so my youngest daughter can finish high school. So a year of geobacheloring. I travel a lot now so not a huge change in lifestyle. I plan to head up Sunday evening and return Friday evening. Will do this for a year and then evaluate options.

So I was looking at my commuting options:

1. Fly - 3.25 hours door to door. No cost to me. Rack up frequent flyer miles. Schedule at mercy of airlines.
2. Drive my truck - 3.5 hours door to door each way. They pay me $1,200 / mo for miles. I pay for gas at $350 / mo. I make $850 / mo ($10,200 / year). Put 14,000 miles on my 2008 truck that has 67,000 miles on it.
3. Company leases me a car to drive back and forth - no cost to me. Imputed income which means I pay tax on it.

I kindof like option 2. No imputed income, make $10,200 a year and I control my schedule.

Whadya think?

Tom

[Nika]

Can it be a combination of 1 and 2? so that you have a choice depending on how you feel that week?

That way some days you can bring in more money, other days you can work/read on the plane in the airport, and if the airline lets you earn status based on number of flights, than you can get to elite pretty fast even with short haul flights, and that, in combination with miles, it can be a nice perk.

You got sweet gig overall.

[riverwed070707]

Given that flying only saves you 15 minutes, not accounting for flight delays, combined with the extra income I'd probably opt to drive.... but agree with the previous comment that maybe some weeks you fly when you're burning out on driving.

[feh]

Another option - lease or rent a car yourself. Something that gets better gas mileage.

[corn18]

Can it be a combination of 1 and 2? so that you have a choice depending on how you feel that week?

That way some days you can bring in more money, other days you can work/read on the plane in the airport, and if the airline lets you earn status based on number of flights, than you can get to elite pretty fast even with short haul flights, and that, in combination with miles, it can be a nice perk.

You got sweet gig overall.

That is a good idea. I can decide each week what I feel like doing. I'm not locked into 1 or 2 from the company's perspective, so they don't care what I do. Just be at work Monday - Friday.

Another option - lease or rent a car yourself. Something that gets better gas mileage.

If my mpg increases from 17 mpg (truck) to 40 mpg, I save $195 / mo in gas. Can I lease a car for $195 / mo with a 14,000 mile allowance? That would just get me to break even vs. the truck. If the company leases a car for me, I don't get the $1,200 / mo for mileage on a personal car. If I lease it, I can get the $1,200 / mo, but I could be stuck with the car after the first year with no real need for it.

[MonkeyMama]

I think #2 sounds pretty good. My husband had a similar commute at last job. I can't imagine the hassle of flying for such a short drive. Or the hassle of flying every single week. But I am sure it depends on your personality. I like to drive so I'd much rather drive. IT wasn't a stresssful drive either.

[ua_guy]

I'm with you on option 2... (or 3...if you're really in love with the truck and don't want to destroy it by commuting, then maybe option 3 is better).

In a similar situation, my s/o is contemplating a job offer two states away and it would basically be a fly out for the week, fly home for select weekends, holidays, and occasional "work from home" weeks. I'm really on edge about it... these kinds of things are really disruptive to life (for a job!).

Consider the impact to your kids and your wife.
Air travel is a god damned disaster and I'd say avoid it at all cost.

[corn18]

I'm with you on option 2... (or 3...if you're really in love with the truck and don't want to destroy it by commuting, then maybe option 3 is better).

In a similar situation, my s/o is contemplating a job offer two states away and it would basically be a fly out for the week, fly home for select weekends, holidays, and occasional "work from home" weeks. I'm really on edge about it... these kinds of things are really disruptive to life (for a job!).

Consider the impact to your kids and your wife.
Air travel is a god damned disaster and I'd say avoid it at all cost.

I love the truck, but don't think an additional 14,000 miles over the next year will kill it. It is 7 years old an only has 64,000 miles on it, so I only put about 9,000 miles a year on it. It's in great shape (knock on wood).

I have thought about the family impact of this job. A lot. I have the next 10 years laid out and this job fits, but the location is not ideal. Not as bad as some of the other positions that have come up thousands of miles away, so I jumped on it. It is one year ahead of schedule and that is both a blessing and a problem. I have an exit strategy set up that gets me back home in a year. Just have to execute.

In my current position, I leave on Monday and return on Friday, but I travel all over the US and internationally. This might actually be a welcome stability. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Tom

[snafu]

DH did something similar 190 mi. each way but his accommodation was an 'executive' dorm room at the college and part of the benefit package. Meals were cheap if he ate/ asked for take-out in the student's cafeteria, mileage rate was horrid but not restricted. After two years he quit as the organization needed for bacheloring plus commute was getting to him, via weather and endless work add-ons/demands.

The demands and uncertainties at the airport would drive me to driving. It's really ghastly at our airport, too many passengers not enough staff. Lucky Robin on the blog side of SA husband commutes from Alaska and could likely offer insight.

[ExcuseMyIgnorance]

Option 2 but sell the truck for something with good mileage!

[scfr]

Does the vehicle your wife drives get better gas mileage? If so what about swapping with her?

I guess I'm spoiled by my Prius. The thought of driving all those miles with only 17 MPG makes me cringe!

And let your wife & daughter drive to you once in awhile to give yourself a break.

[corn18]

Does the vehicle your wife drives get better gas mileage? If so what about swapping with her?

I guess I'm spoiled by my Prius. The thought of driving all those miles with only 17 MPG makes me cringe!

And let your wife & daughter drive to you once in awhile to give yourself a break.

Wife's car is an MDX and it gets 20 mpg. So not much better. And she won't drive a big truck around town.

I have thought about replacing the truck with something that gets better milage, but since I have only been driving it 9,000 miles / year, it didn't make economic sense. I bought the truck to pull our 33' travel trailer when we were camping a lot. Got rid of the camper because the kids got older and camping fell out of favor. Then I used it for hauling around the garden tractors I would buy, fix up and sell. Done with that hobby so now it's just a person hauler. It's paid off and in good shape so unless I can save a significant amount of money, I cannot bring myself to replace it. Since the company is paying for the mileage at well over the cost of gas, I'm not keen on replacing it. But it is still a thought in my mind.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Sounds to me like all good problems to have. Life is good (lol). Curious about housing expenses, does the company provide it as well? And being away from the family for 5 days at a time can be a good thing but the 2 days when you return you might have to pull extra duty at home to make up for the time away, just saying.

[corn18]

Sounds to me like all good problems to have. Life is good (lol). Curious about housing expenses, does the company provide it as well? And being away from the family for 5 days at a time can be a good thing but the 2 days when you return you might have to pull extra duty at home to make up for the time away, just saying.

The company will cover the executive apartment and all related expenses (utilities, etc...) while I am geobacheloring.

Agree on extra duty when home. I don't know how this is going to turn out. I am confident I can tell you how well it went 5 years from now.

Tom