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cherylpf
crazy cat lady
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Joined: 14 May 2002
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 Posted: 05/28/03 - 10:58 Post subject: commuting
I still don't know what I'm going to do when my lease is up  Monday option #486 presented itself where a friend of mine is thinking of buying a house. The areas she can afford are in some nice suburbs but really far away from where I'll be working and going to school (over 25 miles). Which means a) tons of miles and gas for my car in addition to twice daily traffic headaches b) I'll never be home because I'll leave once at the crack of dawn and come home late late late or be en route in my car. Third factor c) is we're pretty good friends now, but I'll be living in a house she owns....there is some risk of our friendship being hurt by this new landlord/tenant twist to our relationship. Yet factor d) is what she's thinking she'll charge me is amazingly affordable, by far my best option $$ wise.
My other strong option is to move a couple of blocks over from where I'm at to rent a house with a girl I'm casually acquainted with (she also rents, I would take over for the roommate who's move out). I would be a little over a mile away from everything in my life, but I would be paying almost double what I would in the other option. And, I don't know her well enough to know if we would live well together.
I'm ready to just know what I'm doing and start getting used to the idea. At this rate I'm ready to just take some enormous loan and stay in the 1 b/r I'm in right now. does someone have a magic 8-ball??
How long is your commute? How much of a factor was that on where you live now?
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 14462
Location: ON YOUR LEFT!
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:06 Post subject: Re: commuting
 Poor Cheryl. At least you don't have lice, I checked. 
| cherylpf wrote: | | How long is your commute? How much of a factor was that on where you live now? |
Commute by car = 13 miles. By bike = 15 miles. It takes about an hr. on the bike no matter how bad traffic is. Shortest drive is about 25 minutes and it can go up to 1 hr. if traffic is really sucky.
I wouldn't want to live any farther away and still bike commute and I hate driving. Shortening the distance between work and home would be the only way I'd go.
If I were you, I'd rent the close option and pedal everywhere.
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16218
Location: unknown zone
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:12 Post subject:
i can only say that i have lived with a person who has commuted long miles to work (25-30 freeway miles) and i have lived with him when he had a 5 freeway mile drive to work. He was much  all around with the short drive. Commuting takes way too much time out of your life.
i'd go with the new roomie; will she be charging more than you're paying now?? 1 mile to everything rocks. no money sucks though.
i better go. i am the most indecisive a$$ on this planet. sorry.
what about kitty-chi? he'll be missing you 
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Running Brewer
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Joined: 12 Oct 2004
Posts: 3872
Location: Santa Poco
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:15 Post subject:
Cheryl, I commute 40 miles one way every day. I really hate it, but there isn't much need for a EE up by me. I spend at least 1.5 hours of my work day in my truck. It really kind of sucks. Milwaukee traffic can be bad but not at all like other places. It adds some headaches and I am not a real patient person to begin with.
What you need to do is figure out how much those communting minutes(hours?) are worth to you. Plus if everyone you know and most of what you do is in town then moving out will really affect your social life. You won't want to have to drive back into the city to do things after you have done so all week. That is my 
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shelflifers
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Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 18633
Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:16 Post subject:
You just have to ask yourself...'Self, what's more important to me? To live in a nice house out in the burbs? Or to be conveniently located?'
Because you'll have to commute, how much money will you actually save if you lived in the house (gas expenses + time)...
It's a tough one. I love my convenience so I'd room up with the place down the block...
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AlaninTX
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 6582
Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:19 Post subject:
Houston traffic is pretty miserable. It is so bad that each mile of your commute, in my opinion, has a "quality of life" factor. How is the traffic on the 25-mile trip even at non-peak hours? You won't be able to use the HOV lanes, quick trips to campus or the library would be out..etc....
That said, I don't think it is a good idea to borrow against tomorrow for life's essentials today. You have a tough choice to make. Maybe you could take the 25-mile option for one semester and hope to find a fellow nursing student(s) who live closer and need a roomie.
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Joined: 14 May 2002
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Location: ON YOUR LEFT!
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:22 Post subject:
Think how good you'll look in a pair of bike shorts after riding everywhere for a year. I think that should really weigh into the equation.
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cherylpf
crazy cat lady
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Joined: 14 May 2002
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:26 Post subject:
I lived with my parents right out of school and they live in a 'burb even further out that she is shopping. So I've done the days of 33 mile commute each direction I'm definitely a much happier person with less commute, thats over 12 hours a week of my life I didn't have before 
Considering time will become a precious commodity with studying and all, I think I'll really resent the drive time (probably over an hour each way) eating into my studying and any hope of a life outside of school. And the risk of our friendship is a big concern for both of us too. Really the only thing making me consider the 'burbs option is the $$ factor. But thats an interesting point, the gas and parking costs kind of change the value of the 'burbs option, because I would definitely be commuting as much as possible via my bike. What the hey, I'm already taking loans, whats a few more? 
Oh, RR? my kitty goes with me, thankfully all parties involved know that and are okay with him!
I'm still waiting for one of you to have a garage apt for me to live in free...
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Joined: 14 May 2002
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Location: ON YOUR LEFT!
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:33 Post subject:
| cherylpf wrote: | | I'm still waiting for one of you to have a garage apt for me to live in free... |
I'll be taking in boarders this time next year when my son ships off to basic training. Better get your application in early.
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cherylpf
crazy cat lady
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:35 Post subject:
| purple hayes wrote: | | cherylpf wrote: | | I'm still waiting for one of you to have a garage apt for me to live in free... |
I'll be taking in boarders this time next year when my son ships off to basic training. Better get your application in early. |
Talk about a commute....
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shelflifers
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Joined: 10 Jun 2002
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Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:43 Post subject:
| cherylpf wrote: | | purple hayes wrote: | | cherylpf wrote: | | I'm still waiting for one of you to have a garage apt for me to live in free... |
I'll be taking in boarders this time next year when my son ships off to basic training. Better get your application in early. |
Talk about a commute.... |
Commuting is just red herring...
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monk25
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Joined: 25 Jun 2002
Posts: 3922
Location: The Beautiful South Shore of L.I. NY
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:43 Post subject:
Right now, my commute is 14 miles or about 20 minutes (mornings are more like an hour because I drop my kids off at daycare and the wifey off at work which is 15 minutes in the opposite direction).
I like my short commute, but I hate were I live. I would rather have a long commute from a place that I love! I don't mind driving, as long as I have a good sound system and a lot of cds...
Besides, I live for the weekends, anyway!
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16451
Location: Lake Wobegon, MN
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 11:55 Post subject:
I'm about 8-miles from work, easy drive/bike/occasional run. I've lived as close as 6-miles to the job and as far as 75. The year I did the really long commuting, I put 48000 miles on my car and a couple inches on my waist..it sucked big rocks. Being in school, I've got to think being as close to classes is the best route.
Is the 'buy' option a possiblity at all? I always thought renting was such a blackhole. Have you looked at condo or townhouse prices?
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torque
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Posted: 05/28/03 - 12:02 Post subject:
1/2 hour walk, 15 min. bike ride, or a 6 min. drive.
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thegman
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Joined: 23 Sep 2002
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Location: 12 yards out.
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Posted: 05/29/03 - 01:01 Post subject:
| shelflifers wrote: | You just have to ask yourself...'Self, what's more important to me? To live in a nice house out in the burbs? Or to be conveniently located?'
Because you'll have to commute, how much money will you actually save if you lived in the house (gas expenses + time)...
It's a tough one. I love my convenience so I'd room up with the place down the block... |
Big 
Time is just too valuable. You'll also preserve your sanity.
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