Does anyone super commute (work in NYC and live in DC)?
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Anonymous
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Okay this is cart before horse but I’m debating if it even makes sense to apply for this job.
I have a house in Bethesda with a kid in elementary who just got into the CES program. I really don’t want to disrupt her education or sell my house. But, I’m facing unemployment soon (federal fallout) and looking. A job just came up that is a good fit for my experience and what I’m hoping to do next. Problem is it’s hybrid in NYC with 2-3 days expected in the office. Assume that I have a spouse who has a flexible job and could manage without me one night a week and assume I can negotiate for two consecutive days in office. How awful would it be for me to plan to take the early Amtrak on say a Tuesday, stay the night somewhere, and come home late on Wednesday? Anyone else do that? I know expense plays a role here… so I’m wondering: If you do this type of commute, where do you stay? Are there hotels that will give you a discount if you stay once a week? Amtrak I know if you book super early can be affordable… Before I apply for this or anything else in NY I want to decide if this is something I’m willing to do…. |
Anonymous
| Sorry that's ridiculous but IDK maybe you could book up a years worth of gov rather hotels in NJ or something |
Anonymous
| Rate |
Anonymous
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Tourist here. Seems like hotels in the Financial District have pretty steady pricing. You might consider rewards point impact.
I have stayed in many average/normal chain hotels. I also lived for 3 months in a hotel in Singapore at corporate expense. This one is cheap, new, nice and convenient. Hotel Indigo at Trinity Place. Has microwave, mini fridge, 7-11 two blocks away and some cheap breakfast places. IKEA-like cabinetry and fancy bathroom. Subway entrance right across the street. https://www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/new-york/nycwl/hoteldetail |
Anonymous
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Just apply. If you get it you can evaluate all options including moving.
FWIW an elementary kid’s education is not a reason to stay put. |
Anonymous
“Cheap”? With taxes it comes out to $300 per night. NP |
Anonymous
PP. Have you priced a house in Besthesda? Have you priced an apartment in NYC? People that live in these places are used to big ticket expenses. I live in flyover country now and I'm female (so have safety concerns when living in urban areas) and I think it's a good value. Many of the travelers on this site seem to think this category of hotel is trashy. And many of the hotels in the up to $500 a night category in NYC are subpar compared to suburban brethren in terms of how new their appointments are and how clean they are. Like in terms of small gross things like dirty grout or washed blood stains on sheets (very common in the $200-$300 price category across the cities I've traveled to). $1,200/mo isn't crazy and I bet at some point the rewards point engine would start kicking in free nights. I'm also assuming this job is at least in the $100K-$200K pay range. Plus it has great content. People do unusual things to get and keep a great job. I keep running across examples of LA people commuting by air to SF because of real estate costs and family issues. They also rely on low cost carriers and rewards points. There are of course cheaper options. Finding an apartment owner or roommate or hostel that can work would be possible. But I think this hotel is "cheap" or "good value". And wouldn't be depressing. When you are living away from home, it helps to feel comfortable during your downtime. Something to think about when paying more in expenses to get employed/stay employed is that continuous work history and career trajectory maintains your marketability. When I had small kids, I paid for more for daycare annually than what OP might pay to stay at this hotel one night a week for a year. Compared to MBA classmates who left corporate work to stay home for a few years, I am much financially better off. They would work more if they could get back in to lucrative corporate high-paying jobs but there are a lot of barriers. Doesn't make sense and isn't fair but that seems to be the way things play out for modestly connected or unconnected people. |
Anonymous
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I did opposite, Did it five days a week with three kids from NYC to DC. Was no big deal. I catch like at 8 pm train Sunday night and my CEO let me leave around 11 am on Friday so grab lunch on train and be back home around 4pm.
Tons of people do it. My Amtrak to DC in Penn Station lounge I see same people every Sunday night. One guy I talked to doing it 20 years. People on NYC and DC Amtrak longer knew me. Every 10th trip was free with points and I get upgrades and lounge access. One year did 49 round trips. If Job in Manhattan this is super easy. I had to add in an hour due to Long Island Railroad. I relocated to DC but got laid off a few years later and almost got a job NYC and was going to do it again other way. I was going to tent cheapest, smallest, dumpiest rent stabilized studio walking distance Penn station, this time kids older so they could use it to go to NYC and wife could visit and do Broadway shows etc. It is not bad |
Anonymous
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Doable
I go to NY frequently Look at Distrikt Hotel on 40 th it’s nice enough nothing fancy has deals sometimes Amtrak book 21 days advance |
Anonymous
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If everything else in the scenario works - the money (including the travel costs), the spouse, the job is flexible enough to let you stay home/switch days when you need to?
Sure, I would do this for a year or two. It would suck, but I could do it. |
Anonymous
| I think you could do it. The more annoying part might be getting from Bethesda to Amtrak--it may be cheaper and faster to drive to BWI than to go to Union Station. I don't know enough about CES to know if this is a possibility, but could you move to a different part of MoCo closer to Amtrak and still have your kid do CES and your spouse have a decent commute? |
Anonymous
This. It would be best to move while your kid is in elementary school. |
Anonymous
| I’d only do it if the two days are consecutive, like Tues Wed and the commute is a working one. You leave 8 am arrive after noon Tuesday in office, and leave at noon Wednesday after morning in office. And pay would have to be very good to pay for that Tues night stay every week. |
Anonymous
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OP, I live in Phoenix and my office is in Oakland. I fly on Southwest which I book pretty far out in advance. Most of the office flys in on Tuesday morning and out on Thursday afternoons.
I stay at a nearby hotel that offers my company a discounted rate. I used to have an apartment, but found the hotel to be more cost effective as the apartments near my work charged premium rent. It's far easier to have a set schedule of time in the office, trying to flex around in-office days as an earlier PP suggested would be doable, but cost you more. Does it work, absolutely - I actually enjoy my 2 nights a week in a hotel. Feels like a mini vacation. The pay for my job is high enough that it works. The other think to understand is how living in MD and earning money in NY will affect your state taxes. AZ and CA have a reciprocity law that makes it a little easier but you should look into that. Also - at the end of the day - it beats unemployment. I would do it. If nothing else for a year or two. |
Anonymous
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Similar situation: laid off in DMV and got a good job offer in NYC. We had an elementary school kid and my spouse can WFH. We chose to move to NYC instead of “super commute”. Together we now make about 500K, and I’d say it’s about equal (excepting the fact you have to get used to a small apartment with no yard and owning a place is not as important in NYC) to living on 250K in DMV.
I like our small apartment on Roosevelt Island now and the kid loves public school. Another benefit is that if you are laid off again, there are many more job opportunities in NYC. The increased job opportunities also make “job hopping” to get a better salary somewhat easier, as there were fewer opportunities in the DMV in my field. |