Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 02:45:10 PM
City living vs. a shorter and easier commute? Which is better? What do you prefer? etc. go cats.
Post by: puniraptor on March 13, 2015, 02:47:37 PM
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 02:49:37 PM
- Current location: 7 mi. south of downtown Austin, still within city limits
- Living situation: Apartment complex off the interstate that opens onto an access road that forces me into the worst intersection in the southern part of the city. Traffic can back up a mile and take as long as 20-30 minutes to get through the light. Lease is up in June and I'm gonna move.
- Current commute: About 30 min. Could probably cut it down to 20 if I could get over to the other side of the interstate and/or avoid said intersection
So, if I break down my options:
Stay in Austin
Pros:
- Most of my friends/social life are in Austin
- Living in Austin is great if you're in your mid 20's, etc.
- Just far enough away from my family to be close to home but not feel smothered
Cons:
- It's not SF, but rents are kinda ridiculous.
- Cost of living aside from rent is slightly higher than SM
- I'd be avoiding most of the traffic with my commute south, but Austin traffic is godawful. Bus system is close to useless.
Move to San Marcos
Pros:
- Can probably get an apartment for like 25% cheaper or a condo, maybe a house in a couple of years
- Getting around is much, much easier. Commute cut in half or more
- Some friends and my parents are still here so connections are set
- I've lived in SM about as long as Austin and know the area well (also a con, see below)
Cons
- A while ago I felt "stuck" there and kind of felt like I needed to move onto bigger and better things. There's a chance I might get restless again if I move back.
- It's very much a college town, so social (and dating) opportunities for post-grads in their mid-20s are relatively limited. Driving up to Austin for partying and lots of social events would be a major PITA.
- I'm a little wary of living in the same town as my parents. I'm on good terms with them, but I also like having some distance between us.
- I go back to San Marcos a couple of times a month already for non-work things and I know the the town pretty damn well, so I might get bored fairly quickly.
I know it ultimately comes down to what I want (which I'm not sure of yet). Any opinions are appreciated, obvi.
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 02:50:18 PM
im getting confused because in general people commute to the city
I had a job in Austin, just took one in San Marcos (25 mi. south). Not sure whether to stay in Austin or not.
Post by: michigancat on March 13, 2015, 02:53:58 PM
Post by: michigancat on March 13, 2015, 02:54:30 PM
Post by: puniraptor on March 13, 2015, 02:54:38 PM
Post by: Rage Against the McKee on March 13, 2015, 02:55:39 PM
Post by: Mrs. Gooch on March 13, 2015, 02:55:57 PM
Post by: Mrs. Gooch on March 13, 2015, 02:58:07 PM
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 02:58:44 PM
I mean a 20 minute commute is pretty great, really.
Yeah. It is on I-35 which is always clogged with dumbasses, but it's not bad at all.
Ask if you can telecommute to work at your new job.
Not really an option right now. I might be able to wrangle that further down the line.
ok. you live in westport which you love but your new job is in leavenworth. do you move to leavenworth? stay in westport? is there some kind of middle ground lenexa?
There's Kyle/Buda which is halfway between the two, but it's suburban hell. Not interested in living there unless I can find a non-shithole apartment or condo that's super cheap.
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 03:01:16 PM
How often do you plan to do "social" things in Austin? If fewer than 5 days a week (assuming you work 5 days a week) then move to San Marcos. Make sure to live across town from your parents, and make sure it is a place where they have to be buzzed in.
It varies, but the kicker is that the group of people I hang out most with are already on the other side of town in north Austin. Driving to them 2-3 or more times a week from San Marcos would not be great.
Post by: Mrs. Gooch on March 13, 2015, 03:02:40 PM
How often do you plan to do "social" things in Austin? If fewer than 5 days a week (assuming you work 5 days a week) then move to San Marcos. Make sure to live across town from your parents, and make sure it is a place where they have to be buzzed in.
It varies, but the kicker is that the group of people I hang out most with are already on the other side of town in north Austin. Driving to them 2-3 or more times a week from San Marcos would not be great.
How long is this drive?
Post by: Phil Titola on March 13, 2015, 03:03:21 PM
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 03:04:51 PM
How often do you plan to do "social" things in Austin? If fewer than 5 days a week (assuming you work 5 days a week) then move to San Marcos. Make sure to live across town from your parents, and make sure it is a place where they have to be buzzed in.
It varies, but the kicker is that the group of people I hang out most with are already on the other side of town in north Austin. Driving to them 2-3 or more times a week from San Marcos would not be great.
How long is this drive?
From where I live, about 15-20 minutes on a good day. From San Marcos it'd be anywhere from 45 minutes best case scenario to an hour and a half if traffic's bad enough (and it often is).
Post by: sys on March 13, 2015, 03:05:05 PM
Post by: puniraptor on March 13, 2015, 03:05:32 PM
move. you're spending too much money in austin.
yes, your friends already left you for their own lenexa, tx.
Post by: Mrs. Gooch on March 13, 2015, 03:08:07 PM
Post by: Spracne on March 13, 2015, 03:08:20 PM
Post by: Spracne on March 13, 2015, 03:08:56 PM
Post by: 420seriouscat69 on March 13, 2015, 03:10:27 PM
Post by: Rage Against the McKee on March 13, 2015, 03:11:41 PM
Post by: Institutional Control on March 13, 2015, 03:13:39 PM
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 03:17:53 PM
How much is $$ an issue?
I make enough to where I could afford to live on my own in certain zip codes of Austin and still sock some savings back, but it wouldn't be a lavish lifestyle or anything. In San Marcos I'd probably make a killing.
When is your lease up? I would stay put until the commute became intolerable.
June. I hadn't planned on breaking the lease yet.
42, how old are you?
26
You will in all likelihood start making new friends in San Marcos shortly after starting your job there. Then you will have friends 20-30 minutes away from your Austin location in both directions. You might as well move now. It would be a whole lot cheaper and more convenient.
I already know everyone at my new job since I used to work here part time (finally got a full time position with them). And you might be right, but a lot of the people I went to college with have already left. Everyone moves to Houston, DFW, San Antonio, or Austin.
Post by: 420seriouscat69 on March 13, 2015, 03:21:23 PM
Post by: Spracne on March 13, 2015, 03:22:47 PM
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 03:23:50 PM
Find a texas barbecue debutante and shack up with her while spending your actual salary on the lavish lifestyle of your dreams in a 7870x zip code.
:love:
Post by: Institutional Control on March 13, 2015, 03:27:57 PM
Post by: Dr Rick Daris on March 13, 2015, 03:30:28 PM
Post by: mocat on March 13, 2015, 03:36:58 PM
Post by: AppleJack on March 13, 2015, 03:44:39 PM
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 03:50:18 PM
yeah RD is correct here. you can move back later. but once you do you're not ever going to Austin anymore
Yeah. I'd like to think that I could keep going up to Austin for stuff but I know that after a while I'd give up and/or not want to look desperate to do things with people.
Definitely leaning towards staying. Thanks gE.c.
Anyone else (wacky) having similar decisions to make?
Post by: Rage Against the McKee on March 13, 2015, 04:04:19 PM
Post by: Dr Rick Daris on March 13, 2015, 04:06:26 PM
Post by: slobber on March 13, 2015, 04:08:55 PM
Draw circles about 3-5 miles (or whatever makes the most sense) around where your friends live, where you work, where you like to hang out, etc. You know, for all of the things that you like to do. Live in the place with the most overlap.
Post by: Rage Against the McKee on March 13, 2015, 04:10:30 PM
I have found that venn diagrams help in situations like this.Seriously.
Draw circles about 3-5 miles (or whatever makes the most sense) around where your friends live, where you work, where you like to hang out, etc. You know, for all of the things that you like to do. Live in the place with the most overlap.
It kind of sounds like he would need 20-30 mile circles to get any overlap at all, though.
Post by: 420seriouscat69 on March 13, 2015, 04:12:55 PM
Post by: AbeFroman on March 13, 2015, 04:15:38 PM
i made a similar decision once when i took a job in topeka. that decision was to stay living in lawrence and commute thirty minutes to topeka. great call on my part.
I know several people that do this. Considering Austin is superior to Lawrence this is definitely an easy call.
Post by: Spracne on March 13, 2015, 04:16:31 PM
Post by: Rage Against the McKee on March 13, 2015, 04:18:51 PM
i made a similar decision once when i took a job in topeka. that decision was to stay living in lawrence and commute thirty minutes to topeka. great call on my part.
I know several people that do this. Considering Austin is superior to Lawrence this is definitely an easy call.
San Marcos seems a whole lot better than Topeka, though. I would definitely commute to Topeka from Lawrence. I wouldn't commute to a place that is actually desirable to live in just to stay in Austin. That said, I really don't know a whole lot about San Marcos and could be totally wrong.
Post by: 0.42 on March 13, 2015, 04:24:47 PM
Is there a group at your new job that commutes from Austin? Maybe you could carpool. That would make the commute a whole lot easier to handle.
There are two coworkers that live up in Austin, but they come into work at different times. But I'm gonna try and get something together.
My buddy works at farmers all the way in Olathe and he use to live downtown by me. He moved closer with his gf who also works at farmers off 119th street and he's regretted it ever since. He's moving back downtown this summer. Until Ms. Wacky and I start thinking about little wacky's, we'll probably stay downtown. We'll probably aim for a bigger place soon tho.
i made a similar decision once when i took a job in topeka. that decision was to stay living in lawrence and commute thirty minutes to topeka. great call on my part. choosing where you live is one of the few choices that you actually get to make in life. like you work at the place that will hire and pay you. but, live? you get to live anywhere you damn want. always choose the place that you would like more. a couple bucks a month and shaving fifteen minutes off a commute be damned.
Solid points here.
I don't know if this SM job is your dream job or whatever, but you could always stay in Austin and commute while looking for a different job in Austin. You could have your cake and eat it, too.
I'm pretty satisfied with my job. I have designs on sticking around for a while unless I get an offer I can't refuse or something.
San Marcos seems a whole lot better than Topeka, though. I would definitely commute to Topeka from Lawrence. I wouldn't commute to a place that is actually desirable to live in just to stay in Austin. That said, I really don't know a whole lot about San Marcos and could be totally wrong.
Yeah, don't get me wrong, if Austin wasn't nearby I'd be perfectly fine with living in San Marcos. So it's a good problem to have.
Post by: tdaver on March 13, 2015, 06:48:32 PM
yeah RD is correct here. you can move back later. but once you do you're not ever going to Austin anymore
Yeah. I'd like to think that I could keep going up to Austin for stuff but I know that after a while I'd give up and/or not want to look desperate to do things with people.
Definitely leaning towards staying. Thanks gE.c.
Anyone else (wacky) having similar decisions to make?
Yep. Live close to what you like to do evenings/weekends or you will stop doing them. Move later if priorities change.
Post by: SdK on March 15, 2015, 01:12:00 PM
Find a texas barbecue debutante and shack up with her while spending your actual salary on the lavish lifestyle of your dreams in a 7870x zip code.
Post by: SdK on March 15, 2015, 01:13:51 PM
I have found that venn diagrams help in situations like this.Seriously.Smart
Draw circles about 3-5 miles (or whatever makes the most sense) around where your friends live, where you work, where you like to hang out, etc. You know, for all of the things that you like to do. Live in the place with the most overlap.
Post by: pissclams on March 16, 2015, 10:44:32 PM
also, san marcos sounds very ethnic/scary
Post by: TownieCat on March 17, 2015, 08:27:42 AM
Post by: Kat Kid on March 17, 2015, 08:55:12 AM
Post by: slobber on March 17, 2015, 09:01:22 AM
Stay in Austin but get a San Marcos neck tattoo so people know where you come from.yes. Winner.
Gonna win 'em all!
Post by: 0.42 on March 17, 2015, 01:33:47 PM
find a better place in Austin that helps your commute and wallet. the idea of leaving what is widely regarded as one of the best places to live in the US to save 10 minutes of drive time is one crazy son of a bitching concept.
Well we're also talking like potentially an extra $300+ a month in rent difference between Austin and SM unless I want to live in a total shithole in Austin. That's a lot of cilantro. But solid point. Also,
also, san marcos sounds very ethnic/scary
are you clamsing here or are you serious because if you're serious what
Stay in Austin but get a San Marcos neck tattoo so people know where you come from.
:surprised:
(https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-1/p160x160/576484_420120341383811_1711051033_n.jpg?oh=c79fb7a1e784d472dd851e42ab718bd7&oe=5582814C&__gda__=1437785665_cc04eef1a685be0ed48f738ad22e2264)
(not my hs tho)
Post by: mocat on March 17, 2015, 02:15:31 PM
Quote from: wikipedia
Nickname(s): San Marvelous
:D
Post by: 0.42 on March 17, 2015, 02:16:53 PM
new crap has come to lightQuote from: wikipediaNickname(s): San Marvelous
:D
also the zip code is 78666 hail satan etc
Post by: CNS on March 17, 2015, 02:23:44 PM
Post by: Kat Kid on March 17, 2015, 02:44:03 PM
Devil snake that forms both S's.
WOW!
Post by: CNS on March 17, 2015, 02:54:42 PM
Post by: Spracne on March 18, 2015, 06:31:33 PM
Post by: 0.42 on March 19, 2015, 12:08:34 PM
Hey @42, how great has traffic been this week with all the parents taking off for spring break? Pretty great, I'd say. Maybe it's not so noticeable "down there" where you live with all the blue-collar types who can't afford to take time off, though.
this post is not very tsc of you but thanks for asking, traffic's been fine except for that one wreck where they closed I-35 and william cannon and i decided to work from home instead
Post by: Trim on March 19, 2015, 12:09:35 PM
i decided to work from home instead
:dunno:
Post by: 0.42 on March 19, 2015, 12:11:59 PM
i decided to work from home instead
:dunno:
it's spring break so we kinda have that option i guess
Post by: Spracne on May 15, 2015, 08:57:09 PM
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