[DECISION] Living in Austin and working in Houston

^^For real.

Although I'm not in the same boat as OP, I do wrestle with the same question. I was built to live in Austin but my work is (and will probably always be) in Houston. My plan is to end up with a work from home situation where I only have to go into the office maybe 2-4 times a month but until then I'm stuck in this hell hole.

 

If you're current job wasn't going to expire, I'd say stay in Austin and be happy.

But, there's no guarantee you'll find something by then in Austin and you might kick yourself for passing this up if you do. I would talk to my wife about this and really sell the idea of moving back. You can use part of the extra 20k to make several trips to Austin a year and/or vacations.

 

Are you sure you're not choosing the place you live over your marriage/kids? Wouldn't you be happier to be with your family all the time, even if you don't like Houston so much?

Maybe find a new area in Houston to live in that you haven't before?

 

I love some of you people that have no concept of cost.

 

Man, I couldn't do that commute nor be away all week. Like someone else said, is $20k all that much to you? Or is it the career thing?
If no, then stay in Austin.

 

Listen to this guy. You will NEVER make up for the time away from your wife and kids. It ain't worth it.

The whole concept of spending "quality time" with family to compensate for a lack of time is nonsense. Just being at home most evenings where your kids can see and talk to you whenever they want cannot be replaced.

 

I think being away from your family that long every week is nuts. You're basically saying for $15k a year, you're willing to sacrifice the type of home life and family you have. Is that worth it? I'd never accept job away from wife and kids (if I had those... *snicker*) unless the family was in dire straits and needed the money that badly. Even then, they'd probably be moving with me.

 

Tell your wife/kids to pack their bags cause the fam is moving back to h-town.

 

Somebody pour this man a sizzurp.

 

I moved to Austin from Houston 30+ years ago with my significant other, something we'd wanted to do for a long time, and we're still here. That was Before Kids, however, which complicates things immensely. I guess what I don't understand is why that amount of money is worth not being with your family 5 days a week. My thought is to either commit to staying in Austin, starting with a serious job search straight away, regardless of what position you have now with a limited time frame, or hang it up and go back to Houston. Mid-July will be here before you know it. I certainly understand why you don't want to leave the Hill Country. Good luck and make up your mind!

 

If you do the Houston job, I assume you and your family could meet halfway for dinner and visits once or twice a week.

 

Have it both ways... Keep the wife and kids in Austin, buy or rent a house in Houston, get hooked up with a Cambodian stripper, become a pimp, make profit from pimping her and you cover the cost of your living expenses in Houston.. Yeah, keep the kids at grandmas house...

 

I think it boils down to whether or not you really need the money. I think the insurance is huge...especially for your children, so that weighs towards Houston. Regarding the $20k extra, do you really need it? As in is the extra money something that your family NEEDS? Or is it just so that you can take a nice vacation or buy a nicer TV, etc...? You need to weigh the necessity of the money with the fact that you are not going to see your kids 5 days a week, the stress on your marriage as your wife has to be a single mother for part of the week, etc...

If it is for the insurance and because you really need the extra money, then go for it. If it's just so you can buy some more crap, then I don't think it's worth the strain and stress that it is inevitably going to create.

 

Am I the only one here who thinks being away from the wife/kids during the week isn't such a bad thing?

 

if the extra money and full insurance is that important to you, go ahead and do it, but do it on the intention that you'll keep looking for a comparable job in austin.

has anyone ever quit a job they just got hired on at? i might have to make that decision soon.

 

You are already know whats going down on the weekends after not seeing your wife for 5 days...

Spoiler

Honeymoon every weekend
But in more serious note, I would take the job. Helping your career is worth the sacrifice, it could lead to a more permanent job.

 

move the fam to Hou and get back to Austin as soon as you can

 

Nah, screw Austin. Move back and use your amazing new income and savings to buy season tickets at Toyota Center.

 

I've seen several co-workers do this from farther distances (like NY). Seems to be do-able for a year or two, then they get sick of it.