Worker With A Master’s Degree Only Making $18 An Hour Says A 30-Minute Commute Is Not Worth Making More Money
Everyone prioritizes different things in their career. Disclaimer: It’s not always money!
Aruta Images | Shutterstock Would you be willing to accept a job with a long commute if it meant making more money?
A widowed mom on financial expert Caleb Hammer’s show “Financial Audit” said, absolutely not. With an $18 hourly wage, she has no desire to lose time traveling to an office as a means to “make more” money.
A worker with a master’s degree, making $18 an hour, said she's not willing to commute to a job in order to make a higher salary.
Texas native 46-year-old Kelcey works as a public accountant, making just over $18 an hour.
She freely told Hammer that she’s “surviving” just fine on that income, combined with some Social Security earnings.
“Don’t you want to make more money?” Hammer said, adding that even a 30-minute commute to the nearest town would almost guarantee her a higher salary. “No,” she said. “I don’t want to make more money.”
Hammer was able to dig a little deeper to reveal some of Kelcey's more concerning spending habits.
Kelcey struggled following her husband’s passing just over 4 years ago and began abusing her credit cards. “I didn’t want them to hate me,” she admitted about her tendency to splurge on her children. “I had to spend so long rebuilding that relationship after being mentally absent for so long.”
After commuting for years to a larger city, she said that the slightly higher income just ‘isn’t worth it.’
Many Americans seem to agree with her. A recent survey by The Zebra suggests that one-third of workers would take a pay cut to shorten their commute every day.
Kelcey's choice to work a local job for less money makes sense for her life. Yes, she does have a great deal of debt to pay off before she can even think about saving for retirement, but right now, she’s content.
“I’ve had no hope,” she told Hammer, explaining her view on the credit card debt she's accrued. “I was living in the world with no hope…I don’t want to be in debt, but I don’t need to make more money.”
Kelcey has different expectations regarding work-life balance, and that's reflected in her decision not to commute for more money.
Hammer suggested Kelcey close all her credit card accounts, as she already has a mortgage and doesn’t need to worry about her credit score.
She’s incredibly hesitant, however, claiming they are her “safety net” and emergency fund. Unfortunately, this thinking has led to more debt, high interest rates, and an overall toxic relationship with money, saving, and her future.
Her husband's death has made her more aware than most of the time that many people waste commuting to jobs simply for the money, and that's not something she's willing to compromise on.
However, she does need to consider her financial situation, future, and the well-being of her children. However, if she can budget well with the income she makes, she doesn’t have to sacrifice.
While commuting has gained a bad reputation in recent years, following the preferred shift to remote work, some workers are admittedly “happy” to commute.
“Why did I choose to work so far away?” asked Dr. Tommy Martin on TikTok in reference to his daily 3.5-hour commute. “There are not a lot of options around me… but my passion is to work with medical students [in the city]. I leave every day feeling so fulfilled and energized.”
Happy workers are not only 13% more productive at work, they’re also healthier, happier in their personal lives, and more energized and committed to their relationships at home.
All that to say, prioritize your happiness.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.