Job costing almost €45 to travel to and from daily

LegacyUser

I have recently signed off Jobseekers Allowance as I was offered a job. It pays 369 per week (gross).

The problem is that I didn't realise that the bus route I was looking at goes nowhere near the workplace and taxis to and from cost between 18 and 25 each way daily, depending on traffic.

Obviously I will have no money from this job if I continue paying for such high taxi fares. I am very worried. I obviously don't want to give up the job as I am delighted to be working but I cant pay up to €250 a week getting there, when I will be lucky to come out with €300 odd euro. I would starve!

Is there anything I can do in this situation? Would I get Jobseekers Allowance again if I had to leave, even though it's the last thing I want to do.

mary55

Maybe you could move nearer to your workplace

Faith+1

mary55 wrote: »

Maybe you could move nearer to your workplace

On 369e a week??

Find someone who works there or nearby to carpool with maybe?

Drkitkat

get on your bike

Stinicker

Go into the social welfare office and demand a supplementary welfare allowance or tell them you will have to resign your job due to the governments policy of taxing Petrol to the high price it is as you cannot afford to go to work any longer because of this.

Cheerful Spring

justfortoday wrote: »

I have recently signed off Jobseekers Allowance as I was offered a job. It pays 369 per week (gross).

The problem is that I didn't realise that the bus route I was looking at goes nowhere near the workplace and taxis to and from cost between 18 and 25 each way daily, depending on traffic.

Obviously I will have no money from this job if I continue paying for such high taxi fares. I am very worried. I obviously don't want to give up the job as I am delighted to be working but I cant pay up to €250 a week getting there, when I will be lucky to come out with €300 odd euro. I would starve!

Is there anything I can do in this situation? Would I get Jobseekers Allowance again if I had to leave, even though it's the last thing I want to do.

Social Welfare will not be happy to see you again. They might not accept your reasons for leaving the job. You had a full time job and you left it. So be careful don't leave your job until you know for sure they'll pay you.

Trained Monkey

How far from the job are you? Is cycling an option?

OP there must be another way to get to your place of work - cycling, walking, bus combo?

ongarboy

Faith+1 wrote: »

On 369e a week??

If a room in a house share within walking distance of work is about 100e a week, then yes it would be cheaper then forking out 250 on taxis and affordable on a take home pay of 369e. (assuming OP is in a position to move - no family/mortgage obligations etc).

When I first came to Dublin, my rents easily were about 40% of my entry level take home salaries at the time. Still managed to go on holidays, socialise most weeks and have fun even though I had to be sensible rather than miserly with my money.

OP - I suggest moving closer to the job if cycling/multi mode transport is not an option. If you like this job and there are potential promotion and payrise opportunities, the costs will not be as tough going forward. You eventually may be able to afford a car and move back to where you prefer.

LegacyUser

ongarboy wrote: »

If a room in a house share within walking distance of work is about 100e a week, then yes it would be cheaper then forking out 250 on taxis and affordable on a take home pay of 369e. (assuming OP is in a position to move - no family/mortgage obligations etc).

When I first came to Dublin, my rents easily were about 40% of my entry level take home salaries at the time. Still managed to go on holidays, socialise most weeks and have fun even though I had to be sensible rather than miserly with my money.

OP - I suggest moving closer to the job if cycling/multi mode transport is not an option. If you like this job and there are potential promotion and payrise opportunities, the costs will not be as tough going forward. You eventually may be able to afford a car and move back to where you prefer.

OP here.....It's not a take home pay of €369 - that is the gross pay. I am just in from the job now - Its a hotel reception job. It's truly awful - I never should have taken it - they wanted me to stay on til 1am (you don't get any extra pay for staying on) and the lady on reception last night had to stay til 2am. Sorry, I digress, The hotel is in a completely rural area - so no, I cannot walk or cycle. I wouldn't have come on here looking for advice if I could have availed of those options.....

I can't carpool as I live in a completely different direction than the majority of people working there - as in a 40 minute difference. And I don't know them from Adam at the moment anyways. I'm actually in a bit of a state here. I am not a scrounger and I am dying to work (I am a qualified legal secretary with years of experience) but this just is not going to work out as I would have no money to pay my rent, bills etc. Almost all my wage would go on taxis to and from the hotel.

I understand if Social Welfare tell me to sod off - I just wanted to know if anyone knew for sure that that's how they would respond to me?

No Pants

justfortoday wrote: »

The problem is that I didn't realise that the bus route I was looking at goes nowhere near the workplace and taxis to and from cost between 18 and 25 each way daily

Where do you live and where is the job?

LegacyUser

No Pants wrote: »

Where do you live and where is the job?

West of Ireland; it is a hotel in a very rural area. Some other posters have suggested cycling/walking/bus combinations - none of these are possible. As for car pooling the majority of the staff are living in a the completely opposite direction to my home - the other side of the city - and anyway I don't know any of them from Adam at the moment.

I was supposed to finish at 11 last night and had my taxi booked for 11.15pm; I was told that I may need to stay on til 1am or indeed 2am (!) until all my assigned tasks are completed. The receptionist the previous night had to stay on until 2am.To be completely frank I am horrified by the entire situation. I was so elated to have gotten the job - I am a person who wants to work - I am a qualified legal secretary with years of experience. I shouldn't have taken the job but I know I cannot go back to the SW with my tail between my legs - and I don't want to go back on Jobseekers anyway. But I will not be able to survive with the current costs of transport to the job. I am able to get a lift from friends for some of the shifts but the vast majority it's not possible.

Boofle

Drkitkat wrote: »

get on your bike

Maybe the place the OP is working is too far away to cycle? Not a very helpful contribution!

No Pants

Boofle wrote: »

Maybe the place the OP is working is too far away to cycle? Not a very helpful contribution!

Until the OP states one way or the other, we don't know.

LegacyUser

No Pants wrote: »

Until the OP states one way or the other, we don't know.

OP here, it's in the West, in a very rural area.

No Pants

justfortoday wrote: »

OP here, it's in the West, in a very rural area.

Again, where do you live and where is the job? Your full address isn't needed, but "west" and "rural" is very vague. People will not be able to make proper suggestions without these details.

Balagan

Even without the location difficulties most hotels are notoriously difficult employers and probably very unlike anything you were used to. Would there be a possibility you could stay in the hotel part-time? Some hotels have those arrangements - that is if you feel they won't take advantage of you being on call. The travel cost does seem prohibitive. Ask at the Social Welfare before giving up the job - likely they would see it as 'just cause' and not prevent you from claiming for the full 9 weeks. Look for other jobs while you are still employed.

ted1

Get a bike.

JustAThought

ted1 wrote: »

Get a bike.

I gave in & finally bought my first ( 2nd hand) car in a similar circumstance - commuting from almost Dun Laoghaire to Kildare every day - had to walk 40 minutes at 5:30 am to catch the first bus to make my shift. SW are now writing to employers to see if they have a job/ another role for you & to ask if you gave up the job or were fired . You could find it hard to persuade tem after the effect. I'd write & ask their advise it make a trip in to see & ask - did you apply for the job ; surely someone must have asked how you would commute or did tey assume you had a car?

If that is the only work you can find it may now be time to Move, or buy/borrow a banger .

If suggest a scooter but rural roads at 2am... Not a good plan : (