Cost of Living in the City vs. Cost of Travel

Okay bit of a debate. So I live in Harpenden (about 35minutes to Blackfriars station) its a lovely village and I adore being there but the cost of rail travel keeps threatening to rise in Jan and I am not sure if I should move closer to work.

I love the country and because both me and my husband work in Southbank area we travel in together, grab dinner occasionally in the city and travel out.. I do not mind the commute at all. But the problem is that paying £600 a month (which the fare might go up to) on a rail ticket is starting to make me nervous.

I wouldn't mind being in London but with 4 of us (two steppie kids) living somewhere nice becomes less and less an option. Should I bite the bullet and put that money in rent and then pay the extra for travel living in Zone 1-3 or would you opt for just the hike in train fare?

We've had this debate a number of times and honestly found it better to live in the city, there are plenty of leafy suburbs in Zone 3 where you could bring up kids, and what you lack in village life you make up for in actually having time to enjoy being at home.

We were commuting across London and I found it fine in summer and absolutely awful in Winter, the pitch black freezing early starts and the frankly scary pitch black freezing journey home. Also it changes your mindset a bit, it made me wary to stay late or go out after work.the constant worry about getting home, the occasion train nightmare which meant I didn't get home until midnight.

I saw on Fbook you were looking at Putney, I'd be careful about Putney if I were you, a lot of people I work with work there and just spend their lives waiting for the right district at Earls Court, I think it's one of those places which looks more convenient then it is.

 

aye I would have to take Putney Rail to waterloo which is why it was appealing. I used to live in Clapham and loved it but the cost as shot waaay up. I like East Croydon (the leafy end) but the towncentre is so busy and its not the best at night... it is only 15mins by train though

I was going to suggest Clapham!

I have the opportunity to work from home next year, so we realized how much more we could save by living in the city compared to Herts. With my husbands travel (to Putney) + what we spend on our 1 bed flat, we realized we could easily afford to live in London and be no worse off than we are currently. Most of our weekends are spent in London, so we are probably spending more money than we would in London.

We are looking at £200-300/pw as that's what we are currently spending. In Putney & Clapham it is totally possible to get a 2 bedroom for that.

I am not sure about Harpenden, but Hitchin has really expensive council tax, for a tiny 1 bed we pay DOUBLE the price for a nice 2 bed in Putney, which makes living in Wandsworth area extremely attractive.

For us, moving to the city is the right choice, as I am not really happy in Hitchin, my DH isn't happy with the commute (esp. last night when the train broke down and it took him 2 hrs to get home from Kings Cross) and we aren't saving any money (or having a bigger place) by living outside of it.

Thanks, if we did move I think Putney, Clapham and richmond would be the areas to move. Putney/Clapham mainly because my husband can cycle from there and he would LOVE that.

I really think living in London is better. I find the council tax in Harpenden to be more than most boroughs in London. And as someone who commutes to London on a daily basis, I have to say that I would give anything to be living in Southwark again and never have to deal with First Capital Connect trains for the rest of my life! Those trains are so miserable, unreliable and too expensive.

As lovely as Harpenden is, I feel like I spend too much time and money on my commute. It wasn't much of an option for me, though, as the BF has a good job in Dunstable and my job in London is currently a temporary assignment. Plus, this town isn't so great if you want to do something aside from a pub or restaurant (or do anything after 5pm...).

Ha, I have wasted time at Earl's Court waiting for that wimbledon line!

But overall (I'm the stop just before Putney), I can't complain too much about journey.  I think it's because I was used to such long commutes.  I don't find it that big of a deal.   And I feel like we've got a good group of buses in the area which are useful if you don't feel like taking the tube.

Aye thankfully I will never use the district line.. ever. 

And yet, oddly enough, it was the one line running somewhat well on the tube strike days.

Oh, District Line.  I can't quit you.  (I have no choice)