Keeping her happy with the move

There is something so painful about the process of choosing where you're going to move. I find it to be very similar to when you're looking to buy a car. There's the car you know you can afford, the one you may have to work some extra hours each week to afford, and then there's the car that requires the latter plus you need to take a bus to work. I find myself in a similar situation.

When you have the belief that your company will be moving you to a new department with a pay increase you start seeing those other locations that are slightly outside your price range and think,

"Well, by the time I have to pay a full month of rent, I'll be making enough money to afford it."

There are so many amenities and great offerings at the "budget-limit" location that it is sorely tempting to move there. However, one of the most important things to me right now is shortening the commute so there's more time to spend with my daughter after work. I don't see it as being much of a family when you only see each other an hour or two each day.

That, is why I have to do the right thing and choose the location that saves us more money, and means neither of us has to commute. At least not a real commute considering I would only have to ride my bike 8.5 miles, while the girlfriend could walk to work. I have to do right by my daughter and ensure that the place we move to is a place we can comfortably afford now.

But that means swinging it by the girlfriend who expects to live in a style that is equal to her position. I understand that need. I respect that need. However, I would rather be taking the money we spend on rent and applying it to a mortgage payment instead, and taking the place that offers a savings in rent would speed up the process of buying a house.

Well, battery is going to die on the laptop, so that's all for now. Thanks for letting me get that out of my system. If any of you have any thoughts on how best to keep the girlfriend happy over the course of this move, and the subsequent lease term, I am all ears. Or eyes in this case.