TL; DR - Does anyone still stay overnight near their client for work, or does everyone pretty much demand remote working post-Covid? Any hints/tips/observations for minimising costs/maximising luxury for London stays? Any recommendations for good, low-cost, reasonably healthy eats near the City?
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Recently returned to contracting and the client (specifically, the project manager on my team) wants us all in 3 days per week etc. Having been pretty much 100% remote for last 2 years, and being keen to work for this particular client (industry leader in terms of being quirky/trying new tech), I readily agreed.
I'm on the edge of commuting territory for London - roughly 1hr 45m door-to-door. I used to do it 5 days per week pre-Covid, and thought I'd hit the jackpot in a previous contract when I managed to twist the client's arm to let me WFH on Fridays, but times have changed and I've gotten old/lazy/now have kids, so now the idea of staying away appeals (the kids bit has made me tired, not want to stay away - I struggle to make it back in time for bed time/gone before they wake up if I do commute!).
For the first few weeks, I've been staying in self-service apartments and enjoying a naughty night of Football Manager. Means I can put the hours in at the office, and not need worry about getting up early next day - costs me about £140/night including my food bill, vs about £80/day commuting. Trying to think like a contractor again, I felt the extra £120 expense for my ltd co for two nights a week was a good investment to get 8 hours of the commute back. However, last week I got locked out by the maintenance team and had to get a last minute emergency stay at Travelodge (£160 out of pocket unless I can get a refund), and starting to have second thoughts... I've supposedly got at least another year, so trying to decide on my rhythm for 2024.
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Recently returned to contracting and the client (specifically, the project manager on my team) wants us all in 3 days per week etc. Having been pretty much 100% remote for last 2 years, and being keen to work for this particular client (industry leader in terms of being quirky/trying new tech), I readily agreed.
I'm on the edge of commuting territory for London - roughly 1hr 45m door-to-door. I used to do it 5 days per week pre-Covid, and thought I'd hit the jackpot in a previous contract when I managed to twist the client's arm to let me WFH on Fridays, but times have changed and I've gotten old/lazy/now have kids, so now the idea of staying away appeals (the kids bit has made me tired, not want to stay away - I struggle to make it back in time for bed time/gone before they wake up if I do commute!).
For the first few weeks, I've been staying in self-service apartments and enjoying a naughty night of Football Manager. Means I can put the hours in at the office, and not need worry about getting up early next day - costs me about £140/night including my food bill, vs about £80/day commuting. Trying to think like a contractor again, I felt the extra £120 expense for my ltd co for two nights a week was a good investment to get 8 hours of the commute back. However, last week I got locked out by the maintenance team and had to get a last minute emergency stay at Travelodge (£160 out of pocket unless I can get a refund), and starting to have second thoughts... I've supposedly got at least another year, so trying to decide on my rhythm for 2024.
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