Pay up or take the bus 2720

In many (most) areas of the U.S., the jobs that pay decent living wages are NOWHERE NEAR areas that offer affordable housing. Case in point . . . if you live close to your job, you probably need to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. There is no simple solution like "move closer to your job". In most cases, the increased housing expense for such a move would more than eat up any savings gained from a shorter commute. If gas prices go a lot higher than current levels, it just might make sense for many people to buy a million-dollar condo so that they can have a shorter drive to work. For now though, to suggest that someone (anyone) move closer to work is simply ignorant. Most people live far from work as that is where they can afford to live. Or to look at it another way, most people can not afford to WORK anywhere near where they are living. The biggest employer within 15 miles of me is wally world. Could I work there? Yes, if I wanted to take an 80% pay cut. If I move significantly closer to the employers who pay decent money, I'd need to buy a house that costs 4-5 times as much as my current house, for a lot less land with a smaller house on it.