Reply #83: but the only practical solution is either move or find a job closer.

[alarimer]

There are no other options that make sense. She is spending way more in gas than she would pay for a apartment near her work. Presumably she either can handle the house payments even with the gas outlay. Now, it may not be possible to sell that house but perhaps rent it out? Or let her parents live there (assuming they don't already).

The option of getting a job closer may not exist where she is. But she cannot just quit without having anything else. She would eventually lose the house too and then what?

So it boils down to either move closer to work or find a job closer to where she lives. "It's where she grew up" is not a very good reason to stay someplace there are no jobs or with a ridiculous commute like that. It is impractical and foolish. Some small towns really deserve to die.