The daily commute is a large part of most people’s lives. Bumper-to-bumper traffic slowly crawling to the symphony of car horns and short-tempered obscenities is a common start to the workday. While generally unpleasant, it’s also an expensive addition to your daily budget. Here are some ways you can lessen the cost of your daily commute.
Using Your Legs Instead of Gasoline
Many people drive to work without even thinking about the alternatives. If you live a short distance from your office, try walking or biking! Not only is this option free, it’s also great daily exercise. You might find with the calories burnt from walking or riding, that you’ll eliminate the need (and expense) of a gym membership!
If you live too far away from work, consider walking or biking to the nearest public transportation stop that takes you to your office.
Public Transportation
Many cities have very easy and efficient public transit, including buses and trollies. Of course, you may not live in an area where public transportation makes sense, but it’s worth looking into. It eliminates the stress of a high-traffic commute as well as the difficulty and cost of finding parking. You’re likely to find that taking advantage of your city’s public transit is cheaper than the gas and parking that comes along with driving to work everyday.
Jump in the Carpool
Do you have a coworker (or two… or three… or four…) that lives near you? Develop a carpool system! Taking turns driving will cut down everyone’s commute cost significantly. You can also create some solid workplace friendships by spending a few extra minutes each day with them.
Parking
If you still choose to drive (maybe it’s still the only option that makes sense), consider ways to cut down your parking costs. While parking next door to your office might be most convenient, it may also be expensive. The daily fee could quickly add up. Search the surrounding area and see if you can find some cheap or free parking. A short walk from your car could save you hundreds of dollars yearly if you avoid the paid parking. If you’ve discovered that it’s necessary for you to pay for parking, look into buying a yearly pass. It’s sure to be cheaper in the long run than paying a small sum each day. Finally, is there a nearby business that has parking? It could be worth asking them if they have an extra spot that you could pay for. It might be cheaper than the alternative!
Don’t Stop!
If you’re in the habit of running late, you may also be in the habit of grabbing breakfast or coffee on the way to work. Cut that out! By waking up a few minutes earlier and throwing together a quick breakfast or putting on a pot of coffee, you’ll save a lot of money. Does your business offer breakfast foods or coffee in the break room? Take advantage of it!
Radio
If you spend a lot of time in your car, it can be tempting to spend a lot of money on iTunes song downloads or CDs of music. However, there’s a free alternative: the radio! It’s a source of many different types of music and there’s no charge. You can also use your commute as a time to listen to news radio, freeing up the time you normally catch the news!
Best route
Are there multiple ways to get to work? Try them all out! Figure out which route is indeed the best. Which is fastest? Which has less traffic? Which will get you the best gas mileage? Weigh these factors to know that you’re taking the most efficient path to the office.
Have you found any ways to save on the daily work commute? Tell us in the comments?
