Cut Your Commuting Costs (10 Tips)

1. Carpool – Partner with one or more coworkers and take turns driving each other to and from work. You can cut your costs (parking, tolls, gas) in half or better – depending on how many people in your carpool.
2. Public Transportation – If public transportation is an option in your area, it may likely be cheaper than driving to work every day.
3. Telecommuting – Do you have a job that you can do from home? If so, working from home a few days each week will help you to save on commuting costs.
4. Taxable Account – Some companies (like mine) allow you to pay for parking and for public transportation with pre-tax dollars.
5. Lower Insurance Premiums – If you employ any strategy that reduces the amount of miles you drive, then you maybe able to save money on your car insurance premiums. Call your insurance company to find out.
6. Parking Discounts – If you have to pay for parking at your job (like I do), then you may be able find a discount. Many places offer discounts if you pay for an entire month or year, and even offer “early bird” specials!
7. Work During Off-Peak Hours – If you are able to come in and leave a little early, then you can avoid commuting in rush-hour traffic. This will cut down on your fuel costs, wear and tear on your car, and stress!
8. Move – If you are in a position to move (lease is up, have a desire to relocate, etc), then consider an area that is close to your job. It may be a little more expensive, but it could very well be offset by the savings in your commuting costs!
9. Pay Attention to Gas Prices – If you have several gas stations to pick from during your commute, make sure you compare the price of gas at each one. Also, it may be better to fill up on the weekends at an even cheaper station (depending on distance and your schedule)! To help estimate the value you may want to calculate fuel economy
10. Work More Hours on Fewer Days – If your job doesn’t like the idea of telecommuting, this may work out instead. Instead of working 8hrs/day for 5 days, you can work 10hrs/day for 4. Better yet, you could even work on a rotating basis (e.g. 12hrs/day – 4 days on, 4 days off)! The combination of driving for less days during the month, and avoiding sitting in rush hour traffic would save a lot of money!

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