Being able to save money may be one of the few silver linings of this COVID-19 pandemic. Many remote workers who used to drive to work every day realized this quickly.
You may be able to save money by working from home in many ways, especially if you make a concerted effort to do so. And that’s not a bad idea considering the unpredictability of the near future.
Consider these 8 ways you could save money by working from home:
1. Spending less on gasoline
This is the most clear and obvious way working from home saves you money, and it doesn’t even have to be every day.
Working from home even once or twice a week could save you hundreds every year. According to Business Insider, the average Georgia resident spends $700 to $1,000 on gasoline annually.
Additionally, think of the two other benefits of driving less: the immeasurable environmental benefits and a possible reduction in the cost of gasoline.
2. Eating out less
You may save money by no longer doing things such as dining out for lunch and driving through your local coffee shop in the morning.
That cup of joe could cost you anywhere from $2 to $5. Multiply that by 5 weekdays, and there goes about $18 a week and $75 per month for coffee alone. It’s true that you would have to buy coffee to make at home, but that would cost just a fraction of what you would spend at the coffee shop.
3. Less wear-and-tear on your vehicle
If you own your vehicle, racking up the miles means you will need more routine maintenance.
You may also need significant repairs sooner than necessary, and you risk such things as getting flat tires or chipped windshields as you’re driving.
4. Not going over on miles
For leased vehicles, you may possibly avoid having to pay for extra miles at the end of the lease term.
At a typical rate of 10 cents to 25 cents per mile, going over on the allotted mileage could cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars at lease end.
5. Having enough work clothing and shoes in your closet
We’ve all heard people kidding about only needing to wear a business casual shirt to a conference call, but it’s really a good point.
If you don’t wear those work-related outfits and shoes as often, you won’t need to replace them as often. They also won’t become damaged in the wash cycle, stain, or tear.
6. Not having as many clothes to wash
Along those lines, if you’re not wearing those clothes to work or school, you won’t need to wash them as often.
It sounds minor, but think of how expensive washing your clothes really is. You need a little detergent, possibly bleach, lots of water, electricity, electricity to heat the water, electricity to run the dryer, and fabric softener. Reducing the number of loads you do really would go a long way.
If you happen to need dry cleaning for your work clothes, you may be able to reduce the need for that as well, further saving money.
7. Only needing child care sometimes
If your employer is flexible with your schedule, you may be able to cut out or at least reduce child-care costs.
That’s especially significant here in Georgia, where child care may cost more than college tuition. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average annual cost of infant care in Georgia is $7,644, or $637 per month. Child care for a 4-year old is about $900 less, but that’s still more than $530 per month.
8. Telling your insurance agent you aren’t driving as much anymore
When you get new driver’s insurance, one of the first things they ask is, “How many miles do you drive to and from work every day?” If the answer is, “Zero,” well that may mean more money in your pocket.
See our blog page for more money-saving tips, or contact one of our credit union branches throughout Georgia for additional services.
