The True Costs Of Commuting Will Surprise You

Millions of people commute to work every single day. It’s a time consuming and expensive process that’s hard to avoid. But what do you really know about the commute? It’s time to take a step back and look at how the commute affects your wallet, your time, and your health. The negative impact of the daily commute and the costs of commuting may really surprise you.

Take a minute and think about your commute. How do you get to work each day? Do you drive, ride the train, walk, bike, carpool, or take the bus? How long does it take you to get from your home to the office? How much does it cost to get to work? Could you reduce the costs of your commute? These are all things that you need to think about.

If you’re like most people commuting is a big part of the annual budget. We recently stumbled upon a new survey from CareerBuilder that looks at the true costs of commuting. Did you know that on average people spend $276 per month to go to work? That’s $3,300 per year. That’s a lot of money.

This is just an average cost of the commuting. Your costs will depend on location, mode of transportation, distance, parking, and other factors. However you commute to work, there is both a financial cost and an opportunity cost associated with commuting.

Financially you are responsible for costs such as fuel, bus/train tickets, maintenance, etc.. There is also the time spent commuting. According to WYNC.org, the average commute time in America is 25.4 minutes. This time may be spent covering distance or waiting in traffic, but it makes up nearly an hour of your day – and that adds up over the course of time. You need to factor in the value of your time. The time wasted on the daily commute can negatively impact your personal and social life too.

Unfortunately, there’s one other downfall of the commute – there is a serious toll on your personal health and attitude. It’s been proven to create anxiety, lead to weight gain, increase blood sugar, and adversely affect fitness levels. Learn more about the health concerns associated with commuting on JobMonkey.

Commuting costs you time, money, and affects your health. When you look at the big picture, commuting might not be worth it. It’s your responsibility to look at the numbers and to make the best decisions for your situation. Ask yourself:

• Would it be better to carpool?
• Is it time to find a job closer to home?
• Can I convince my boss to let me telecommute?
• What are my public transportation options?
• Should I relocate for a job?
• Can I afford to commute to work?
• How can I use my commute productively?

Unless you work from home, commuting is a part of life. Take a bit of time to make sure that your commute doesn’t break the bank. This helpful commuting cost calculator can help to give you a realistic view of the true costs of commuting.

If commuting is taking its toll on your life, it’s time to make a change. Whether you want to find jobs that allow you to work from home, find a job in a new location, or discover a new career path you can do it all on JobMonkey.com. Stop by and change your life for the better today.