Remote Work Leads to Savings

Newsflash: Working from home is easier on your checkbook than working in an office. A new report found that employees who commute to an office — even just a few days per week — spend more money than those who work from home every day.

The survey of more than 2,300 full-time employees found that workers who were in an office part-time spent an average of $863 per month on work-related costs. Workers who were full-time remote only spent about half that or $423 per month. As Money notes, that’s a difference of $5,280 per year. The top expenses for office workers were commuting (an average of $15.11 per day), followed by lunch ($14.25), dinner ($10.98) and breakfast ($8.46). In a separate report, 75 percent of young workers said that one of the reasons they preferred working from home full-time was because they spent less money.

Working from home not only saves employees money, it also helps their piece of mind. The former study found that 58 percent of respondents felt remote work was “optimal” for a good work/life balance. Also, 50 percent of the workers said they were more productive when working remotely.

These two studies’ findings should be taken into account when you go searching for a new job. If the role requires you to commute to an office, you should consider the financial implications as well as the mental costs. Don’t be afraid to ask that your compensation be increased if the position is not entirely remote. The employer is looking out for its best interests; you should, too.