As millions of Americans continue to navigate the world’s largest work at home trend, industry executives are proclaiming that this craze will be around for a long time.
Some corporations, such as Google, have indicated that staff who do not require onsite time can extend their work-from-home arrangement. Others, such as Twitter and Facebook, have pledged to allow people to work remotely indefinitely if they so desire.
Work-from-home has reduced traffic congestion for those who still have to rush to work in the morning. But you couldn’t help but wonder: if you work from home, does it mean you don’t need a car?
Commuting Vs. Gas Expenses
If you already work from home and own a car, now is a great time to ponder the benefits and drawbacks of having one in your driveway.
You may discover that having a car is essential if you are single or live alone. If you have access to public transportation, on the other hand, you can reassess your priorities and save a lot of money if you don’t need a car.
1. Commuting
Transportation costs average between $2,000 and $5,000 per year for the average commuter. Commuting by car is more expensive than taking public transportation. Traveling to and from the office, in any case, adds up quickly.
2. Gas
In 2018, the average household spent $2,109 on “gasoline, other fuels, and motor oil,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is increased from $1,968 the previous year or a 7.2 percent increase.
The average commuter travels between 5 and 13 miles to work, with some commuters traveling as far as 47 miles. And all that driving requires refuelling. For example, if you commute 10 miles on a car, one way to work five days a week, you will probably fill up once a week. You’ll spend $624 a year on gas if you get 20 miles per gallon, and the average price is $2.60 per gallon.
Working from home for two days a week, on the other hand, will cost you only $374.40 per year, saving you $249.60. Use a commuter cost calculator to figure out how much you spend on gas each year.
You’ll save a lot of bucks on fuel as a remote worker. Of course, you won’t spend anything. There are still errands and road trips to be made. However, because your commute is as close as your home office, you won’t spend nearly as much. And you won’t be commuting to work every day!
Car Maintenance
It’s more than just filling up the gas tank when you own a car. There’s also the issue of upkeep. Change oil, tire rotations, and all the other routine (and unplanned) maintenance procedures you perform to keep your automobile safe are all costly.
While annual prices vary by vehicle type, car owners can expect to spend between $6,354 and $10,054 on maintenance in 2017.
These figures are based on you driving 15,000 miles each year. As a remote worker, your chances of driving significantly less than that are reasonably good. The less you drive, the minor wear and tear your car suffers, and the less maintenance you will have to pay for.
Car Insurance
You’ve definitely seen the commercials for vehicle insurance companies explaining how they’re now issuing refunds or credits to policyholders. That’s incredible!
But do you know that if you work from home regularly, you might be able to get permanently lower insurance rates?
When you apply for car insurance, the company will ask you how far you commute. When there are numerous people on the roadways, people commute to and from work. More people on the road usually means more accidents, as you might expect. As a result, you’ll pay a higher insurance premium because the chances of getting into an accident are higher.
The amount of time you spend commuting on the road is also essential. When you sign up for a policy, the company will usually ask you for your annual mileage and your commuting mileage.
These two values are not the same. Your yearly mileage is the total amount of time you spend driving your car in a year, regardless of the reason. Your commuting mileage is the amount of time you spend driving to and from work. The longer you’re on the road and the more likely you will have an accident, the higher your commute distance is.
You may be eligible for lower-cost insurance if you drive less than 5,000 miles each year for work. This will be determined by your overall annual miles. However, not traveling to work will reduce your mileage, potentially resulting in a lower insurance rate.
Convenience Vs. Productivity
A sedentary lifestyle is hazardous to one’s health. Especially with the booming work from home craze: what are you doing while driving, by the way? You’ve taken a seat. You’ve already spent a substantial amount of time sitting in front of your computer. Furthermore, Americans are becoming fatter as a result of their inactivity.
According to a survey, American teenagers are just as active as 60-year-olds. Automobile dependency is partly to blame, and processed foods aren’t the sole culprit.
A pedestrian lifestyle is one of the reasons why Japan consistently ranks first in the world’s healthiest countries. Car sales have been declining since 1997, with car ownership reaching its lowest point in twenty years in 2017. Why aren’t they purchasing cars? They do not need them. Cars are generally unnecessary for urban living due to a special train, metro, and bus network; people walk everywhere.
Conclusion
Working from home offers a great deal of convenience, and while we may believe that we need a car to make our life complete, the truth is that it isn’t always necessary.
Suppose you work from home but can get about the rest of your life by walking, taking an Uber, or public transportation. In that case, it’s time to rethink your mobility and financial priorities. In the end, it might make you a lot happier. However, if you have a large family or live with someone with special needs, taking them out in your car could be a fantastic idea!