Transportation cost to go to work

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-22-1999
Transportation cost to go to work
13
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 12:41am

How much does it cost for you to go to work and park and then go back home every day? This is on my mind lately because of the possibility of gasoline going up in price again soon and my considerations of possible locations for my new job.

Right now my answer is $3.00 a day.

Depending on possible new job options, it may be $10.00 a day, and I'm really not liking that. $50.00 a week to go to work?? Yikes....part of my consideration of new locations.

How much do you pay? When considering your monthly budget, how do you factor it in? What happens if you run out of "cash" to go to work....do you need a "loan" of some type to continue to get to work? Anyone get a free ride to work?

Littlesbigs

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-08-2004
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 10:05am


$170 - 190 a month -- I NEVER run out of money this is a budgeted item, like rent or mortgage.

I pay $70/month for an unlimited metrocard - I live in NYC- Queens work in Manhattan. I take the bus and subway to work - no way around it.

Then I pay $60/month on gas for my car. I have to pick up my kids after work. I go home get my car to go get my kids.

Because of where I live Queens - a outer boro I often take a private express bus to the subway if I'm running late $3 a day for me and my daughter. I'd have to pay $2 a day for her anyway so this only costs me $1 extra.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-25-2003
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 11:10am

Because I drive to people's homes, my gas costs are very high. I spend $60-80 on gas each week, plus $120/month on insurance, and I'm estimating $100/month on repairs/maintenance (haven't had to do any yet, but need to budget for it). As well, our car payment is currently $165/month. This is a total of $665 on transportation, not counting the fact that right now it is too cold to wash our car by hand, so we use the car wash twice a month - that comes out of our allowances.

We've never run out of gas money. We don't get paid if we don't work, so we always have gas money. I have a mini emergency fund hidden in the car for if we literally run out of cash, so we don't use a credit card.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2003
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 11:41am

You are all going to HATE me. I pay $15 a month for a bus pass, and the bus stops a block from my house and right in front of my work. I am only a 20 minute walk from work, no hills, and I enjoy walking on days that the weather is nice. If I ride my bike, I get to work faster than the bus. Did I mention I'm loving my new job? :)

I'm going to get rid of my car in April when the car insurance expires. That will save me about $500 per year on insurance I don't need.

*ducks and runs* hehe.



iVillage Member
Registered: 12-05-2004
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 11:57am
Dh's employer offers free parking in their parking deck, so we pay nothing for that. He's got a full-size car, and it takes usually $25 in gas each week to get him to and from work.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 1:09pm

$19.65 for bus and subway. Although I just found out my bus company will be offering discount, unlimited monthly passes at a cheaper rate than my normal fare, the subway fare is going up, so it will end up about the same.

It is figured in my monthly budget. My company does transit check, which means you can deduct $105 per month from your paycheck pre-tax to use toward commuting expenses. (This saves about $30 in taxes.) You can either get a subway card or "Transit Checks" to use with your transporation company. It doesn't cover my full cost, but it helps.

I only get paid twice a month, so the first thing I do is get my tickets to last until the next pay period. Not going to work is not an option, so covering cost is high on my list of priorites.

There are ride sharing websites tht help commuters hook up with one another. Van Pools are also very economical, if your schedule fits to theirs.

And yes, it is worth it for me to commute. I have a good job and DH stays home with DD. Company pays all our benefits which makes it worth while. (I am the director of my office and I have seen the medical premiums for my family -$1,700 - not including the cost of Vision, Dental, ADD, Life STD, LTD and LTC) I also love my job and have quite a few commuting friends. I have been commuting for 10 years (Good Lord- have I been at this job that long!)

Good luck!

Avatar for mahopac
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-1997
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 2:09pm

I drive 35 miles round trip to work, and my car gets about 30mpg, so it's about the price of a gallon of gas, right now $10-12/week.

I always use Amex for gas because I can pay at the pump and I have to pay the bill within a month. Plus, I'm not going to buy more gas just because it's on Amex. ;)

Kelly

Avatar for cl_phocid
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 02-18-2005 - 9:15pm

When I take the bus, it costs me $2.70/day.


When I drive, it costs me $8.50/day.


Definitely worth it to take the bus!

All my best,
Danni

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 02-19-2005 - 7:46am
We spend $15/week on gas. Just paid our car off, so no payment. We spend probably an average of $25 mon on repairs. So that's about $85/month. Not bad although I wish so bad we had a warranty and didn't have to pay for most repairs! LOL
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2004
Sat, 02-19-2005 - 9:43pm
I pay $70 per month in gas (total, but most is for going to work) and about $65 per month in tolls. No parking costs.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-20-2004
Wed, 02-23-2005 - 8:57pm

It's 26 miles round trip, figuring $2/gallon
and 34 mpg = 1.53/day.

5-6 months per year I ride the motorbike,
its 48 mpg = 1.08/day.

WOW, I didn't know it was so high to think of it like that!

No car payment or anything, just insurance, maintanence and repairs.

(although actual costs are really higher oh gym days since
it adds about 8 more miles to the trip)

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