4 Ways to Save Money on Your Commute to Work

The coronavirus pandemic has made busy public transport spaces a no-go zone for many people all over the UK.

This means that commuting to work by car might be the safest bet for the time being. Driving to and from work each day does mean you’ll feel the pinch on your budget at the end of the month, though. You may even have to cut back on some of the things you actually enjoy doing (the horror!).

There’s no need to turn to your credit card, okay. We’re here to share some practical tips to help you save money on your commute.
 

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How to Save Money on Your Commute to Work

These strange times will eventually blow over, and when that day comes, it would be great to have some extra cash for a holiday, or to buy tickets to Old Trafford for a long overdue rugby game, right?

From renting a monthly parking space to getting smarter about cutting costs at the petrol pump, the following tips will help you to reduce your commuting costs in the coming months to save for whatever your heart desires.
 

1) Rent a monthly parking space

Finding cheap parking is a hard feat no matter where in the world you are, but especially so if you live in a big city. This is particularly true when you look at some of the most prominent cities closer to home.

As the beating heart of the UK's economy, parking in London can be notoriously expensive. People typically prefer to park and ride rather than having to hedge their bets on consistently finding parking in Manchester. You might think that parking in Birmingham would be easier, but statistics suggest that there are 52 cars for each registered parking bay in the city. Ouch.

Don’t trouble yourself with wasting precious time searching for an expensive parking bay each day. There is a much simpler solution that will make your life a lot easier.

Thanks to Stashbee, parking bay renters and prospective tenants (that’s you!) can connect through a large online map. The good news? You know exactly how much you’re going to spend - and roughly save - on parking each month. You won’t have to break your head over where you’ve parked your car again either - you’ll have the same spot every time. Living like a local!
 

 

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2) Save money at the pumps

Another way to save money on your work commute is to do whatever you can to reduce your petrol use. We’re not kidding when we say that some people have saved up to £800 a year on petrol just by making tiny changes to their driving habits. Here are their tips below:

• Start by lowering your overall speed during the commute
• Practice changing gears earlier to burn less petrol on the journey
• Avoid sharp acceleration or braking
• Regularly check your tyre pressure, as under-inflated tyres might increase total petrol consumption
• Air conditioning might feel great, but it uses a ridiculous amount of petrol, so consider giving it a skip in the non-summer months. If that sounds less than ideal, try turning it down to the lowest setting for a set amount of minutes each day
• House cleanups were all the rage when lockdown started. How about doing the same for your car? The lighter the vehicle, the less petrol it uses. We promise your bank statement will thank you later

House cleanups were all the rage when lockdown started. How about doing the same for your car? The lighter the vehicle, the less petrol it uses. We promise your bank statement will thank you later
 

3) Steering clear of rush hour

Another useful way to cut back on petrol spending is to commute outside of rush hour. Even leaving just five or ten minutes earlier can reduce your monthly petrol consumption and save you some money.

Perhaps you can even negotiate with your employer to go into the office earlier, or start later to skip the rush altogether. If you’re planning on staying late, we’ve already let you know what to do to bag a parking spot close to the office to shorten the walk to the car at night.

The coronavirus pandemic has already opened doors for employees to ask for smarter working hours. It can’t hurt to ask about a 4 day work week of 10 hours a day as an alternative to the conventional 5 day week. This cuts you commuting costs by 20% right away, and in case you hadn’t noticed, you’d also get to enjoy a three day weekend each week!
 

 

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4) Move closer to the office

Although it might seem a bit drastic, moving closer to the office — especially if you have to commute more than two hours a day — will definitely help you cut back on travel expenses.

Covering a shorter distance reduces your spend at the pumps and also puts less miles on the dash. In the long run it will increase the lifespan of your car, and also give you the chance to catch an extra forty winks in the morning. It’s a win-win, really.

We’re aware that this option isn’t for everyone. We wouldn’t recommend it if you’ve just started a new job or settled into a new space. It doesn’t make sense to move if the new living space will be more expensive than your existing one either.

That’s not to say you won’t find a good deal, and if you’re serious about avoiding public transport for at least the next year or two, it might be an option worth keeping on the table.
 

 

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Living with a savings mindset

Going about your business in the middle of a global pandemic is hard work. The coronavirus might still be a part of our lives for some time, and if this is the case, living with a savings mindset now can make all the difference later.

Saving money on your morning commute will set you up nicely for when life returns to some kind of normalcy. What’s more, you’ll end up with extra money in your pocket. Imagine getting to spend it on all the simple pleasures that were taken away from us this year. 

We can’t wait!

 

Find parking

 

Browse parking spaces for rent

Find parking