Cheaper to work from home or office?

Kei

Hello,

I have a job which is quite flexible in terms of where I can work. My role is regional and although I do have an office base, I am able to also work from home.

I am trying to cut costs at the moment and I am wondering if it is cheaper to work from home or commute to the office (with a packed lunch, of course!). The office is a 40 mile round trip and I pay 12p per personal mile (company car) so £4.80 to get to the office and back. Parking is free in the company car park.

However, I can do the same work from home, and often choose to do so. But, I have to use my own wi-fi, electric, gas (for heating and boiling kettle for tea). Just wondering if anyone has ever worked out the 'cost' of a day of working from home?

Thank you!

bap98189

I don't know how big your house is, but averaged out over a year our gas/electricity bills combined come to just under £1.50/day. Assuming that you will be heating the place in the evening anyway and using gas/leccy to cook etc., I think it is highly unlikely you would save £4.80 per day on electricity/gas.

lulu650

Don't forget time is money.

Presumably you will be saving at least an hour in travelling time depending on the traffic situation.
You're also avoiding those frosty, cold mornings scraping the ice off your car
No getting office clothes ready
Do you have to slap on make-up?

In fact, slide out of bed with your pajamas on, get the work done and finished by late afternoon. Works for me

AP007

Take meter reading of the gas and elec etc and work out the cost.

System

lulu650 wrote: »

Don't forget time is money.

Presumably you will be saving at least an hour in travelling time depending on the traffic situation.
You're also avoiding those frosty, cold mornings scraping the ice off your car
No getting office clothes ready
Do you have to slap on make-up?

In fact, slide out of bed with your pajamas on, get the work done and finished by late afternoon. Works for me

Time isn't really money though. If you're salaried and not paid by the hour it makes no real financial difference the fact the OP is not wasting an hour travelling.

Saying that it's cheaper to work from home. Wifi costs are negligible and if you're worried about heating put a jumper on.

Kei

Hey lulu,

You pretty much just described my typical work from home day.... yesterday I had to visit a site, I put make-up on for the first time in nearly a week and it was weird.

There are a couple of things I miss when working from home though - mainly the social aspect. I also start to go a little crazy if I don't leave the house for a couple of days!!

Definitely do not miss the commute nor the defrosting of the car. Big plus

somethingcorporate

goater78 wrote: »

Time isn't really money though. If you're salaried and not paid by the hour it makes no real financial difference the fact the OP is not wasting an hour travelling.

True, but they get an extra hour "me" or family time every day. Far superior to sitting in traffic if you ask me! This is far more valuable than anything else imo.

lulu650

I tend to use the phrase "time is money" as meaning, in this case, extra time could be spent making money. That is, use that free time to research cost cutting ideas, look for a better paid job, get a second job, study.......the list is endless

System

somethingcorporate wrote: »

True, but they get an extra hour "me" or family time every day. Far superior to sitting in traffic if you ask me! This is far more valuable than anything else imo.

It's still not money.

The OP is trying to cut their financial costs. They've not mentioned anything none financial as being a motivation for working from home.

As no information has been provided about the OP's personal situation or personality it's currently irrelevant to impose your own personal likes on a situation you know pretty much nothing about!

lulu650

Kei wrote: »

... There are a couple of things I miss when working from home though - mainly the social aspect. I also start to go a little crazy if I don't leave the house for a couple of days!!...:D

If you mean stir crazy, yes, I can understand that. It's taken me a long time to get used to working from home although half my working week is spent in meetings and travelling anyway. Working from home does mean that any travelling time is part of my working paid hours though.

Out of interest, have you explored the home working allowances with your firm. See link here;
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/relief-household.htm

System

lulu650 wrote: »

I tend to use the phrase "time is money" as meaning, in this case, extra time could be spent making money. That is, use that free time to research cost cutting ideas, look for a better paid job, get a second job, study.......the list is endless

The list is not endless....

You do love your sayings