The Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020 and 2021 has brought many changes to our lives. We all find ourselves hoping that we’ll soon be able to go into a store or restaurant without a mas and be able to enjoy a movie or a ballgame in person. Many people over the world have also shifted from working in a shared Office space to working remotely from home. This change has brought with it some clear positives and negatives, and people are very divided on whether or not they enjoy remote work. As the pandemic numbers continue to drop and things begin to normalize, employees will be given a choice on whether or not they want to return to the office. There are many things to consider for a decision like this, including your ability to be productive in each environment, and the potential cost Savings of working remotely. In this article, we’ll dig into some of those cost savings.

The Lack of a Commute

In the absence of a commute, the amount of money that can be saved in gas alone can be hundreds of dollars each month. That’s enough to help you start making progress in paying off debts or in starting to build up your savings. But the savings on your car go well beyond the frequency with which you will be filling up your tank. Less miles on your car also means that your vehicle will need maintenance less often. It takes a lot longer to hit that 3000 mile number on your oil change sticker when you aren’t driving to and from work each day. Your car also will need to get washed much less often if it is sitting comfortably in your garage on bad weather days. Finally, one of the biggest opportunities for savings can be through your insurance company. Most of the large companies offer a savings program if you agree to put a tracker in your vehicle. When they see that your mileage has dropped off considerably, it can result in savings of 50% or more on your insurance premiums.

Homemade Lunches

One of the best parts about going into the office is the socialization with your coworkers. A big part of that is going out to lunch. Sharing a meal has long been a way to network and grow friendships, and It gives you a chance to talk about things both work-related and not. But it also comes with a price. The average lunch runs north of $10, and this can really add up over multiple weeks and months. Preparing meals at home is much more affordable, and has the added bonus of often being healthier. If you take the time to meal prep, you can save even more.

A Cup of Coffee

The idea that you can get rich by stopping buying a Coffee every day is a bit played out in the personal finance blog community. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some truth to the idea. Making a pot of coffee at home is quite cheap, and a cup of coffee can literally cost you pennies. There is nothing wrong with splurging on a latte every once in a while, but you’ll likely find the temptation fades quickly when you realize that you’ll have to go out and wait in that long Starbucks drive-thru line.

Life in Sweatpants

Many offices have relaxed their dress-code in recent years, but that doesn’t change the fact that dressing down even further is a big part of working from home. The simple fact is that sweatpants and t-shirts are much cheaper than buying khakis and button-ups. Opting for a dressed-down wardrobe can easily save you hundreds dollars each year, and has the added benefit of being super comfy.

Tax Benefits

Last but not least, there are some cost savings that come from designation a part of your home as an office. You can deduct your home internet (and likely cell phone), and even a portion of your electricity, gas, water, and trash bills. In addition, you can deduct any equipment or furniture that was purchased as part of your home office. This includes desks, chairs, computers, monitors, work-related books and more.