Following the Covid lockdowns, many companies discovered that their employees could do their jobs just as well from home. This led to the rising popularity of remote work, as well as hybrid contracts that give workers freedom to choose if they work in the office and the rest at home.
For those fortunate enough to choose where they do their work, many factors are involved in the decision – ranging from family responsibilities to levels of comfort. Yet, personal finances are likely the most pressing consideration for you if you’re weighing up where to work from.
With this in mind, we’ve written this short article to explore the different aspects that determine if it’s cheaper to work from home.
Commuting
Not needing to travel is the most obvious difference that comes to mind when considering working remotely vs. in an office. In addition to avoiding traffic jams, and potential accidents due to rush hour traffic, you’ll also remove the costs of your daily commute – whether that’s from car fuel prices or public transport tickets.
Energy bills
Even though the UK Government offers tax relief for employees working at home, it likely isn’t enough to offset the rising cost of living.
Thanks to soaring gas prices, commuting to the office might be a more cost-effective option than working from home this winter.
Equipment
If you’re going to work remotely for most of your week, you’ll need to get yourself the right furniture to support this such as a desk and office chair. And unless you’re fortunate enough to have company hardware, including a computer, monitor, mouse, and keyboard, you’ll need to buy these for yourself as well.
Put together, these costs mean that working from home effectively requires a considerable up-front cost. And that’s without considering insurance or any future repairs.
Food
One of the major perceived advantages of working from home is being able to make lunches in your kitchen, removing the need to spend more eating out.
And for the most part, this is true as you can put together a few days’ worth of lunches at the same cost as even the cheapest supermarket meal deal.
It’s also worth considering the money you might save on snacks throughout the day, as well as breakfast if you’d usually stop at a café on the way to the office.
So, what’s the verdict?
Ultimately, whether working from home is cheaper for you depends on your own personal circumstances. You’ll need to take a deep look at your own position to truly know which option will help you save money.
But when you do, look at the aspects we’ve highlighted above to get started on the right track.
Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.Â
