Working World

Last issue, this column discussed the high cost of commuting in and around Los Angeles and we suggested public transportation and car pooling as thriftier alternatives to driving your own car to work every day. However, if you find that using your own wheels is unavoidable and sharing a ride isn’t practical, there are still ways of easing the financial pinch of driving your vehicle.
 
Telecommuting

If getting to work is expensive, maybe you just need to go there less often. More and more employers are willing to consider telecommuting for certain employees. If you have proven yourself a reliable and productive employee and you have the equipment, space and privacy needed to do the job from home, approach your boss with the idea of allowing this arrangement one or two days a week.

There is a lot to be said for being in the office and being “in the loop”: Information gleaned from on-site meetings or even informal discussions is valuable, as is maintaining in-person relationships with colleagues. But with so much technology that makes it easy to communicate with coworkers, clients and vendors 24/7 from anywhere, why  still sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic, wasting time and fuel?

If you can prove that the same amount of work will be done, the benefits to both parties can be significant. Point out to your manager that instituting the practice when it is appropriate can reduce parking space requirements for the company and make better use of existing on-site equipment. It’s a great recruitment tool when hiring new workers who may be interested in this arrangement, and it boosts morale of incumbent employees and could even be used as part of a rewards system for high achievers.

It is an energy-saving solution that reduces traffic, is good for the community, and helps the company’s image as a “green,” employee-focused workplace that is conscious of work-life balance. As the employee, not only do you save car-related expenses, you’ll save on dry cleaning, lunching out and maybe even child care.

Being flexible to where people need to physically be in order to get the work done can solve a multitude of problems. If the type of work you do is conducive to telecommuting, it is worth discussing with your supervisor to explore the possibility on a part-time basis.

Using the Car

If you do drive your car, in spite of the reduction in gas prices from last summer’s heart-stopping $4.50 a gallon, it’s still wise to shop for the cheapest gasoline. There are so many other things to spend your limited funds on.

A great website to locate low prices in your neighborhood is www.losangelesgasprices.com, where the data is never more than 36 hours old. Here you can find a list of gas stations, their addresses and today’s prices. And remember the details that help that cheap gas go further: Don’t carry heavy, unnecessary items in the trunk that will increase the weight of the car, and keep your tires properly inflated. 

Driving a car will never be cheap, but if we have to go to work, at least we should make getting there as painless as possible.  

Suzanne Ridgway is a freelance writer and regular columnist/contributor Working World and Working Nurse magazines. Suzanne also writes grant proposals for nonprofit organizations.