For most people commuting is an annoying and costly necessity. Few people like that cramped up, rushed feeling in the morning from public transport, or driving when there are so many other cars on the road. However a lot of people tend to spend a lot more money than they really need to every year on their traveling. There are in fact lots of ways that you can save a substantial amount on commuting that are very easy to implement.
Firstly never leave the house without some food and a drink you have prepared at home. Either that or having had a full breakfast so that you aren’t hungry. That way you aren’t tempted to pay over the top price in the train station or at the corner shop on the way. All too often in the past I found myself paying much more than I should have been for overpriced, unhealthy food when on a journey. This may not seem like much but over the course of a few weeks even can run into hundreds of dollars saved. And being less hungry will make you less stressed in general, particularly if you get caught in traffic etc.
Car-pooling is something that a lot of people also do to save money these days. And with the cost of fuel rising ever higher by the day almost, this can be a good way to save yourself money. It will mean a little extra time on your journey each day, but if you only share your car with one other person you will already be using half as much fuel as usual. Many cities in the United States also have car pool only lanes on highways as well. So not only can you save yourself money, but also you can often cut journey times as well.
Another good way to save a hell of a lot of money over a year is to buy in bulk when it comes to your travel. By this I mean purchasing things such as yearlong train tickets, prearranged taxi fairs and pick-ups and yearlong bus passes. Sometimes taxi drivers will even give discounts for block bookings, so shopping around between the different companies in your town can really pay off as well. These kinds of items will always be available at a sizable discount, which will mean in real terms that you are getting a lot of trips for free. Not having to worry about the costs of these kinds of things for the rest of the year is always nice as well, and can put your mind at rest if money becomes tighter at certain times of year.
Also if you are intending to get the train then leaving a little earlier or later for work can save you a lot as well. Peak time fares can often cost up to double what off peak does. Meaning if you can leave in an off peak time you can literally cut your train fares in half instantly. Many jobs will either let you start and finish earlier or later, or you can use the time of getting there early to relax and get a head start. And then for leaving later you could take a free class etc near where you work.
If you like many other Americans today have a very large car for no good reason, then considering getting something smaller is a good way of saving. Personally I know people who moan about how expensive it is to drive around and how they cant afford it. And then go and drive around in huge SUV or off road vehicles that they don’t need. If you were to go to a European city you generally see much smaller cars and so people can save themselves money on fuel and drive as much as they want.