You have a job to make money and provide for your family, but the simple act of going to work might cost you thousands of dollars every single year!
Read more: Consider these 11 jobs that pay $100,000 or more
A new CareerBuilder survey of more than 3,000 private sector workers found that people spend an average $276 a month to go to work, which is about $3,300 a year. Expenses include things like driving, public transportation, coffee, lunch, day care, pet care and clothing.
Here’s a closer look at how much people are spending in these categories:
Nearly 85% of workers from the study get to work by driving, which means they’ll probably have to fill up the gas tank weekly. The good news is that gas prices are down. Most workers surveyed are spending less than $25 a week on gas. If you live nearby your office, you can consider walking or biking to save money. Carpooling is another solid option.
Read more: Buying gas from a station on this list is better for your car
If you’re not driving, walking or biking to work, then you’re probably taking public transportation. The study found nearly half of those who take a train or bus to work spend $25 or more on fares each week, which is equal to what many pay for gas. But keep in mind that public transportation is common in bigger cities, and sometimes it can eliminate the need for a car altogether.
The CareerBuilder study found that 72% of workers say they bring their lunch to the office, but half of those who buy lunch spend $25 or more a week. You can save money in this category by doing weekly meal planning and keeping snacks in your desk drawer to avoid trips to the vending machine.
Read more: Save some money with these easy brown bag lunch tips
Nearly 30% of working parents with children living at home say they spend money on day care every month, according to the survey. And these costs can be very high. More than a third say they spend $500 or more per month to have someone else watch their kids.
More than half of pet owners surveyed spend $10 or less per week on pet care. But for people who spend more, maybe a trusted family member, friend or neighbor can help pick up some of the dog walking duties. If they have a pet of their own, you can always offer to help them out in return.
Read more: 7 pet care savings tips
Nearly half of those who took the CareerBuilder survey say they visit a coffee shop during a typical work week. To save yourself a few bucks, buy your favorite brand of coffee at the grocery store, brew it at home and take it to work in a travel mug. If you must visit a coffee shop, look for discounted gift cards on sites like Raise.com and download your store’s app for coupons.
Unless you have the luxury of working from home, you’ll have to get dressed to go to work. In the study, 47% of people said they spend $250 or more a year on clothing. To stretch your dollar further, look for clearance sales on timeless and classic pieces that will last a long time.
Read more: 9 tricks to slash spending on clothes
How much are you spending to go to work? Remember, the study’s average was $276 a month or $3,300 a year. Once you add up your work-related expenses, subtract that total from your earnings to see how much of an impact it makes.
And if you have a unique way to save money on these expenses, we would love to hear about it on Facebook and Twitter!
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