Working from home is often seen as a way to save money. You don’t need to commute to an office. You don’t need to pay for lunch out of the house. Not having to travel means that you save time, and can get more done, and for many, productivity increases. But the rising cost of living all over the world means that this winter, things might be a little different. Using the heating more while fuel bills are higher, the rising costs of food and other increases to bills and supplies might mean that even when you factor in the money that you save on your commute, working from home is suddenly a very expensive prospect. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can save money while working from home this winter.
Table of Contents
Get Out of the House
Top business laptops mean that even when you work from home, you don’t actually have to work from home all of the time. Working from a coffee shop, and paying for a coffee or two, might cost less than having your heating on for hours. Other options, like working in local libraries are completely free, and some public spaces offer deals for remote workers where you pay a set fee for Wi-Fi and drinks all day.
Lower Your Thermostat
If you are working from home, you might worry about having to choose between either being cold or getting a huge bill this winter. But usually, lowering your thermostat by a degree or two won’t make too much difference to how cold you feel, but it will save you a lot of money. Another option here is to spend your working hours in one room and turn the radiators or heaters off in all of the others.
Find Old-Fashioned Ways to Keep Warm
Often, one of the best ways to save money and be kinder to the environment is to look back at how previous generations lived. The advice to put on a jumper might sound patronizing, but it is effective. Getting draft excluders, hot water bottles, thermal clothing, and yes, more jumpers are all great ways to keep warm and save money while you are working from home.
Cut Down on Snacks
One of the greatest dangers of working from home is that we’ll spend most of the day walking to and from the fridge for snacks. The rising cost of food, as well as the energy to cook it, mean that this is something you should try to cut down on this year. Planning your meals, and even preparing lunches can help.
Plan Trips Carefully
If you need to go out for a meeting or to pick up supplies, make sure you run any errands at the same time to cut down on fuel usage.
Work Flexibly
If you don’t have to work set hours, try to work around when it’s warmest, or when it’s easier to keep warm.
Working from home can still be a great way to save money, work more productively, and achieve a fantastic work-life balance. But this winter, if you want to cut costs, you might need to be more sensible, and plan a little more carefully.