If you’re like many Americans, you hardly give commuting a second thought. Making your daily drive is simply part of the job–it’s not a big deal, right?

In truth, all those extra miles can be costly, both in terms of dollars and time. To help illustrate just how costly, let’s look at an example:

Let’s say you and your significant other each commute 20 miles, one-way, to work. While that commute may be on the long side (the average commute is 16 miles one-way), it is certainly not out of the ordinary. Plenty of people make a 20-mile drive on a regular basis, and some go much farther (not to mention the extra mile or two you might put in over lunch to grab a bite to eat).

In this scenario, each person would put 40 miles under their belts, or 80 miles total, every day of the week. Using the current federal standard mileage rate, the cost per mile is $.58. That means, this particular couple is spending $46.40 each day, $232.00 each week, and a whopping $12,064 every single year! That amounts to over $120,000 every ten years, and over $360,000 every 30 years (the length of a typical mortgage).

Crunching the numbers gives a lot of perspective to those who are either looking to A) purchase a new home or B) find a new job. The closer your home is to your place of employment, the better. Each mile you shave off your commute counts! If our sample couple was able to shave 10 miles each off their commute, that would amount to tens of thousands of dollars in savings within only a few years. Even if their new home is a little more expensive than the old one, it’s worth it.

Now, let’s look at another factor of commuting: TIME.

It’s difficult to measure the true cost of time because, in my mind, it is nearly priceless. If our sample couple spent an hour each on the road every day, that’s two hours total, or 14 hours every week. In one year, that amounts to 728 hours or over 30 DAYS of driving. That’s 728 hours they could be spending with their children, their friends, or each other. That’s extra time they could be using to go to the gym or cook a nutritious meal.

Sure, you could spend that time in the car unwinding or listening to an audiobook, but wouldn’t you rather have a choice when it comes to spending your after-work time? Time is precious, and if you can skim some hours off your commute each year, do it!

So, now you know the true cost of commuting, but what can you possibly do to improve your current situation? Realistically, not everyone can switch jobs or immediately relocate. What to do?

Here are a few ideas:

  • Work remotely as often as possible. Even one day per week will make a big difference
  • Carpool! Share your time and expenses with a companion or two
  • Take public transit. You might be surprised by how easy it is to use a park-and-ride or a commuter rail.

No matter how you decide to decrease your daily commute, it’s worth thinking about. Give one of my suggestions a try or, at the very least, keep these calculations in mind when you’re looking at purchasing a new home.

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