ok so I've been commuting to the office for about 4 years and I never really thought about what it was actually costing me. like I knew gas was expensive and parking wasn't cheap but I figured it's just part of having a job right
last month my wife asked me to track our expenses for a budget reset thing she wanted to do. so I did. and when I added up everything related to me going to work I felt sick
gas: $280/month (45 min each way, 5 days)
parking downtown: $225/month
car maintenance bump: ~$150/month (extra oil changes, tires, brakes from the mileage)
lunch out: ~$350/month (kept telling myself I'd bring food. I never did)
coffee: $120/month (two a day, don't judge me)
work clothes: ~$80/month averaged out (dry cleaning + replacing stuff)
tolls: $95/month
after-work drinks/socializing I wouldn't do otherwise: ~$200/month
total: roughly $1,500-1,700. some months closer to 2k when something breaks on the car or I need new shoes or whatever
that's $18-20K a year just to show up somewhere. not to do my job – to be physically present doing it
I make $72K. after taxes thats maybe $54K take home. so about a third of my actual income goes toward the privilege of sitting in traffic for 90 minutes a day
I haven't quit yet. don't have a remote offer lined up or anything dramatic. but seeing that number written down changed something in my head. I'm not "making $72K." I'm making like $52K once you account for the real cost of being there