The remote working revolution is, at this point, long behind us – having already more than made its mark on the fabric of UK employment culture, and changed the operating frameworks for almost every business in the process. The necessity of remote working during the coronavirus pandemic laid bare the possibilities of new tech innovations, and the many benefits employees could access as a result. Since then, the genie has been difficult to return to the bottle, with nearly a third of us home or hybrid working.

If you are one of those home or hybrid workers, you will already have enjoyed some of these crucial benefits. Improved morale and productivity, increased time with family and friends, and, of course, reduced costs associated with commuting and eating around office hours. However, while working from home can reduce costs in some areas, it can increase costs in others – so how can you continue to make savings as a remote worker?

Optimising Your Home Office Setup

One of the more immediate places that money can disappear into is the home office setup. Some investment is necessary to build up a work station at least somewhat equivalent to the desk you would have at work – and some employees may be able to access materials and equipment for free through their work in order to achieve this, too. Rather than spending hundreds on the right sit-stand desk, ergonomic office chair and top-flight computer equipment, you can instead budget more shrewdly for an effective set-up.

Manual sit-stand desks from flat-pack manufacturers offer excellent ergonomic benefits without the four-figure price point; buying slightly above entry level for office chairs ensures ergonomics without breaking the bank, too. Second-hand is not to be sniffed at, either, particularly with slightly outdated tech. A nearly-new second monitor could be half the price of a brand new one!

Smart Transportation Choices

Transport is the major area in which remote workers save money, having been unshackled from the expectations of office working with respect to morning and evening commutes. Some workers will have been expected to use expensive executive company cars, too, with associated petrol costs outside of work hours.

Many remote workers can more reliably rely on public transport when they do go into the office, but this doesn’t stand true all the time. Indeed, London-based remote workers might need to travel out of town every now and then, and ideally wouldn’t incur predatory rail prices in the process. This is nothing that can’t be solved by cruising through some used car dealers in Wimbledon to find an affordable, fuel-efficient hatchback.

Reducing Daily Living Expenses

Even outside of transport costs, there are general living costs that can take a heavy toll on your take-home pay. The simple act of feeding oneself has become vastly more expensive in recent years, with thanks to economic movements outside of our control. As a general rule, meal planning and batch-cooking is a better approach than takeaways and ready meals!

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