We are having a managers' meeting at work today, which means I have to go in two hours early. The meeting probably won't last very long, but I have to drive almost 30 minutes to get to work, so there's no way I'm coming back home again, then going back to work at 5.
I love being in the country, but one of the disadvantages is not being in close proximity to my work and shopping. Still, I feel the trade-off is worth it for now. I'm not sure I'd make a good city dweller!
The distance to my job and shopping, though, is just one of the reasons I want to create income from home. I'd like to know I can pay all my bills and live comfortably without having to leave my house for hours every day, have certain clothes only for my job, and use the gas in my car for traveling back and forth to work.
Right now, I'm spending about $30 a week for gas. The way I look at it, I'm actually reducing my work income by $120 a month because of that. Add to that the wear and tear on my car and additional maintenance because of all the miles driven, and the cost of driving to work and back goes up to an estimated $200 per month. (I'm averaging the more frequent oil changes and tire replacement that accrue over a year's time.) Some of that money would be spent anyway for normal activities, but it would be far less.
I'm also doing laundry more often because I need to keep my work clothes clean. Of course, I'd do laundry but it wouldn't be as often so I wouldn't be spending as much on detergent, water, and electricity. If I worked from home, I could reduce my laundry expenses by about half. I estimate that now, I'm spending $15 a month on laundry detergents, and I'm using about $20 a month in additional utilities.
Since I only wear skirts to work, I'm having to make sure I have pantyhose or tights in good condition. Those are purchases I wouldn't have to make as often if I were only working from home. Tights can cost up to $9 a pair, unless I find them on sale. Pantyhose can cost up to $5 a pair since I wear support hose at work. I replace a few pairs a month because of runs. Before, I only bought hose or tights a few times a year! So, the hose/tights cost me around $20 a month.
The shoes I wear to work cost me about $25 a pair. I wouldn't buy them at all if not for working! I would only buy shoes I like that are on sale, and those only a couple of times a year. Because I'm on my feet through my whole shift, my work shoes wear out and become uncomfortable in a couple of months. Some there claim to wear theirs for a year, but their shoes are cracked on the sole and on the upper, and the inner support is shot, so they're actually wearing them far beyond their usefulness.
So, today, I'm having to cut my home time short because of a managers' meeting. I already feel I don't have enough time at home to accomplish the things I need to!
