Today I’m sharing 5 ways to save money when working from home. One of the things I love most about being a freelance writer / blogger is the fact I can work from home. For me, an office based 9-5 just isn’t an option, as my home life is too hectic and unpredictable.

Now I’ve been working from home for several years, I feel I’m well placed to share some ideas on ways to save money when working from home. Read on to find out what changes I’ve made to make it more cost effective working from the house.

Ways to save money when working from home

The first thing I changed was my utility provider. I shopped around to make sure I was on the best deal for gas and electric. This alone saved me over £300 per year. Next, I switched to buying compatible printer cartridges. I have an HP laser jet printer which takes HP M281FDW Cartridges. The RRP on the official black cartridge is £67.99. Cartridge Save sell a compatible one for £29.59 with free next day delivery. Alternatively, consider renting a printer or photocopier to save on upfront costs.

Commute Costs

When you’re working from home, you will of course avoid the cost of your usual commute to work. This is one of the most obvious ways to save money when working from home. Chances are you either have to pay for fuel, parking or a public transport ticket to get to and from work. When I last had a 9-5, I was spending roughly £60 per month on fuel just for my commute.

Additionally, I’d have to pay for parking when I was based in the city centre. The amount of money I saved was around £100 per month by avoiding the commute. If you live in or around London, chances are you’ll save even more.

As well as the cost of your commute, you’ll also save on those lunches you inevitably bite when your sandwiches have gone soggy. (That, or they’ve been eaten for breakfast on the way into work). If you’re anything like me, you’ll save a fortune on take away coffee as well.

Keep Things Professional when working from home

One problem I kept having when I first began working from home was getting distracted by personal emails. I was constantly browsing online retailers and splurging on things when I should have been working. It got so bad that in the end, I removed my personal email account from my laptop so I wouldn’t be distracted in future.

Something else to consider is how much money you’re spending on heating your house when you’re working from home. Over the winter, I switched to turning off the heating in the daytime and putting the gas fire on as and when I needed to. This was great for several reasons. Firstly, I saved money on the central heating bill. Additionally, toilet and lunch breaks were significantly faster because the rest of the house was too cold to spend much time in.

5 Ways to Save Money When working From Home

For clarity, I figured I’d share a bullet list of ways to save money when working from home…

• Switch Energy / Internet provider if they are expensive.
• Batch cook meals to reheat for lunch, so you won’t be tempted with ordering in.
• Eat a proper breakfast before work, to minimise snacking.
• Use compatible ink cartridges in your printer.
• Turn down the heating / layer up.

Things To Consider

It’s not all money saving though. Working from home can mean big savings for some, but you will end up using more gas, electric and water than you usually would. Additionally, you’ll probably need to have a decent supply of paper, tea bags and milk. Finally, why not check out this post on getting organised when working from home.