Ways To Save Money When You’re Back In The Office

I’ve been in my current job since April 2020 so have never experienced a ‘normal’ week at work. I’ve mainly worked from home and done the odd week working one day a week in the office. And I love it. I feel like I am more productive at home and I have a better work life balance as I don’t have to commute, I can send time with the kittens during my breaks, I can workout during lunchtime and I just prefer it.

Those of you who have been in the same situation as me I’m sure have felt the same. The one day a week there is great for the social side and specific work meetings that are better in person. And another massive thing is the expense. As I’m back in the office today I’ve been looking for ways to save money when you’re back in the office.

There’s so much to think about from travel costs like fuel or trains to food and snacks. With so many of us working from home for significant periods of time now the shock of going back will show in our back accounts.

How to save money when you’re back in the office

Bring your own lunch with you

Yes this is probably the easiest way to save money when you’re back in the office. But bring in your own lunch! It might feel like a pain to prep your lunch the night before but it can save you so much money in the long run, especially if you’re back a few days a week. Think about batch cooking at the weekend and making up your lunches. Or make an extra portion when you’re cooking dinner to save for a lunch later that week.

Save money when you’re back in the office by not forgetting the snacks

Working from home means you’re never far away from the kitchen cupboards or fridge. So you can grab a snack whenever you’re hungry. By mid afternoon I usually get a bit of a slump and need a treat (or two) to get me through to the end of the day. It’s all well bringing your own lunch in, but if you forget the snacks you could end up spending money everyday that you don’t need to. A multi pack of snack bars or crisps from the supermarket will be far cheaper than buying from the vending machine or canteen.

Take your own hot drinks

It almost feels like a right of passage to buy a coffee during your morning commute. But with the average price of a cup of coffee around £2.45 this can soon add up, especially if you buy a second one on your way home. Make up a hot drink from home and take it with you for your commute. And make use of any complimentary tea and coffee facilities you may have in your office during the day to stop the spending.

Save money when you’re back in the office by making the most of office perks

Not every office will have perks but take advantage of any you may from free fruit to free gym access on site. When I used to work at ASOS I used to love using the gym to do a class before work and then shower and get ready there. It saved me spending on a gym membership. You may have free breakfast, or retail discounts. Whatever there is make the most of them.

Take advantage of travel passes you’re entitled to

I did a whole post about saving money when you travel to work by train so take a look. But make sure you look into travel passes you may be able to use such as the flexi season ticket allowing you to travel 8 times within a 28 day period on the season ticket. Great for those back in 2-3 days a week.

And if you’re back in the office full time (poor you!) make use of weekly, monthly or annual travel passes. And check out if your workplace offer a travel scheme where they pay for your ticket and it gets paid back monthly through your wages. This way you’re not footing the initial bill and spreading the cost over the whole year.

See if you’re entitled to the tax free childcare scheme

Childcare is expensive so to save money when you’re back in the office looking into the tax free childcare scheme. For parents looking for childcare support the scheme will grant you up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2k a year) for each of your kids to assist with the cost of childcare.

Under the scheme, you pay 80% of childcare costs per child, and the Government will pay the remaining 20%. Check if you’re eligible and apply here.

How are you planning to save money when you’re back in the office?

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