The Cost of Working

I already e-mailed this to Ken, but I think I hadda post it too. I've been hearing about people shifting to four day work weeks to save on gas. That's one of my biggest issues - the rising cost of commuting to work. Especially when I drive the jeep which gets about 17 mpg.

So - I thought maybe I should ask for a four day work week. For me the added benefit would be an extra day I can keep the baby out of daycare and that related savings. But just what would that savings be? Well, with consideration for my cars mileage (the Honda and the Jeep), teh cost of gas, the number of miles to and from work, the hourly and daily cost of childcare, vacation time, holidays, sick days, etc. ALL considered:

HONDA

• 38.66 per week
• 45.86 per week if you factor in that I'd save another 7.20 per week by picking up my daughter 1/2 hour earlier each day from daycare
• 198.57 per month
• 1,700 to 2,100 per year

JEEP

• 43.06 per week
• 50.26 per week if you factor in the shorter daycare days
• 217.63 per month
• 1,980 to 2,300 per year

Right now the cost of just gas to get me to and from work plus daycare is:

• 8,891/yr (HONDA); or
• 9,903/yr (JEEP)

Tell me. Is that ridiculous or what??? That's the actual net cost just to cover the expenses that allow me to get to and from work, and which allow me to work at all by providing child care for my toddler.

Now to do the more involved calculations of factoring the value of work through employer sponsored insurance; paid holidays and vacation time; and whatever other benefits (slight tho they might be) my employer provides.....well that's just beyond me at this point.

Peace