Let me guess… you’re overworked and underpaid, right?
I hate to break it to you, but you’re even more underpaid than you think you are. Because it turns out there are several hidden costs of working a 9 to 5 job!
At this point, some may say that it always takes money to make money. So, whether you work for someone else, have your own business, or are an investor, you’re going to pay something.
That’s true, of course, expenses are always there. But if you’re underpaid, it’s most likely because you’re working for someone else.
But hey, I’m not just here to harp on and on about problems. We’re also going to talk about things you can do to reduce those costs as well.
Below, we have 6 different ways your 9 to 5 job is costing you money and what you can do about it!
Contents
1) De-stressing from your job costs you
Make no bones about it, the most common expense of working a 9 to 5 job is the cost of de-stressing.
Working for someone else is stressful. Having to perform and be “on” all the time while dealing with your boss’ and coworker’s B.S. can really suck the life out of you.
That soul-sucking daily grind comes with costs; physical and mental, mostly. And if you’re not careful, unwinding from that stress will cost you financially as well.
Whether it’s retail therapy, going out to party to forget the terrible day you had, or just sitting at home with a bowl of your favorite comfort food…you’re going to pay.
Related Post: Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps to Financial Freedom.
What you can do about it
It’s possible to de-stress without sucking your bank account dry. But you’ll have to switch from a fun consumer mentality to a fun creator mentality.
Fun consumers, as the name implies, consume things for fun. You go out to the stores, go out for drinks, go out to an event, etc.
Basically, you’re going out to spend money.
Fun creators, on the other hand…well, they create their own fun. Whether it’s playing interactive games, going out for walks, exercising, singing, dancing, etc. These things usually don’t cost much, if any, money.
The point is, your job is costing you money, but with a simple change in mindset, you can cut back on that expense.
Protip: If you’re tired of stressing over your 9 to 5 job, you should consider starting your own business. And in this digital age, it’s easier than ever! Start your own money-making blog with Bluehost, earn enough to leave your 9 to 5 job, and stop having to deal with other people’s B.S. Learn everything you need to know to get started in our epic post here!
2) You spend money getting to work
You know, a few years ago, I would drive an hour to work in the morning, and an hour from work in the evenings. That commute cost me a small fortune in gas every month…not to mention a lot of patience since I was stuck in traffic every morning.
Your commute may be longer or shorter than mine was, but it almost certainly costs you more than you want to pay.
When we drive, there’s not only the cost of gas, but there’s also wear and tear on your car that’s eventually going to cost you big.
And if you live in a city with tolls (hey there, New York!), you can rack up steep costs fast.
And don’t even get me started on the rush hour traffic!
What you can do about it
An alternative that can lower your commuting costs to zero is walking or bicycling. Of course, that’s only an option if you live relatively close to your workplace.
Depending on your city, another option may be public transportation.
But even if you don’t live close, there are ways to reduce your driving expenses.
Start by driving more efficiently. To save fuel:
- Drive more slowly
- Shift gears sooner
- Don’t accelerate or brake too sharply
- Avoid using your car A/C as much as possible
- Leave for work earlier or go home later to avoid rush hour traffic and save gas.
- Make sure your tires are correctly inflated to decrease your car’s fuel consumption
- Clear out your trunk. By lowering your car’s load, you’ll save on gas as as well.
- Another option is to carpool with any coworkers who live nearby.
3) You spend money dressing the part
When you were hired for your latest job, what’s the first thing you did? After jumping for joy, you most likely went to buy new clothes.
Even if we have work clothes already, many of us like to get something new for our new gig. And looking the part is a job cost that many people don’t consider, but it could cost you a pretty penny.
Related Post: Tax refund Cost You Money.
What you can do about it
Don’t follow fashion trends too closely: Buying new clothes every season is going to increase your yearly clothes expense exponentially. Instead, you can buy the occasional season-friendly accessory or buy clothes that you find on sale.
Don’t buy cheap shoes: Cheap shoes may look good in the store, but they don’t last very long. In the end, you’ll just end up having to spend more money on a new pair.
Buy quality clothes from good manufacturers: The basic clothes that you wear most frequently should be of high quality. The better they’re made, the longer they’ll last. And that’ll save you money in the end as well.
Don’t avoid thrift stores: You can find good clothes in thrift stores as well. If you need a new shirt, check out your local Goodwill first.
4) You spend money on lunch and other convenience foods
Lunch is another big cost. You might think that it’s not fair to include this one, because you’ve gotta eat regardless of your job. But it’s often the case that people with a job occasionally run down to the local deli or fast food restaurant for lunch.
Bringing your own lunch could save you on these costs, but lets be real…how many of us can fix our food from home every day? For sure, there’s going to be one or two days where you’re too lazy to prepare it and whammo!
You just spent $12.99 on lunch…
Do that a few days a week and you’re easily looking at $1,000 a year.
Not to mention the expensive convenience foods you buy just to make it easier to eat at home. I can’t tell you how many pop tarts and TV dinners I’ve bought just because I’m too tired to prepare a real meal.
Sad, I know.
What you can do about it
Well, the only way to avoid eating out during your lunch hour is to bring something from home. But like we talked about before, that could be difficult to do everyday.
To make it easier on yourself, try this:
- Prepare a few day’s worth of lunch during the weekend
- Use tonight’s leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch
- Prepare your lunch at night so you don’t have to think about it before work.
One option to help you plan your meals in advance is $5 Meal Plan. $5 Meal Plan sends you weekly menus that will free you up from having to do plan them yourself.
With $5 Meal Plan you’ll have time to do the things that are most important to you. Sign up for it here.
5) You spend money energizing yourself
Dragging yourself to work every morning can be a difficult task even when you’re caffeinated. But without your coffee, you can forget about it.
And guess how much do you think Millenials spend on that delicious energy drink? Well, it’s more than most spend on their retirement plans.
This is something that we definitely need to fix.
What you can do about it
To cut back on your coffee spending, you can start by becoming your own barista.
Making your coffee at home instead of buying it from Starbucks will not only save you a boatload of money, but it’ll taste better as well.
Related Post: Money Scams You Need to be Aware of- Investment Fraud.
6) You spend on childcare
After to returning to work from maternity/paternity leave, most new parents are hit with a brand new expense: day care costs.
And while childcare expense varies by state, the average child care cost in America is nearly $10,000 a year…for one kid!
What you can do about it
If you have family nearby who has free time during the day, they’d be a great option for free child care.
But not everyone is that lucky. Another option to save money on daycare costs, shop around and choose a daycare center that matches up with your priorities. (i.e. don’t pay for a large school-like environment if a smaller home-based center works for you).
Consider talking to your boss about a work from option (if possible) to save money on child care expenses as well.
Related Post: How to Effectively Set The Right Financial Goals.
7) Other non-financial costs
Besides the financial costs we just talked about, there are other types of costs that you’ll end up paying for your 9 to 5 job.
Time
Depending on your job, there may be times of the year where you’ll have to work far more than 40 hours per week. This will reduce the amount of quality time you have to spend with your friends and family.
And if you’re a salaried employee, those increased hours probably won’t come with increased pay either. So as you work more hours, the actual pay you receive per hour of work falls.
Health
Around the world, unhappy employees outnumber happy ones two to one. And unhappy employees pay for their job with their health as well.
These health costs include:
- Trouble sleeping
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
- You get sick more often
- Constant fatigue
- Stomach pain
If you find yourself in this situation then you’ll definitely want to find effective ways to de-stress from your job until you can find a more fulfilling job.
More ideas to put your money together.
Final thoughts
We all have to work, but if you’re working a regular 9 to 5 job you probably feel overworked and underpaid. And the extra things you need to pay for cut into the little salary you do have.
But by making a few changes you can save money when you normally would have spent money.
If you’ve managed to cut back on your job related expenses, let us know how you did it in the comments below!
Cheers!
Oliver
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