Whether you’re moving or not, it’s possible that you haven’t really considered the options involved in commuting costs - and the big savings involved in carpooling or vanpooling to and from work. Especially now that gas is so high, more and more employers may be "loosening up" enough to allow some leeway in working hours for people to try carpooling.

It’s true that you might have to expend a little effort on rounding up the other person or people – but you can save beaucoups cash if you don’t drive as often, or at all. (My husband rides in a regional government-sponsored vanpool, and never has to drive – and loves that! – because just a few out of the vanfull are signed up as drivers. The drivers don’t have to pay – and the monthly fees for riders amount to way less than the cost of driving. It’s a fabulous deal for everyone involved!) Unless you’re all going to the exact same place, some people will arrive earlier, and must leave later than, others (the more people and the bigger the spread of where they’re dropped off, the more time differential). …But if you have extra time because of this, you can use it to advantage during your work day (my husband reads the paper before work and bicycles on his longer lunch break).

Likewise, many people have yet to explore the possibilities for telecommuting, or otherwise doing some work at home. (Or what about job switching? Where I live, lots of people commute from here to the city an hour away, and lots of people commute to here from the city – seems a little crazy!)