Save on Your Commute

By Jackie Lukas

With the MTA passing its so called Doomsday Budget, commuters will likely be shelling out a lot more cash for their commute. A scary thought during these tough economic times. Click here to see how much more you could be paying if state lawmakers don't bailout the MTA.  

Today I tried to look into ways that you could save money on your commute. I have to be honest--there are limited options. One option is skipping the train and driving, or carpooling to work. A monthly pass from the Ronkonkoma train station will likely cost commuters $352. If you pair up with someone, then you could save some cash driving.  Click here if you want more information.

Ever hear of zone jumping? A lot of commuters do it, especially if you live near a station that doesn't have many trains. Jumping zones could save you money. For example, at the Mastic Shirley station - zone 12 - you could soon be paying $416 a month. But if you're willing to drive to the Ronkonkoma station -  zone 10  - it's $352. With gas prices still reasonable (for now), it could be worth it.

But the one option you should look into is the so called commuter tax break. Right now only one out of every three commuters take advantage of it.  If your employer is enrolled in the program, you can pay your mass transit costs of up to $320 with pretax dollars. That money comes out of your paycheck - pretax. Ask your employer if they offer this benefit. Lawmakers say it's a win-win for workers and their bosses.

If you have any other suggestions - please share!

Comments

[getosama]

hey jackie, please excuse the off topic post but- i shot some video of a tire arson in middle island and your desk took my #, so i figured i'd throw it on youtube since i didn't get a callback. just search- "middle island tire arson" when u get to youtube, check out the plume of smoke, pretty nasty for the environment. a lot of tires being dumped in the area. such a shame.....be well....(please delete this post when u can, who knows who did the arson).

[Ellen]

Thanks for the information on the commuter tax break. I passed it along to my husband. Hopefully we'll be able to save some money.