My free 40 minute commute

[jdh]

Hello all!

My first post on this forum. Nice to meet y'all. Just wanted to quickly share a massive money saver and health booster for me:

I walk to work every day

It's a 40 minute walk, which gives me 1 hour and 20 minutes of relatively active time every working day. Ever since I've started walking, I've lost weight and I feel a lot better when I arrive at work or home. The walk wakes me up in the morning and clears my head in the evening. Granted, when it rains I sometimes end up cursing myself for doing it, but that's nothing a solid grocery store umbrella can't solve. People call me crazy for not biking in, but I find the mental benefits of not having to be as acutely aware of my surroundings quite relieving. I consider my commute almost a time of meditation these days.

If you live far enough that you have to drive, consider moving closer. The money you'll save by disposing of your car is just one part of it; by staying out of motorised traffic and walking instead, you get to keep your mental and physical health!

[Peter Parker]

That's awesome.  Love the attitude!

[MVal]

I'm currently in a roommate situation, but when my income gets a little higher and I can afford to have my own place while still meeting all savings goals, I plan to move closer to work and be able to walk in. Right now, it would take me 2.5 hrs to walk to work. But I do see I could bike it in about 45 minutes, so I might give that a try.

[forummm]

That sounds nice.

I think that if I could get to work in 40 minutes by walking I would do that. But Google tells me it would take 2h 45m to walk from my house.

[onlykelsey]

I've walked in to work maybe 10x (mostly after Hurricane Sandy here in NYC), and it's not so bad.  For me it's ~1:35 if I move briskly but not so briskly I'm sweating.  When I have a down time at work, I should do it again.  I like the different perspective you get (I usually take the subway + occasionally bike in or take cab home).

[mskyle]

In the past, when I've lived within 2-3 miles of work, I've walked and I loved it! I started doing it one spring when it was just horribly dark and rainy right into May and June, and I could feel myself getting depressed from not spending time outside. Come to find out, the walking commute was very pleasant, even when it was a little rainy, it only took a few minutes longer than my bus commute, and it was way more predictable (no worries about traffic and late buses). Walking isn't 100% free, though - I wore through shoes like nobody's business!

Now I live 3-4 miles from work, and walking seems like it would take too long (I currently bike), but maybe I should add it back into the mix - it would probably take me a little under an hour, and it might be nice to mix it up a couple of times a week.

[Bikeguy]

That sounds nice.

I think that if I could get to work in 40 minutes by walking I would do that. But Google tells me it would take 2h 45m to walk from my house.

One way I've heard to investigate choosing bicycling for a commute is drive your car to work with the bike attached and bike home.  The next day bike to work and drive home. 
This will get you used to the mileage if you are not sure if it's too long.

[jdh]

I like the different perspective you get (I usually take the subway + occasionally bike in or take cab home).

A commuter subway is so miserable. It's the express train to illness and depression if you ask me. People huddled together sharing their overall unhappiness with the very fact that they're there on Monday morning 8am. Especially on a cold and/or rainy day, when the windows fog up and sick people have no choice but coughing in your face...

No, I don't miss my subway commute at all.

[aFrugalFather]

Awesome.  Although I work from home now, I do miss my 1 mile walk to work back in the day.  It was a good way to start and end the work days. 

[TravelJunkyQC]

Awesome! I also have a 40-50 minute free commute (by bike). I just started, but I agree that it feels great. It helps that my morning is uphill and my afternoon is downhill... it's like a free carnival ride coming home after work :)

[bittheory]

I used to walk to work every summer a few years ago. I actually found myself looking forward to my "commute." Headphones and alone time is pretty powerful, mentally and physically. If I tried to walk today, it'd take 2 hours each way.

[runrunruneateateat]

Jdh, your timing's perfect because I started walking to work everyday this week! It's 45 minutes each way and I, too, look forward to it. I listen to music and enjoy all the sights and sounds of Brooklyn. Today I noticed how many flowers are in bloom; I sometimes smell them before I see them, which is startling in a nice way. One unexpected benefit from my new commute: I immediately conk out when I go to bed. I woke up yesterday with a giant sheet crease across my face that didn't go away for two hours, which was slightly embarrassing when I was at work. :)

I've decided not to buy my usual monthly Metrocard over the summer and see how it goes. I usually have the amount taken out of my paycheck pre-tax, so cancelling that will save me ~$87/month. Is anyone else thinking of canceling their Metrocards (or whatever their city's equivalent is) and commuting on foot instead?

[Rural]

I walked 3 miles to work when I lived in the city, and it was nice. Now, though, well. Google says it's a 9hojr walk, but that's only because Google doesn't consider the mountains we cross (2 of them).

[RobFIRE]

Previously I walked to work, it was only about 1 mile / 15 minutes each way. I don't love my job enough to pay to get to and from it! (Now I work from home)

[Inaya]

I walk the first leg of my three-leg commute (walk, train, bus). It's only 20 minutes (~1 mile), and it beats the heck out of spending $2 for a 15-minute bus ride. If it's pouring I'll take the bus (because I don't want to sit on the train and bus soaking wet). Other than that I go in any weather (snow, subzero temperatures, etc.).

Anecdote: I have congenital bunions (i.e., born with the big toes facing inward--never worn heels or other "fashionable" shoes that generally cause bunions). Left foot had to be surgically corrected about 8 years ago because it was getting too painful to walk. When I first moved to Chicago, I thought I'd have about 1-2 more years before I'd have to do the right foot (based on my left foot's progression).

About 3-4 months after I started walking to and from the train station, I noticed that my foot had almost no pain anymore. It was amazing. Something about adding just 40 minutes (plus any errands on the way home) of walking per day returned my foot almost back to normal ("normal" being no pain). I mean it still hurts if it gets abused or if there's a storm rolling in, but everyday activities don't hurt anymore. And it helped some of the back problems caused by the unconscious slight limp I'd developed (I can always tell when I've slipped back into the limp because my back starts hurting).

So yeah, even a little bit of extra walking can sometimes make a huge difference to quality of life. (And it's especially Mustachian since I won't need the expensive surgery [knock on wood]!)

[dougules]

I used to live a nice 20 minute stroll from my previous job.  Current job is 8 miles away, so walking would be a bit time consuming.  It's on a military base, though, so moving much closer is not possible.   I really do miss walking to work.  I'm working towards FIRE, though, which will cut the commute down to the distance between the bed and the couch. 

[bestname]

I enjoy walking to work as well. It is only 3/4 of a mile, so not particularly bad ass. Walk to and fro for lunch then I'm doing an hour of walking everyday.

You would think walking to work in these circumstances would be common sense, but I live in Houston so people think I'm wildly eccentric.

[onlykelsey]

I like the different perspective you get (I usually take the subway + occasionally bike in or take cab home).

A commuter subway is so miserable. It's the express train to illness and depression if you ask me. People huddled together sharing their overall unhappiness with the very fact that they're there on Monday morning 8am. Especially on a cold and/or rainy day, when the windows fog up and sick people have no choice but coughing in your face...

No, I don't miss my subway commute at all.

Haha, I vacillate between "holy crap, I'm moving 20 miles an hour underground under millions of people and it's costing me like 1.50" and your feelings.

[dougules]

I like the different perspective you get (I usually take the subway + occasionally bike in or take cab home).

A commuter subway is so miserable. It's the express train to illness and depression if you ask me. People huddled together sharing their overall unhappiness with the very fact that they're there on Monday morning 8am. Especially on a cold and/or rainy day, when the windows fog up and sick people have no choice but coughing in your face...

No, I don't miss my subway commute at all.

Just curious, do you think sitting in bumper to bumper traffic of exhaust spewing cars is much better?  People here drive like they're auditioning for the next Mad Max movie. 

[runrunruneateateat]

That's awesome, clutcheagle! Imagine how many people would've bought a car in your situation? Way to think like a mustachian!

[elaine amj]

That's awesome! I keep debating doing this. I'm a 1hr walk from work. I've walked home a few times but that's the extent of it. Very seriously considering starting to walk to and fro most days. We'll see - sometimes a car IS convenient, especially if I have to do any kid drop-off and pick-up. The other consideration is it gets me home much later and I get home tired - not conducive to cooking the family's meals every night. Also, if I get too much of my walks this way, the dog will get fat again LOL!

[Amasa]

I walk to work too! It only takes me 10 minutes, though (6 if I am late), so I don't have quite as much time to meditate as you. It's still very nice though!

[Mrs. S]

Have been thinking about this... we right now have a motorbike and spend fairly small sum on commute but definitwly need the benefits. Mr. S has agreed let's see when we get up early enough to walk 2.1 km to work

[Tay_CPA]

Awesome! I also have a free walking commute: one mile each way, takes about 16-18 minutes most days :) I love the mental transition it provides from home to work in the morning. I've recently started reading a book on my walks to and from the office and it really makes the time fly by! And not sitting in a car in traffic every day has significantly improved my life. Current goal is to get rid of my car in the next month or two!