Get To Work Cheaper

Serena Cowdy has set herself a challenge: to get to work cheaper. Can she manage it?

I live on a pretty tight budget - and in recent weeks I've tried to knock a bit more off my bills.

Travel costs are a big drain as I live in London, and pay around £130 a month to travel to work on public transport. That's around £1,560 a year for the privilege of being squashed, hot and delayed. Great, eh?

So - I decided to investigate alternative means of transport, to see if I could get myself a better deal. Here's what I found...

Driving up costs

As you might expect - buying a car made no financial sense for me. The combined cost of the car itself, insurance, MOT, petrol, parking and so on would be massively higher than £130 a month.

In fact, research has shown that the yearly cost of running a petrol car can easily exceed £3,000. And that's not including the cost of the car itself, or pricey repairs that might be needed. Yikes!

Of course for many people, a car is a vital part of day-to-day life. This is particularly true if it's used to transport several people - or if you live somewhere with poor public transport.

If you do need a car, this article could help you cut your costs, and this one has lots of tips on how to cut your petrol bill.

However for me, the solution clearly lay elsewhere.

Freecycle, free cycle!

At first glance, a bicycle seemed the perfect solution for me. There are lots of reasons why cycling is a financial winner:

         You can pick up a cheap second-hand bicycle relatively easily, on sites like eBay or Gumtree.

         If you're really Foolish, you could even get a bike for nothing! Just sign up to your local Freecycle online community and ask if anyone has one they want to get rid of.

         The Department of Transport now operates a Cycle To Work scheme, which helps you buy a bicycle and accessories tax-free. Depending on how much tax you pay, you could cut up to 43% off the final bill.

         Cycling every day should keep you really fit - so you could save even more money by cancelling that gym subscription.

         Certain household contents insurance policies cover bikes (usually up to a certain value) as standard.

And although most home insurers won't pay up if your bicycle is nicked away when away from your home, many will let you add the relevant extra cover for as little as £10 a year.

I know it makes sense. My yearly cycling costs (including the bike itself, helmet, locks and insurance) could work out at £250 or less.

So why haven't I taken the plunge? Basically, I'm scared. In my mind's eye, I see myself wobbling slowly through the mean streets of London, buses clipping my elbows and taxis clipping my heels. Gulp.

Scooter commuter?

Looking for a middle ground, I found a means of two-wheeled transport that really appealed to me.

On a scooter, I told myself, I would at least be motor-aided as I tried to dodge the other traffic. And I'd look terribly chic and stylish as I zipped from A to B.

So, does a scooter make financial sense? Here's what you'd have to fork out for if you chose a small (50cc) model:

The scooter itself: Prices vary dramatically, depending on type, brand, age and a host of other factors.

The cheapest new ones I could find were from Direct Bikes, starting at £499 plus £85 delivery. But be aware, you have to assemble these yourself!

(If, however, you fancy a shiny new Vespa - or a top-of-the-range electric scooter - it could cost you several thousand pounds).

Insurance: Premiums depend, amongst other things, on where you live and where you store your scooter.

I was told that because I live in a `high-risk' location (London) and can only use on-street parking, I may have to pay up to £600 a year. Eeek!

Protective equipment: Experts recommend you get the best safety gear that you can afford. A helmet on its own could cost up to £400. And a decent lock could easily set you back £60.

Registration: You'll have to register your scooter with the DVLA, which will cost around £55.

Road tax: This is currently £15 a year.

CBT test: For a 50cc scooter, you don't need to take any further tests if you passed your driving test before 1st February 2001.

If you passed after this date - or if you want a scooter with a bigger engine - you'll need to take a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) test. This will cost around £55.

Even if you're not legally required to take the test, it's a good idea. Scooters can be extremely dangerous if you're not sure what you're doing!

Petrol: At last, a bit of good news. A 50cc scooter can travel around 100km on just 2.8 litres of petrol. This means if you're only commuting to work and back, your weekly fuel costs should be under £5.

When I added up all the costs, I found that it would cost me over £1,600 to buy and run a small scooter for a year - and that's a conservative estimate.

When I factored in all those times I'd be paying for public transport anyway (for example, if I wanted to drink), I realised that my current travel bills would almost double. Ouch!

Upping the revs

There are lots of travel options I haven't the space to cover. For example, there are more powerful two-wheeled options than scooters.

A motorbike, with its higher top speed and more powerful engine, could be a better option if you want to commute very long distances. However, running one tends to cost more than running a scooter.

I'm afraid I haven't the space to cover the subject here too - and indeed motorbikes deserve a whole article to themselves.

But if you already have one, here are Seven Motorbike Insurance Tips that might help you cut your costs.

On yer bike!

It seems that my dream of scooter commuting will remain just that. The costs really do seem to add up to make it quite a pricey undertaking, despite the lower fuel costs.

For other people, however, buying a scooter could make financial sense. If you don't have good local public transport - and you currently run a car - you could save thousands of pounds a year by switching.

As for me, if I really want to save money, I'll have to grit my teeth and get peddling. So if you'll excuse me, I'm off to practise without my stabilisers...

More: Ditch Your Car And Save £2,042 | Tour de Catford

If travelling on two wheels appeals, why not visit The Fool's Cycling Fools discussion board.

Or if biking is more your cup or tea, there's also a Motorbiking Fools discussion board where you can ask for help and advice on how to get on the road.