(Last updated April 2025 – This article is only to be used for educational purposes and not to be used as financial advice. Please be sure to check with your accountant for any specific tax advice.)
But this convenience, this reclaiming of commute time, hasn’t come without a cost. The battleground for many household budgets hasn’t disappeared; it’s simply shifted from the train platform or the petrol pump to the energy bill landing in your inbox and the cost of keeping a functional workspace running. Working from home isn’t ‘free’. It’s a complex financial equation, a redistribution of expenses from the employer and the daily grind onto the home front. For some, the sums add up favourably; for others, the hidden costs are starting to bite. Understanding this new equation is crucial for managing your finances in 2025.
The Home Office Ledger: Tallying Up the Real Costs
Beyond the Free Coffee: Unpacking Your WFH Expenses
It’s easy to focus on the savings – the train fares dodged, the expensive city lunches skipped. But the costs lurking within your own four walls need a proper accounting. They creep up quietly, often disguised as regular household expenses, until the quarterly bills land with a thud.
Keeping the Lights On (and the Laptop Charged)
The most obvious hit? Energy bills. Having the house occupied all day, running computers, monitors, extra lighting, and crucially, heating or cooling, inevitably pushes up consumption. The numbers paint a clear picture. As of April 2025, average quarterly electricity bills vary significantly across the states, reflecting different climates and network costs. Finder.com.au data shows New South Wales residents facing the highest average quarterly bills at around $444, with South Australians not far behind at $375. Victorians average $339, Queenslanders $370, while Western Australians enjoy the lowest average at $254.
Looking closer at Sydney, estimates suggest a two-person household might see a monthly electricity bill around $92, rising to $139 for a four-person household. These figures are based on average daily usage, which naturally climbs when someone’s home all day. Typical usage rates in Sydney hover around 30 to 38 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), plus daily supply charges that vary between providers like AGL, EnergyAustralia, or Dodo.
Why the jump? Consider the tools of the trade. A standard desktop computer and monitor can chew through 0.06 to 0.3 kWh every hour they’re running. Even an energy-sipping laptop uses around 0.06 kWh per hour. Run that desktop for a standard eight-hour workday, five days a week, and you could be adding anywhere from $50 to over $240 to your annual electricity bill, just for that one machine, depending on its efficiency and your local tariff. Add in extra lighting, more frequent boiling of the kettle, and the big one – climate control – and the costs multiply.
This shift introduces a nasty volatility into household budgeting. Office energy costs are smoothed out, part of a building’s overall operational expense. At home, your bill directly reflects your usage, heavily influenced by the season. A heatwave or a cold snap sends costs soaring when you’re relying on home air conditioning or heating all day, rather than the office system. This makes forecasting monthly expenses far more challenging than when these costs were largely invisible, absorbed by the employer.
Furthermore, the burden isn’t shared equally. Households in older, less energy-efficient homes with poor insulation or dated appliances face a much steeper WFH cost penalty. Running the heater all day in a draughty house simply costs more. Similarly, regional climate differences play a huge role; keeping a Hobart home warm through a winter workday costs substantially more than maintaining comfort in milder Melbourne. WFH essentially magnifies existing household energy inefficiencies, hitting some budgets harder than others.
The Price of Connection
Reliable, fast internet went from a nice-to-have to an absolute essential with the WFH shift. That often meant upgrading the home connection. While providers lure customers with cheap introductory offers, the real cost emerges six or twelve months down the track. As of April 2025, typical ongoing monthly costs for a standard NBN 50/20 plan (offering 50 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds) generally sit between $75 and $85 after deals expire, with providers like Exetel ($79.99), Tangerine ($82.90), and Dodo ($83.90) in this range.
Many households found even that wasn’t enough. Smooth video conferencing, accessing large files from cloud servers, or using company VPNs often demands more grunt, pushing people towards faster NBN 100/20 or even 100/40 plans. These typically cost more, often landing between $80 and $100+ per month ongoing. For example, Exetel’s 100/20 plan settles at $84.99, while their 100/40 ‘Power Home’ plan, explicitly recommended for WFH, gaming and streaming, costs $94.99 after the initial offer. Optus and Telstra’s standard 100Mbps plans sit higher, around $99 and $110 respectively. This necessity to upgrade represents a hidden ‘WFH tax’ for many – an ongoing additional cost directly attributable to the demands of remote work.
Your Workspace Fit-Out
Setting up a functional and, importantly, healthy home office involves more than just plonking a laptop on the kitchen table. There are upfront costs, and these aren’t necessarily one-offs – equipment wears out, needs replacing, or requires upgrading.
- The Chair: Arguably the most critical investment. A basic ergonomic chair from a retailer like Officeworks might start around $200 (e.g., Otto Kronborg, Pago Matrix Advance). Mid-range options offering better adjustability and support (like the Pago Enduro or J.Burrows Halifax) typically cost $300-$500. High-end models with advanced features (like Haworth chairs) can easily exceed $700, sometimes running well over $1000.
- The Desk: A simple 140cm desk might cost around $170 (e.g., Otto Contour). More substantial options or those with drawers (like the Reine 1400mm) are closer to $300. Standard 150cm desks (like the Toro or Copenhagen) sit around $200-$230. If you opt for an electric sit-stand desk for ergonomic benefits, expect to pay $400 upwards, with many popular models around $450-$750.
- The Monitor: Staring at a small laptop screen all day isn’t ideal. A decent 24-inch Full HD (FHD) monitor can be found for $130-$200. Stepping up to a 27-inch FHD monitor typically costs $150-$250. If you need higher resolution (QHD or 4K) or features like USB-C connectivity (allowing single-cable connection for power, data, and video), prices generally range from $250 to $500 or more, depending on the brand (Acer, Lenovo, Samsung, Philips, HP etc.) and specific features.
While it’s tempting to skimp on setup costs, particularly the chair and desk, doing so can be a false economy. Working full-time from an unsuitable setup – the dining chair, the too-low table – is a recipe for back pain, neck strain, and other musculoskeletal issues. The potential costs of physiotherapy, medical appointments, or lost productivity due to pain can quickly dwarf the initial savings on cheap furniture. For sustained WFH, investing in proper ergonomic equipment isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessary cost to maintain health and productivity. Remember, under ATO rules, assets costing over $300 generally need to be depreciated over their effective life, while those under $300 may be claimed as an immediate deduction in the year of purchase, provided you apportion for any private use.
Insurance Check
Does your standard home and contents insurance adequately cover your work gear? Don’t assume it does. Most policies have limitations on items used for business purposes, even if they belong to your employer but are kept at your home. Allianz, for example, notes their standard contents cover limits business equipment like computers to $1,500 per item, with a total limit of $10,000. Steadfast Insurance Brokers mention a typical limit around $10,000 for assets like computers used for work at home.
This might sound sufficient, but consider the value of a high-end work laptop, multiple monitors, specialised software licences, or other professional equipment. It can easily exceed these sub-limits. Crucially, running a business from home without informing your insurer could potentially void your entire home policy under the Insurance Contracts Act. If clients or customers visit your home, standard public liability included in home insurance likely won’t cover business-related incidents.
Many WFH employees, and particularly those running a side business or using expensive equipment, might be significantly underinsured without realising it. Relying on standard home and contents cover creates a hidden financial risk. If a fire, flood, or burglary occurs, the gap between the replacement cost of your work setup and what your insurer will actually pay out under those business item sub-limits could be substantial. For proper protection, you may need to investigate specific ‘General Property’ cover (often covering portable items anywhere) or a dedicated ‘Business Insurance Pack’ which can include cover for equipment, liability, and even business interruption.
The Upside: Where You’re Pocketing the Savings
Trading the Commute for Cash: Finding the WFH Windfalls
While the costs mount up at home, the savings column often starts with a big, satisfying number: the cost of the commute you no longer make, or make less often. This is typically the most significant financial win from working from home.
Let’s break it down:
- Public Transport: If you relied on trains, buses, or ferries, the savings are direct and substantial. In Sydney, the adult Opal daily cap is $18.70 Monday to Thursday ($9.35 Friday-Sunday), with a weekly maximum of $50. In Melbourne, the Zone 1+2 Myki daily fare is $11.00 ($7.60 weekends/public holidays), and a 7-day pass costs $55. Even working from home just two or three days a week translates into annual savings often exceeding $1,000-$2,000, just on fares.
- Driving: The costs of running a car add up quickly. Petrol prices fluctuate, but the national average in early April 2025 was around 179.3 cents per litre, with Sydney at 176.3 cpl and Melbourne at 177.8 cpl. Beyond fuel, there’s insurance (average $1259/year per car), servicing and tyres (average $1022/year), and registration/CTP/licensing (average $928/year). While some reports put total running costs around $12,773 annually per car (excluding depreciation) , others suggest figures topping $15,000 when all factors are considered. Reducing the kilometres clocked up by WFH directly cuts fuel costs and can slow down wear and tear.
- Parking: If you drove to a CBD or major employment hub, parking costs were likely eyewatering. Drive-up daily rates in Sydney CBD can hit $95, though pre-booked online deals might bring it down to $25-$37. Melbourne Central charges a standard $16 per hour with a $70 daily maximum, or $16 for early birds. Eliminating even a few days of city parking per week saves thousands annually.
A study by the University of Sydney’s Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) attempted to quantify the overall saving, finding the average Australian commuter saved around $906 per year in expenses (primarily commute-related) by working from home full-time.
Consider Maria, who used to commute daily from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD. Her unit rent in Parramatta might be around $590-$670 per week. Just ditching the train five days a week saves her the $50 weekly Opal cap , equating to $2,600 a year before factoring in any other associated costs.
And it’s not just about the direct cash savings. That reclaimed commute time – averaging two hours a week nationally , but potentially much more for those travelling longer distances – holds significant economic value. It’s time that can be redirected to productive work, developing a side hustle, exercise, family responsibilities, or simply reducing stress. This ‘time dividend’ is a major, often underestimated, benefit of WFH.
The $7 Coffee and $15 Sandwich
Another significant saving comes from escaping the ‘convenience tax’ of the office environment. The daily ritual of grabbing a takeaway coffee, buying lunch from the downstairs cafe, or joining colleagues for after-work drinks can drain your wallet faster than you realise.
As of early 2025, a standard takeaway coffee in major cities like Sydney or Melbourne typically costs between $4.50 and $5.00, with predictions suggesting this could rise towards $5.75-$7.00 later in the year due to rising bean prices and operational costs. A basic takeaway lunch often falls in the $15-$25 range , while a meal at a mid-range eatery might be $20-$40. Even a simple sandwich or wrap from a takeaway spot can easily set you back $13-$19. Surveys suggest the average Australian was spending around $24 per week just on takeaway food, even amidst cost-of-living pressures.
Working from home inherently breaks this cycle. That daily $5 coffee and $15 lunch adds up to $100 a week, or close to $5,000 over a working year. Switching to home-brewed coffee (estimated annual cost around $650 including beans and supplies ) and preparing lunch using groceries you’ve already bought generates substantial passive savings. The physical distance from tempting cafes and food courts, combined with the ease of accessing your own kitchen, naturally shifts consumption patterns away from high-margin convenience spending towards more cost-effective home preparation. This behavioural shift is a powerful, often automatic, saving mechanism driven by the WFH environment itself.
Beyond the Obvious
Other, less easily quantified savings also contribute. There’s reduced spending on work-specific clothing, less need for dry cleaning, and potentially fewer incidental purchases made during commutes or lunch breaks. For parents, while the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) activity test still requires parents to be undertaking recognised activities (like work) to get subsidised hours (though changes are coming in 2026 to remove this test ), the flexibility of WFH can sometimes allow for adjustments in care arrangements or reduce the need for before/after school care, offering further savings for some families. WFH has demonstrably helped parents, particularly mothers with young children, and carers participate more fully in the workforce.
Tax Time: Getting Your WFH Deductions Right
Don’t Gift the Taxman: Claiming What You’re Owed
One way to offset the increased costs of working from home is through tax deductions. But navigating the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) rules requires care, especially as they’ve changed in recent years. Getting it wrong can mean missing out on legitimate claims or, worse, attracting unwanted ATO attention.
The ATO’s Rules of the Game (2024-25)
To claim any working from home expenses for the 2024-25 financial year, you must meet three key criteria :
- You must actually be working from home to fulfil your employment duties – not just occasionally checking emails or taking calls.
- You must incur additional running expenses as a direct result of working from home. You can’t claim costs you would have incurred anyway, regardless of where you worked.
- You must have records to prove you incurred the expenses and document your work-from-home hours.
The ATO offers two methods to calculate your claim: the fixed rate method and the actual cost method.
Method 1: The 67c Fixed Rate
This method allows you to claim a set rate of 67 cents for every hour you worked from home during the financial year (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025).
This rate is designed to cover the additional running costs for :
- Home and mobile internet or data usage
- Mobile and home phone usage
- Electricity and gas (for heating, cooling, lighting)
- Stationery and computer consumables (like printer ink, paper)
If you use this method, you cannot claim a separate deduction for any of these specific items.
However, you can claim a separate deduction for the work-related portion of :
- The decline in value (depreciation) of assets used for work, such as computers, monitors, printers, and office furniture (desks, chairs).
- The costs of repairing and maintaining these assets.
- Cleaning costs, but only if you have a dedicated home office space.
The catch? The record-keeping requirements for this seemingly simple method became much stricter from 1 July 2022. You must keep :
- A record of the total number of actual hours you worked from home for the entire income year. This needs to be a contemporaneous record like a timesheet, roster, or a diary kept as you work. Estimates or using a representative 4-week period for hours are no longer acceptable under this method.
- Evidence that you paid for each of the expense categories covered by the fixed rate. For example, you need to keep at least one quarterly energy bill, one phone/internet bill, and receipts for stationery or consumables you purchased during the year.
This is a significant departure from previous fixed-rate rules (like the old 52 cents method ) which allowed a 4-week diary for hours. Many taxpayers might mistakenly assume the 67c rate is still a simple shortcut and fail to keep the now-mandatory detailed daily hour logs and proof of underlying bills. This creates a potential ‘trap’ where claims could be denied upon review due to inadequate records, even if the expenses were genuinely incurred.
Method 2: The Actual Cost Deep Dive
This method involves calculating the actual work-related portion of all the running expenses you incurred as a result of working from home.
Expenses you can potentially claim under this method include :
- Energy expenses (electricity and gas) based on actual work-related usage.
- Home and mobile phone, data, and internet expenses (work-related portion).
- Stationery and computer consumables (work-related portion).
- Decline in value (depreciation) of work-related assets (furniture, computers, etc.).
- Repair and maintenance costs for work-related assets.
- Cleaning expenses for a dedicated home office space (work-related portion).
This method often results in a higher deduction, especially if you have significant WFH costs (e.g., high energy use, substantial internet plan) or have purchased expensive assets for your home office. However, the trade-off is a much higher record-keeping burden. You need :
- Hours Worked: Either a record of actual hours worked for the whole year OR a representative continuous 4-week diary showing your usual pattern.
- Expense Records: Receipts, bills, or other written evidence for every single expense you claim, showing the supplier, cost, date, and nature of the goods/service.
- Apportionment Records: You need a clear, reasonable basis for separating the work-related portion from private use for each shared expense.
- For energy, this might involve calculating the wattage of appliances used for work, the hours used, and the cost per unit from your bill.
- For phone/internet, you typically need to keep a 4-week representative diary or analyse itemised bills to determine the percentage of work use.
- For cleaning (dedicated office only), you might use the floor area of your office as a percentage of your home’s total floor area, adjusted for any private use.
- For depreciating assets, you need purchase receipts, the date you started using it for work, and records (like a diary) showing the percentage of work use over its effective life. Assets costing over $300 must generally be depreciated; those under $300 used mainly for work can often be claimed immediately.
The complexity involved in accurately tracking, calculating, and apportioning these various costs means many people who might benefit financially from the actual cost method find it too difficult or time-consuming to comply with the record-keeping demands.
Common Pitfalls
Regardless of the method chosen, the ATO is clear on what you cannot claim as a WFH expense as an employee :
- Occupancy expenses like mortgage interest, rent, council rates, or home insurance premiums (unless your home is genuinely your principal place of business, which is rare for employees).
- General household items your employer might provide at work, like coffee, tea, milk, or toilet paper.
- Costs related to your children’s education, even if they are learning from home alongside you.
- Any expense for which your employer has already reimbursed you.
WFH Tax Deduction Methods Compared (2024-25)
To help you decide, here’s a comparison:
Feature | Fixed Rate Method (67c/hr) | Actual Cost Method |
Rate/Basis | 67 cents per hour worked from home | Actual work-related portion of expenses incurred |
Covers | Energy, Phone, Internet, Stationery/Consumables | N/A (claim actual costs for each category) |
Separate Claims Allowed | Depreciation (Furniture, IT equipment), Repairs, Cleaning (dedicated office only) | Energy, Phone, Internet, Stationery, Depreciation, Cleaning (dedicated office only), Repairs |
Record-Keeping (Hours) | Mandatory full-year log of actual hours (daily/timesheet) | Full-year log of actual hours OR representative continuous 4-week diary |
Record-Keeping (Expenses) | Proof of paying for covered expense types (e.g., 1 bill each category) + Full records for any separate claims | Detailed receipts/bills for all claimed expenses + Detailed apportionment workings + Depreciation records |
Complexity | Lower calculation complexity, High hour-tracking burden | High calculation & record-keeping burden |
Export to Sheets
Source: Based on ATO guidelines for 2024-25
Choosing the right method depends on your specific costs and, crucially, your ability and willingness to meet the stringent record-keeping requirements.
The Bottom Line: Are You Financially Better Off?
Doing the Sums: Costs vs. Savings in Your Situation
After tallying the costs and the savings, does working from home leave you financially ahead or behind? The frustrating, but honest, answer is: it depends entirely on your individual circumstances. There’s no single figure that applies to everyone.
Let’s consider a few hypothetical Australians in April 2025:
- Scenario 1: Aisha, the Inner-West Sydney Renter. Aisha rents a one-bedroom unit in Liverpool (median unit rent ~$450/week ). She used to commute daily to the CBD via train. Working from home 4 days a week saves her ~$40/week on the Opal cap ($2080/year). She avoids ~$80/week ($4160/year) on bought lunches and coffees. Her electricity bill increases by maybe $20/month ($240/year) , and her internet upgrade costs an extra $15/month ($180/year). She bought a basic desk and chair for $350 total. Net Result: Aisha is significantly better off financially, saving over $5500 annually after initial setup, primarily due to high commute and food cost avoidance.
- Scenario 2: Ben and Chloe, Melbourne Outer-Suburban Mortgage Holders. They own a 3-bedroom house in Melbourne’s west, with a typical Victorian mortgage (average new loan ~$631k , potentially ~$3900/month repayment ). Ben drove to the city 3 days a week, saving maybe $60/week ($3120/year) on fuel and parking. Chloe worked locally. Their energy bills jump by $50/month ($600/year) due to heating/cooling the larger house and kids’ devices. They spent $1000 setting up a proper second workspace. They save perhaps $40/week ($2080/year) on Ben’s city lunches/coffees. Net Result: They are likely still ahead, maybe by around $2500 annually after setup, but the savings are less dramatic than Aisha’s due to lower commute costs being offset by higher WFH utility increases.
- Scenario 3: David and Sarah, Brisbane Professionals. They both work from home full-time in their mortgaged Queenslander (average QLD loan ~$635k ). They save significantly on two sets of commuting costs (mix of public transport/driving) and bought lunches, perhaps $200/week total ($10,400/year). However, running two full home offices, air conditioning in Brisbane’s climate, and needing a top-tier NBN plan significantly boosts their bills – energy up $80/month ($960/year), internet up $30/month ($360/year). They invested 2500inergonomicsetupsandmayneedspecificbusinessinsurance(?). Net Result: Despite high savings, their increased running costs and setup expenses mean their net benefit might be closer to $6000-$7000 annually, highlighting how higher WFH operational costs can eat into savings.
These examples illustrate the point: the net financial impact hinges heavily on your starting point. High pre-existing commute costs (long distances, expensive parking) and modest home energy needs tilt the balance towards savings. Conversely, short commutes but large, energy-hungry homes or the need for extensive home office setups can easily erode or even negate the financial benefits. Household budget pressures, while easing slightly for some, remain pervasive across Australia.
More Than Just Money
Of course, the decision isn’t purely financial. Flexibility remains a primary driver for why Australians choose to work from home. The ability to manage school runs, care for family members, avoid commute stress, or simply have more control over the workday holds immense value. Research suggests employees value hybrid work arrangements as equivalent to an 8 per cent pay rise.
Productivity remains a debated topic. While some high-profile CEOs express concerns and push for returns to the office , the bulk of research, including studies from Stanford and Australian institutions like the University of Sydney and University of Melbourne, suggests hybrid work generally maintains or even improves productivity for many roles. Workers often report being more focused at home with fewer distractions. Many also report improved wellbeing and job satisfaction, particularly women.
However, potential downsides exist. Isolation, blurred work-life boundaries, and the risk of burnout are real challenges that need managing. Organisations like Beyond Blue and the Black Dog Institute offer resources for maintaining mental health while working remotely.
Ultimately, many employees appear willing to trade off minor net financial costs, or accept smaller net savings, in return for the significant non-financial benefits of flexibility, autonomy, and improved work-life integration that WFH can offer. The financial calculation is just one part of a much larger personal equation.
Mastering Your WFH Budget
Taking Control: Making Your Money Work Smarter at Home
Whether WFH leaves you better or worse off financially, the shift demands a more conscious approach to managing your household budget. The change in expense structure – less on commuting and external food, more on home utilities and potentially equipment – requires proactive planning.
Taming Fluctuating Bills
The biggest budgeting challenge is often the increased volatility of household bills, particularly energy. Here’s how to get a handle on it:
- Track Everything: You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Use your bank statements, budgeting apps (like Pocketbook or MoneyBrilliant), or the government’s Moneysmart Budget Planner tool to get a crystal-clear picture of where your money is going, paying close attention to WFH-inflated categories.
- Isolate WFH Costs: Compare current utility and internet bills to pre-WFH periods (if possible) to estimate the specific cost increase.
- Buffer for Bills: Since energy costs can swing significantly with the seasons , build a buffer into your budget. Treat energy bills like a variable savings goal – aim to put aside a slightly higher average amount each month so you have funds ready for peak winter heating or summer cooling bills. Use some of the money saved on commutes or lunches to fund this buffer.
- Shop Around: Don’t just accept bill increases. Regularly compare energy retailers, internet providers, and insurers using comparison websites to ensure you’re on a competitive plan. Sometimes just calling your existing provider and asking for a better deal can yield savings.
- Be Energy Smart: Implement simple energy-saving habits: switch to LED lighting, seal draughts, use efficient heating/cooling settings, turn off equipment when not in use, and choose energy-efficient appliances when replacements are needed.
Smoothing Out Cash Flow
The combination of higher variable costs (utilities) and potential lumpy, unexpected expenses (like needing a new laptop or ergonomic chair) can put significant strain on month-to-month cash flow. An unexpectedly large energy bill arriving a week before payday can easily disrupt even a well-planned budget.
Falling back on high-interest credit cards or payday loans to cover these shortfalls is a dangerous path, often leading to a debt spiral. Building an emergency fund is the ideal buffer , but that takes time.
For managing temporary mismatches between expenses and income, newer financial tools offer alternatives. Some people find accessing wages they’ve already earned helpful. For instance, services like PressPay Advance allow eligible users to draw up to $1,000 of their earned pay before their official payday for a single, fixed 5% fee. There’s no compounding interest; the amount drawn plus the fee is automatically repaid from the next paycheck. This can help bridge the gap caused by a lumpy WFH-related bill without resorting to high-cost debt. They also offer PressPay Shop, which provides fee-free early access to earned wages via digital gift cards for over 100 retailers, potentially useful for specific purchases like replacing essential home office equipment. Alongside these tools, PressPay also provides financial education resources through PressPay Learn to help users build better money management skills. These options represent one set of tools available for navigating the increased cash flow challenges that WFH can present.
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
Finally, circle back to tax time. Understand the two ATO methods – Fixed Rate and Actual Cost. Keep the required records diligently throughout the year, not just scrambling in June. Choosing the right method for your circumstances and record-keeping habits and claiming everything you’re legitimately entitled to is crucial. It’s your money – don’t inadvertently gift it back to the taxman through poor planning or missing documentation.
Final Word: The Evolving Home Economy
The shift to working from home, accelerated by the pandemic but now firmly embedded for millions of Australians, is more than just a change in location. It’s fundamentally altered the household economy. The costs and savings are real, but they land differently in every home, influenced by everything from your postcode and house insulation to your commuting habits and NBN plan.
There’s no single verdict on whether WFH is a net financial positive or negative. The only way to know for sure is to do your own sums. Track your specific WFH-related cost increases – energy, internet, supplies. Quantify your savings – commute, lunches, coffees. Understand the ATO’s deduction rules and keep the necessary records now, not later.
The WFH revolution changed where we work. Now, it demands we adapt how we manage our money, building budgets and financial strategies that reflect this new reality. Taking control of the WFH ledger is essential to ensuring this ongoing shift works for your finances, not against them.
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