SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A recent study from Volusion ecommerce softwareshows San Diego has one of the highest percentages of people who work remotely or work from home. Technology has provided flexibility in how and where we do our jobs, but when we consider how to ‘Make it in San Diego,’ we found working remotely can also put money back in your pocket.
Ashley Goggins is a prime example and is one of over 8 million people in the United States who work remotely.
“I’m a customer success manager for a software company,” says Goggins.
Her company is headquartered in Chicago, but Ashley does her job from her living room in San Diego.
“I typically wake up around 6:00 in the morning, and my calls start coming in around 6:30,” adds Goggins. “The great part about that is I don’t have to spend time getting ready, eating breakfast right away, or sitting in the car.”
Goggins is part of a growing trend. Especially in the employment sectors of management, business, and science where working remotely is a valuable option for some employees.
“Many industries that are prevalent in San Diego lend themselves to remote work,” says Kevin Fowler.
Kevin Fowler is a writer for Volusion and author of the study. His research shows San Diego is one of the top cities in the nation when it comes to employees working remotely full-time. And for many trying to ‘Make it in San Diego,’ working remotely has its financial benefits.
“The peripheral costs of working on location add up to about $3,000 per year,” says Fowler.
That’s right. A survey from Career Builder found that the simple act of going to work, including wear and tear on your car, gas, fair for the bus or train, lunch, even coffee adds up to about $3,300 a year.
“I haven’t done the math, but it does cut some costs down,” says Goggins. “I actually just contacted my car insurance company to reduce the amount of miles, so my premium is lower.”
Granted, there are some negatives associated with working remotely. For some, the opportunity for promotion only comes with working onsite or at least collaborating with upper management. And then, there is also the simple need for face-to-face contact.
“Sometimes, I go days at a time without seeing another human being, so I do make an effort to get out of the house at least once a day to go to a coffee shop and meet up with friends,” says Goggins.
Working remotely has become such a popular trend. Yet, another study from Ivy League professors found some employees were willing to take an 8% pay cut for the opportunity to work from home.
