There's nothing like commuting. Whether you're squashed on a bus, freezing your toes off at a railway station or bumper to bumper in a cloud of carbon monoxide, it's a unique experience that apparently takes up 52.8 minutes of the average working day.

Unless they've invented teleportation by the time you read this, you probably have little control over this sad reality. But that doesn't make you powerless: even if there's no avoiding the daily commute, there could be ways to stop it taking such a huge chunk out of your wallet - as well as your life.

Here we assess the costs of driving to work - and suggest a few ideas that could cut them down.

What's your car costing you?

Petrol

Without it, you won't get very far - but a litre of unleaded cost 132.80p on 11th December, according to petrolprices.com. If your car gets 40 mpg, £10 will get you around 70 miles these days.

You could save:

• There are ways to improve your mileage. For example: don't accelerate too quickly; don't drive too fast; don't use the air conditioning unless it's essential; keep your engine serviced.
• And of course, figure out which stations charge the least.
• In the long run, today's petrol prices are a very good reason to buy a more economical car.

Insurance

October's 'shoparound average premium' was £844.66 for comprehensive insurance, according to the AA British Insurance Premium Index. And big, fast cars cost more to insure. So do younger drivers - or drivers with a history of crashes.

You could save:

• Shop around - don't just renew without checking out the alternatives. All About Money could help you.
• Have you heard of telematics? If you consider yourself a good driver, modern technology means you could prove it - and save yourself some cash.

Vehicle tax

That tax disc on your windscreen could be costing you up to £475 a year, or it could be free: it depends on either the engine size or the amount of emissions it produces, depending on when your vehicle was registered. In some cases, your vehicle could be exempt.

You could save:

• If you're looking for another reason to love the planet and ditch the gas-guzzler, check out the Tax Rate Tables at gov.uk.

Breakdown cover

Unless you're a mechanic, it's good to have one on standby. Breakdown cover isn't an essential cost, but cutting back here could be a serious false economy.

You could save:

• Keep your eyes open for special offers.
• Some financial services - like car insurance or certain bank accounts - come with breakdown cover as part of a package.

Congestion charge

Between 7am and 6pm, Monday-Friday, you'll have to pay £10 per day to drive in London's Congestion Charge zone.

You could save:

• There are exemptions - if you're disabled and exempt from road tax, for instance
• You could register for CC Auto Pay and pay £9 a day
• You might qualify for a discount.

London's not the only city in Britain - and it's not the only one to consider a congestion charge. Back in 2008, when over a million people in Greater Manchester took part in a referendum, 79% of voters said 'no' . But who knows what awaits us all in the years ahead?

MOT

Test centres are welcome to charge less if they're feeling competitive - but there is a maximum they're allowed to charge for an MOT (£29.65 for a motorbike, £54.85 for most cars, etc.).

Winter weather

Freezing temperatures, icy roads, frosty windscreens… winter can be tough on your car, and they're saying this winter could be a cold one. Preparing properly for the harsh weather should cut the risks of anything dangerous / expensive happening.

Things like:

• Fill up your windscreen wash. All that grit, mud, snow, rain and sleet can make a mess of your windscreen, so make sure you've got enough cleaner in your mix to give you a clear view of the road.
• Check your tyres. Worn tyres are always a danger, but when the roads are slippery it's even more important you have good treads on your tyres - and enough pressure in them.
• Check your antifreeze. Your engine needs coolant (water and antifreeze), so make sure your mixture is right (a garage can test this if you're not sure how to).
• Get your car serviced. If there's a potential problem with your car, you don't want to find out about it when it's dark, snowing and -10°.
• Check your lights regularly. In December, we might see the sun for eight hours a day if we're lucky, which is less than half the daylight hours we get in June. You'll use your lights a lot more in winter, so it's more likely the bulbs will break - and more important you replace them quickly!
• Be prepared for a breakdown. No amount of preparation can guarantee you won't break down, but you can make sure you're prepared for it. It's always good to have the following in your car: torch, blankets, warm clothing, umbrella, jacket, emergency food supply, flask of coffee, ice scraper & first aid kid. Of course, you'll also need a mobile phone with enough charge - and the number of your breakdown service.

How could you cut the car costs?

Pool it!

Are you driving around on your own or with one passenger? If only there was a way to make money from those empty seats! Sites like blablacar.com, liftshare.com and mylifts.com can connect drivers with people looking for a cheaper way to travel.

Downsize it!

Do you really need a 4x4 to drive around the city? Swap it for a smaller model and you could save on petrol, insurance, tax & parts. You could buy a smaller vehicle that's much newer than your old gas guzzler, giving you (hopefully) better reliability and fewer repairs. Plus, it's much easier to find a parking space for a smaller car, which means you're not wasting time & petrol hunting for a huge spot that no-one else has noticed!

Buying a smaller run-around could even pay for itself, especially if your family has two drivers in it. You could keep the 'family car' for journeys with the whole family - and use the smaller one whenever possible. You'd have the cost of two cars to deal with, but think of what you could save on petrol, repairs & depreciation by not taking your bigger car every time you need to pop out on your own.

Learn to fix it!

Never mind the costs when it's running well - when (not if) your car breaks down or needs a new part, all those mechanics' bills can really break the bank. It doesn't have to be like that; you can learn to fix it yourself!

• Check out sites like carbibles.com or popularmechanics.com for some 'how to' guides.
• Put 'Car maintenance course [your location]' into a search engine and find out about the courses available near you.

Remember: safety first! Trying your hand at car DIY could cost you more in the long run. It can also be risky - potentially deadly - which is one reason so many people are happy to leave it to the experts.

…and on a lighter note, some examples of how not to Do It Yourself.

Rent it!

It's not always cheaper to buy. If you don't use your car on a regular basis, have you thought about selling it? Depending on your lifestyle, the money you save every month could be more than enough to pay for the occasional hire car.

You might be surprised how little they cost. Plus, renting a car can mean:

• You can get exactly what you need for that occasion, whether it's a 2-door run-around or a 7-seater family MPV.
• You can get it for the time you need it - no more, no less. That means no paying for a car when it's just sitting on your driveway.
• The car should be in perfect condition (and pretty new).
• You won't have to worry about insurance, MOT, tax disc, repairs…
• You can try out different models, helping you make an informed choice if you ever decide to buy another car.

Park it!

If you're fed up with high parking charges, there could be a cheaper way to park. Sites like usemyspace.co.uk could help you find a parking-space / garage that someone near your work is renting out.

On the other side of the same coin, if parking-spaces around your home are hard to find, it's worth finding out how much you could make by hiring yours out. This could help you make your mind up about selling your car - especially as it's likely you're living somewhere with decent public transport.

Negotiate it!

Nobody likes rush hours. Is your boss open to the idea of flexible working? Making the drive one hour earlier / later could make an enormous difference to:

• Your commuting costs
• Your commuting times
• Your impact on the environment
• Your mood all day long!

If telecommuting is an option, you could make an even bigger difference in all four areas! Just bear in mind that telecommuting isn't right for every job / employer / employee.

Re-route it!

Are you sure you're taking the best route into work? It's well worth spending some time exploring different routes: you can do this online, with your satnav or behind the wheel. You might find a route that's:

• Shorter
• Faster
• Better for petrol consumption
• Longer - but much more enjoyable!

© Stephen Finn - Fotolia.com