Every morning, you take the same route to work. Every day it costs you $10 or more for parking, gas and tolls. And that doesn't even count expenses like insurance and maintenance.

Given the way fuel prices and tolls are rising, maybe it's time to re-evaluate your daily commute.

Changing how you get to your job can create more breathing room in your budget -- from gas savings to insurance reductions to reduced wear on the car.

"After spending $100 one week last summer on gas for my 2000 Nissan Xterra, I plunked down the money for a small used Honda scooter," says Shana Smith of Eugene, Ore.

"My gas bill went from $100 to $2.80 in one week," Smith says. "I find that I only need to fill up the Nissan Xterra about every three weeks. I don't live far from work, and the ride is beautiful. Yipppeeee!"

The used scooter cost Smith $675, and it paid for itself in a few weeks. "I ride about six miles to work one way," she says. "If the weather's crappy, I take the car. I live up in the hills, and it's not worth the risk during inclement weather."

Insurance savings

Gas is just the beginning. People who use their cars less in their commutes may be able to save on insurance.

"I regularly walk and bike to work and class, and so does my partner," says Maria Stadtmueller of Iowa City, Iowa. "We have a car -- a Honda Civic -- but are able to get lower car insurance because we keep our mileage low. We also save wear and tear on the car and gas dollars.

"Then there's the price we all pay for oil drilling, pollution and global warming, not to mention that if I didn't get the exercise I'd have to spend money on bigger pants," Stadtmueller says.

Insurance savings are possible, but not guaranteed, says Mike Gould, an independent insurance agent with Advanced Insurance Services Inc., of North Liberty, Iowa.

Driving your car less often may or may not result in a lower rate, says Gould.

"It's really a regional issue," Gould says. "Here in Iowa, the story is that some carriers will have one rate for commuting, one for carpooling and one for pleasure only. The trend is to find other factors besides annual driving distance -- like your credit profile, which is increasingly important."

The policy on annual mileage varies by company, he says, so comparison shopping matters in this case.

"More and more, I'm seeing companies look less at commuting distance and more at prior losses," he says. "With some companies, though, driving fewer miles would mean a lower price."

Consumers can call their current insurers and see what a commuting change will mean in terms of price, he says. Then, Gould suggests, they can have an independent insurance agent plug in a lower-mileage scenario to a variety of companies and see if a better price is available. A lower rate is a possibility, especially in states with high insurance rates like New Jersey, he says.

Determine the true cost of driving

The first step to commuting savings is looking hard at your current spending. You may be shocked to find the true cost of getting to work.

You can tally your daily mileage, the per-gallon cost of gas, parking, tolls and insurance premiums with a pen and paper, or you can use an online calculator.

After seeing your total, you may want to look into car pooling, public transportation or alternate driving routes. But, if you can do it, the cheapest options are walking, biking and telecommuting.

Take a hike

The cheapest way to get to work is to walk. Angela Balcita, a graduate student at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, will save $80 this semester by walking 20 minutes to school instead of buying a bus pass at the student-discount rate. And Laura Crossette, a recent graduate, takes advantage of the university's free Campus service, which transports passengers around the downtown area. Similar free shuttles are available in many college towns and tourist areas.

Ride a bike

If you're able to bike to work, you'll eventually save almost as much as you will by walking. The initial costs can run several hundred dollars, but after that, the savings will pile up.

Piet Canin, Bike to Work director in Santa Cruz County, Calif., says you can buy a bike at all price levels, but if you're looking for equipment that will last, it's an investment of several hundred dollars.

"The cost of starting up biking is $300 for a bike and $30 for a helmet," Canin says, emphasizing that this cost is for good-quality choices. "For lights and rear red blinking light, it's about $25, and a half decent U lock is $35. The cost in these is not the very low end, but decent durable products versus something you might find at Wal-Mart or Target."

Then there are optional accessories that can make the ride more pleasant.

"From the basics you might want a good wind/rain jacket, gloves, rear rack, carrying bags," Canin says. "This might cost you about another $150 to $300, depending on quality."

Many local bike-to-work organizations will help you find the right bike and even match you up with a bike buddy.

The Bike to Work Web site has an "issues and answers" page that deals with concerns such as arriving to work with wrinkled clothing, the cost of buying a good bike and the importance of a helmet. The answers include a bike bag for a change of clothes and the quick payoff from buying a bike.

Jump in the carpool

Carpool matching services are available free in many communities. A Web search or a call to your local government can lead you to a carpool center.

Valley Metro, which provides public transportation in Phoenix also coordinates carpools, van pools and bike buddy systems through its Web site.

In some municipalities, you may get an extra bonus from your employer, or from the city, for not driving. Phoenix, in its effort to promote ride-sharing, kicks in a discount card for people who fill out a carpool application through their employers. The Commuter Club card has discounts from more than 100 area merchants -- including restaurants, bookstores, florists, museums and bike stores.

If your employer doesn't deal with carpools and the town Web site is no help, CarpoolConnect.com will connect you to other commuters in your area. The site works through search functions and message boards. Plug in your starting ZIP code and your destination ZIP code and see what you find. A recent search found people looking for rides to the train station, rides to work and rides home on a certain day of the week.

Go public

Check out the bus and train routes that could possibly take you to work. The routes may be more convenient than the last time you checked. Be sure to ask about multiple-ride discount cards, monthly passes and any other deals for riders.

If you usually pay for parking by the hour, you'll find that taking the bus or train will save you more. When you take the bus or train, you can stay late for the same price.

Map out the cheapest driving route

If you must drive every day, you can still investigate savings possibilities. With tolls rising, it pays to spend some time figuring out if the route you take is the cheapest one. Altering your path from major, clogged highways to side roads can easily save serious dollars.

Rachel Traum of New York was stunned to discover that a simple change in route netted her $400 in annual savings.

Check out employer incentives

You may be able to get discounted bus or train passes through your employer. Sometimes, it's a little-advertised perk that can save you $20 to $40 per month. And because employers may qualify for discounts and grants from municipalities or local environmental groups if they have a large number of employees biking to work or car pooling, they may offer incentives to help you get started.

Ditch your commute altogether

If you don't commute at all, you may save big, telecommuters say.

"I took a sales job where I could work out of my house and eliminated my commute entirely," says Tim Leffel of Nashville, Tenn. "Once or twice a month I go see clients, but otherwise it takes me two weeks to use up a tank of gas. One unanticipated benefit of this is I spend less gas running errands, as well.

"I've probably saved an average of $40 per month on gas, plus there's less wear and tear on my car," he says. "Since I don't have to show up at an office every day, I also spend very little on new clothes and shoes, so figure another $50 a month there. Probably save at least $20 to $30 on food since I'm not tempted to go out to lunch as much."

Finally, Leffel's insurance went down $240 per year.

While you may not be able to eliminate your commute entirely, with careful planning and a little creativity, you may be able to reduce some of the cost.