If you're reading this, you're no doubt trying to decide if working from home is for you. Although deciding to work from home can be a big commitment, it also comes with benefits that can't be denied. Not only does working from home give you the freedom to set your own schedule, it can also make your life easier. Here are seven ways working from home may help you to simplify your life and save money .

1. Wardrobe: Let's be clear; it's definitely a good idea to wear clothes while you work at home, but since you won't be pounding the pavement everyday to go into an actual work building, you'll save tremendously on your business wardrobe. Whether its shoes, suits, purses or outerwear, you'll find that you can work from home in much more casual and less pricey attire than if you worked outside of your home.

2. Gas: Since you won't have to commute to work, you will inevitably save money on gas. And with today's fuel costs, not having to fill up as often can make quite the difference on your bottom line.

3. Food: We've all experienced this scenario; you leave your house too late to make breakfast, so you "pick up something on the way". You have meetings all day, so you grab lunch in between meetings, and you end up working later, so you eat dinner at your desk. This may seem like a normal day, but every time you purchase a meal outside of your home, you're spending money that could be used on other things. Between your meal and tip, you might find yourself needing a new part time job just to cover your meals! When you work from home, you can skip the hassle by making your own meals during your workday, and forget the tip, because you're your own waiter.

4. Car upkeep: Sure, normal wear and tear on your car is to be expected, but when you work from home, you don't have to worry about putting as many miles on your car that you would if you worked in an office. Since you don't have to drive to an office building everyday, you won't be putting as many miles on your car, and your car will most likely last longer. In these times, that should be reason enough to work from home.

5. Travel Time: When you work from home, your commute time is non-existent. So you can say goodbye to sitting in rush hour traffic, and missing out on important time with your family and loved ones. While it is tempting to work non-stop because your office is at your fingertips, make sure you budget your time wisely so you aren't working around the clock.

6. Childcare: Gone are the days of having to find someone to watch your kids while you're at work. Finding full time babysitters isn't a very big issue during the school year, but once summer arrives, childcare is a much bigger issue. So if you're working from home, you don't have to pay someone to watch your kids and/or pets.

7. Patience: When you work from home, you set the environment. You don't have to try and dodge the office gossips and instigators. You don't have to cover for the slackers and avoid the lies of blame shifters. You have way more control when you work for yourself, so you will save yourself a lot of patience and hopefully avoid needless stress.

If any of these options seem appealing, then working from home is probably for you. Don't get frustrated if you feel overwhelmed in the beginning. Working from home can feel a bit like taking the training wheels off of your bicycle, but just remember that practice makes perfect.