This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Sumonta Saha Mridul
From 360 to 158 BDT: How Strategic Problem Solving Cut My Cefalo Office-Home Commute Costs by 56% Monthly While Saving Time
What if you could cut your travelling costs in half and save time without changing your routine? Seems impossible? Well, I did it, and here’s how.
Problem-solving isn’t just a skill for software engineers — it’s something we use every day, even in the most ordinary situations. As we belong to a middle-class family, we often find ourselves struggling to balance time and cost, especially when it comes to daily transportation — particularly for long distances.
I travel about 25 kilometers from home to the office every day, which costs a lot. Dhaka’s traffic makes it even harder. So, I used my problem-solving skills to find a way to save money and manage my daily transport better. And today, I’m going to share that story with you.
The Problem: Costly and Time-Consuming Commute
Like many others, I faced high costs and long delays while traveling between home and office. At first, I used rickshaws, waited in long bus lines, and sometimes took app-based rides like Pathao. But this was neither cheap nor efficient. I knew there had to be a better way, so I decided to find a smarter travel
Plan 1: Observing the route: Home to Office
The first step to solving a problem is understanding it. Every day, I watched my route closely, noting every step and the time and cost associated with it. Initially, I relied on a rickshaw to reach the bus stand and then boarded a bus to Gulistan, where I used Pathao to complete the journey to my office. This plan was easy but too expensive.
At first, I couldn’t find a better way to travel from home to the office. But I didn’t give up and kept looking for solutions.
Plan 2: Rethinking the Route
Update 1: Skip the Rickshaw
One day, I realized I didn’t need a rickshaw to reach the bus stand. By walking just five minutes to the main road, I could catch a running bus directly to Gulistan. This change eliminated the rickshaw cost entirely and saved the time spent waiting in line at the bus stand.
Update 2: Switch from Pathao to Local Buses
While using Pathao from Gulistan to my office saved time, I noticed it wasn’t necessary during mornings when traffic was light. I decided to try local buses instead. Although the bus took a few minutes longer (15–20 minutes instead of 10), the cost difference was significant: Pathao charged 100 taka, whereas the bus cost only 10 taka. This single adjustment drastically reduced my daily commuting expenses without compromising much on time.
But have you noticed that I only optimized the route for going to the office in the morning? I still needed to figure out the way back home, right? I was still looking for the best plan because the main issue on the way back is Dhaka’s heavy traffic.
Plan 3: Optimizing the Return Journey
Update 1: Combine Walking and Public Transit
Getting home was a bit tricky because of the evening traffic, but I came up with a simple plan to save both time and money:
- Walk to Elephant Road: By walking to Elephant Road from my office, I avoided traffic jams in this busy area.
- Take a Local Bus to Shahbag Metro: From Elephant Road, I took a local bus to Shahbag Metro for just 10 taka and a 10-minute ride.
- Use the Metro to Bangladesh Secretariat: I used my rapid pass to take the metro from Shahbag to Bangladesh Secretariat for only 18 taka, which took about 10 minutes.
- Walk to Gulistan: A short 10-minute walk from Bangladesh Secretariat brought me to Gulistan.
By following this plan, I kept my travel time at 30 minutes and reduced my cost from 100 taka (for a Pathao ride) to just 28 taka.
An added bonus: Walking helped improve my health, balancing out the time I spend sitting at my desk.
Small Changes, Big Impacts
Throughout this process, I identified other micro-optimizations:
- Bargaining with Rickshaw Drivers: Negotiating fares reduced the cost from 30 taka to 20 taka.
- Skipping Long Bus Queues: Instead of waiting in line, I signaled the bus conductor directly to save time and avoid the crowd.
Results: The Power of a Problem-Solving Mentality
After implementing these changes, my daily commute costs dropped dramatically from 360 taka to just 158 taka, all while maintaining the same time efficiency. Beyond saving money, this method improved my problem-solving skills and pushed me to find ways to improve other parts of my life. It shows that problem-solving is not just about solving immediate problems, but about staying curious, adaptable, and always learning.
Conclusion: Adopting the Problem-Solving Mindset
My daily travel story may seem simple, but it highlights the power of a problem-solving mindset. Whether it’s a daily task or a big challenge, facing problems with curiosity, persistence, and creativity can lead to great results. Just as I changed my daily commute, I now approach daily challenges with a new mindset, always looking for small improvements that can lead to big results.
So, the next time you encounter a challenge, ask yourself: What small change can I make to improve the situation?
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From 360 to 158 BDT: How Strategic Problem Solving Cut My Cefalo Office-Home Commute Costs by 56%… was originally published in Level Up Coding on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Sumonta Saha Mridul