My personal solution has been to go "car-lite" as some might say. The last 2 years I've lived a 65 mile each way commute from work, that would take from 1-4 hours each way, depending on traffic. On top of that, I was filling up with gas 3 times a week, at as much as $55 per tank, all this assuming only local weekend driving. My fuel budget was $750/mo. Combine that with insurance ($160/mo at the time... before I got married) and a $500/mo car payment ($380 min., but better to beat interest), I was spending over $1400 to drive my car each month. Now, I pay all of my bills on $1400/mo, including insuring an additional vehicle, and paying rent (I got stationed near home, so I've been living rent-free with my parents ).

Getting married co-incided with my ship changing location for a while, so I moved to where the ship is, but far enough away to leave work at work. My 7 mile commute is about perfect, taking about 1 hour round trip including traffic variables. To drive to work, park in the garage, and walk from the garage takes over an hour, plus I have to be at work an extra hour early just to find a parking spot. So, in all relevance, driving my 7 mile commute is a 2 hour process. I'd much rather bike any day of the week. Besides the benefits in time, both of our vehicles are on the same tank of gas that we put in over 3 weeks ago, so our transportation budget is down to $150/mo (figuring mileage of my wife driving me to & from work 1 day/week because of excessive baggage, and a trip to our home town once per month). Anyway, I've put less miles on my car in the last month than I would in a normal day previously.

Sorry for the novel!