money or sanity?

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I save about $150 a month carpooling to work with two other people. I don't dislike them, but I hate having to adhere to their schedule and forced to be in contact in a closed mechanical box. The drive to work used to be my morning "psych-up" - I would listen to music, drink my ritual coffee, zone out. Now I feel frazzled, weak, agitated and overstimulated. I've tried driving myself once a week, it's not enough to make that much of a difference.

Should I give up? It is good to save money. Very good. But I'm falling apart.

Sounds like you really need your morning drive to work zone out...is it worth falling apart for $150 a month? If you can afford it, I'd choose the sanity option.

Sanity.

Sometimes maintaining your sanity comes at a significant cost . I have my girls in a private school even though I could homeschool them. We have a partial scholarship now but it probably won't be renewed next year.

I also am so sensitive to temperature that I end up spending a ridiculous amount on electricity in summer and heating oil in winter. I have no idea what I'll do this winter with oil prices so high...

Anyway, what I'm trying to say, is that you should choose sanity, because being insane will cost you more in the long run both figuratively and literally.

Do you have to participate in the commute, or can you put on sunglasses, headphones and just zone out?

Zekmoe, usually I can read. Headphones would definitely alienate them. But I can't read when driving.

The morning is the most important part of the day for me so I would run like hell and forget about saving the pennies.

Seriously, I am the same way as yourself, in so far as, I need to have "my" time in the morning for myself to be human (or at least try) for the rest of the day.

It's like you psych yourself up for the day ahead, ready to deal with whatever will come your way.

I think it's important to be able to just "be" in the morning without added stress.

You can't spend your money when you are dead!

That is not meant to be morbid in any way!

You can't put a price on sanity.

Sounds like an awful way to start off a potentially wonderful day...I'd ditch them.

OK, well put it to yourself this way : -
Would you accept $30 a day to get to work in a negative mindstate ?

You need to try driving yourself again, to be able to make a useful comparison.

Try it, you can always go back to box-sharing.