Name: Betty Wong Tomita
Age: 68
Hometown: Scarsdale, N.Y.
After the 2008 recession hit, Betty Wong Tomita had to close the executive recruiting business she had run for 32 years. That meant her retirement came five years before she had planned to quit full-time work.
To cut expenses, she decided to go without a car, even though she was still working part-time in nearby New York City as a recruiter for City Harvest, a local non-profit.
Now she hops a train to the city and walks to grocery stores and restaurants. Even after paying for train tickets, cabs, and the occasional car rental, Tomita saves about $5,000 a year on insurance, gas and parking.
"It's great," she says. "I walk a lot more, and I read on the train." She loves her job too. "This is the best thing that ever happened to me."
NEXT: More time translates to more savings
