See this:
| verage Annual Household Expenditures, 2004 | |
|---|---|
| Item | Proportion of Total Expenditure |
| shelter (home mortgage or rent) | 32% |
| car ownership & operating expenses | 17% |
| food | 13% |
| pensions & Social Security contributions | 10% |
| utilities | 7% |
| health care | 6% |
| entertainment | 5% |
| clothing | 4% |
| household furnishing | 4% |
| education | 2% |
| source: BLS Current Expenditure Shares Table | |
Think about it.
- $30/week for gas x 52 weeks= $1500 a year
- Average 12K miles on your car a year- $150 for oil changes
- basic insurance coverage will cost about $300-900/yr
- New tires every 3 years- $600 a set- that's $200/yr
- then there's other things like wiper fluid, perhaps gas additives, etc- a few hundred bucks?
This is all for one car. If you have two, double it.
Add all that up and you're talking about $2500 a year- just to own the car and drive it. Not to mention parking charges, toll fees, and other misc. items.
Just saying that it adds up. It's a little insane!!! I'm thinking of downsizing one of our cars. My husband isn't as convinced as I am. I already ride to work most days of the week. It would be hard at first to figure out logistical things like grocery shopping, going to stores that are a dozen miles away, and other challenges- but in reality I can find ways around those obstacles. Closer grocery stores, not going to those stores, planning extra time to travel to stores further away, and buying a cargo trailer to carry heavy/large loads. Finding a safer route to dangerous stores. It can be done. It's about making sacrifices and changing your perspective.
You don't have to sell it all- maybe you just only drive the car once a week on Saturdays and do all of your errands at once. Small sacrifices really add up!
There are many excuses:
I live too far from work: change jobs. I did it. I went from a commute of 52 mils a day to a job 3 miles away. It's hard, but it can be done. If changing jobs isn't an option, can you telecommute one day a week? Do you have flex hours so you can work only 4 days a week? Can you ride-share with someone? Use public transportation? Drive part-way to work and bike the rest making it a hybrid commute?
I have kids: I've read about people who take their kids to daycare in a bike trailer, leave the trailer there then ride to work. They choose a daycare on the way to work, or close to home. Ride with your kids to school, then ride to work. If there is an emergency at school with the kids and you need to leave work, I'm certain there is a coworker who would loan you a car or you could always get a ride or call a cab.
Some reasons are very valid.. Some are just excuses. Some people really live too far away from town to make it happen. Maybe you could move some day (when the housing market gets a little better).
The fact of the matter is, if you want to go car-lite or car-free then you'll make the sacrifices necessary to make it happen. You know- where there's a will there's way and all. It may take some creativity, some changes in behavior, some uncomfortableness at first, but it's up to you how far you want to take it. Urban environments are much more suitable for a car-free existence, but are not necessary. It's hard to change, but it can be done... if you really want it.
Here are some sites to help you if you are interested in going Car-lite or Car-free.
www.rowdykittens.com
A great site that gives lots of helpful information about how to downsize and go car-free. Weekly updates with super great tips and ideas.
http://tammystrobel.com/simply-car-free/
The link above is an e-book that she wrote about her car-free journey and how you can do it yourself. It's a good read.
http://carfree-char.blogspot.com/
another great blog about being car-free. It might not be quite so easy where you live, but you can make small changes. Remember that most car trips are less than 2 miles from home.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/throw-away-your-car-keys-livin.html
A good article
http://www.bikesatwork.com/carfree/
Here's some information about the costs of car ownership, the benefits of notowning a car, and how to arrange your life to enjoy a car-free or car-lite lifestyle.
