You heard it here first ladies! Alex is looking for a girl to settle down with within the coming 8 years and she ought to love biking and be willing to adopt 3 teenagers who aren't even Alex's.
If I had to have children, I would adopt. There are too many homeless children in this world to be pooping out more of them. Also, women with a history of pregnancy is a deal breaker for me.
Congrats Alex! I’m not as brave as you to be car free, but Hayley and I like using our e-bikes as much as possible. Being able to bike to work will be a large factor of where we eventually buy a house. Excited to see more of what it takes to make this adjustment.
horses are great! you drive them until they literally die. and the best part isn't that their fuel is grass, it's that you can drive drunk or sleeping.
Cities aren’t really set up like this anymore. It used to be each community would have places to work, schools, and restaurants typically within walking distance. Unless you live close to downtown now that doesn’t really happen anymore
@@brianfarley926 it’s really disappointing. I do think we are heading back in that direction. And it depends on your city. I’d actually like to do a video mapping grocery stores in my city (Calgary, Canada) and see how accessible they are to people.
Biking in the winter in Calgary is very doable! Only really tough after a big snow storm. 90% of the time its easy enough. Just get tires that are like 35mm wide or more with some decent tread and your laughing. Bonus points for studs! Plus it feels amazing!
When you started talking about what you'll spend the transport money on, my first thought was "a trip to France sounds nice" because in my mind that counted as transport too 😅
What's even crazier is that the price you paid for your car is insanely low. Unsure how it stacks up in Canada, but the average price for a used car in the US today is around $27k. Over the course of 7 years, assuming a depreciation of around 15%, your car would be worth only $8.7k. That's an additional $18k sunk just to own a car. By contrast, if you took that $18k and invested it in the stock market, with a historical 10% rate of return, by the end of those 7 years you'd have nearly doubled your investment.
Cars really are a money pit! I got really lucky having access to such a good vehicle for such a low price... I'm glad to have used it - lots of adventures! If I ever needed to own a car again, I'd want to have it back hahaha! But yeah... Even my cheap car wasn't cheap...
I'm actually attempting to get rid of my 2019 corrola hatchback which was my baby. The fact that AB government lift cap on now much insurance can rise year of year, it's soo stupid to have a car rn. Given biking makes me fitter, healthier and feel better.
Yay...one of us, one of us! I've been car free in Calgary for 6 years now. Thinking about renting a car to take me and my bike to Kelowna in mid-October. Just over $200 in the car rental for Monday-Friday plus another $140 or so in insurance coverage. Still not too bad, and very competitive with the cost of flying my bike there and taking transit or ubers. Hopefully you'll keep me in mind for the servicing or winter tires.
Paying for a rental car every now and then is so much cheaper than holding on to the car for that one time you need it. And I will! I’ll definitely be getting Winter tires. Did some slipping on my bike in January 😂
@@elisfsharri There's basically no passenger trains in Western Canada (The Canadian runs only 2 days a week...more of a public subsidized tourist train than any form of useful transit). I think the Via Rail service between Calgary and Vancouver ended in the 80s. Plus, even if they brought it back, it would stop in Kamloops, not Kelowna, and it would probably cost more than flying. There is one bus company, Rider Express, but it's nearly $140 each way, and their schedule wouldn't work with my schedule.
@@AustinSersen that's a disgrace. In my country, Albania, the trains have degraded for the last 30 years. However, we do have cheap coaches, which have enough space for bikes inside. That said, we don't really have any lines that go 600 km on a single coach, but it's kinda ironic that Canada doesn't even have that.
@@elisfsharriWe used to have good train service in Canada. Hell, trains are what made this country possible to be one big country in the first place. Somewhere along the line though we lost our way.
Congrats! I gave up driving in 2003, bought a bike and eventually an electric front tire kit that ran on SLAs. The kit lasted me over 16 years without a ounce of maintenance, only changing the 3 SLA every two years, and 2 bikes along the way. A spill on a badly maintained bike path that had a city pond leaking over it took out the controller about two years ago, so I ended up just going back to pedaling for now. I'm 54 years old, have been cycling in the Midwest year around. While the city I live in does have bike trails, there are mostly just dangerous sharrows, but have managed to not get hit yet. Glad to hear more people are dumping the money pits for sensible transport.
Wow! That kit lasted a long while! I’m optimistic about us moving away from sharrows… but it’s a process. I’m just glad I feel *okay* on the streets where I have to ride on the road.
This isn't the end of the story. As expensive as car ownership is, car dependent infrastructure is even worse. Car dependent infrastructure means we have high taxes, high rents, high prices, and our cities are always broke.
The freedom from the mental burden of car ownership is a huge benefit too. I never have to devote a corner of my brain to a mental countdown for when to next buy gas, or worry about finding a parking spot at my destination, or think about how I'm going to pay for new tires before winter, or check if my license plate is close to expiring, or worry about someone breaking the window and stealing something, or try to find time in a busy day to go get an oil change. I just can't fathom why anyone is okay with this constant mental burden cluttering up their minds! I've never owned a car, and I think I would find all of that mental work stressful and exhausting!
Hence why my car is parked 24/7 and I just take the bus everywhere. NYC drivers are idiots, and I don't need that stress in my life, much less the above
I’ve not had a car in 20 years…living in Asia and Europe. But now as I contemplate coming back into the US, I looked at getting a truck…to pull a trailer…to live in. Trucks are now $40k min. $70k for the kind I want. Even used! Then there’s cost of trailer. Petrol (10-20 miles per gallon!?), insurance, repairs, tolls, etc etc. Forget it! Not coming back!
Learning how to work on your own car can save you a lot of money. Same for your house once you buy one. For me it's more about time. I can change my oil faster than just driving one way to the garage.
That is true for a lot of stuff. Building your own computer is either cheaper for the same compute power compared to a Walmart laptop, or for the same price, is either faster, smaller, quieter, or all of the above
I do a lot of my own maintenance and minor repairs myself and you can save some easy money for sure, but the rest still adds up. I'd say I knock off maybe half the cost of maintenance and a third of repair costs doing things myself in my driveway. I can't do shit about the price of gas and insurance though.
Having had two flats on my ebike, and having to call cabs to get me to a bike shop, I've learned the value of panniers and carrying in them: a foot pump, duct tape, two spare tubes, one spare tire, a wrench the right size for the rear axle, and those little paddles that pry the rims of your tires off the wheel rims (your bike shop will know what they are).
Im very happy that your going the car free way but unfortunately i cant abadon my truck man shes just too fun to drive and i can go places easily and dont have to wait for a bus with so many stops i wish we had a better transport system like the one japan has people are lucky there and not have to even own a car to commute to work or places.
@humanecities I'd honestly love that cause owning a truck isn't cheap you got insurance to pay and car payments to make and if any issue arises with the truck you have to replace some part that's gonna cost you 1000's of dollars so yea I wish canada focuses on this aspect on making cities more walkable instead of you know drivable look at Toronto man that city is a mess and it's crowded with many cars and it's always noisy and your right I think they should implement the same Transit system as Japan does but unfortunately the oil companies don't like that nethier does the automotive industry or else sales would tank and the industry would suffer as a whole and people even live in rural areas where there's no access to the transit system so that's one point to consider.
Sad the way people, society says renting is throwing money away yet noone ever says owning a car is. A person who is car free+renting+ frugal seen as throwing money away yet someone with car(s), mortgage, in tons of debt isn't throwing money away, wheres the logic ????
Most people trip out when i tell them i didnt learn to drive till i was 25 and ask how? Well im Long Beach native, great weather year round and everything in life was within 1 mile radius. Literally, the hospital i was born in, elementary/middle/high/city college. Grocery, post office/ court house, airport, literally evrrything and if not id skateboard. I got a DL when i moved away and discovered not all cities were like this
It might work in certain cities for certain people, but most people not only need one, we want one. Among other things, we have three large dogs and make a monthly run to Costco to buy, among other things, dog food. So how do we get 4 40lbs bags of dog food home without a car? And that's just one small example. I should also mention that Costco is about 30 minutes away. It's not like we're carrying that dog food on the bus.
Yeah, I can see why you’d need a car 😂 I had a roommate who did a DJing gig and hauled his equipment there on the bus… he smartly got a taxi home. It’s all about life situation. Given their impacts (economically, socially, physically), I’d love to see cars become less necessary so that it really is just a want (and sometimes need).
I'm managing pretty well around Los Angeles with very minimal car use! Love my bike and have been doing a lot of Metrolink-bike connections because I can bring my bike on board! The trouble is, I have two dogs, who aren't allowed on public transit. I need the car a few times a month for trips with them, for training sessions, beach trips, and hikes. I also have to drive to visit my family back home because that's the only way to travel long distance with the pups. Many European countries allow muzzled dogs on public transit, which IMO is a great solution. Unless that becomes an option, I think I'll have to maintain a car for as long as I have the dogs, as much as my wallet wishes I didn't have to. I have to replace my alternator tomorrow so this video hits hard :/
There's no denying a car gives you freedom to move around but having more money gives you more financial freedom to work less and do more - net result of this is to ideally find work locally if possible but I accept that's not always an option for some.
Civilization thanks you for cutting down on excess CO2. Personally, I would love to drive a lot less, (part of that is probably the fact that driving is my job). I think that there is a HUGE difference between driving in a congested city, and doing a road trip on the highway to somewhere else. I also agree that if you really have to have a car, a rental, or car share vehicle works. (My sister live in Vancouver and has been using transit and a car share for years.) We really need to kick this pollution thing to the curb. It is literally killing us. Then there is the financial serfdom to the oil interests. That's why I bought an EV to do my job. I just could not bring myself to buy another gasser, knowing that we would be contributing to a less livable city, and climate change. It's not a perfect solution, but it beats gassing all those pedestrians. As I said my sister has been car free for many years, so it IS doable.
I have come to the same conclusion and thanks for affirming my decision. But luckily i live in Europe, it is not that difficult here. In NA? dang i feel sorry for you bro haha
In 1969 my head got in the way of a CH47 helicopter blade, luckily it was just a glancing blow so I did survive with some continuing problens. One of these was i should not drive or operate heavy machinery. I live just outside of Boston and have access to pretty hood public transit so I was able to use that to get back and forth to work and to make appointments. My expenses consisted of a monthly transit pass, upkeep for a 10 speed bike and occasional cab fare (few times a year). I'm 76 now and had to give up the bike because of balance issues so I walk to the market, hardware store, etc. Thwy are within a mile and I have folding cart that lets me transport a couple weeks of groceries or a trip to Home Depot (four train stops away). I don't use the trsin much so I just pay normal fair and don't use a transit pass. The money i saved while working was astounding and it let me retire at 62 with no financial worries. Something like this only works if your in a very urban setting with decent transit (Boston has not been very good for the past few years but I only use it every other month now that I'm retired so that does not bother me.
Thats great for someone who lives close to where they work or have convenient public transportation available (like my brother, who lives literaly in front of a metro station), but for people like me, who work in nearby cities and sometimes drive over 100 Km a day just to get to and back from work, living car free is an unatainable dream.
2 yamaha motorcycles. One for nice weather and a trike for rain, mud, and snow. If you're mostly going short distances, then consider a sitting escooter.
My spouse and I do not own a vehicle but we decided to still hustle up the money every year and have it as extra. The annual cost of car ownership in the US is $5-10k per vehicle, with the average being $8k. We live in a snowy place so we took the upper estimate, assuming two heavy vehicles that could handle the snow. That's $20k extra money every year between the two of us. We treat it like a huge present. We hustle up the money, like we need it for our cars, then because we don't need it, we put it toward something important. Extra toward the mortgage, extra into retirement, etc. It also helps emotionally to think about that money when the bus is late and I'm cold and irritated haha.
That is a GREAT idea! I’ve, admittedly, been spending my extra money mostly on travel 😂 Which you’re right, is nice to think about when I’m cold and irritated!
Its seems that in most living arrangements in the US and Canada, the stars have to align to make biking everywhere work. You would have to live close enough to your job. That neighborhood would have to be safe and affordable. The schools would need to be acceptable for your kids. Stores would have to be nearby. I have found such a scenario and I am thrilled about it. I won't be able to completely stop driving, but will be biking a couple days per week in place of my car commute.
I’m glad the stars have aligned for you, too! I’m pretty fortunate to be a healthy, young, single guy with no dependents. It makes it much easier to find the right spot. Coming soon: A video where I chat with my sister about what she and her small family look for in a neighbourhood! Stay tuned!
I always quit highly paid jobs which I found less interesting and worked at jobs wich I liked best - regardless of pay. I found a marvellous wife whith whom I have two kids. We sent both kids to private schools. We bought and payed off two beautiful flats, one near the city centre and one at a small lake close to the city and I still have nice savings on top of my pension. What made such a financially independent life possible? Neither me nor my wife ever owned a car and not for a single day did we miss one. I could go on about what it means for my health and my wellbeing in general that for all those decades I did all my trips within a 10-kilometre-range (which were all my daily trips) on foot or by bicycle. Those benefits are even more important than the financial aspects.
sadly, I still have to have a car. I live in NYC, and there are many places I can't get to by bike or mass transit. trips out to see family in the Burbs aren't possible by mass transit never mind bike. city planners here have made it very difficult to live a car free existence.
I’ve got similar issues. Getting around the city is alright, but I can’t visit family outside the city with the same ease. I’d love to consider some North American solutions to this - though, it won’t work for everyone in every situation.
I’ve also got a Corolla, 2004, and I’m always telling people how cheap it is to own. Your video makes me aware of the fact that I still am spending a lot of money to have this car. (My insurance, though, is far less than what you were paying- about $80/ month.) It’s only “cheap” compared to what most other people pay for their late model vehicles and correspondingly pricey insurance, gas bills, and maintenance. But, as you show, it still adds up to a real chunk of change over the years. Still, in my car-centric mid-size American city, I really don’t have much choice. Calgary appears to offer more choice in this than does my city. Great, eye-opening video.
Yes, whenever you feel like driving, you can always rent a car. Other than getting from point A to point B, a car is worthless. The money you save you can make investment so it will actually make money for you.
I went mostly by bus this past winter - mostly because I enjoy the down time. Because our winters are pretty dry and sunny, cycling isn’t a horrible option for shorter trips, but my commute is a little longer (50ish mins).
@@humanecities wow, man! You’re amazing! I love looking at your analysis, great job and thank you for sharing. I will share your video with my students overseas.
Throwing away your car to ride a bicycle doesn't sound like a good plan to me. It does rain where you live doesn't it.. By the time you buy all of those E-bikes, you have spent most of the savings you made by not having a car. If I lived in an ideal community where riding a bike was practical, I'd love to do it. Here, it gets blazing hot some days, it rains some days, snows, and gets freezing. The nearest store is only about five miles away, but the roads between here and there aren't safe to ride a bicycle on. I would like to get around differently, but this doesn't sound like something I'd want to do.
Not only does it rain, it snows! In the Winter, I’ll probably take the bus more, but we’ll have to see. I’m tracking how much I’m spending and how long it takes me to get around. I’ll have some interesting update videos talking about that. It’s too bad your transport options are limited where you’re at. It’d be great to drive on the cold/hot days and ride a bike on the pleasant days. The good news is, we make the rules! I’ve been getting involved to have some better infrastructure that supports people getting around in a variety of ways!
Yep! I’m tracking every penny I spend on bus passes, bike tires, and anything else that has to do with transportation. I’ll be adding them up at the end of my first year car free!
if things change and you would need a car, i would recommend checking options in getting yourself a tesla model 3. you could use ownership of that for your future videos as well.
rule of thumb, for every $1000 i spend on a vehicle, it needs to last me 1yr. My monthly insurance is $15/month, never been over $25/month. average $60/month on gas, creeping towards 80 with Bidenomics Fix things yourself Face it, you're bad with money. $600/yr to service 3 ebikes?! that's my annual maintenance inspection on my airplane (soon to be $0/yr doing it myself). That's more than 3x my annual car insurance. what does 3x ebikes cost to buy, $4k, or more?
@@humanecities I knew flying was expensive, but had it as a bucket list, as I'm an airplane nerd. Had some extra cash and took the opportunity to get my license, and accidentally ended up becoming an Airplane and Helicopter CFII. It can be expensive, but it can be affordable too if you have realistic expectations (relative to your level of disposable income). Many people demand fast planes, keeping up with the Jones, want all the fancy gadgets, refuse to do their own maintenance, etc. and thus fly very expensive aircraft with high operating costs. But there are ways to reduce the cost of ownership if you're willing to put in the extra effort. Sometimes the time you spend doing it yourself can be far cheaper than what it would have cost you to pay someone else. I can give you a whole list of things I personally do, or am working towards doing, to keep my costs down, if you're interested. Also, lower performance airplanes are cheaper, lower maintenance, lower operating cost, easier to fly and learn on, can be fun too, and more useful than people will claim. If you're not in a hurry, you can get into aviation reasonably. but it can be expensive, so come into it with realistic expectations. Even if you just want to get a pilot license to do it, experience it, not look back regretting never trying it, and then never fly again, that's fine. to each their own. And the LSA, Light Sport, rules are getting a massive overhaul right now and greatly expand what you can do with a LSA license as opposed to a full Private Pilot License. The very least you can do is go to your nearest airport where a Flight Instructor offers discovery flights, and go up for an "introductory lesson" to see what you think. that first Discovery Flight can be rather cheap, and you'll get a go at flying the plane and seeing what you think without committing to flight training yet. I highly recommend you at least do that no matter what, if you're at all thinking about flying. And don't wait, do it sooner than later. And it's a perfect time to ask the flight instructor about flight training, expected costs, etc. if you're still interested in learning more.
insurance seams really steep for a 20 year + old car that is worth less than 3k in sure. 170*12 that $2040 more than 66% the value of the car. even canadian that a lot.
40k is also a low mark for the cost of car ownership, consider every single newer car with complex computers, turbo or super charged engines, overly complex mechanical components and hybrid systems, that just hikes up the price for maintenance and are more expensive off the lot even for a used model too, and electric cars are just as bad, they still have tires and brakes and wipers, though saving of fuel is great just wait until they start charging for software updates or for your battery packs to die from continuous charge cycling, you might save money on small things only to be hit with an impossibly large bill to replace something vital in those over sized bloated RC toys
congrats, 31 and never had car, its well possible. another life hack, learn to repair your bike yourself ! itll be even cheaper once you get all tool needs. replace flat air chamber ? 3$ and 5 min
That’s the biggest thing I’ve realised. Pretty much everyone I know has a car has acted like I’ve had my limbs removed. But I see hundreds of people using transit. It’s not a big deal 😂 I’ll talk more about that in my 3 month update video.
Fun story: Applying for disability Social Security in the US is a long, expensive process. You basically always get denied and have to appeal to prove that you're "really disabled." Often people have to enlist the help of an attorney who specializes in Social Security to get their application approved. But you know what really fast-tracks an application, attorney or no? Losing your ability to drive. The Federal Government just casually accepts that if you can't drive, you can't participate in American society.
@@Demopans5990 No, it's not the car that has to be broken, it's you. For example you have epilepsy and could have a seizure while driving. That makes you a "danger" to other drivers and thus disabled by default. The fact that many so called able people could black out from alcohol addiction while driving.... This is why the world is harder than it needs to be for disabled people.
@@Demopans5990I am too but because I had to keep interrupting my own career to take care of other people who are disabled I no longer qualify for disability. This country punishes both disabled and caregivers.
I live in a central Texas town of 40,000 and I sold my auto and use an E Trike for all my transportation needs. It saves me $400 monthly. Being 80 yrs. old and on SS that is one helluva raise. I lived many years in Colombia and never needed a car because of cheap public transportation.
Good for you Frank, I have thought about getting an E-Trike, I love biking but right now my balance is off, If I can get everything worked out I am going to make a change in my lifestyle, get away from the car, get a dog and live in peace!😊
I somehow never got around to buying a car and I'm almost 50. I never planned it that way, but I was too broke when I was young and I always managed to find a home that was either walking distance or a short bus ride to work here in the city. I could never justify the cost, especially since city driving here is just start/stopping to the next red light. I think they are convenient; I'll rent one if needed for an occasion or something, but the costs were always far to hight to justify for my scenario. I don't regret it.
The incredible thing is, this is on the very low end of car costs. The car seems to be about as cheap and reliable as you can get, and reasonably fuel efficient. Your average Canadian can expect to pay 2-3 times more.
@@humanecitiesI wish to know what a comparison cost from this car 7 years data, to the new Volvo EX30 (but fueling the car trough a massive amount of solar pannels rolling back the power meter usage to negative in the summer, and using that "negative" of power in the winter), for the next 7 years, but the total calculations need to ve adjusted for inflation (a calculation you didn't do, also inflation went crazy after covid and because of RUSSIA, so prices went way up, past the minimum living wage of the "past few years before covid")
This depends on where one lives, I drive around 38 miles a day on average. I live in a metropolis area in Mississippi, and a good many like to drive these big expensive pick-up trucks, I drive a mid-size sedan, a late model Buick v6 and I hate parking beside one of these trucks, it is like parking next to a wall! The reason I drive a mid-size car is because one does not have a chance if one of these trucks hits a small lightweight vehicle. With this wild mania in the US, a lot of people are not being mindful and using good judgment! And owning and using cars & pick-up trucks is definitely one of these! Not long ago, locally we lost a family of 4 including their small children when their Rev-4 (Toyota ) broke down on the highway and a single older gentleman driving one of these large pick-up trucks just plowed into their car!
I've easily spent over $30,000 on cars in my life. Probably far more than that since I'm just being conservative. A very expensive lesson. I've been car free in Los Angeles and loving it for over a year and a half.
Actually, car ownership is only truly expensive if you always purchase new cars or if you make poor choices on you used car purchases. I almost always buy very reliable used cars which years later I will end up selling for about the same amount of money that I originally paid for them. In fact, I recently sold and RX-7 for $35,000 which I bought for $14,000 back in 2000. Also since 90% of the cars I’ve purchased have been extremely reliable, and since I do all my own repairs, my only real expense is gas and insurance. Of course, when I lived in Tokyo, Japan for 5 years I did not own a car at all because its just not worth it to have a car there and the public transportation system is probably the best in the world anyway. In California however having a car is a necessity for most people. By the way, if you want to talk about real wasteful spending just think about that fact that some people will spend over $30,000 in their lifetimes on Starbucks coffee alone. And a person who often eats at restaurants or fast food places rather than cooking inexpensive meals at home can waste at least several thousand dollars a year which could easily add up to over 100,000 dollars in a lifetime in excessive and unnecessary spending. And just little things we don’t think about like daily sodas and snack foods and sweets can add up to a small fortune over a lifetime but nobody ever bothers to keep track of these things and add them up. And personally, I would rather eliminate some of these things than to eliminate the car. After all, driving has always been a very pleasurable experience for me and owning a car goes way beyond the simple need for convenient transportation. Not to mention the fact that I used to date a lot and I imagine it would be kind of embarrassing to tell a potential date that you don’t have a car and so she will have to pick you up rather than the other way around. But to each his own I guess and if a you do not feel a car is a necessity for you then why not save yourself the expense.
"In California however having a car is a necessity for most people." Depends on which part. When I lived in San Francisco I didn't have a car, and didn't even consider it. There was too much traffic, and all the people I passed that were stuck in it didn't seem like they were having a pleasurable time. It didn't occur to me to be embarrassed at not having a car, and even if my date had a car I would ask them to either meet me at the date location or walk, bike, or take public transit together.
@@humanecities I mainly bike and walk. We've gotten several new bike lanes installed in West LA that make it easier to travel to work, get groceries, and go to the beach. I was lucky to live next to metro stops and bus routes I could utilize for a while, but not as much now that I'm further away from both.
Man I love being a car enthusiast, I love driving my car and enjoying every* second of it. Nothing beats the joy I get from doing that. HOWEVER, I DESPISE how expensive it is as a hobby. I hate that I'm forced to sit in my car through HOURS of soul crushing traffic (above asterisk was refering to this) every day because my city does not build viable alternatives to traveling by car. SO... If my city decided to build up its infrastructure so that I could bike or transit everywhere I need to go RELIABLY, I would then save on gas, insurance, maintenance, and other assorted automobile related expenses, making my hobby MUCH more financially attainable. I seriously don't understand how more car enthusiasts such as myself aren't urbanists too. It really sucks to see car people demonizing bikers and public transit when their existence only serves to help people like us enjoy what we like.
A car is definitely a money pit, but i just can't see giving it up. The distances and time constraints for work and family are too great. As a user of public transit for commuting half the time, it is cheaper but it's also less pleasant especially when trains experience their version of traffic congestion. 😮
It definitely depends on where you need to be. I’ll talk about it more in my 3 month update video, but I’ve definitely got a pretty good spot as far as getting where I need to go goes.
Dutchie here. $40K for a $500 car. Considering gas is still dirt cheap in Canada (1.39 USD/l compared to the 2.2 USD/l in the Netherlands), the benefits here might even be bigger. Especially since we have mild winters, world class bike-infrastructure, good public transport.😊
@@humanecities I thought so, seeing an old Dutch police Porsche and public bus in your video. And yes, we are spoiled with good transport opportunities 😉
There are more bikes in Amsterdam than there are people! I love how practical Dutch people are. As a frugal person who isn't into material things, I felt a kinship with Dutch people that I rarely experience in the US>
There’s more to owning a car than just the financial aspect though. And with your car being on the low side of overall costs, I did find it crazy how much we spend on vehicles. I also have an e-bike I ride around, but I could never rely on it as my main means of transportation. I also need to be able to pull my boat with it, among other things. Also, living out in the country doesn’t help with no public transportation available. I also don’t buy $80k trucks to haul my ego around with though either. But for those who live in an accessible area where it doesn’t require a car to get around it’s a good solution. Winter can’t be a lot of fun though.
“Haul my ego around” 💀 🤣 You’re exactly right! Cars/trucks/etc. are great tools. Living in the city, as a single guy, I’ve realised it’s not the best tool for me. Though, when I was living in a small town in the US, and going on regular road trips, I definitely got my use out of it. It’s nice to have options as to how to get around. My bit about getting an ebike and a cargo bike was pretty accurate to my plans 😂
an $80k truck is how many people haul their tools around to build everything you appreciate. the people are mostly called men. they are the reason people don't freeze to death in the winter. I hear tools are made of metal and last I checked metal is heavy.
@@stuart6478 I am not talking about 3/4 and 1 ton trucks that guys use for work. I am taking about 1/2 ton soccer mom trucks that never see cargo or a trailer a day in their lives.
@@stuart6478Weird, everyone I know who works in the trades has a commercial work van. Half the price and way more practical for hauling tools around. I'll tell them some guy on the internet named Stuart says they're doing it wrong and see what they say though.
I have been car free for nine years and have done quite well, while living in the worst city per capita for mass transit in North America, Louisville. Ky. I am retiring soon and would love to move to a city with strong rail and bus transit in a nation where money does not equal speech, the court doctrine that has erased democracy from the U.S.
Great commentary! People are so obsessed with finically burdensome car ownership. Love your strategy but to maximize savings would just get one e-bike, one monthly rapid transit pass, and then a modest monthly Uber/taxi/car rental car budget.
I tracked nearly every receipt for my brand new 2011 Nissan Versa. The car cost $15,144. $17,700 in maintenance. $21,000 in gas. $10,000 for insurance. It has 228,801 miles on it and I still have it. I used to drive an insane number of miles because of my commute. Now I work from home. I have a 2021 Toyota and just don't track it anymore.
NJB gave you a shoutout! If anyone else was looking for this video after listening to the urbanist agenda podcast- “from pickup driver to cargo bike urbanist, this is the one, and it doesn’t disappoint. A high quality honest video here!
If only there were a way to contact Jason and refresh his memory on where this video came from. Hoping he'll circle around to it and give a proper shout out!
Owning a car is fulfilling. You can go anywhere and have a personal relationship with your car. I love my car, my first one too. I feel free now that i can drive wherever i want. I'm in my own world when I'm in my own car.
Spending 40 grand on a car that was basically free sounds like a bad investment to me. Imagine how much worse it is for people that buy new cars and have to watch the depreciation.
Kudos to you for keeping all the receipts and doing the accounting! I also sold my car and bought a cargo e-bike and I’ve never been happier! I have 3 kids and I have no problem transporting them around by bike
That’s really impressive! Despite being an “evil”, car-oriented city, I feel like I could make that sort of thing work in Calgary. I’ve been shocked at how comfortably I’ve managed to get around without a car.
Wow. Ive spent so much on my car. Unfortunately I work and live in different cities. If there was better transportation between cities for people with no cars I would much rather not have my car.
Agreed. I’ve rarely been cold anywhere but hands and feet. Studded tires were great the last few winters (NW Ontario west of Thunder Bay) BUT I just gave them to my son in Winnipeg as I think he’ll benefit more with those in the city while a fat bike works better here when biking on unplowed or incompletely plowed roads. My commute is 22k round trip and mainly rural highway though.
I am an expert on riding in extreme cold. You need extra protection from the wind on your hands, feet, face, and your crotch. Trust me on the crotch. It won't feel like you need it until it's too late. A frozen penis is a very bad time. Put it in a Heatholder's sock and wear waterproof pants over your pants. Hands and feet are obvious, but head and crotch protection will make you invincible to cold.
I live in central Mississippi in a town of about 40,000, we are a minor metropolitan area with a Navy Air Station and a good population in Lauderdale County & close to the Alabama state line. I have owned a car since age 18 & have owned all types of cars from an Opel Kedit to a high-powered Oldsmobile's, Recently I have run into an issue with my 2001 Buick Regal GS. I have had trouble with the car stalling and going dead, the car was in a shop for a week and they did not repair it & wanted to keep it longer, I did not trust them so I took it home and am talking to another mechanic about the car. There have been times when I have owned two 2 or three 3 cars at a time but they have just gotten too costly for that, especially for a single person. And it has gotten where owning one is no longer cost-prohibited. In our town where only the downtown area is pedestrian-friendly, it was a nightmare trying to get to Dr.'s appointments and work ( I work 4 days a week ). I used Lyft a lot which added up, I live about 7 miles from where I work. We do not have public transportation. I have been a bike rider for years, and right now I am not riding but have thought that an electric bike would be nice if I could justify using it in place of a car. We are at the crossroads of getting these monsters off the road and replacing them, now would be a good time to think greener, and build cities where we can walk, bike, etc. This lesson taught me just how dependent we are on cars, people are not thinking, be mindful! And another thing is the cost of these monsters, I think that Alex points this out very well! After my experience, I am going to make changes! It is insane to be dependent on a car ( The Monster )!🤔
i've always called my car a financial ball and chain but living in a rural area with snow 1/4th the year its pretty much completely nonviable to use a bike as my primary mode of transportation
An extra 5K year - even with the cheapest yet most reliable car you could have gotten, minimizing insurance and maintenance. That's a downpayment on a car every year just to keep the one you have! I'm in a similar situation, currently parsing the idea of taking a lower-paying job that I can actually bike to (theoretically), but unfortunately my social circle is a little beyond what I can reliably get to on transit or bike. I applaud your chutzpah and wish you luck, I have a feeling you'll do just fine, even if you have to Uber a few times in the winter or something.
It’s a tough decision, and one everyone has to figure out for themselves. My social life will definitely be changing! The change will surely have some other impacts I’m not predicting. So stay tuned 😬
I know “the way the world works…” is “money” but I think the value of “not using a car” Or being “carfree”creates all those things that folks lack according to so many studies…
You’re so right! Over the past few weeks, I’ve paused to enjoy the sunset over the reservoir on my commute, I’ve chatted with people walking their dogs, stopped at a market where my sisters were working, and gotten a slower view of the area in which I live. It’s been wonderful!
My rule for cars is never ever go to a car shop for maintenance if the issue is something basic. You can learn to do it on your own within a few hours and the parts needed are often dirt cheap to buy. Better yet find a good friend who knows this stuff to save some time. Car maintenance for me is dirtcheap thanks to this and i have had my Citroen C5 "04 model" for about 8 years now and now matter how much i count on it i don't even get close to your numbers 😅 If i had a car like yours i think my numbers would be even lower.
I've been car free my entire life thankfully, but it's honestly still insane seeing these numbers. That's about how much I have in my savings, and I've been working for around 10 years, so I'd be in the red if I had a car with these numbers.
Given that you said you will be buying a cargo bike to replace your car, that leaves you with 30k of savings over the next 8 years. 30k over 8 years is about 3750 per year. I would happily pay 3750 a year to not bicycle through Canadian winters, and for the convenience that a car adds. I think I would feel trapped in my city if I didn't have a car, most weekends I leave my city atleast once. The public transit in my city is at a level that I would consider unacceptable. About a 30 minute drive across town by car takes 3 hours on the bus. Even if transit was better, I think not having a car would really diminish my ability to socialize. I am friends with people who don't drive and I find that any time there are plans that those people are invited to they either need to rely on others to pick them up, are always late, or are not able to make it. I also would find not having a car, let alone a trailer to go with it extremely impractical. I find I'm either hauling my dirtbike, doing a dump run, taking in recycling, moving something large or heavy, etc about once a week. That being said I think it's cool you are able to live without a car, and I will probably buy a (not electric) bike this year, for fun and to stay healthy. Although I don't think I'll be making the switch anytime soon, or ever (if I continue to live in Canada).
Being able to go car free depends a lot on lifestyle. And I’ll definitely be seeing a lifestyle change. My best friend is now an hour and a half away, rather than 30 mins - so that sucks 😂 It’ll be a shift, and it’s not feasible for many people - especially given how we’ve built our cities in Canada, not to mention the gorgeous nature we’ve got to enjoy. Not being able to go to the mountains on a whim is probably my biggest bummer.
The primary purpose of car ownership is to keep working people so poor that they can't afford to live in nice places that have mass transit while at the same time keeping folks who own car companies, gas companies, and insurance companies wealthy, so that they can afford to live in nice places with mass transit. I work from home, so my gas costs are waaayyy lower that yours were, and even with those savings, I *still* can't afford to live someplace nice.
If you live in a city, and you don't need a car for work, like say, a contractor, taking buses, riding a bike (electric or otherwise) and renting a car from time-to-time is the way to go. Also, if you prefer to shop for groceries once a week, you can always call a taxi to get your stuff home; four or five taxi rides a month is still cheaper than car insurance. Here's something to blow you away. If you borrowed $30,000 to buy Amazon stock back in 2008, it would be worth $1,186,465 today. YES, cars are VERY expensive!
Everyday, I wake up disappointed in my 12 year old self for not investing in Amazon 😉 😂 But seriously, you’re right! I’ve been tracking how much I’m spending on transportation. I’ll have 3 month update in a few weeks here. The one year update video will have some interesting data…
Why would you pay $170 a month for insurance on a $500 car. You should have just kept liability insurance..that would have been more like $60 a month, and put the other $110 in an account, if you ever get in a wreck.. just buy a brand new car with money you saved!
Mittens, mudguards and position lights. Those are the 3 must have things for winter cycling. 1-Gloves aren't warm enough and if you have twist shifters you don't have to mind the dexterity loss. 2-No mudguards means brown slush all over your clothes. DIrty and wet. no good. Get some fenders. 3-Winter means shorts days. So lights are a must to be seen. Get some that you can easily put on/remove, as you wanna keep the batteries warm and on the bike only while riding. -Signé, Un Montréalais.
Not to mention you are really buying top of the line with a $10k cargo bike. You can easily get one for $5k new or even $2.5k used. You really have to buy the most expensive bikes just to get to the cheapest car equivalent. I can't imagine the difference when you add a car note on top of that. The average car note is now $716. That will almost triple the costs alone. 💀
Thanks very much for sharing...a real eye opener indeed. I'm glad for you that you can live car free, but regardless of the cost, my car is a luxury i enjoy very much at the moment: the comfort that it offers, the pleasure of driving, the convenience. Also, one day, you will grow old and not be able to rely on your strength to commute to work etc. Many, who aren't giddy and stout, and who aren't eager to face winter on bicycle will prefer the tremendous comfort of a car. Obviously, you already know all what I'm saying. Again, I'm happy for you, and am glad for the information you share. Another thing: e-bikes require charging and battery cell replacement...i don't think you mentioned that in your cost calculation. Cheers
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! A car is definitely a nice convenience. In conversation with some family last night, I was discussing this. I think that if I were more financially well-off, I’d probably keep my car. It’s a great car, and if I could afford it without a strict budget, I’d keep it - just for those odd times where I really NEED it. At this point in my life, I’m okay to forego the comfort and convenience of the car, for the financial savings. The exercise being built into my life is also quite nice, seeing as I’m not the gym going type! As for the cost of power, this is something I’d like to look into. I’ll be making more videos about the car free journey (the good and the bad) - energy costs and such will be included. Right now, electricity is included in my rent, so I’ll be doing some estimating for that. Should be interesting to see 🤔
When you get old you probably won't be able to drive anymore or you at least shouldn't drive so you don't endanger others. In cities with good public transportation you will see a lot of older people using it for that reason.
Many old people can't drive, or drive safely. And keeping an active lifestyle through daily walking or biking tends to help us age better. Lots of old people biking in Japan and the Netherlands. There are also alternatives other than cars or conventional bikes. Handcycles (for those who can't use their legs), tricycles (for those with balance issues), mobility scoots (a tiny slow car that you can use on Dutch bike paths.)
I think you missed a few expenses: - Fees paid for use of private toll roads, toll bridges etc. - Taxes paid to the government for construction of new roads and bridges and upkeep of existing ones - Mental health costs of traffic jams, parking difficulties, driving accidents etc. and financial stress of car ownership - Medical bills/health problems incurred due to air pollution caused by car exhaust fumes - Expenses incurred from cleaning interior and exterior of car
Same here. Might get an electric vehicle in a few years when their range and cost become acceptable to me. Rather spend the money on my house and computer and technology hobbies.
Hello, I have ADHD. Having control over my transit is worth it for not having to deal with wait-mode anxiety. I'm glad public transit works out for you, but for people like me, it's psychological torture.
You gotta do what works for you. What you’re describing is basically why I prefer cycling to the bus. I leave/arrive when I feel like. No waiting around or checking schedules.
You heard it here first ladies! Alex is looking for a girl to settle down with within the coming 8 years and she ought to love biking and be willing to adopt 3 teenagers who aren't even Alex's.
It’s the most concrete plan I’ve got for my life!
And it comes with an ebike!
If I had to have children, I would adopt. There are too many homeless children in this world to be pooping out more of them. Also, women with a history of pregnancy is a deal breaker for me.
@@zachz96 vasectomy. That’s the best way to protect yourself.
@@AlignmentCoaching "protect yourself"
4 Years ago I moved to a 15 Minute city and sold my care - never had as much free cash as this in my life - OH MY GOD CARS ARE EXPENSIVE...
Feels great, right?! I’m kinda feeling rich 😂 I’ll talk about that a bit in my 3 month update video!
Yeah, I am shocked at how much I saved my moving to Germany and buying a really cheap bike. It has been great not to worry about maintenence and gas!
Just this week I saved 40 dollars not having to fill a gas tank! I’m rich!
Too bad Germany is still pretty car-centric, at least for European standards.
Congrats Alex! I’m not as brave as you to be car free, but Hayley and I like using our e-bikes as much as possible. Being able to bike to work will be a large factor of where we eventually buy a house. Excited to see more of what it takes to make this adjustment.
You guys have great e-bikes! It’s nice to have a variety of options, depending on the trip you’re making.
horses are great! you drive them until they literally die. and the best part isn't that their fuel is grass, it's that you can drive drunk or sleeping.
Cities aren’t really set up like this anymore. It used to be each community would have places to work, schools, and restaurants typically within walking distance. Unless you live close to downtown now that doesn’t really happen anymore
@@brianfarley926 it’s really disappointing. I do think we are heading back in that direction. And it depends on your city. I’d actually like to do a video mapping grocery stores in my city (Calgary, Canada) and see how accessible they are to people.
Biking in the winter in Calgary is very doable! Only really tough after a big snow storm. 90% of the time its easy enough. Just get tires that are like 35mm wide or more with some decent tread and your laughing. Bonus points for studs! Plus it feels amazing!
Definitely planning on studded tires! And taking the bus if there’s a snow storm 😂
When you started talking about what you'll spend the transport money on, my first thought was "a trip to France sounds nice" because in my mind that counted as transport too 😅
It 100% counts as transportation 🤣
What's even crazier is that the price you paid for your car is insanely low. Unsure how it stacks up in Canada, but the average price for a used car in the US today is around $27k. Over the course of 7 years, assuming a depreciation of around 15%, your car would be worth only $8.7k. That's an additional $18k sunk just to own a car.
By contrast, if you took that $18k and invested it in the stock market, with a historical 10% rate of return, by the end of those 7 years you'd have nearly doubled your investment.
Cars really are a money pit! I got really lucky having access to such a good vehicle for such a low price... I'm glad to have used it - lots of adventures! If I ever needed to own a car again, I'd want to have it back hahaha!
But yeah... Even my cheap car wasn't cheap...
It's not additional, the depreciation is about half of that $1,300 monthly cost.
I'm actually attempting to get rid of my 2019 corrola hatchback which was my baby. The fact that AB government lift cap on now much insurance can rise year of year, it's soo stupid to have a car rn. Given biking makes me fitter, healthier and feel better.
Lifting that cap really hurt. And you’re right! The health benefits are nice!
Yay...one of us, one of us! I've been car free in Calgary for 6 years now. Thinking about renting a car to take me and my bike to Kelowna in mid-October. Just over $200 in the car rental for Monday-Friday plus another $140 or so in insurance coverage. Still not too bad, and very competitive with the cost of flying my bike there and taking transit or ubers. Hopefully you'll keep me in mind for the servicing or winter tires.
Paying for a rental car every now and then is so much cheaper than holding on to the car for that one time you need it.
And I will! I’ll definitely be getting Winter tires. Did some slipping on my bike in January 😂
Are there no trains for that route?
@@elisfsharri There's basically no passenger trains in Western Canada (The Canadian runs only 2 days a week...more of a public subsidized tourist train than any form of useful transit). I think the Via Rail service between Calgary and Vancouver ended in the 80s. Plus, even if they brought it back, it would stop in Kamloops, not Kelowna, and it would probably cost more than flying. There is one bus company, Rider Express, but it's nearly $140 each way, and their schedule wouldn't work with my schedule.
@@AustinSersen that's a disgrace.
In my country, Albania, the trains have degraded for the last 30 years. However, we do have cheap coaches, which have enough space for bikes inside.
That said, we don't really have any lines that go 600 km on a single coach, but it's kinda ironic that Canada doesn't even have that.
@@elisfsharriWe used to have good train service in Canada. Hell, trains are what made this country possible to be one big country in the first place. Somewhere along the line though we lost our way.
Congrats! I gave up driving in 2003, bought a bike and eventually an electric front tire kit that ran on SLAs. The kit lasted me over 16 years without a ounce of maintenance, only changing the 3 SLA every two years, and 2 bikes along the way. A spill on a badly maintained bike path that had a city pond leaking over it took out the controller about two years ago, so I ended up just going back to pedaling for now. I'm 54 years old, have been cycling in the Midwest year around. While the city I live in does have bike trails, there are mostly just dangerous sharrows, but have managed to not get hit yet. Glad to hear more people are dumping the money pits for sensible transport.
Wow! That kit lasted a long while! I’m optimistic about us moving away from sharrows… but it’s a process. I’m just glad I feel *okay* on the streets where I have to ride on the road.
This isn't the end of the story. As expensive as car ownership is, car dependent infrastructure is even worse. Car dependent infrastructure means we have high taxes, high rents, high prices, and our cities are always broke.
It’s brutal! Guess I’m still paying for cars 😭
The freedom from the mental burden of car ownership is a huge benefit too. I never have to devote a corner of my brain to a mental countdown for when to next buy gas, or worry about finding a parking spot at my destination, or think about how I'm going to pay for new tires before winter, or check if my license plate is close to expiring, or worry about someone breaking the window and stealing something, or try to find time in a busy day to go get an oil change. I just can't fathom why anyone is okay with this constant mental burden cluttering up their minds! I've never owned a car, and I think I would find all of that mental work stressful and exhausting!
Wild isn’t it? Every time someone complains to me about gas prices, I think, “Oh? 🤷♂️”
Hence why my car is parked 24/7 and I just take the bus everywhere. NYC drivers are idiots, and I don't need that stress in my life, much less the above
Potential
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I’ve not had a car in 20 years…living in Asia and Europe. But now as I contemplate coming back into the US, I looked at getting a truck…to pull a trailer…to live in.
Trucks are now $40k min. $70k for the kind I want. Even used! Then there’s cost of trailer. Petrol (10-20 miles per gallon!?), insurance, repairs, tolls, etc etc.
Forget it! Not coming back!
I’ve had a few friends contemplate van-lifing it to save money, but owning a vehicle is so expensive on its own…
why not just buy a house?
Learning how to work on your own car can save you a lot of money. Same for your house once you buy one. For me it's more about time. I can change my oil faster than just driving one way to the garage.
That is true for a lot of stuff. Building your own computer is either cheaper for the same compute power compared to a Walmart laptop, or for the same price, is either faster, smaller, quieter, or all of the above
I do a lot of my own maintenance and minor repairs myself and you can save some easy money for sure, but the rest still adds up. I'd say I knock off maybe half the cost of maintenance and a third of repair costs doing things myself in my driveway. I can't do shit about the price of gas and insurance though.
You should do another video on the convenience of owning a car. Opportunities and benefits that you would have missed if you didn’t own a car.
This is a great idea! Part of that will be wrapped up in my 3 months update, but I may do a full video on in the future!
Having had two flats on my ebike, and having to call cabs to get me to a bike shop, I've learned the value of panniers and carrying in them: a foot pump, duct tape, two spare tubes, one spare tire, a wrench the right size for the rear axle, and those little paddles that pry the rims of your tires off the wheel rims (your bike shop will know what they are).
Im very happy that your going the car free way but unfortunately i cant abadon my truck man shes just too fun to drive and i can go places easily and dont have to wait for a bus with so many stops i wish we had a better transport system like the one japan has people are lucky there and not have to even own a car to commute to work or places.
I feel that! I do miss driving - and miss my car in particular… It’d be great if we had better public transit (and more walkability)!
@humanecities I'd honestly love that cause owning a truck isn't cheap you got insurance to pay and car payments to make and if any issue arises with the truck you have to replace some part that's gonna cost you 1000's of dollars so yea I wish canada focuses on this aspect on making cities more walkable instead of you know drivable look at Toronto man that city is a mess and it's crowded with many cars and it's always noisy and your right I think they should implement the same Transit system as Japan does but unfortunately the oil companies don't like that nethier does the automotive industry or else sales would tank and the industry would suffer as a whole and people even live in rural areas where there's no access to the transit system so that's one point to consider.
Sad the way people, society says renting is throwing money away yet noone ever says owning a car is. A person who is car free+renting+ frugal seen as throwing money away yet someone with car(s), mortgage, in tons of debt isn't throwing money away, wheres the logic ????
Most people trip out when i tell them i didnt learn to drive till i was 25 and ask how? Well im Long Beach native, great weather year round and everything in life was within 1 mile radius. Literally, the hospital i was born in, elementary/middle/high/city college. Grocery, post office/ court house, airport, literally evrrything and if not id skateboard. I got a DL when i moved away and discovered not all cities were like this
Going without a car more and more seems like a great choice. I'd do it too but I can't go without my bike rack!
Always gotta do what works for us!
It might work in certain cities for certain people, but most people not only need one, we want one. Among other things, we have three large dogs and make a monthly run to Costco to buy, among other things, dog food. So how do we get 4 40lbs bags of dog food home without a car? And that's just one small example. I should also mention that Costco is about 30 minutes away. It's not like we're carrying that dog food on the bus.
Yeah, I can see why you’d need a car 😂 I had a roommate who did a DJing gig and hauled his equipment there on the bus… he smartly got a taxi home. It’s all about life situation.
Given their impacts (economically, socially, physically), I’d love to see cars become less necessary so that it really is just a want (and sometimes need).
I'm managing pretty well around Los Angeles with very minimal car use! Love my bike and have been doing a lot of Metrolink-bike connections because I can bring my bike on board! The trouble is, I have two dogs, who aren't allowed on public transit. I need the car a few times a month for trips with them, for training sessions, beach trips, and hikes. I also have to drive to visit my family back home because that's the only way to travel long distance with the pups. Many European countries allow muzzled dogs on public transit, which IMO is a great solution. Unless that becomes an option, I think I'll have to maintain a car for as long as I have the dogs, as much as my wallet wishes I didn't have to. I have to replace my alternator tomorrow so this video hits hard :/
There's no denying a car gives you freedom to move around but having more money gives you more financial freedom to work less and do more - net result of this is to ideally find work locally if possible but I accept that's not always an option for some.
Definitely not an option for all. I’m happy to have made it work!
Civilization thanks you for cutting down on excess CO2.
Personally, I would love to drive a lot less, (part of that is probably the fact that driving is my job).
I think that there is a HUGE difference between driving in a congested city, and doing a road trip on the highway to somewhere else.
I also agree that if you really have to have a car, a rental, or car share vehicle works.
(My sister live in Vancouver and has been using transit and a car share for years.)
We really need to kick this pollution thing to the curb.
It is literally killing us.
Then there is the financial serfdom to the oil interests.
That's why I bought an EV to do my job.
I just could not bring myself to buy another gasser, knowing that we would be contributing to a less livable city,
and climate change.
It's not a perfect solution, but it beats gassing all those pedestrians.
As I said my sister has been car free for many years, so it IS doable.
I think a lot of people are starting to realise exactly what you’re saying! I’m optimistic, but we gotta work hard!
I have come to the same conclusion and thanks for affirming my decision. But luckily i live in Europe, it is not that difficult here. In NA? dang i feel sorry for you bro haha
😂 It’s tough here! We shall see how I manage!
In 1969 my head got in the way of a CH47 helicopter blade, luckily it was just a glancing blow so I did survive with some continuing problens. One of these was i should not drive or operate heavy machinery.
I live just outside of Boston and have access to pretty hood public transit so I was able to use that to get back and forth to work and to make appointments. My expenses consisted of a monthly transit pass, upkeep for a 10 speed bike and occasional cab fare (few times a year). I'm 76 now and had to give up the bike because of balance issues so I walk to the market, hardware store, etc. Thwy are within a mile and I have folding cart that lets me transport a couple weeks of groceries or a trip to Home Depot (four train stops away). I don't use the trsin much so I just pay normal fair and don't use a transit pass.
The money i saved while working was astounding and it let me retire at 62 with no financial worries. Something like this only works if your in a very urban setting with decent transit (Boston has not been very good for the past few years but I only use it every other month now that I'm retired so that does not bother me.
Wow! Thank you for sharing you story! I'm glad Boston has worked well for you!
Thats great for someone who lives close to where they work or have convenient public transportation available (like my brother, who lives literaly in front of a metro station), but for people like me, who work in nearby cities and sometimes drive over 100 Km a day just to get to and back from work, living car free is an unatainable dream.
2 yamaha motorcycles. One for nice weather and a trike for rain, mud, and snow. If you're mostly going short distances, then consider a sitting escooter.
My spouse and I do not own a vehicle but we decided to still hustle up the money every year and have it as extra. The annual cost of car ownership in the US is $5-10k per vehicle, with the average being $8k. We live in a snowy place so we took the upper estimate, assuming two heavy vehicles that could handle the snow. That's $20k extra money every year between the two of us. We treat it like a huge present. We hustle up the money, like we need it for our cars, then because we don't need it, we put it toward something important. Extra toward the mortgage, extra into retirement, etc. It also helps emotionally to think about that money when the bus is late and I'm cold and irritated haha.
That is a GREAT idea! I’ve, admittedly, been spending my extra money mostly on travel 😂 Which you’re right, is nice to think about when I’m cold and irritated!
I was in the Dallas area over the summer, and Arlington TX isn't built for public transportation. You need a car to get anywhere in Arlington.
Its seems that in most living arrangements in the US and Canada, the stars have to align to make biking everywhere work.
You would have to live close enough to your job. That neighborhood would have to be safe and affordable. The schools would need to be acceptable for your kids. Stores would have to be nearby.
I have found such a scenario and I am thrilled about it. I won't be able to completely stop driving, but will be biking a couple days per week in place of my car commute.
I’m glad the stars have aligned for you, too! I’m pretty fortunate to be a healthy, young, single guy with no dependents. It makes it much easier to find the right spot.
Coming soon: A video where I chat with my sister about what she and her small family look for in a neighbourhood! Stay tuned!
I always quit highly paid jobs which I found less interesting and worked at jobs wich I liked best - regardless of pay. I found a marvellous wife whith whom I have two kids. We sent both kids to private schools. We bought and payed off two beautiful flats, one near the city centre and one at a small lake close to the city and I still have nice savings on top of my pension. What made such a financially independent life possible? Neither me nor my wife ever owned a car and not for a single day did we miss one.
I could go on about what it means for my health and my wellbeing in general that for all those decades I did all my trips within a 10-kilometre-range (which were all my daily trips) on foot or by bicycle. Those benefits are even more important than the financial aspects.
There really is such a long list of benefits for being car free! Glad you’ve been able to see those!
sadly, I still have to have a car. I live in NYC, and there are many places I can't get to by bike or mass transit. trips out to see family in the Burbs aren't possible by mass transit never mind bike. city planners here have made it very difficult to live a car free existence.
I’ve got similar issues. Getting around the city is alright, but I can’t visit family outside the city with the same ease. I’d love to consider some North American solutions to this - though, it won’t work for everyone in every situation.
I’ve also got a Corolla, 2004, and I’m always telling people how cheap it is to own. Your video makes me aware of the fact that I still am spending a lot of money to have this car. (My insurance, though, is far less than what you were paying- about $80/ month.) It’s only “cheap” compared to what most other people pay for their late model vehicles and correspondingly pricey insurance, gas bills, and maintenance. But, as you show, it still adds up to a real chunk of change over the years. Still, in my car-centric mid-size American city, I really don’t have much choice. Calgary appears to offer more choice in this than does my city. Great, eye-opening video.
Yes, whenever you feel like driving, you can always rent a car.
Other than getting from point A to point B, a car is worthless.
The money you save you can make investment so it will actually make money for you.
Wait, in Calgary winters are not the mildest... how do you get around in winter? By bike?
I went mostly by bus this past winter - mostly because I enjoy the down time. Because our winters are pretty dry and sunny, cycling isn’t a horrible option for shorter trips, but my commute is a little longer (50ish mins).
@@humanecities wow, man! You’re amazing! I love looking at your analysis, great job and thank you for sharing. I will share your video with my students overseas.
Throwing away your car to ride a bicycle doesn't sound like a good plan to me. It does rain where you live doesn't it.. By the time you buy all of those E-bikes, you have spent most of the savings you made by not having a car. If I lived in an ideal community where riding a bike was practical, I'd love to do it. Here, it gets blazing hot some days, it rains some days, snows, and gets freezing. The nearest store is only about five miles away, but the roads between here and there aren't safe to ride a bicycle on. I would like to get around differently, but this doesn't sound like something I'd want to do.
Not only does it rain, it snows! In the Winter, I’ll probably take the bus more, but we’ll have to see. I’m tracking how much I’m spending and how long it takes me to get around. I’ll have some interesting update videos talking about that.
It’s too bad your transport options are limited where you’re at. It’d be great to drive on the cold/hot days and ride a bike on the pleasant days. The good news is, we make the rules! I’ve been getting involved to have some better infrastructure that supports people getting around in a variety of ways!
I use my free transportation budget on leisure trips instead of expenses towards going to work to make money lol
It's nice to have a little travel money in the budget!
If you are a 20 year old wondering why you are single, not having a car and money is one reason.
You’ll want to stay tuned for the 1 year update 👀
Are you accounting for public transportation costs?
Yep! I’m tracking every penny I spend on bus passes, bike tires, and anything else that has to do with transportation. I’ll be adding them up at the end of my first year car free!
if things change and you would need a car, i would recommend checking options in getting yourself a tesla model 3. you could use ownership of that for your future videos as well.
It would be fun!!
i have 2 vehicles and i have no problem paying for the convenience
I didn’t have any problem for a while, but my living situation works without one now.
I would love to, but I literally can’t even with an e-bike when the fastest route to my work several towns away is the highway
rule of thumb, for every $1000 i spend on a vehicle, it needs to last me 1yr.
My monthly insurance is $15/month, never been over $25/month.
average $60/month on gas, creeping towards 80 with Bidenomics
Fix things yourself
Face it, you're bad with money.
$600/yr to service 3 ebikes?! that's my annual maintenance inspection on my airplane (soon to be $0/yr doing it myself). That's more than 3x my annual car insurance. what does 3x ebikes cost to buy, $4k, or more?
I’d love to get my pilot licence! Flying is one of my favourite ways to travel!
@@humanecities I knew flying was expensive, but had it as a bucket list, as I'm an airplane nerd. Had some extra cash and took the opportunity to get my license, and accidentally ended up becoming an Airplane and Helicopter CFII.
It can be expensive, but it can be affordable too if you have realistic expectations (relative to your level of disposable income). Many people demand fast planes, keeping up with the Jones, want all the fancy gadgets, refuse to do their own maintenance, etc. and thus fly very expensive aircraft with high operating costs.
But there are ways to reduce the cost of ownership if you're willing to put in the extra effort. Sometimes the time you spend doing it yourself can be far cheaper than what it would have cost you to pay someone else. I can give you a whole list of things I personally do, or am working towards doing, to keep my costs down, if you're interested.
Also, lower performance airplanes are cheaper, lower maintenance, lower operating cost, easier to fly and learn on, can be fun too, and more useful than people will claim. If you're not in a hurry, you can get into aviation reasonably. but it can be expensive, so come into it with realistic expectations.
Even if you just want to get a pilot license to do it, experience it, not look back regretting never trying it, and then never fly again, that's fine. to each their own. And the LSA, Light Sport, rules are getting a massive overhaul right now and greatly expand what you can do with a LSA license as opposed to a full Private Pilot License.
The very least you can do is go to your nearest airport where a Flight Instructor offers discovery flights, and go up for an "introductory lesson" to see what you think. that first Discovery Flight can be rather cheap, and you'll get a go at flying the plane and seeing what you think without committing to flight training yet. I highly recommend you at least do that no matter what, if you're at all thinking about flying. And don't wait, do it sooner than later. And it's a perfect time to ask the flight instructor about flight training, expected costs, etc. if you're still interested in learning more.
insurance seams really steep for a 20 year + old car that is worth less than 3k in sure. 170*12 that $2040 more than 66% the value of the car. even canadian that a lot.
It’s brutal. Apparently Alberta (where I am) is the most expensive auto insurance in Canada. I’m not sure if I got screwed on top of that, though…
How to spend $40k over 8 years? Get a cheaper bike and invest the rest. Your $35k invested should turn to $50k or $60k in 8 years.
40k is also a low mark for the cost of car ownership, consider every single newer car with complex computers, turbo or super charged engines, overly complex mechanical components and hybrid systems, that just hikes up the price for maintenance and are more expensive off the lot even for a used model too, and electric cars are just as bad, they still have tires and brakes and wipers, though saving of fuel is great just wait until they start charging for software updates or for your battery packs to die from continuous charge cycling, you might save money on small things only to be hit with an impossibly large bill to replace something vital in those over sized bloated RC toys
So this kid went 2 weeks without a car, he won't make it a year.
1 Year Car Free: Video coming soon! Stay tuned to see how much my new car cost me!
You're in Calgary?
I am!
Now you don’t have a car….how do you go anywhere now? Do you bike or take public transporation?
A mix of bike and transit. Depends on the weather, my energy, schedules, etc. Through the winter it’s been almost exclusively transit.
I might’ve missed it in the video but how many miles did you drive during the ~8 years of car ownership?
my e bike was only like 1100-1200$ lol.
Looks like I’ll be purchasing 35 e-bikes! 🤣
10k for an ebike sounds a bit much... but whatever floats your boat man.
Fear not, I was going with the most expensive ones in that scenario haha!
I love my motorcycle, ebike and car, but the car is expensive, and i own it
Sounds like a nice variety of ways to get around!
congrats, 31 and never had car, its well possible. another life hack, learn to repair your bike yourself ! itll be even cheaper once you get all tool needs. replace flat air chamber ? 3$ and 5 min
That’s the biggest thing I’ve realised. Pretty much everyone I know has a car has acted like I’ve had my limbs removed. But I see hundreds of people using transit. It’s not a big deal 😂 I’ll talk more about that in my 3 month update video.
Where were you paying insurance. That was just the US. Cause I have never had a car. And at 40, I would have to pay over $300 a month in Ontario.
What your coverage must be very good. I pay that for a few months with 50-100-50 and both collision and liability.
I’m just over in Calgary!
Fun story:
Applying for disability Social Security in the US is a long, expensive process. You basically always get denied and have to appeal to prove that you're "really disabled." Often people have to enlist the help of an attorney who specializes in Social Security to get their application approved.
But you know what really fast-tracks an application, attorney or no?
Losing your ability to drive.
The Federal Government just casually accepts that if you can't drive, you can't participate in American society.
That's WILD! "Oh my goodness!!! You don't drive?!" *calls ambulance*
So you're saying that if I say my car don't work due to ....
@@Demopans5990
No, it's not the car that has to be broken, it's you. For example you have epilepsy and could have a seizure while driving.
That makes you a "danger" to other drivers and thus disabled by default.
The fact that many so called able people could black out from alcohol addiction while driving....
This is why the world is harder than it needs to be for disabled people.
@@jimthain8777
Well, I'm blind asf without my glasses, so might be worth keeping in mind...
@@Demopans5990I am too but because I had to keep interrupting my own career to take care of other people who are disabled I no longer qualify for disability. This country punishes both disabled and caregivers.
I live in a central Texas town of 40,000 and I sold my auto and use an E Trike for all my transportation needs. It saves me $400 monthly. Being 80 yrs. old and on SS that is one helluva raise. I lived many years in Colombia and never needed a car because of cheap public transportation.
Those etrikes are pretty sweet! I’m glad it’s allowed you to save so much and continue getting around!
Good for you Frank, I have thought about getting an E-Trike, I love biking but right now my balance is off, If I can get everything worked out I am going to make a change in my lifestyle, get away from the car, get a dog and live in peace!😊
I somehow never got around to buying a car and I'm almost 50. I never planned it that way, but I was too broke when I was young and I always managed to find a home that was either walking distance or a short bus ride to work here in the city. I could never justify the cost, especially since city driving here is just start/stopping to the next red light. I think they are convenient; I'll rent one if needed for an occasion or something, but the costs were always far to hight to justify for my scenario. I don't regret it.
I think makes sense! You’ve had other ways of getting around. And, when you needed a car, a rental was available.
The incredible thing is, this is on the very low end of car costs. The car seems to be about as cheap and reliable as you can get, and reasonably fuel efficient. Your average Canadian can expect to pay 2-3 times more.
Wild right?! I used to work at a dealership, and some of the payments I saw people sign on for... wow.
Yes, I’m in the USA in the Midwest, and these estimates are still cheap. Most people here in Ohio spend way more than that.
@@humanecitiesI wish to know what a comparison cost from this car 7 years data, to the new Volvo EX30 (but fueling the car trough a massive amount of solar pannels rolling back the power meter usage to negative in the summer, and using that "negative" of power in the winter), for the next 7 years, but the total calculations need to ve adjusted for inflation (a calculation you didn't do, also inflation went crazy after covid and because of RUSSIA, so prices went way up, past the minimum living wage of the "past few years before covid")
This depends on where one lives, I drive around 38 miles a day on average. I live in a metropolis area in Mississippi, and a good many like to drive these big expensive pick-up trucks, I drive a mid-size sedan, a late model Buick v6 and I hate parking beside one of these trucks, it is like parking next to a wall! The reason I drive a mid-size car is because one does not have a chance if one of these trucks hits a small lightweight vehicle. With this wild mania in the US, a lot of people are not being mindful and using good judgment! And owning and using cars & pick-up trucks is definitely one of these! Not long ago, locally we lost a family of 4 including their small children when their Rev-4 (Toyota ) broke down on the highway and a single older gentleman driving one of these large pick-up trucks just plowed into their car!
Agree. My car costs me way more than that. This is an ad for Toyota 😂
It's why my stepmother called her automobile an "expensive convenience."
I've easily spent over $30,000 on cars in my life. Probably far more than that since I'm just being conservative. A very expensive lesson. I've been car free in Los Angeles and loving it for over a year and a half.
That’s fantastic! I’ve been surprised at how comfortable the transition has been. What are your main modes of transport in LA?
Actually, car ownership is only truly expensive if you always purchase new cars or if you make poor choices on you used car purchases. I almost always buy very reliable used cars which years later I will end up selling for about the same amount of money that I originally paid for them. In fact, I recently sold and RX-7 for $35,000 which I bought for $14,000 back in 2000. Also since 90% of the cars I’ve purchased have been extremely reliable, and since I do all my own repairs, my only real expense is gas and insurance. Of course, when I lived in Tokyo, Japan for 5 years I did not own a car at all because its just not worth it to have a car there and the public transportation system is probably the best in the world anyway. In California however having a car is a necessity for most people.
By the way, if you want to talk about real wasteful spending just think about that fact that some people will spend over $30,000 in their lifetimes on Starbucks coffee alone. And a person who often eats at restaurants or fast food places rather than cooking inexpensive meals at home can waste at least several thousand dollars a year which could easily add up to over 100,000 dollars in a lifetime in excessive and unnecessary spending. And just little things we don’t think about like daily sodas and snack foods and sweets can add up to a small fortune over a lifetime but nobody ever bothers to keep track of these things and add them up. And personally, I would rather eliminate some of these things than to eliminate the car. After all, driving has always been a very pleasurable experience for me and owning a car goes way beyond the simple need for convenient transportation. Not to mention the fact that I used to date a lot and I imagine it would be kind of embarrassing to tell a potential date that you don’t have a car and so she will have to pick you up rather than the other way around. But to each his own I guess and if a you do not feel a car is a necessity for you then why not save yourself the expense.
"In California however having a car is a necessity for most people." Depends on which part. When I lived in San Francisco I didn't have a car, and didn't even consider it. There was too much traffic, and all the people I passed that were stuck in it didn't seem like they were having a pleasurable time. It didn't occur to me to be embarrassed at not having a car, and even if my date had a car I would ask them to either meet me at the date location or walk, bike, or take public transit together.
I was car-free for a few years in LA. LA is actually nice if you don't drive.
@@humanecities I mainly bike and walk. We've gotten several new bike lanes installed in West LA that make it easier to travel to work, get groceries, and go to the beach. I was lucky to live next to metro stops and bus routes I could utilize for a while, but not as much now that I'm further away from both.
This is a really insightful video about the cost of owning a car! We're definitely burdening ourselves financially with automobile ownership!
Absolutely! It’ll be nice to enjoy some financial freedom now that I’m not shackled 😂
Man I love being a car enthusiast, I love driving my car and enjoying every* second of it. Nothing beats the joy I get from doing that.
HOWEVER, I DESPISE how expensive it is as a hobby. I hate that I'm forced to sit in my car through HOURS of soul crushing traffic (above asterisk was refering to this) every day because my city does not build viable alternatives to traveling by car.
SO... If my city decided to build up its infrastructure so that I could bike or transit everywhere I need to go RELIABLY, I would then save on gas, insurance, maintenance, and other assorted automobile related expenses, making my hobby MUCH more financially attainable.
I seriously don't understand how more car enthusiasts such as myself aren't urbanists too. It really sucks to see car people demonizing bikers and public transit when their existence only serves to help people like us enjoy what we like.
I'm a car enthusiast who lives in a dense urban area. I don't currently own a car but if I did, one of the cars would be a 3rd Gen Firebird.
A car is definitely a money pit, but i just can't see giving it up. The distances and time constraints for work and family are too great. As a user of public transit for commuting half the time, it is cheaper but it's also less pleasant especially when trains experience their version of traffic congestion. 😮
It definitely depends on where you need to be. I’ll talk about it more in my 3 month update video, but I’ve definitely got a pretty good spot as far as getting where I need to go goes.
Dutchie here. $40K for a $500 car. Considering gas is still dirt cheap in Canada (1.39 USD/l compared to the 2.2 USD/l in the Netherlands), the benefits here might even be bigger.
Especially since we have mild winters, world class bike-infrastructure, good public transport.😊
I visited the Netherlands a few months ago and got to partake in your bike infrastructure… Wow. I’m very jealous 🤣
@@humanecities I thought so, seeing an old Dutch police Porsche and public bus in your video. And yes, we are spoiled with good transport opportunities 😉
There are more bikes in Amsterdam than there are people! I love how practical Dutch people are. As a frugal person who isn't into material things, I felt a kinship with Dutch people that I rarely experience in the US>
There’s more to owning a car than just the financial aspect though. And with your car being on the low side of overall costs, I did find it crazy how much we spend on vehicles.
I also have an e-bike I ride around, but I could never rely on it as my main means of transportation. I also need to be able to pull my boat with it, among other things. Also, living out in the country doesn’t help with no public transportation available.
I also don’t buy $80k trucks to haul my ego around with though either.
But for those who live in an accessible area where it doesn’t require a car to get around it’s a good solution. Winter can’t be a lot of fun though.
“Haul my ego around” 💀 🤣
You’re exactly right! Cars/trucks/etc. are great tools. Living in the city, as a single guy, I’ve realised it’s not the best tool for me. Though, when I was living in a small town in the US, and going on regular road trips, I definitely got my use out of it.
It’s nice to have options as to how to get around. My bit about getting an ebike and a cargo bike was pretty accurate to my plans 😂
an $80k truck is how many people haul their tools around to build everything you appreciate. the people are mostly called men. they are the reason people don't freeze to death in the winter. I hear tools are made of metal and last I checked metal is heavy.
@@stuart6478 I am not talking about 3/4 and 1 ton trucks that guys use for work. I am taking about 1/2 ton soccer mom trucks that never see cargo or a trailer a day in their lives.
@@stuart6478Weird, everyone I know who works in the trades has a commercial work van. Half the price and way more practical for hauling tools around. I'll tell them some guy on the internet named Stuart says they're doing it wrong and see what they say though.
I am using my car as little as possible. Both my mental health and bank account are better off!
Nice, right?!
Yeah, me too.
Going car-free was one of my best financial decisions.
So is car-lite. Only ever needed a car once I moved out to college. Now that I moved back, it turned into a garage queen
We can be rich together!
I have been car free for nine years and have done quite well, while living in the worst city per capita for mass transit in North America, Louisville. Ky. I am retiring soon and would love to move to a city with strong rail and bus transit in a nation where money does not equal speech, the court doctrine that has erased democracy from the U.S.
Great commentary! People are so obsessed with finically burdensome car ownership. Love your strategy but to maximize savings would just get one e-bike, one monthly rapid transit pass, and then a modest monthly Uber/taxi/car rental car budget.
I concur!
That's the issue. Car ride It's really expensive.
I tracked nearly every receipt for my brand new 2011 Nissan Versa. The car cost $15,144. $17,700 in maintenance. $21,000 in gas. $10,000 for insurance. It has 228,801 miles on it and I still have it. I used to drive an insane number of miles because of my commute. Now I work from home. I have a 2021 Toyota and just don't track it anymore.
Wow! It really adds up! I bet that Toyota will last a long time with you working from home!
also depreciation, after 7 years a car is zero dollars
@@postmodgent1499 It can be sold for ~$4000 to recoup costs.
NJB gave you a shoutout! If anyone else was looking for this video after listening to the urbanist agenda podcast- “from pickup driver to cargo bike urbanist, this is the one, and it doesn’t disappoint. A high quality honest video here!
Thank you 🙏 I am “the guy in Canada” 🇨🇦 🤣
If only there were a way to contact Jason and refresh his memory on where this video came from. Hoping he'll circle around to it and give a proper shout out!
Owning a car is fulfilling. You can go anywhere and have a personal relationship with your car. I love my car, my first one too. I feel free now that i can drive wherever i want. I'm in my own world when I'm in my own car.
traffic is always the worst thing no matter how nice driving a car is.
I can appreciate that! The thing I miss most is long road trips and singing loudly.
a car is just like a female they both cost too much
@scruf153 a car just like a female will never let you down once you find the one. She may be so pretty, or too flashy, she is a Toyota Camry 😊
mentally deranged carbrain
Spending 40 grand on a car that was basically free sounds like a bad investment to me. Imagine how much worse it is for people that buy new cars and have to watch the depreciation.
Right?! I used to work at a dealership… the size of some of those monthly payments 😬
Kudos to you for keeping all the receipts and doing the accounting! I also sold my car and bought a cargo e-bike and I’ve never been happier! I have 3 kids and I have no problem transporting them around by bike
That’s really impressive! Despite being an “evil”, car-oriented city, I feel like I could make that sort of thing work in Calgary. I’ve been shocked at how comfortably I’ve managed to get around without a car.
Wow. Ive spent so much on my car. Unfortunately I work and live in different cities. If there was better transportation between cities for people with no cars I would much rather not have my car.
It’s definitely something we can work on! Regional transit is sorely lacking in North America.
Winter. Dress right, use studded knobbie tires if you need it. Winter riding is a workout and a ton of fun if you're properly equipped.
Thank you 🙏 Studded tires are on the shopping list!
Agreed. I’ve rarely been cold anywhere but hands and feet. Studded tires were great the last few winters (NW Ontario west of Thunder Bay) BUT I just gave them to my son in Winnipeg as I think he’ll benefit more with those in the city while a fat bike works better here when biking on unplowed or incompletely plowed roads. My commute is 22k round trip and mainly rural highway though.
I am an expert on riding in extreme cold. You need extra protection from the wind on your hands, feet, face, and your crotch. Trust me on the crotch. It won't feel like you need it until it's too late. A frozen penis is a very bad time. Put it in a Heatholder's sock and wear waterproof pants over your pants. Hands and feet are obvious, but head and crotch protection will make you invincible to cold.
I live in central Mississippi in a town of about 40,000, we are a minor metropolitan area with a Navy Air Station and a good population in Lauderdale County & close to the Alabama state line. I have owned a car since age 18 & have owned all types of cars from an Opel Kedit to a high-powered Oldsmobile's, Recently I have run into an issue with my 2001 Buick Regal GS. I have had trouble with the car stalling and going dead, the car was in a shop for a week and they did not repair it & wanted to keep it longer, I did not trust them so I took it home and am talking to another mechanic about the car.
There have been times when I have owned two 2 or three 3 cars at a time but they have just gotten too costly for that, especially for a single person. And it has gotten where owning one is no longer cost-prohibited.
In our town where only the downtown area is pedestrian-friendly, it was a nightmare trying to get to Dr.'s appointments and work ( I work 4 days a week ). I used Lyft a lot which added up, I live about 7 miles from where I work. We do not have public transportation. I have been a bike rider for years, and right now I am not riding but have thought that an electric bike would be nice if I could justify using it in place of a car. We are at the crossroads of getting these monsters off the road and replacing them, now would be a good time to think greener, and build cities where we can walk, bike, etc. This lesson taught me just how dependent we are on cars, people are not thinking, be mindful! And another thing is the cost of these monsters, I think that Alex points this out very well!
After my experience, I am going to make changes! It is insane to be dependent on a car ( The Monster )!🤔
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! You make some great points! And yes! I think ebikes are a surprisingly good replacement for the car!
i've always called my car a financial ball and chain but living in a rural area with snow 1/4th the year its pretty much completely nonviable to use a bike as my primary mode of transportation
That totally makes sense! We’ve got different tools for different situations.
An extra 5K year - even with the cheapest yet most reliable car you could have gotten, minimizing insurance and maintenance. That's a downpayment on a car every year just to keep the one you have!
I'm in a similar situation, currently parsing the idea of taking a lower-paying job that I can actually bike to (theoretically), but unfortunately my social circle is a little beyond what I can reliably get to on transit or bike. I applaud your chutzpah and wish you luck, I have a feeling you'll do just fine, even if you have to Uber a few times in the winter or something.
It’s a tough decision, and one everyone has to figure out for themselves. My social life will definitely be changing! The change will surely have some other impacts I’m not predicting. So stay tuned 😬
In brooklyn, if your commute is under 8 miles, biking is literally as fast as taking a car.
Wow! I wonder what the threshold would be in Calgary. If you live in a windy, suburban road, there’s usually a quick way out for walkers/wheelers.
montreal center is same, even faster in bike
I know “the way the world works…” is “money” but I think the value of “not using a car”
Or being “carfree”creates all those things that folks lack according to so many studies…
You’re so right! Over the past few weeks, I’ve paused to enjoy the sunset over the reservoir on my commute, I’ve chatted with people walking their dogs, stopped at a market where my sisters were working, and gotten a slower view of the area in which I live. It’s been wonderful!
I added up what my parents spent the last 10 years on direct TV and they were shocked when they found out it was 35k
Honestly, I’ve thought about cutting out more stuff 😂
My rule for cars is never ever go to a car shop for maintenance if the issue is something basic. You can learn to do it on your own within a few hours and the parts needed are often dirt cheap to buy. Better yet find a good friend who knows this stuff to save some time.
Car maintenance for me is dirtcheap thanks to this and i have had my Citroen C5 "04 model" for about 8 years now and now matter how much i count on it i don't even get close to your numbers 😅 If i had a car like yours i think my numbers would be even lower.
I got lucky with such a good car! Doing my own maintenance would have saved me a pretty penny!
Yep, the city towed my car years ago and I told them to keep it.....haven't missed it even once......
I've been car free my entire life thankfully, but it's honestly still insane seeing these numbers. That's about how much I have in my savings, and I've been working for around 10 years, so I'd be in the red if I had a car with these numbers.
We always find something to spend our money on! For me, it’s looking like e-bikes and long flights!
Given that you said you will be buying a cargo bike to replace your car, that leaves you with 30k of savings over the next 8 years. 30k over 8 years is about 3750 per year. I would happily pay 3750 a year to not bicycle through Canadian winters, and for the convenience that a car adds. I think I would feel trapped in my city if I didn't have a car, most weekends I leave my city atleast once. The public transit in my city is at a level that I would consider unacceptable. About a 30 minute drive across town by car takes 3 hours on the bus. Even if transit was better, I think not having a car would really diminish my ability to socialize. I am friends with people who don't drive and I find that any time there are plans that those people are invited to they either need to rely on others to pick them up, are always late, or are not able to make it. I also would find not having a car, let alone a trailer to go with it extremely impractical. I find I'm either hauling my dirtbike, doing a dump run, taking in recycling, moving something large or heavy, etc about once a week. That being said I think it's cool you are able to live without a car, and I will probably buy a (not electric) bike this year, for fun and to stay healthy. Although I don't think I'll be making the switch anytime soon, or ever (if I continue to live in Canada).
Being able to go car free depends a lot on lifestyle. And I’ll definitely be seeing a lifestyle change. My best friend is now an hour and a half away, rather than 30 mins - so that sucks 😂
It’ll be a shift, and it’s not feasible for many people - especially given how we’ve built our cities in Canada, not to mention the gorgeous nature we’ve got to enjoy. Not being able to go to the mountains on a whim is probably my biggest bummer.
@@humanecities Maybe they will build that Calgary-Banff passenger rail service.
The primary purpose of car ownership is to keep working people so poor that they can't afford to live in nice places that have mass transit while at the same time keeping folks who own car companies, gas companies, and insurance companies wealthy, so that they can afford to live in nice places with mass transit. I work from home, so my gas costs are waaayyy lower that yours were, and even with those savings, I *still* can't afford to live someplace nice.
If you live in a city, and you don't need a car for work, like say, a contractor, taking buses, riding a bike (electric or otherwise) and renting a car from time-to-time is the way to go. Also, if you prefer to shop for groceries once a week, you can always call a taxi to get your stuff home; four or five taxi rides a month is still cheaper than car insurance.
Here's something to blow you away. If you borrowed $30,000 to buy Amazon stock back in 2008, it would be worth $1,186,465 today.
YES, cars are VERY expensive!
Everyday, I wake up disappointed in my 12 year old self for not investing in Amazon 😉 😂 But seriously, you’re right! I’ve been tracking how much I’m spending on transportation. I’ll have 3 month update in a few weeks here. The one year update video will have some interesting data…
Why would you pay $170 a month for insurance on a $500 car. You should have just kept liability insurance..that would have been more like $60 a month, and put the other $110 in an account, if you ever get in a wreck.. just buy a brand new car with money you saved!
Literally. Smh 🤦♂️
Mittens, mudguards and position lights.
Those are the 3 must have things for winter cycling.
1-Gloves aren't warm enough and if you have twist shifters you don't have to mind the dexterity loss.
2-No mudguards means brown slush all over your clothes. DIrty and wet. no good. Get some fenders.
3-Winter means shorts days. So lights are a must to be seen. Get some that you can easily put on/remove, as you wanna keep the batteries warm and on the bike only while riding.
-Signé, Un Montréalais.
Merci! This is great advice!
Woo I just sold my 2009 Honda accord! I also live in a car-dependent suburb as well haha. Congrats!
We’re in this together!
Not to mention you are really buying top of the line with a $10k cargo bike. You can easily get one for $5k new or even $2.5k used. You really have to buy the most expensive bikes just to get to the cheapest car equivalent. I can't imagine the difference when you add a car note on top of that. The average car note is now $716. That will almost triple the costs alone. 💀
E-bikes are a big deal! The societal costs are way lower, too!
you get an ebike, you get an ebike, and YOU get an ebike! look under your seats, EVERYBODY GETS AN EBIKE!
But seriously… if I were a gazillionaire… we’d all be riding e-bikes.
Thanks very much for sharing...a real eye opener indeed.
I'm glad for you that you can live car free, but regardless of the cost, my car is a luxury i enjoy very much at the moment: the comfort that it offers, the pleasure of driving, the convenience.
Also, one day, you will grow old and not be able to rely on your strength to commute to work etc. Many, who aren't giddy and stout, and who aren't eager to face winter on bicycle will prefer the tremendous comfort of a car.
Obviously, you already know all what I'm saying. Again, I'm happy for you, and am glad for the information you share.
Another thing: e-bikes require charging and battery cell replacement...i don't think you mentioned that in your cost calculation.
Cheers
Thank you for your thoughtful comment!
A car is definitely a nice convenience. In conversation with some family last night, I was discussing this. I think that if I were more financially well-off, I’d probably keep my car. It’s a great car, and if I could afford it without a strict budget, I’d keep it - just for those odd times where I really NEED it.
At this point in my life, I’m okay to forego the comfort and convenience of the car, for the financial savings. The exercise being built into my life is also quite nice, seeing as I’m not the gym going type!
As for the cost of power, this is something I’d like to look into. I’ll be making more videos about the car free journey (the good and the bad) - energy costs and such will be included. Right now, electricity is included in my rent, so I’ll be doing some estimating for that. Should be interesting to see 🤔
When you get old you probably won't be able to drive anymore or you at least shouldn't drive so you don't endanger others. In cities with good public transportation you will see a lot of older people using it for that reason.
Many old people can't drive, or drive safely. And keeping an active lifestyle through daily walking or biking tends to help us age better. Lots of old people biking in Japan and the Netherlands.
There are also alternatives other than cars or conventional bikes. Handcycles (for those who can't use their legs), tricycles (for those with balance issues), mobility scoots (a tiny slow car that you can use on Dutch bike paths.)
I love having a car but when you factor gas, tires, cleaning, insurance, licensing and maintenance, it gets quite expensive per year.
Yep! If I were rich, I'd probably have kept it! It was fun while it lasted!
I think you missed a few expenses:
- Fees paid for use of private toll roads, toll bridges etc.
- Taxes paid to the government for construction of new roads and bridges and upkeep of existing ones
- Mental health costs of traffic jams, parking difficulties, driving accidents etc. and financial stress of car ownership
- Medical bills/health problems incurred due to air pollution caused by car exhaust fumes
- Expenses incurred from cleaning interior and exterior of car
Once you add those in, we may as well double the number 😬 (Maybe more…)
Same here. Might get an electric vehicle in a few years when their range and cost become acceptable to me. Rather spend the money on my house and computer and technology hobbies.
Hello, I have ADHD. Having control over my transit is worth it for not having to deal with wait-mode anxiety. I'm glad public transit works out for you, but for people like me, it's psychological torture.
You gotta do what works for you. What you’re describing is basically why I prefer cycling to the bus. I leave/arrive when I feel like. No waiting around or checking schedules.
@@humanecities I also have bad legs from falling off a building... Not everyone is as privilaged as you