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.
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.
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 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'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.
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.
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>
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 😅
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 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!
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'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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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…
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 😬
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.
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.
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.
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 think I’d agree with you generally on that. I’d be interested to see where that works out to be the case. As for getting to work on time, I’ve just had to change how I manage my time. I’ll talk more about that in the 3 month update video in a few weeks.
As a 25-year-old Calgarian born and raised, I've never owned a car at any point in my life while living here. I intend to keep it that way. I never really felt comfortable behind the wheel in the first place. I'd much rather bike and use transit to get around. Although the pathway and transit system has its flaws, it can always get better. *cough* build the entire Green Line *cough* I absolutely hate the idea of having to spend thousands of dollars over many years on a single vehicle instead of putting that money towards more important things. I don't even make enough money with my current job to afford driving anyways. It's mind-boggling to realize that the province is spending $615 million on "improvements" and adding more lanes to Deerfoot that will just lead to induced demand. The lanes will inevitably be full of traffic years after they've been built and we'll be in the same situation again.
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
I'm also car-free and living in Calgary. The reason we can is because the grocery store is nearby, train station is nearby, and gym is nearby. If we didn't get massively lucky with location, we'd be spending thousands just to get around. We're putting that money towards retiring earlier... as opposed to buying 32 bicycles instead. Also a good plan, I guess.
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.
Just stopped the video in the middle to share: When I realized how much my car cost per year in terms of ownership, I gave it up BUT saved that money into a savings account. The following year I was able to buy a house with the savings of 2 year of not owning a car. 2.YEARS. With my bikes & mass transit I now have a modest retirement account and have a stable payment for housing. If I need a car, I can rent one.
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.)
What I learned from this video? That Americans pay absurd amounts for car insurance and way too little for everything else. A car insurance here in The Netherlands cost us around €50 a month. We spend about €200 on gas and the license costs are around €70 a month. Upkeep is at least €80 a month. All in all the car costs us at least €400 a month. It is a lot of money and we don’t even own a very expensive car.
Yoooo how is it that none of your budget goes toward car rentals to drive to the mountains, spending generously on Lyfts/Ubers to go see friends, get to the store when you’re sick, etc.? As a 37yo who has never owned a car, my quality of life improved a lot when I decided that I was “allowed” to spend more freely on “occasional cars” i.e. taxis & rentals, because the bottom line was that I am *still* spending far less than car ownership. **i have also a spent more on rent in exchange for living in more bike friendly/transit friendly locations - and still came out ahead. Just sayin, it’s not all e-bike purchases - there are lots of ways to spend your car fund that can lead to a high quality of life while being car-free!
We do have pretty solid weekend transit to between Calgary and Banff with service running Thursdays through holiday Mondays from May to October with Onit Regional Transit for only $20 round trip. I'm taking it Thanksgiving Monday with my bicycle and can't wait to ride around the town among some snow capped mountains!
Great video. I'd also like to add some aspects you didn't mention, which is your car expense was 40,000 for regular maintenance and repairs, but people can also get into fender benders once in a while which, depending on the case could be a substantial increase from the 40,000 spent over 8 years. The other unrelated thing is when you choose to go out on long trips by renting a car you have the freedom to choose a car as expensive or cheap as you wish for that trip. If you have several people going, then you can get a Minivan, if going offroad you can choose an suv, etc, if going alone you can get a smaller sedan or hatchback. You don't need to be tied to the only 1 option which is the car you already own. And these rentals will already have up to date safety technology, so your travel is that much safer than your old car could offer.
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 ????
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 appreciate this car ownership analysis. Most car ownership analysis are based on much more expensive newer cars or downplay the true costs of owning a car. I live in a moderately dense and walkable urban area with decent public transit and biking options. My job is ~3.5 miles away. I commute either by Uber/Lyft or bike share and spend ~$300 a month on transportation costs, which is cheaper than owning a car for how little I would drive (~6000 miles a year) if I had a car. Some will argue buying a cheap used car and doing most of your own maintenance yourself would be cheaper, but I'm not mechanically inclined and even if I were, it's still not as cheap as you'd think.
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.
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
I had my driving privileges revoked for 3 years, I had to set up my life so i could live car free. It can be done, but after that experience I don't care if it costs 50k a year to own and operate a car, the freedom you get from owning your own vehicle is priceless. Have fun in the winter bud
I have to have a car to drive to the bus stop so I can finally take transit :(. Once I’m on the transit I stay on it until it’s time to go home. I use the buses, trains and streetcars here in Phoenix.
Hey, nice shoutout to Memphis! I am from Memphis but now living in Portland, OR. As someone who's never own a car in her life, I am pretty glad to have never relied on it as a means of transportation. For the past 10 years, I've been commuting on scooters like the Honda Metropolitan and PCX 150 (I am wanting to get a Vespa next year). With motorized bikes, you still have concern yourself with upkeep, insurance, gas, gear, etc. but the upfront costs and prices over time are far less expensive. And they are a fun means of commuting. Weather can be tricky but with the right gear on any bike, you can still protect yourself from the elements. I totally agree that cities need to built more for people and not cars and more walkable/bike friendly cities are a good way to cut down on traffic congestion and pollution.
Vespa's are super cute! I'd be curious to hear how well you were able to get around in Memphis. From what I understand, Portland has far better transit and such than Memphis.
@@humanecities In Memphis, I had to rely on a scooter to get around as public transit is basically non-existent. It is so spread out and the local government has made so many cuts that MATA might as well not be there at all. Public transit in Portland is much better and while I still rely on a scooter for mainly work, hopping on the Max to go downtown and being able to walk in the city is pretty amazing. Not as good as like NYC but it is up there.
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
Completely agree. Plenty comfy, but have always driven old cars. Wife and I drive a 1991 Honda Accord with 318,000 miles (traded my brother a lawnmower for it, and restored it; mechanically and cosmetically perfect via RockAuto and recently its third paint job), and a 2004 GMC Sierra P/U with 204K ($4k eight years ago to replace a '78 Sierra; split with dad and brothers that use it when they need a pickup). Not to say I don't have "play cars" - but I buy them depreciated when I spot a good value; play a while, and resell for about the same money. Down to one now (a '70s mid-engined "kit" car), but mostly Mercedes; recently an '01 V12 coupe; a '59 diesel sedan converted to a rally car on waste cooking oil that completed the '08 La Carrera PanAmericana, a '76 V8 SL before that. But all that is a hobby - not transportation. But yeah - cars as Americans consume them are a huge outlay on a depreciating asset - it's just nuts.
Where I live, we used to have Car Share programs where you can rent cars per minute, but they've all left. Turo and Getaround are here, but the process of reserving cars and the costs makes it not worth it most of the time. I'm hoping Robo Taxis will help drop the transportation costs and be much more convenient than taking Uber or Car Share.
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).
🤣 Okay, now hear me out: 2 of the 3 tickets were from before I got this car, so more than 8 years ago. The other (6 years ago), I’m pretty sure was inaccurate. It was a speed camera, but I was out of the country, so I just paid it instead of fighting. Soooo… ya know… not awful 😂
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.
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).
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!
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.
Economic cost beyond normal cost for your car must be added to a calculation of the cost. Your trips and time at DMV are part of the cost of your car (time x your cost/hour). Your time to clean the car, your car in a mechanic shop, time to handle auto parts, oil change, etc (any extra costs beyond your normal use of your car). Shopping for a new car (researching , trip to auto dealers) and later to sell that car takes time and must be added to car’s economics. If you are part of accidents, there would be have a cost (your time to fix this particular accident problem, premium changes, etc). Maybe at least half of your calculations on your bills must be added to the economics of a car (comparing on a person who doesn’t have a car).
Great points! Thank you! You’ve got me thinking about the social cost, as well. I’ve come to quite enjoy seeing familiar faces on the bus - even if we aren’t chatting.
Great video. I wish I could live car-free, but I really need my car to get around. The infrastructure where I live is so mediocre for pedestrians and cyclists. Thankfully I own my hybrid car outright, but owning any car of any kind is still an endless money pit. It's even worse for those with car payments, the vast majority of North America.
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.
I live out of town. My commuter card costs about what I used to pay in insurance on my last car. Politicians have decided to "simplify" bus fares, meaning that soon (probably new year) my commuter card will half in price, AND will allow me to go more places then between home and work. And that is JUST the insurance. And for the few times where I cannot take the bus for various reasons, I could put on the onepiece and drive there in my ATV, which is mainly a work tool for me. I should probably think of getting an e-bike, but closest grocery store is 30min bikeride away. I cannot legally commute by bike because of highway road tunnels with no alternative routes. And as a last option, I have access to cars and/or drivers so I can do large purchases, so the day by day trips to the grocer can easilly fit in a small bag, like today when I have to buy milk...
People say my 4.000 euro bullitt cargo bike is expensive but honestly nah lol if you look at this. (that's about 5.000 Canadian dollars I think) That thing is super fun, I've transported a friend in it once when I randomly came across him needing a ride when he was at the train station. We had snacks and drinks at his place after. It was a great evening.
I love that you just casually picked your friend up from the train 😂 Cargo bikes are FANTASTIC! And once you’ve ridden as a passenger, there’s no going back!
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've really been learning about urbanization and I have an ebike. My ebike is my daily driver and I love riding it. My gas payments are almost nothing (I do have places I still drive to) and my area has a good enough bus network where you could get reasonably far by bus + ebike. I too love driving and taking road trips. I currently have a 2022 Civic, and it's a great car but I am realizing that it is a money pit though not as much as other new cars. I'm not sure if I want to sell my Civic but I do know that I probably won't want to buy another brand new car again.
@@humanecities Exactly! Real freedom is the ability to choose how you get around, and not forced to use a car for everything. Once winter comes I plan on getting a studded bike tire and braving the elements. Biking in the cold is nice after you put enough layers on.
@@Demopans5990 Sadly there are way too many massive trucks and SUVs in the USA that just guzzle fuel. I used to have an 07 Hyuindai Santa Fe and I got decent gas mileage out of that, I think around 20-25 mpg.
To be fair, if you don’t fix your car yourself, it is extremely expensive. I probably save over half what I would pay if I paid a mechanic to do the repairs
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 :/
During the 8 years with this car, there were many times where I was happy to what I did. I was moving back and forth from school, I did a lot of road trips, etc. But not that I’m living in a city with transit and bike routes, I just think it’s worth it for me anymore.
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!
$500 dollars for the car +$40,000 for gas, maintenance, insurance, and a couple of tickets. This is the norm for most americans that have no acces to public transportation. Even if they do have acces to it, its not guaranteed they will use it. Saftey is a big deal, privacy is a big deal, time is a big deal.
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"
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.
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 😂
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!😊
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.
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!
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 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.
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 😂
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>
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.
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!
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 😬
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 🤣
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.
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 😂
I am using my car as little as possible. Both my mental health and bank account are better off!
Nice, right?!
Yeah, me too.
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 😭
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.
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 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 😂
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'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!
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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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!
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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…
Yep, the city towed my car years ago and I told them to keep it.....haven't missed it even once......
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 😬
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.
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.
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.
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?
The money potential is a lot higher with a personal car than not also getting to your job on time is really important to get money.
I think I’d agree with you generally on that. I’d be interested to see where that works out to be the case. As for getting to work on time, I’ve just had to change how I manage my time. I’ll talk more about that in the 3 month update video in a few weeks.
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!
As a 25-year-old Calgarian born and raised, I've never owned a car at any point in my life while living here. I intend to keep it that way. I never really felt comfortable behind the wheel in the first place. I'd much rather bike and use transit to get around. Although the pathway and transit system has its flaws, it can always get better.
*cough* build the entire Green Line *cough*
I absolutely hate the idea of having to spend thousands of dollars over many years on a single vehicle instead of putting that money towards more important things. I don't even make enough money with my current job to afford driving anyways.
It's mind-boggling to realize that the province is spending $615 million on "improvements" and adding more lanes to Deerfoot that will just lead to induced demand. The lanes will inevitably be full of traffic years after they've been built and we'll be in the same situation again.
Amen 🙌 There’re some good things happening, but yeah, also some stuff I’m not as big on.
Oh look, it's not only my birthday, but our one year anniversary of Alex being car-free!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 🥳
Thanks for getting off the road, and convincing others to do the same!
🫡 Just doin’ my part!
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…)
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!
I'm also car-free and living in Calgary. The reason we can is because the grocery store is nearby, train station is nearby, and gym is nearby. If we didn't get massively lucky with location, we'd be spending thousands just to get around. We're putting that money towards retiring earlier... as opposed to buying 32 bicycles instead. Also a good plan, I guess.
Bikes vs. retirement is always a tough decision!
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
Just stopped the video in the middle to share: When I realized how much my car cost per year in terms of ownership, I gave it up BUT saved that money into a savings account. The following year I was able to buy a house with the savings of 2 year of not owning a car. 2.YEARS. With my bikes & mass transit I now have a modest retirement account and have a stable payment for housing. If I need a car, I can rent one.
That’s fantastic!! You really made it work and took advantage of the savings!
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.)
What I learned from this video? That Americans pay absurd amounts for car insurance and way too little for everything else.
A car insurance here in The Netherlands cost us around €50 a month. We spend about €200 on gas and the license costs are around €70 a month. Upkeep is at least €80 a month. All in all the car costs us at least €400 a month. It is a lot of money and we don’t even own a very expensive car.
Yoooo how is it that none of your budget goes toward car rentals to drive to the mountains, spending generously on Lyfts/Ubers to go see friends, get to the store when you’re sick, etc.?
As a 37yo who has never owned a car, my quality of life improved a lot when I decided that I was “allowed” to spend more freely on “occasional cars” i.e. taxis & rentals, because the bottom line was that I am *still* spending far less than car ownership.
**i have also a spent more on rent in exchange for living in more bike friendly/transit friendly locations - and still came out ahead.
Just sayin, it’s not all e-bike purchases - there are lots of ways to spend your car fund that can lead to a high quality of life while being car-free!
😂 Fear not! I won’t ACTUALLY be spending all my money on e-bikes.
We do have pretty solid weekend transit to between Calgary and Banff with service running Thursdays through holiday Mondays from May to October with Onit Regional Transit for only $20 round trip. I'm taking it Thanksgiving Monday with my bicycle and can't wait to ride around the town among some snow capped mountains!
Great video. I'd also like to add some aspects you didn't mention, which is your car expense was 40,000 for regular maintenance and repairs, but people can also get into fender benders once in a while which, depending on the case could be a substantial increase from the 40,000 spent over 8 years. The other unrelated thing is when you choose to go out on long trips by renting a car you have the freedom to choose a car as expensive or cheap as you wish for that trip. If you have several people going, then you can get a Minivan, if going offroad you can choose an suv, etc, if going alone you can get a smaller sedan or hatchback. You don't need to be tied to the only 1 option which is the car you already own. And these rentals will already have up to date safety technology, so your travel is that much safer than your old car could offer.
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!
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 ????
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 appreciate this car ownership analysis. Most car ownership analysis are based on much more expensive newer cars or downplay the true costs of owning a car. I live in a moderately dense and walkable urban area with decent public transit and biking options. My job is ~3.5 miles away. I commute either by Uber/Lyft or bike share and spend ~$300 a month on transportation costs, which is cheaper than owning a car for how little I would drive (~6000 miles a year) if I had a car. Some will argue buying a cheap used car and doing most of your own maintenance yourself would be cheaper, but I'm not mechanically inclined and even if I were, it's still not as cheap as you'd think.
Wow. This is incredibly expensive.
RIGHT?! I was expecting a high number... but wow...
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.
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!
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!
I had my driving privileges revoked for 3 years, I had to set up my life so i could live car free. It can be done, but after that experience I don't care if it costs 50k a year to own and operate a car, the freedom you get from owning your own vehicle is priceless. Have fun in the winter bud
The freedom is nice! And the winter will definitely be interesting...
I have to have a car to drive to the bus stop so I can finally take transit :(.
Once I’m on the transit I stay on it until it’s time to go home. I use the buses, trains and streetcars here in Phoenix.
What is a transit operator?
I’ll take Public Services for 300, Alex.
Hey, nice shoutout to Memphis! I am from Memphis but now living in Portland, OR. As someone who's never own a car in her life, I am pretty glad to have never relied on it as a means of transportation. For the past 10 years, I've been commuting on scooters like the Honda Metropolitan and PCX 150 (I am wanting to get a Vespa next year). With motorized bikes, you still have concern yourself with upkeep, insurance, gas, gear, etc. but the upfront costs and prices over time are far less expensive. And they are a fun means of commuting. Weather can be tricky but with the right gear on any bike, you can still protect yourself from the elements. I totally agree that cities need to built more for people and not cars and more walkable/bike friendly cities are a good way to cut down on traffic congestion and pollution.
Vespa's are super cute! I'd be curious to hear how well you were able to get around in Memphis. From what I understand, Portland has far better transit and such than Memphis.
@@humanecities In Memphis, I had to rely on a scooter to get around as public transit is basically non-existent. It is so spread out and the local government has made so many cuts that MATA might as well not be there at all. Public transit in Portland is much better and while I still rely on a scooter for mainly work, hopping on the Max to go downtown and being able to walk in the city is pretty amazing. Not as good as like NYC but it is up there.
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
Completely agree. Plenty comfy, but have always driven old cars. Wife and I drive a 1991 Honda Accord with 318,000 miles (traded my brother a lawnmower for it, and restored it; mechanically and cosmetically perfect via RockAuto and recently its third paint job), and a 2004 GMC Sierra P/U with 204K ($4k eight years ago to replace a '78 Sierra; split with dad and brothers that use it when they need a pickup). Not to say I don't have "play cars" - but I buy them depreciated when I spot a good value; play a while, and resell for about the same money. Down to one now (a '70s mid-engined "kit" car), but mostly Mercedes; recently an '01 V12 coupe; a '59 diesel sedan converted to a rally car on waste cooking oil that completed the '08 La Carrera PanAmericana, a '76 V8 SL before that. But all that is a hobby - not transportation.
But yeah - cars as Americans consume them are a huge outlay on a depreciating asset - it's just nuts.
You’re doing cars right! An old Accord for getting around and a shared pickup. And the rest is for fun!
Where I live, we used to have Car Share programs where you can rent cars per minute, but they've all left. Turo and Getaround are here, but the process of reserving cars and the costs makes it not worth it most of the time. I'm hoping Robo Taxis will help drop the transportation costs and be much more convenient than taking Uber or Car Share.
Ride shares are tricky 🤔 I’d be curious to look deeper into the economics of how they actually work (or don’t).
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).
"i have a good driving record" a few seconds later..."i got a couple of speeding tickets"
🤣 Okay, now hear me out: 2 of the 3 tickets were from before I got this car, so more than 8 years ago. The other (6 years ago), I’m pretty sure was inaccurate. It was a speed camera, but I was out of the country, so I just paid it instead of fighting. Soooo… ya know… not awful 😂
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!
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).
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 🤦♂️
Having a family without a car is just not realistic imo
Could be! Depends where you live and where you go regularly. There are many families that do it.
If I had an extra $40k to spend on transporting myself places, I'd make a 5-year travel plan and hit up ten countries.
Yes!! I’ve already spent some of my saved money on traveling abroad 😂 Very worth it!
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.
Economic cost beyond normal cost for your car must be added to a calculation of the cost.
Your trips and time at DMV are part of the cost of your car (time x your cost/hour).
Your time to clean the car, your car in a mechanic shop, time to handle auto parts, oil change, etc (any extra costs beyond your normal use of your car).
Shopping for a new car (researching , trip to auto dealers) and later to sell that car takes time and must be added to car’s economics.
If you are part of accidents, there would be have a cost (your time to fix this particular accident problem, premium changes, etc).
Maybe at least half of your calculations on your bills must be added to the economics of a car (comparing on a person who doesn’t have a car).
Great points! Thank you! You’ve got me thinking about the social cost, as well. I’ve come to quite enjoy seeing familiar faces on the bus - even if we aren’t chatting.
Great video. I wish I could live car-free, but I really need my car to get around. The infrastructure where I live is so mediocre for pedestrians and cyclists.
Thankfully I own my hybrid car outright, but owning any car of any kind is still an endless money pit. It's even worse for those with car payments, the vast majority of North America.
The most frustrating thing is mediocre pedestrian infrastructure… I wish your car many years of life, so you can get where you need to be!
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.
I live out of town. My commuter card costs about what I used to pay in insurance on my last car. Politicians have decided to "simplify" bus fares, meaning that soon (probably new year) my commuter card will half in price, AND will allow me to go more places then between home and work. And that is JUST the insurance.
And for the few times where I cannot take the bus for various reasons, I could put on the onepiece and drive there in my ATV, which is mainly a work tool for me. I should probably think of getting an e-bike, but closest grocery store is 30min bikeride away. I cannot legally commute by bike because of highway road tunnels with no alternative routes.
And as a last option, I have access to cars and/or drivers so I can do large purchases, so the day by day trips to the grocer can easilly fit in a small bag, like today when I have to buy milk...
Sounds like you've got a great system figured out for yourself! (With plenty of cost savings built in!)
Living in rural Kansas I sadly don't have much choice but to rely on vehicles for now. However if I lived in a city I wouldn't own one.
Gotta use what works in each situation! My car is off in rural Alberta being well used!
People say my 4.000 euro bullitt cargo bike is expensive but honestly nah lol if you look at this. (that's about 5.000 Canadian dollars I think)
That thing is super fun, I've transported a friend in it once when I randomly came across him needing a ride when he was at the train station. We had snacks and drinks at his place after. It was a great evening.
I love that you just casually picked your friend up from the train 😂 Cargo bikes are FANTASTIC! And once you’ve ridden as a passenger, there’s no going back!
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!
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.
I've really been learning about urbanization and I have an ebike. My ebike is my daily driver and I love riding it. My gas payments are almost nothing (I do have places I still drive to) and my area has a good enough bus network where you could get reasonably far by bus + ebike. I too love driving and taking road trips. I currently have a 2022 Civic, and it's a great car but I am realizing that it is a money pit though not as much as other new cars. I'm not sure if I want to sell my Civic but I do know that I probably won't want to buy another brand new car again.
At least a Civic is reasonably fuel efficient. Anything not Japanese or Korean are guaranteed to be fuel hogs, especially pickups
Civic’s are great cars! It’s nice you can set it aside, though, for cycling and transit! Variety is the spice of life!
@@humanecities Exactly! Real freedom is the ability to choose how you get around, and not forced to use a car for everything. Once winter comes I plan on getting a studded bike tire and braving the elements. Biking in the cold is nice after you put enough layers on.
@@Demopans5990 Sadly there are way too many massive trucks and SUVs in the USA that just guzzle fuel. I used to have an 07 Hyuindai Santa Fe and I got decent gas mileage out of that, I think around 20-25 mpg.
To be fair, if you don’t fix your car yourself, it is extremely expensive. I probably save over half what I would pay if I paid a mechanic to do the repairs
It makes a HUGE difference!
One of the only real benefits of owning a car is having something to sleep in...its unfortunate but becoming more common now
I lived out of my car for a month, actually. That was 6 years ago now… wow! The cost of living and housing crisis has really taken its toll on people.
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 :/
So about $40K over 10 years? Equates to $333/month. Most people would be fine with that considering that they absolutely need a car to get to work.
During the 8 years with this car, there were many times where I was happy to what I did. I was moving back and forth from school, I did a lot of road trips, etc. But not that I’m living in a city with transit and bike routes, I just think it’s worth it for me anymore.
It's sad but I always felt like the car prices are a little ridiculous used and new😂😂😂😂 im glad to see people are waking up to the bullshit
I gotta lucky with the price I paid, but it still added up!
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 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!
$500 dollars for the car +$40,000 for gas, maintenance, insurance, and a couple of tickets.
This is the norm for most americans that have no acces to public transportation.
Even if they do have acces to it, its not guaranteed they will use it.
Saftey is a big deal, privacy is a big deal, time is a big deal.
It's true! I'd love to see our transit improve... I have some thoughts I'll share in a video. A few irks I've had!