Deception Pass, Washington state. On a bike trip that combined ferry ride, cycling and train between Vancouver, Vancouver Island and Seattle. 2010
I’ve been wanting to write this article for awhile: how cycling can change your spending habits. I should know –I haven’t lived in a household with a car for over the past 30 years. Yup. It really has been a car-free joy “ride” to financial liberation.
Panniers packed on our bikes. Ready to cycle to France. Morning street with cycling commuters and others. Freiburg, Germany 2010. Photo by J. Chong
I have been cycling over the past 19 years. By moving to a cycling lifestyle, you redirect your money for things you really want, instead of sitting in car-clogged traffic while gas money is literally vapourizing away.
So if I may offer, over a quarter century of homespun, financial savvy on what it truly means to live a cycling lifestyle, dollar-wise:
- Less impulsive purchases
- Buy what you need, what you really want –that includes buying less junk food. After all, you have to cart the weight away by bike and chug up the hill with loaded panniers.
- Buy less fashionista clothing –my attention is more on cycling clothing.
- No knowledge of gas prices and pricing wars. I have been blissfully ignorant for over a quarter century. I am psychologically freed from vehicle gas costs. I’m only aware of fuel costs –when I pay for a plane ticket.
- Less window-shopping. I am more focused when I shop. If an area doesn’t offer a place to lock up my bike safely, I go somewhere else.
Trip included Strasbourg, France –after cycling from Germany 2010. Pedestrianized street which allows bicyclists that cycle slowly. Photo by J. Chong
So really what have I done with the money I have saved by not owning nor driving a car, for all these years? I have redirected my precious dollars:
- Bought my own home —mortgage-free.
- Several memorable cycling vacation trips, in Ontario, Quebec, Maritimes, Alberta, British Columbia, Hawaii, New England, Washington, Oregon, California and some European countries. I support the local economy as a cycling tourist.
- 3 bikes –all add up to less than cost of a used car.
- Cycling clothing and equipment –equivalent to car tune-ups and repairs costs.
- Nice restaurant meals on bike vacation trips. “Fuel money” for our body. Instead of gas.
- Money to take other plane trips to see family. So yes, from car fuel to plane fuel, which I can only justify because I don’t do it often. However these trips are essential for my soul.
- Occasional evening art courses over the years. ( I created some of my own art which adorn my walls.)
- Replaced 1 desktop computer with another new computer plus a new couch and bed.
Cycling around in a neighbourhood designed for walking and cycling. Here, roads are not built for cars. Malmo, Sweden 2010. Photo by J. Chong. Bikes parked by home, not cars.
I am pleased to say that I have reaped the benefits of living within a 15 min. walk or less from public transit and cycling infrastructure for the cities of: Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.
All three cities do have areas that are more time-consuming, transportation-wise but I simply focused only on neighbourhoods where I could live a car-free life. There are trade-offs but a peace of mind and healthier lifestyle, is what draws me to cycling lifestyle and walkable-bikeable area.
Cost of Car Ownership and Driving
For major Canadian cities, a parking spot for a residential building costs approximately $30,000 – $50,000 with Vancouver at the higher range. In 2010 the Canadian Automobile Association estimated cost for a small car at $18.00 daily which includes owning and driving a car (based on 18,000 km. mileage annually or 49 km. daily). Add on parking and now total costs could be easily be $30.00 daily.
Occasional treating oneself to gourmet lunch of sandwiches and lovely cake slice. Vancouver 2011
Thanks to 30 years of car abstinence, I have $328,000 to spend on other things.
If you still don’t believe this money-saving wizardy, check out your car credit bills.
Further Reading:
Driving Costs: Beyond the Price Tag. Understanding Your Vehicle’s Expenses. Canadian Automobile Association, 2010.
Third Wave Cycling Blog 
I love it! I’ve got my bike and no wheels, too. My dog runs on the side.
Really great article. It is amazing what you can save by living in a city that promotes bike riding and efficient public transport. I hope that you find another 30 years car free riding in the future and that other cities and there residents find other benefits of riding their own bike or hiring a bike when traveling.
Perhaps not mentioned in the article, is that we only rent a car for less than 1-2 days annually. Usually to move/buy some large things or to get somewhere during a trip faster while on vacation when one has limited vacation days. I also did not mention that the first 14 years of life, was car-free since parents were too poor to afford a car. So truly only a few years did I ever live in a household with a car.
Still, it is a cost-effective way of living if one chooses to live near other transportation options.
I went completely car-free a while ago. Wish I hadn’t waited so long.
It’s rather more challenging to do without a motor vehicle of some sort when you live in a rural area, have a small farm and raise livestock. In our case, we’ve stuck to a single, dual-purpose utility vehicle—a Land Rover Defender 4×4—and use it as a little as possible.
We’re 2.5 miles from our village and 10 miles from nearest, small, town. We walk or cycle to the village but it takes too long to cycle to town as just over half the journey is over steep, winding back roads. (The village journey is similar but I can do the walk to the shop and back in 60 minutes, including shopping. Cycling is much faster.)
We combine all our potential town trips into one carefully planned trip in the 4×4 on a Saturday: swimming lessons, club rugby, grocery shopping, recycling centre, newsagent and anything else that might come up.
My wife car-shares for her 20-mile journey to work. We couldn’t live closer to her workplace because it’s is closer to a large city than our property is and property prices are therefore higher than we can afford.
People often say to us, “but how do you cope?” Or, “I couldn’t possibly do that!” Or, “it would be so inconvenient”. And yet, their parents, or in some cases they themselves, managed in the days when cars were the preserve of the affluent and then, later, when rural households only had a car and a tractor. Now, they have two, three or four cars and can’t manage while also complaining about the cost of driving.
People can be silly.
Admirable that your family does plan carefully but you’re living proof it is done as well as other people –with children. I grew up in a downtown core area of a small Ontario town at the time –30,000 people. So we walked to shopping mall, services and father walked to work. We took transit. What was difficult was buying alot of food in the winter and transporting it. So several trips were made which includes the winter time. Car-share/car-co-operatives did not exist at that time.
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What an inspiration. Thanks for the post.
You are using the money that you save from owning a car into uses that are meaningful to you, not someone else. I wish more people could see the light.
Absolutely right! Thanks for dropping by at this blog site. Keep on cycling and smiling.
Love it, and thanks for sharing your experience. This is my biggest point in pushing a car-free lifestyle – the innumerable financial benefits and resulting flexibility since not all of us are born with a silver spoon in our mouth.
It’s a really big point: saving money long-term and being healthier too as a result. Thanks for dropping by!
Jean you should have the Freshly Pressed Award. Brilliant, clear prose that plays the small violin to all the wimpering Americans who gas guzzle. I returned to my small US hometown a decade ago, and now realize that the romance is over. Most days errands chalk up 30+ miles on the odometer, although I only
drive 1-2 times per week.
Most area residents are forced to use autos, as this (pop.150K) small Virginia town has many outlying areas.Cyclists are frequently mamed when attempting to ride within city limits, and risk life and limb when cycling in rural areas.
I wish to spend my last decades in a walk/cycle friendly area. Question is do I become an expat to accomplish this?
Jean continue to inspire us…D.
We found Eugene, Oregon smaller and probably not as expensive (I’m guessing here) with good transit and cycling routes. We spent several days cycling about the area. I think a town with a local university, college might be more motivated to improve or include more local transportation options beyond car dependency.
“Burn fat not oil” is one of the stickers on my bike. Along with “Always look on the bike side of life” I’m hoping they’ll provide inspiration to others.
Good words to live by. 🙂
And not to mention all the other benefits to you and the rest of society such as no oil leaks or exhausts, obnoxious noise pollution (it’s amazing how noisy cars are if you sit down somewhere and really take in your surrounding), a more pleasant and safer community, virtually no wear-and-tear on the road, less space needed altogether, much smaller footprint than cars, more connectivity with those around you (no isolation in a metal box).
Your post rang very true with me, and I appreciated the benefits you pointed out in being car-free. I went car-free about 5 years ago. My friends and family thought I was nuts – – but that was right before the gas prices shot sky-high – – and then they all said, “Boy, you really got rid of your car at a good time!!” Funny, huh?! (Of course, when I went car-free, I didn’t know the prices were going to go up!).
I’ve had people nag me to get a car…but to tell you the truth, I really don’t need one, nor do I WANT one. Living car-free is a way of life and it works just fine for me. I am also a car-sharing member (Zipcar) and that works out fine (along with Enterprise car rentals) for when I have the “car need”. I also use Megabus and Amtrak to go to nearby cities, which is helpful. I have a folding bike (Brompton) which I can fold and bring with me, so I have wheels when I get to where I’m going.
Congrats on 30 years (wow!!) being car-free. You are an inspiration to every one! Happy trails.
Charmaine
Yes, I’ve been nagged to get a car. My parents gave up. It’s great to have a car co-op option for short little trips occasionally. Amtrak train offers some great deals especially during low season…ie. now. Enjoy the bike for many years to come.
Thanks for sharing this link on my blog, it’s a great article!! That is really impressive — no mortgage? All those trips? Amazing! It’s clearly possible (and financially smart) to be without a car!
It is even more possible if you live near transit for super cold/lousy weather in the winter to be car-free.
[…] I have consciously chosen to live and invest in walkable and cycleable neighbourhoods in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, where it’s close to a bike route or two, public transit and within a 15-min. walk of some shops and services. I haven’t known the cost of gasoline for last 30 years. I’ve saved a ton of money for other stuff. Read my post about how I did that, here. […]
[…] for instance Jean Chong’s story of living car-free for over 30 years. And this is not on some balmy tropical island. Living in […]