Photo: Di Bedard
With petrol prices skyrocketing and the general cost of getting around increasing at alarming rates every day, people are desperately looking for ways to smother these costs or even cut back altogether. Driving a car has never been cheap, but it seems especially bad for drivers who have to foot the entire cost of petrol, maintenance, registration, and other costs all by themselves. For people who have places to go but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg to maintain a car, there are several great alternatives to traveling alone in your car:
Biking
One of the best ways to completely eliminate the costs associated with cars and go for a greener alternative would be biking. With just the relatively small upfront investment of $100+, you can have a street-ready bike. There are many trails and bike-only lanes available for those looking to commute using a bike, and cities are actually encouraging more people to take a bike to work or school instead of a car. You won’t get to your destinations as swiftly, but you’ll save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and get great exercise all at the same time!
Take the Bus or Train
Public transportation may seem unattractive at first, but when you realize what savings are to be had, then you will undoubtedly change your mind. There are excellent forms of public transportation- mainly buses and trains- in every state, and in major cities (and their surrounding areas) you can usually get a roundtrip train ticket into the downtown area and back home for just $40 per week. With trains and buses for long commutes and a bike for shorter traveling, who needs a car at that point? This allows you to eliminate your parking expenses as well as save time instead of dealing with the masses of other drivers on the road. And the savings add up quickly: taking a train instead of driving yourself can save hundreds of dollars per year. With that money, you can either pay off more of your debt or even start an emergency savings fund.
Carpooling
If you simply cannot do without your car, then most obvious option to maintain the flexibility of going where you want, when you want, would be to start carpooling with friends or colleagues. This way, everyone evenly divides the cost of petrol and possibly maintenance and other fees, depending on the agreement you have with your fellow carpoolers. This also offers you a break from driving if you and your passengers decide to switch off driving duties. This option not only creates a gradual decrease in traffic on the road, but it decreases your petrol usage and polluting.
Look for Parking Discounts
Another way to cut back on car-related expenses is to look for parking discounts. Some lots and structures offer discounts for those who arrive before a certain time or purchase a parking permit. Or, an even better option would be to find a cheaper location to park, and learn to love walking.
Regardless of what you decide to do, it’s the little changes in your transportation habits that make a difference in your budget each month. There are factors to consider, such as flexibility and most importantly, cost. But ultimately, as long as you’re willing to make some adjustments to your regular commute, then saving a few or even hundreds of dollars each year ought to be no problem.
