Save thousands yearly by living Car-Free

From the always excellent Ecovelo blog,

A new report out from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) confirms what we already knew: ditching a car can save you thousands of dollars per year. According to the report, the average savings for public transit users who eliminate a car is $724 per month ($8,691 per year), based on the cost of parking and the 5/5/09 average gas price of $2.079 as reported by AAA.

And, yes, while car-free living isn’t a possibility for some, it likely could be a reality for many folks with cars today. Anyone have experience making the shift?

In my experience (having owned a car for a few years before sticking with the bike), the biggest change that you have to face is accepting a limited range of travel. Not limited in terms of within your city (that’s what your feet, bike, and public transit are for!), but limited in terms of, say, visiting family out of town, or going to a different city for an event. These haven’t been insurmountable hurdles: inter-city transit has worked out pretty well for me (especially now that we have GO service in Peterborough), but you’re subject to the times and constraints of travelling by bus.

I’ve reconciled the frustration that sometimes accompanies travel on transit to the understanding that what we take for granted – unlimited, independent travel across great distances – is still virtually brand new in human history. So long as I remember that independent automobile travel is at best a privilege, and at worst an unsustainable blip of activity on the timeline of global culture, I feel pretty comfy on the bus!

Money, Money, Money @ Ecovelo