Definitely worthwhile to spend extra on housing to get closer to work/school.

Best thing is when you can walk to work, I did that for a few years. You save so much time/hassle and can get by with a cheaper car or maybe no car at all.

Car now costs me monthly $150 total: insurance $50, gas $50, maintenance $50 average. 92 Honda Accord worth $4000, depreciation another $50. I "work" from home so don't drive much, can walk to grocery stores etc.

2 of my friends drive up to 2 hours each way to work, they are burned out & hit the bottle at 7pm (partly from commuter stress).

Last edited by tvmann on Sep-21-2006 at 19:12

I walk to work - 25 mins each way - skydome to yonge and adelaide

Rent - $1400
TTC - $10
Cab - $50

Never risking losing my licence for DUI - PRICELESS

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Be the best person you can be. Always.

I'm moving downtown in 1 week and am still keeping my car.

There is NO SUBSTITUTE for having a car - I don't care what anybody says. No offense to those who don't have cars - but most of the "no need for car" people are those who haven't consistently had one to begin with.

If used properly having a car is NOT that much of an expense:

1. Tickets: obey the law - don't get tickets (saves $$).
2. Insurance: no tickets = low insurance (saves $$).
3. Use public transit when it makes sense (keeps gas consumption & maintenance low and saves $$).

In reality - if one is smart about where they live and how they use their car, the operating costs are not enormous. Car payments are fixed and depend on what type of car you prefer - so I can't offer advice there (if you're payments are too high, I guess one shouldn't have chosen that vehicle). Gas, insurance and maintenance are all variable costs that one can control.

For example:

I am living next to a subway station. I've bought myself the MetroPass Discount ($90/month) and will be taking the subway to and from work. I like to avoid being stuck in traffic and I like to have the odd cocktail - so most of my social tripping will also be via subway. I expect to drive on the weekends mainly (about 100km per weekend/400km per month) - so that is 1 tank of gas per month ($45). Driving so little significantly reduces the maintenance requirements on a vehicle. I obey the law so my insurance costs are reasonable.

Personally - I would not give up my car just because live near the subway or public transit. Instead I would reduce my car operating costs by living near public transit and being smart with my usage.

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Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).

quote:

Originally posted by tvmann 2 of my friends drive 1.5 - 2 hours to work each way, they are burned out & hit the bottle each night.

My current commute is 2 hours per day (1 hour downtown, 1 hour home).

The commute works out to 400km per week which is $45 in gas per week, plus $75 per week for parking plus $25 per week in wear and tear on the car.

Total cost of doing my current commute (not including value of time, insurance or car payments): $580 / month

By moving downtown I reduce my monthly operating costs by more than half (about $4k per year) and also save myself 1.5 hours per day in travel (which equates to 15 days of travel over the course of 1 full year).

As you can tell, I'm stoked.

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Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).

Last edited by rabbitjoker on Sep-21-2006 at 19:03

quote:

Originally posted by rabbitjoker In reality - if one is smart.....

you forgot to bold the 'if'....

i have been far from smart, and if i had been - keeping my car would be the obvious choice.

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quote:

Originally posted by rabbitjoker There is NO SUBSTITUTE for having a car

hah You're answer is specific to your financial situation. In Jeff's case (re: the thread we are in now) he makes a clear distinction that he would struggle with rent and having a car at the same time.

quote:

Originally posted by rabbitjoker In reality - if one is smart about where they live and how they use their car, the operating costs are not enormous.

lol Ok welcome to grey area ville.

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quote:

Originally posted by jon jon he makes a clear distinction that he would struggle with rent and having a car at the same time.

i could realistically afford it, it's more a choice of freeing up some expenses and eliminating some debt....

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quote:

Originally posted by Floorwhore i have been far from smart, and if i had been

Sorry dude, I didn't mean it like that.

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Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).

lol Jeff if you weren't such a fucking retard

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quote:

Originally posted by rabbitjoker Sorry dude, I didn't mean it like that.

no hard feelings dude, i was just taking a shot at myself......

i drive like a maniac sometimes, and i pay for it, literally

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quote:

Originally posted by jon jon lol Jeff if you weren't such a fucking retard

now now, no need to call him a retard....

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quote:

Originally posted by jon jon In Jeff's case (re: the thread we are in now) he makes a clear distinction that he would struggle with rent and having a car at the same time.

What I am saying is that if you use the car smartly you can actually save money and that savings can in effect make the car more affordable than it currently is (within the current usage parameters).

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- rabbit.joker [funny¿rabbit] | www.rabbitjoker.com |www.ddtt.org

Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).