So, I have been thinking about selling my car and going for a while without one. There are several reasons for not having a car:
-If I sold it, I could get out of debt much faster. I only have two real sources of debt, my student loans and a credit card. Selling my car would get my credit card totally paid off and then some and I could use what I was paying on my credit card as extra payments towards my student loans, or at least a good portion of it. I could cut my student loan repayment time in 1/2 by using part of my credit card payment towards student loans.
-I could get money saved faster. Not having to pay for gas, insurance, etc. would amount to a savings of over $150 per month, and that is assuming I only get gas two times in a month. Plus, there's the other expenses (windshield, tires, oil change, car wash, etc.) that I wouldn't have to pay for.
-I can get everywhere I need in the Valley without a car. The Cache Valley transit runs right by my house and stops right in front of work, it goes right to the grocery store and I usually walk to church and the post office anyways. I only go out of the Valley maybe once or so a month and it would be fairly inexpensive to rent a car for those two or three days.
-I would be better at managing my time. Not having immediate access to transportation would force me to not be as lazy and do things whenever.
But, there are also reasons to keep my car, some of those being just the opposite of the above reasons for selling:
-If I want out of the Valley, I need a car. I don't go places frequently, but it is nice to have it there if I decide I want to up and go.
-I live alone, although I do have my cousin and her family upstairs from me and a slew of wonderful neighbors. If something were to happen, I need to be able to get myself places.
-I can get more places- the CVTD doesn't run everywhere.
Anyways, those are my thoughts on selling my car. What do you think?
7 comments:
summer would be a good time to take on that adventure since you wouldn't have to trek thru snow. maybe i should do it too. although, everything is much farther away here. i say go for it.
I think that hypothetically it sounds like a good idea, but come winter time, I don't think you would enjoy it as much. I took the bus for 2 years in Spokane to work (even in the winter). But for running errands, nothing beats having a car...
You could sell your car, see how you like it for a couple months and maybe buy a less expensive car a little later. Or buy a less expensive car right off if you can get enough for yours.
Hi Shari! Paige gave me your blog address (this is Jenny Pyle, by the way). How are you? I have a blog- you can link to it from my profile.
As for the car, I hated not having a car when I was at Ricks, just because sometimes I needed to get out of Rexburg, so I would say keep the car- but you may not need the escape from where you are like I did.
I have to agree with Dave.
I think the fact that you've actually thought that life could go on without a car is admirable. It is great not having one. Now I didn't say its CONVENIENT not having one, but convenience is literally the only thing cars have going for them. Although commercials have led me to believe that a car would make me smarter, richer, and sexier, I'm a little conflicted now. I do feel like less of a drone without one.
Anyway, I can do it easily where I live, but it may be more of a challenge in good old Nibley. I'd say try it out for a week and see how you like it before you jump into the whole Car Free Life. Give your keys to someone who lives far away from where you live so you can't easily just go get them the first time it becomes difficult--good luck.
Post a Comment