Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
I made my last car payment this year. That was a great day ... I felt a lot like a slave until then, partly because the economy went sour. I had a really terrible job that I was afraid to quit, largely because I was already on the hook with the car loan. Great to be out from under that!
That's another way bikes are better than cars ... people rarely go into debt for a bike, making payments for years. Just the interest on a typical car loan will pay for a carbon fiber race bike with Ultegra all around. To my credit, though, I was commuting 20 miles each way when I bought the car ... now it's 4.7 miles each way, on the bike. Better late than never, to benefit from knowledge.
I've still got a while to pay on my truck. I just bought it last year after my old (paid for) car died. I considered going car-free (did for two weeks), but the 33-mile round-trip commute was a bit much to do every day.
If I had known I'd be moving I would have bought a $1000 beater instead.
Selling the truck isn't even an option. My wife loves it. If I can get her to sell her car though... but it's paid off.