Originally Posted by
Brian Sharpe
Based on the Gov't of Canada's mileage allowance rate (which is probably conservative - sorry, no pun intended) of $0.52 per km if your weekly commute totals 100km you're saving about $52 per week (includes depreciation, repairs etc). Here in our frozen tundra I figure I can reasonably commute 26 weeks a year on average - some hardy souls ride all year 'round - which translates into saving $1,352 per year plus the cost of parking.
Are you going to change your insurance policy on the car? Using it to commute ( or just putting more miles on it ) gives you more opportunities to wreck the car. If it's parked near your home, a tree might fall on it, but you aren't going to hit a pedestrian while you fiddle with the radio, and you aren't going to be rear-ended by an uninsured motorist. Most insurance companies will give you a discount for taking your car out of the commuter role and turning it into a leisure vehicle instead.
If you do this, your wife will have to accept your math prowess. On the other hand, it sounds like she already let you buy the bike, so you'll have to let her spend the insurance savings.