I'm more of a global thinker, so here's what I came up with:
When I had a car (it wasn't an extravagant one, but it wasn't a beater, either):
-$75/mo insurance
-$120/mo gas
-$150.00/mo car payment (yes, I'm an idiot)
-$10.00/mo license tabs
-$7.00/mo parking meters
-$20.00/mo maintenance
total expense: $382.00/mo, or $4584.00/year
Using a bike and public transportation:
-$8.75/mo maintenance (including the purchase of new tires, brakes, and lubricant)
-$17.00/mo frivolous accessory purchases (new helmet I didn't really need, utterly waterproof panniers)
-$12.00/mo bus fare
-$4.86/mo initial bike purchase
total car-free expenses: $42.61/mo or $511.32/year
I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
Last edited by bragi; 04-03-07 at 10:17 PM.