macteacher

I was just analyzing my data (i keep a log) and I don't actually save much. I drive a honda, so it's pretty good on gas anyways...but all in all in a month of commuting I save 1 tank of gas which equates to about $35-37 a month (depending on oil prices)

Statistically speaking I should save about $280.00 a year. I subtracted 4 months from the total. The Two that i'm off and the 2 that i can't cycle in due to sickness/snow/ice roads

Yourselves?

chipcom 

Driving 50 miles rt every day would take a tank a week, which at the present cost here of $3.29 a gallon would cost me over 40 bucks a week - roughly 2k per year.

dobber

When I was regularly commuting to work, it was 5 gallons a week.

wolfchild

I used to average about $ 320/ month, but ever since I started commuting to work everyday and driving less , I save myself about $120-$150 per month, I drive a heavily modified 4x4 truck so it's a big gas guzzler.

DataJunkie

My drive is 60 miles RT. That would be something like $65 a week in my mini van.
So roughly $2500 a year. I still fill up every month or so.

Winter76

If I were to drive I'd have to pay for parking and gas.

Parking = $150 a month
Gas = $60 a month

The bus only costs $3.90 a day or ab out $80 a month

Either way biking saves me money and helps me stay healthy.

maddyfish

My commute is short, in gas about $10, wear and tear on the car alot.

JugglerDave

I save 2.3 gallons of gas per round trip not driving.. So over the last year (about 110 rides)... about 250 gallons of gas. But I've consumed about 33,000 calories of "extra" food, mostly in the form of Trader Joe's pretzels, cheese crackers, and cookies. So that's about 16 pounds of snacks in a year, about $80-100 worth.

xfimpg

3 times per week * $10 gas and $9 parking = $57/week * 4 weeks/month = $228/month

ax0n

Parking: 3.75 per day x ~20 work days per month: $75
Gas: 35 miles RT (via car) at about 20 MPG when stuck in traffic: 2 gallons per day or 40 gallons per month to the tune of $130+

Subtract the monthly bus pass fee that I pay (the company pays for $60 of it, I pay for the other $15):

I've been keeping track of bike maintenance too, which for me has averaged about $20 per month since January of 2007. Chain, brake pads, cables, occasional tools, bearings, chain lube, degreasers, tubes, tires, etc...

+$ 75
+$130
- $ 15
- $ 20
-------
$170 saved every month, give or take.

CB HI

I get paid $100.00 a month for not taking up a parking space and
I save $130.00 a month in gas.

Jarery

I save about as much in gas as my extra food bill is. But i enjoy stuffing my face much more than holding a gas hose against the side of my car.

earthtoandy

I got rid of my car to commute by bike (have a second car in household when needed)

So I save about 40 every ~2 weeks.

And $700 a month in insurance and payment costs.

So ~$9500 a year

knatchwa

great information. I have not had a car as I have always commuted by bike. Being single you have that option. So considering the cost of gas and insurance I save quite alot. no official numbers yet.

knucklesandwich

$40-50 a month in gas (each 23mi r/t commute saves 20mi of driving a 25mpg car.)

Additionally, my biking allowed us to ditch one (paid off) car, so also saving $100/mo in insurance. Just recently, the wife began to be able to walk to work, so I'd say half the annual insurance savings are mine, plus the gas, plus some incidental repair & maintenance, and I'm at close to $1500/yr in commute savings (obvisouly offset by bike maintenance.)

coldfeet

Lets see, if I still had my car, commuting would take up about a tank/month,
say $70. Add to that $100+ for insurance, I would probably do about twice
the mileage in just goofing off and little errands, another $60.
I find I buy less stuff because I am less likely to "impulse buy" gotta get it home
and gotta get to the store first anyway.... say $100/month?

Direct commuting costs, you'd be hard pressed to justify much more than
$100/month, but being car free is saving me something like $5-$6000 a year.
Then there is the savings on antacids, and other medications. I spend something
like $50/month on the bike and clothing, but some of that is "capital costs" so will
reduce as I buy all the stuff I need and start getting into purely maintenance mode.

knatchwa

Good examples of the benefits of cycling instead of driving. besides the extension of life because you are healthier for the ride.

knobster

My new commute is 5 miles round trip. My car gets 32 mpg, so... 25 miles per week, 100 miles per month, $3.45 per gallon here. So basically $10.78

Artkansas 

When I was married, my ex calculated that I spent about $6.00 per month on bike repairs. She did that after she had been pushing me to get a car. When she did that, she realized that my biking was the difference between us being in the black and going into the red.

jgrant75

+/- 22 gallons saved a month = +/- $85 saved
+/- $150 earned in compensation for not bringing a car to work per month
_______________________________________________________________

+/- $235/mo. not counting insurance or car maintenance savings year round

if i rode my bike everyday i'd make about 2500 in compensation alone...i'm looking into this for next year if i move a little closer

dobovedo

3800 miles commuting last year on 180 days. 25mpg = $456 ($3/gallon) or about $38 a month on average. That's strictly commuting. I save another $10-15 a month by riding out to my group rides instead of driving and a few other errands.

I then turn around and spend 10x my savings on cycling in general.

BCRider

You guys are all forgetting the cost of the gym membership you can avoid because you're getting your exercise on the bike.

Sirrus Rider

That number is on the extremely conservative side. There are number of other costs that you can also factor in there. If you go to a gym or rather if you dropped going to the gym because you're getting over two hours of cardio exercise every day you can also include that cost into your savings. You may also reduce your grocery bill somewhat as your metabolism may become more efficient and you find yourself eating less per meal. On the car side of the equation depending on how you determine your oil change interval you may wind up getting fewer oil changes per year. I'm sure somebody out there can break this down even further.

vrkelley

4500miles
*.75/mi = $3412
No Gym $350
Total $3762
Minus $350 Clothing, repairs, parts

Total Savings/year $3412 * 6 years = $20,472
Minus $1400 original cost for 2 used bikes
Minus $1400 Major overhaul 1 bike because one bike was no longer 'safe'

Total REAL Savings = 17572

rajman

I've been walking or riding to work since 1992 - before that I took the subway. I've never driven to work on a regular basis, nor have I ever owned a car (though I have had use of other's cars from time to time).

I've never figured out how all the car people out there put up with (or paid for) it...