I’m slowly but surely transitioning from driving to cycling to the point I’m going to have to change jobs to stop driving all together. While this surely has many health and environmental benefits, I was wondering about the financial benefits. Those of you who have already made the transition, how much have you save by not driving?
Ok, i still have a car, and my wife will sometimes use it. We’ve filled the tank three times this year.
EDIT: i think it’s important to note that when we were both driving, it was often mindless and not planned out. Back then, we’d be filling the tank every 2 weeks at a minimum, so it was extremely expensive (and wasteful) compared to now.
Because we’re also on pay-as-you-go insurance, it’s dirt cheap.
What I’ve done over the last year or two is to calculate how much gas and insurance would have cost, had i used a car and not a bike to run errands (i exclude recreational rides or rides specifically because of the bike, like going to pick up parts).
I take the amount and transfer it to a separate bank account. In the last 12 months, it grew to over $400.
That doesn’t include anything else we might have saved by not using the car.
Granted, i did invest a bit into equipment to help replace my car, like panniers and bike trailers. But they’ll last an exceptionally long time, so they’ll eventually pay for themselves.
That’s one thing i noticed with car vs bike expenses. Most car expenses are one-and-done. You have nothing to show for it.
Bike expenses, for me, are mostly things that enhance the experience and utility of cycling.
If my wife was able to bike as much as I do, I’d honestly probably not want to own another car and invest in two ebikes instead.
Good luck with everything!
Bike parts do need replacing every so often, but obviously aren’t as costly as car parts. A professional service once or twice a year also costs a wee bit but again isn’t like getting the car MOT’d.
Of course, but comparatively, it’s far less expensive to maintain a bike.
And if they are maintained (i.e. waxed chain), then those costs go down even more.
Every major repair on my car(s) over the last 25 years could have bought mutliple brand new bikes. 😮💨
Also keeps your health up for longer to use a bike! If you’ve got health insurance then that probably matters even more.
Oh yeah, there are so many other cost savings that I didn’t even include. If I wasn’t cycling, I’d for sure have to either get a gym membership or invest in stuff to keep in shape. Not that I don’t do other things to keep fit (i.e. upper body), but I can get cardio and aerobic exercise without even setting aside extra time!
Be careful about filling the tank three times in a year. Gas goes bad. If you’re filling up that infrequently, you may need some stabilizer. Or, get a BEV
I’ve read about that, but we’ve been filling infrequently since around 2020 (pandemic), and so far, no issues. 🤞