This is #3 of 40 Things I’ve Learned In 40 Years. To see a list of these short daily writings, click here.
The day I arrived to Austin after a three day road trip from Ohio, I unloaded my few boxes of clothes and kitchen supplies, made sure Coda felt comfortable in our new home, and then drove to Carmax.
Carmax is one of those huge used-car malls. And they will buy nearly any vehicle on the spot, including my 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport with over 160,000 miles. Within 2 hours of moving to my new city, I sold my car. And it was the second best thing that I ever did.
Sure, this lightened my budget a bit. I was paying about $100 per month for car insurance and spending around $200 per month on fuel. And then there are the occasional maintenance costs that add up over time. But I didn’t get rid of my car to save money. . .
You know that feeling when you can’t find a parking place and you really need to find a parking place because you are running late? I never have that anymore.
The near weekly (if not daily) fight-or-flight response of adrenaline in the veins and red in your vision when some asshole cuts you off in traffic? Nonexistent in my life.
The faint but ever present thought scratching in the back of your mind wondering how you are going to get a down payment for a new car when the eleven-year old Jeep you are driving is on its last leg? Gone forever.
Yes forever. I am so pleased with my car-less life that I never want to own another one. When I started down the path of reducing my material possessions by getting rid of 10 things per day for 30 days, I didn’t expect that it would lead to being without a vehicle. But it’s not about being the weird guy without a car (yes, I’ll admit it has been inconvenient once or twice for social occasions), it’s about eliminating an unnecessary stressor from my life.
For some people that unnecessary stressor might be a client, a job, a habit, or relationship. For me it was my trusty old Jeep. And I’m now pleasantly vigilant for the next piece of friction that can be removed to free more time and energy for work and play that I enjoy.
Is there a source of stress in your life that you view as necessary that may actually be discarded? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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I am not happy with having a car either, but I am not sure that selling it is a good idea. However, I secretly want to be persuaded to sell it!
I currently use it about 2 times a week. The maintenance cost is extremely low to be an incentive to sell it. It’s actually an incentive to keep it…
So I have to find other types of incentives to sell my car!
Is public transportation good in Austin? How do you handle chores like going to the super-market?
I intentionally selected my apartment in Austin to be within walking distance of the grocery store, laundry mat, gym, and the vet for Coda. There are also several parks, bars, and restaurants within walking distance. For the grocery store, I carry a large backpack if I am buying several items (this is especially handy for when I need to buy 20lb bags of dog food). I ride the bus occasionally in Austin, but usually walk everywhere.
About to eliminate a second job, part time on weekends as a night club bouncer. Too much drama and headaches dealing with drunken idiots, people with beer muscles, and a total of six hours sleep or less for the entire weekend. Not to mention too tired to workout on weekends. At a point where I do not require the extra money, and I need a life on weekends.
Oh man, that is going to feel great to get rid of that stressor. Time to enjoy the weekend a bit.
I’ve never owned a car. I live in Manhattan, one of the best walking cities in the world, and have never needed one. When I moved to our family farm to write full time, I did so without a car. People thought I was: Crazy. Eccentric. Weird. (Note: I probably am all of those things. But I’m okay with that!) I had one of the most idyllic periods of my life living alone on the farm. I had a garden; I walked the 13+ miles to town a few times a month for incidentals (and human interaction!) and had friends and family nearby to take me for supplies once a month or so. It’s strange to me that we are as attached to our vehicles as we are; we can live very well without them. The only things we absolutely need? Clean air. Clean water. Clean food. Protection from the elements. And, of course, chocolate!
I’m so glad I found you when I did, Vic! Your commitment to living simply encourages me to live what I’ve learned.
Thanks, Deborah. Being holed up on a farm to write sounds excellent. I’ve only been to Manhattan once briefly, but enjoyed it.
We have two little boys and live in a suburb of Portland, a great metro area with excellent transit system). However, we chose the neighborhood we did for public schools and open space, not convenience to transit unfortunately. So we have been relying on our cars to get to/from school, work, etc. We tried moving back closer into the city a few years ago, but that was right after the housing bubble burst. We like our neighborhood a lot, but sometimes wish we had better access to public transit (or Zipcar for those times when wheels are necessary).