I am about a year and a half into my car-free living experiment and I couldn’t be happier!
My partner and I had been living in a one-ca
r household in downtown Calgary for about two years when we decided to test out the car-free lifestyle. I was biking to work throughout the summer and, apart from the occasional Costco shop or out-of-town trip, I found we didn’t really need our car anymore.
Working at INK, a transit-oriented development, I often get the chance to talk to individuals who are considering the car-free lifestyle. I love being able to share my experiences first-hand with them and help them in their decision.
Here are the top five reasons why I did it.
I never drove it
I really only used my car once or twice a week, and the rest of the time it remained parked underground. Often I found myself using it out of sheer laziness when I could have easily chosen to another transportation option.
In fact, upon further research, I realized I am not alone. According to the website reinventingparking.org the average vehicle is parked 96% of the time!
It was expensive
Considering I rarely drove my car, the expense I incurred to hang onto it really didn’t make sense. Each month my car payment, insurance, and gas costs (not to mention maintenance and unexpected costs) were draining funds from my bank account that could have been used elsewhere.
For me, going car-free meant an annual savings of $7,107! I could think of way more fun stuff to do with that money, and I have!
Here are how my numbers stacked up:
Monthly Payment = $383
Insurance = $109.25
Gas = $100 (Average $25/week)
Total monthly = $592.25
That does not even include regular maintenance, car washes, depreciation or emergency repairs!
When I decided to write this blog, I wanted to know how my numbers compared to the average and, in fact, I found that I was even on the low end.
Edmond’s.com quotes the average car payment at $483 per month and caa.ca estimates a compact car will cost you $8,469 annually. Find out how much your car is costing you here.
Alternative transportation options
On top of the monthly expenses from a car that I never drove, I was also already investing in alternate forms of transportation like transit and Car2go. In fact, I found myself using alternate forms of transportation more than my car. Rather than pay for both, I simplified and ditched my car.
Today, my main source of transportation is by bike and, with the addition of the downtown cycle track and the river pathway system, getting from one side of downtown to the other has never been easier. It takes me less than ten minutes to bike to work and it is an enjoyable, peaceful way to start my day.
When biking doesn’t make sense one of the many other options such as Calgary Transit, Car2Go, walking, or carpooling are available. If I need to make a longer trip, I can easily rent a vehicle for a very affordable rate, sometimes as low as $15/day.
Parking
Parking in Calgary is the worst and on the days I did need my car, finding a place to park was always an issue!
As if finding a spot wasn’t frustrating enough, next came the crazy prices for parking downtown. Parking comes at a premium in Calgary and if you are working downtown, chances are you are paying an exorbitant amount for parking.
Even if I only 
needed hourly parking, finding a spot was frustrating and I often spent longer circling the block than the entire trip took. Good riddance!
On the Calgary Parking Authority website monthly parking costs in Calgary can range from $150-500 depending on type (surface or underground), location, availability, etc. In 2014, Huffington Post listed Calgary parking rates the most expensive in Canada with drivers paying an average of $447 per month!
By going car-free and not worrying about parking, I have saved time, money, and sanity!
Green Living
Finances aside, giving up my car was a great way to go green.
I am always looking for ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. From organic, locally sourced produce, green cleaning products, turning the lights off when I leave the room and not wasting water; I do what I can. While I understand it is a necessity for many people to drive (for work, family, etc), I was not one of them. I was happy to give up the luxury of a vehicle and felt a sense of satisfaction in doing my part for the environment.
Here is one of the many great resources available about the green benefits of car-free living: David Suzuki – Alternatives to Driving and Owning a Car
My experience going car free has been a very positive one. Beyond the reasons listed above, going car free has been a huge benefit to my fitness (no more guilt for skipping the gym!) and I also feel more connected to my community, able to discovered new streets and neighborhoods to enjoy.
Although many people were skeptical at the start, they now see my car-free lifestyle as a positive choice rather than a sacrifice, some even deciding to go car free themselves!
Want to find out more? Come see me at the INK sales centre and let’s talk about it!
Erin @ Battistella
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More:
UC Berkeley Study: Fewer Cars, Improved Emissions with car2go One-Way Carsharing
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