Granny carts and delivery food: living carless in Chicago (Schaumburg: credit card, groceries)

[grapico]

As a transplant, living in the city, I don't think you need a car. I have one now but I share it, it's my gf's and she wanted to keep it. I brought one before when I was living closer to downtown and ended up getting rid of it as it was just a hassle and I never used it. If you are from the suburbs or have family in the suburbs or going to be traveling around the metro a lot, then you'd probably want a car.
I haven't left the city limits except into Evanston area since August. That is just me though, your results might differ.

[lakeclaremontpress]

I've been carless in Chicago my whole life, and here's what I'd suggest:

--Move to a dense North Side or downtown neighborhood.
--Get a Chicago Plus CTA card that automatically recharges from your bank account (and in an amount that gives you a bonus...$20 I think gets you $21 or $22 in rides)
--Sign up for I-Go or Zipcar carsharing (or both)
--Get a granny cart for walking
--Get a bike basket for your bike

More and more people in Chicago do these things (and more) and find that their quality of life without a car is vastly improved...healthier, more money, less stress, more time, etc.

For more tips, LCP also publishes a book "Carless in Chicago" that you can find at your local library.

Good luck with your move!

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by lakeclaremontpress

More and more people in Chicago do these things (and more) and find that their quality of life without a car is vastly improved...healthier, more money, less stress, more time, etc.

Owning a car doesn't keep me from walking or riding my bicycle. And my car allows me to enjoy the entire city. And it gives me more time not less; I went down to 79th and Cicero the other day and it was much quicker using the car then taking the Midway L and then the Cicero bus.

[williepotatoes]

Grannycarts??????? really?????? I guess they make sense, but can't we give them a better name? maybe something like food scooters or bread wagons?

And what's the next hip, retro, urban trend gonna be? Are babushkas and galoshes about to make a comeback too??

[MannheimMadman]

You bring up some good points, and so does Tom.

A car, in essense, is a luxury. Though, one could argue that is necessary to take them from their far flung suburbs to wherever their place of employment is.

But, for those of us that live and work in the city (and nearby CTA served burbs) it is simply more convenient to have an automobile. However, some will choose convenience over the associated costs- someone like IrishTom, for example.

I do know for sure that if I had no car, I would save:

$260 a month on car payments
$200 a month on gasoline.
$80 a month on car insurance
$75 a year on city stickers
??$ a year on car maintainence. I just had to replace my radiator, which was costly. I estimate I spend maybe $3-400 per year on maintainence.

all of this versus $86 a month for an unlimited monthly CTA pass. And, I own a bicycle, so during the warmer months I can cycle to work 5 days a week, negating some need for a CTA pass.

$86 x 12 months = $1,032 per year.

Right now with my car - $3120 for car payments, $2400 a year in car gasoline, 960 a year in car insurance = $6480 before I even add in car maintainence and anything to do with city fees. That's a huge, huge difference.

So basically, it comes down to whether or not the convenience of having a car is worth around $5500 per year to you. Obviously, it could be more, or it could be less depending on whether or not you have a car payment, or if your insurance is more expensive.

As for me, because I'm stuck with a car payment, it sucks. I would gladly put an extra 5K back in my pocket.

Originally Posted by lakeclaremontpress

I've been carless in Chicago my whole life, and here's what I'd suggest:

--Move to a dense North Side or downtown neighborhood.
--Get a Chicago Plus CTA card that automatically recharges from your bank account (and in an amount that gives you a bonus...$20 I think gets you $21 or $22 in rides)
--Sign up for I-Go or Zipcar carsharing (or both)
--Get a granny cart for walking
--Get a bike basket for your bike

More and more people in Chicago do these things (and more) and find that their quality of life without a car is vastly improved...healthier, more money, less stress, more time, etc.

For more tips, LCP also publishes a book "Carless in Chicago" that you can find at your local library.

Good luck with your move!

[Rewind4]

Originally Posted by lakeclaremontpress

More and more people in Chicago do these things (and more) and find that their quality of life without a car is vastly improved...healthier, more money, less stress, more time, etc.

My GF lives in Edgewater without a car. Most times she chides me because I am trying to park it somewhere and gas is expensive, etc....

Yet, I'm the first person she vents to when she has to lug home groceries via the El and on foot, or has to go to a different part of Chicago on public transit, especially at night (when I can't be there with the car).

Living without a car has its benefits, but it's not for everyone.

[chicagojlo]

Originally Posted by MannheimMadman

You bring up some good points, and so does Tom.

A car, in essense, is a luxury. Though, one could argue that is necessary to take them from their far flung suburbs to wherever their place of employment is.

But, for those of us that live and work in the city (and nearby CTA served burbs) it is simply more convenient to have an automobile. However, some will choose convenience over the associated costs- someone like IrishTom, for example.

I do know for sure that if I had no car, I would save:

$260 a month on car payments
$200 a month on gasoline.
$80 a month on car insurance
$75 a year on city stickers
??$ a year on car maintainence. I just had to replace my radiator, which was costly. I estimate I spend maybe $3-400 per year on maintainence.

all of this versus $86 a month for an unlimited monthly CTA pass. And, I own a bicycle, so during the warmer months I can cycle to work 5 days a week, negating some need for a CTA pass.

$86 x 12 months = $1,032 per year.

Right now with my car - $3120 for car payments, $2400 a year in car gasoline, 960 a year in car insurance = $6480 before I even add in car maintainence and anything to do with city fees. That's a huge, huge difference.

So basically, it comes down to whether or not the convenience of having a car is worth around $5500 per year to you. Obviously, it could be more, or it could be less depending on whether or not you have a car payment, or if your insurance is more expensive.

As for me, because I'm stuck with a car payment, it sucks. I would gladly put an extra 5K back in my pocket.

You missed parking off of there.

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by chicagojlo

You missed parking off of there.

That is true. I suppose one could factor in parking in garages and assorted lots downtown, or even parking in your home neighborhood.

I probably spend about $100 every year for parking in downtown garages for dinners or events.

parking tickets, on the other hand.

I'm at $240 for fiscal year 2010.

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by MannheimMadman

You bring up some good points, and so does Tom.

A car, in essense, is a luxury. Though, one could argue that is necessary to take them from their far flung suburbs to wherever their place of employment is.

But, for those of us that live and work in the city (and nearby CTA served burbs) it is simply more convenient to have an automobile. However, some will choose convenience over the associated costs- someone like IrishTom, for example.

I do know for sure that if I had no car, I would save:

$260 a month on car payments
$200 a month on gasoline.
$80 a month on car insurance
$75 a year on city stickers
??$ a year on car maintainence. I just had to replace my radiator, which was costly. I estimate I spend maybe $3-400 per year on maintainence.

all of this versus $86 a month for an unlimited monthly CTA pass. And, I own a bicycle, so during the warmer months I can cycle to work 5 days a week, negating some need for a CTA pass.

$86 x 12 months = $1,032 per year.

Right now with my car - $3120 for car payments, $2400 a year in car gasoline, 960 a year in car insurance = $6480 before I even add in car maintainence and anything to do with city fees. That's a huge, huge difference.

So basically, it comes down to whether or not the convenience of having a car is worth around $5500 per year to you. Obviously, it could be more, or it could be less depending on whether or not you have a car payment, or if your insurance is more expensive.

As for me, because I'm stuck with a car payment, it sucks. I would gladly put an extra 5K back in my pocket.

I wish that I had a $260 a month car payment. My car insurance is almost $260 per month.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by williepotatoes

Are babushkas and galoshes about to make a comeback too??

They already have. You are like 5 years behind the times. That's what Schaumburg does to you. It shields you from hipsters.