For those that don't have cars...how much do you spend on cabs? (home, taxi)

[southkakkatlantan]

How much would you say you spend on cabs on a monthly basis?

Where do you usually take a taxi to?

[RingWalk]

Probably $100 a month. Dates, when you're in a rush, places inconvenient by train, when you can expense one.

[JBVirtuoso]

I've only taken cabs twice since I came almost two years ago. I only do it when I can split the cost with someone. Otherwise, I suck it up and take the bus.

[Vlajos]

I only take cabs coming home late at night, when I'm too lazy to take CTA.

[soulful]

Since I sold my car, I rely on CTA. I take cabs only during extreme weather (like driving wind with rain) or when I am really rushed. I spend more in winter on cabs.

[emathias]

Depends on the month.

It can be as much as $400, or as little as maybe $80. Even if I spent $400 every month, I'd still cost me less than a car since the vast majority of my destinations are downtown where parking would only very rarely be free and wouldn't really be good candidates for driving there myself.

[quigboto]

I spend between $80 and $120 a month on cabs. I tend to take the bus and the El to get places but take a cab home, since I don't want to deal with the unwashed masses (or the wait times) when I'm drunk*

* Drunk, meaning a range from slightly tipsy to full-on Blotto. This, of course, should not be interpreted in any way as an endorsement of alcohol abuse, as the author is a firm believer in moderation in all things, including moderation.

[Chicago60614]

Depends on where you need to go and at what time. The first few years I didn't have a car I would take the train/bus where I was going and then back home about 99% of the time. Even at 3am when I had to go from Lakeview to Logan Square and it took foreeeever. Took maybe one cab every two months.

Then I started loosening up a bit and taking cabs here and there, although mostly I just walked everywhere cause I moved to Lakeview.

Now I'm older and have a much higher paying job. I will normally always bus/train/walk to where I need to go during the day, walk to the bars, but now I always take a cab home from the bars. Or if I come home after staying at my bf's I always just jump in a cab cause I don't want to mess with it.

90% of my cab fares are less than $10. I don't think I've ever taken a cab downtown or had a fare be more than $18. I probably spend $100 a month on average.

[Kevin J]

Average for me is probably $20 a month. I could afford more, but try to save my money for other things. Like others, my cab usage is heavily weighted to the winter months. My total also would probably be higher if I was out late more, but I don't do that as much as I once did.

When I was younger and poorer, I almost never took cabs. If you pick the right place to live (i.e. close to an el line or a bus line with frequent service) it's not hard to get by without them. You do have to accept that the whole city will not be easily accessible to you, though. The financial benefit of being carless is worth that sacrifice to me.

[j_cat]

I don't use cabs for nightlife, and weather is not really a factor. Pretty much only when I'm running late to something, and even then, it had better be something important, and traffic had better be light enough for it to matter. I really hate the expense, and I find it a little awkward too. I prefer the anonymity of transit.