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Are you going to be the one who is judging and disputing this challenge?
If so, no thanks.
I'm tired of reading the words "move" and "walk" over and over and over again. You've made it clear that you won't accept or listen to any viewpoint other than your own.
Are you going to be the one who is judging and disputing this challenge?
If so, no thanks.
I'm tired of reading the words "move" and "walk" over and over and over again. You've made it clear that you won't accept or listen to any viewpoint other than your own.
I did listen, and found it unconvincing. If there is really something unworkable about what I propose, let's discuss. If your rent in the city even with roommates is so high, let's hear some numbers.
OTOH, if you don't like my assumptions or think they are too narrow, just say which ones.
I am very willing to listen, but let's have some numbers, because I have looked at a lot of places and so far have failed to find any cases where living further from work is cheaper (for singles with roommates).
ETA: I think actually a few people have met the challenge, brought up some good ones now.
I did listen, and found it unconvincing. If there is really something unworkable about what I propose, let's discuss. If your rent in the city even with roommates is so high, let's hear some numbers.
OTOH, if you don't like my assumptions or think they are too narrow, just say which ones.
I am very willing to listen, but let's have some numbers, because I have looked at a lot of places and so far have failed to find any cases where living further from work is cheaper (for singles with roommates).
ETA: I think actually a few people have met the challenge, brought up some good ones now.
I read the thread. You haven't disputed the posters there as strongly as you did the ones in this thread. I think some interesting points were brought up on both sides in that thread.
You'd probably be surprised to learn that during my broke days, I lived in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in the city limits, STILL had a roommate (my roomie slept on the futon in the living room and stored stuff in my closet and in various "hidden" areas in the apartment), had a paid-for used vehicle with outdated registration that I didn't drive or have insurance on and just parked in my designated parking space, and walked to and from my job (which was a couple blocks away) six days a week.
During my walks, I was robbed for my restaurant tips twice in two years (once, I was punched and thrown on the ground, and my apron and purse were stolen. The second time, I was grabbed and had a pocket knife or steak knife stuck against my throat), and I was approached by very frightening individuals who were "hitting" on me at LEAST once a week, usually more like 3-4 times a week.
My car (parked at my apartment) was broken into twice.
My bicycle and my SHOES (which had holes in them, by the way), my tiny "camper" grill, and other things were all stolen off of my back porch/patio. (Probably my fault for leaving them outside, right?)
And this place was one of the most decent places in the city limits. Albeit small, the apartment itself was nice. If you PM me, I'll send you a link.
Here's the crime rate for the city limits:
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
Yes, for me, it's worth it to spend the same/less in rent in another nearby area and pay for a car (which can be used for other things, like looking for other job opportunities, visiting family, shopping at stores that offer lower prices, etc) than ever live there again.
And for those who think that people are against roommates, I thank GOD for my roommate when I lived there. I'm a female who had a completely platonic relationship with my male roommate, but I would have been terrified without him there.
I was replying to the poster that gave drastically higher numbers.
We have liability and collision, great credit, multiple car discounts and spotless driving records.
I don't drive a Yugo, but are you trying to mock people that choose more efficient, small economy cars? Personally, I hate driving big SUV's, not to mention the higher costs associated with the bigger vehicles. So yes, my car tank only holds 10 gallons and our gas is less than $2. I can get 420-450 miles on that $19.
I would submit that the other posters numbers are more the norm and yours are at the very lowest end of the spectrum. I am fairly certain that wherever you are located we cannot all leave our jobs, friends and families and relocate there and find suitable employment. It might even get sorta crowded.
Earlier in my life I drove economy cars for many years. I neither mock, nor elevate those that choose economy cars and I do not drive a SUV. The difference between a vehicle that gets 25 MPG and one that gets 40 MPG over the course of driving 10,000 miles annually is only 150 gallons. At your price of $2/gal that is a savings of $300/yr. Simply not an issue for me, so I drive what I prefer.
Don't let the Yugo joke (no offense meant) distract you from my point. Which is, insurance and gas prices vary greatly by locale. Just as his seem high to some, yours may seem low to many.
I would submit that the other posters numbers are more the norm and yours are at the very lowest end of the spectrum. I am fairly certain that wherever you are located we cannot all leave our jobs, friends and families and relocate there and find suitable employment. It might even get sorta crowded.
Earlier in my life I drove economy cars for many years. I neither mock, nor elevate those that choose economy cars and I do not drive a SUV. The difference between a vehicle that gets 25 MPG and one that gets 40 MPG over the course of driving 10,000 miles annually is only 150 gallons. At your price of $2/gal that is a savings of $300/yr. Simply not an issue for me, so I drive what I prefer.
Don't let the Yugo joke (no offense meant) distract you from my point. Which is, insurance and gas prices vary greatly by locale. Just as his seem high to some, yours may seem low to many.
Agreed. I do think those numbers are low. I drive a 2014 Kia Forte EX. I actually average better gas mileage than what the vehicle is rated (I think that might be related to a lawsuit they had in the past for rating their vehicles with better gas mileage than people were actually getting) -- I typically get 32MPG. It still, even with gas in the lower $2 range (I think I paid $2.19 for gas the other day), takes $25ish to fill it up. That's from empty, though.
Full coverage on my vehicle is $90 a month.
When I had a paid-for 2002 Kia Forte and then a 1990 Mazda Miata, liability only was in the $40/mo range, though.
Agreed. I do think those numbers are low. I drive a 2014 Kia Forte EX. I actually average better gas mileage than what the vehicle is rated (I think that might be related to a lawsuit they had in the past for rating their vehicles with better gas mileage than people were actually getting) -- I typically get 32MPG. It still, even with gas in the lower $2 range (I think I paid $2.19 for gas the other day), takes $25ish to fill it up. That's from empty, though.
Full coverage on my vehicle is $90 a month.
When I had a paid-for 2002 Kia Forte and then a 1990 Mazda Miata, liability only was in the $40/mo range, though.
Your insurance costs for a 2014 vehicle seem more in line to what we pay than the other poster's claim of $200/month for a used vehicle. I just think that's extremely high for a used car. We've lived in high cost of living areas too and never paid that much.
I just feel it's important to share what our costs are for those people who feel they can never afford a car because they are scared off by the high expenses stated by other posters.
Whoops. It wasn't a 2002 Kia Forte. It was a 2002 Kia Rio. Piece of junk, but that's irrelevant, I guess. :P
Anyway, I agree. I think some of the numbers are high and some are low.
It definitely isn't THAT expensive to own a car like some people are saying. I don't spend $250 a week (one quote I saw in this thread) on my 2014 vehicle, including my car payment, insurance, maintenance, taxes and gas combined, and I certainly didn't spend that much when I was driving cheaper "beaters."
Car ownership is an expense for sure, but it's not THAT expensive, even if you're driving something brand new.
Your insurance costs for a 2014 vehicle seem more in line to what we pay than the other poster's claim of $200/month for a used vehicle. I just think that's extremely high for a used car. We've lived in high cost of living areas too and never paid that much.
I just feel it's important to share what our costs are for those people who feel they can never afford a car because they are scared off by the high expenses stated by other posters.
.We live in a very low "cost to live" area.......yet, our car insurances in Michigan is very high.
It is "no-fault".......it is great insurance but, pricy.
You are not including the cost of your own time. It's misleading to say you save so much by DIY, which is largely an illusion you create by treating yourself as a slave and pricing your labor at $0/hour.
For some of us, automobile maintenance is a recreational activity. Ditto for house & yard maintenance.
But this begs the question: What do gardeners do in retirement?
For some of us, automobile maintenance is a recreational activity. Ditto for house & yard maintenance.
But this begs the question: What do gardeners do in retirement?
My husband enjoys doing car maintenance. He's no mechanic, but he can do oil changes and the basic stuff. I don't let him maintain my car, though, because it's still under warranty.
Under the same logic, it would be cheaper for me to hire a maid to clean my house because I can make a higher hourly rate working. But, alas, I kind of like doing my own housework.
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