Here’s how I live without a car in Austin, Tx (and my exact costs)!
Living without a car is surprisingly doable with the combination of rideshare, online shopping, and luckily living near urban trails plus a bus route. I’ll dive into how much it cost me to buy and maintain my bike, Ubers, city transportation, and the logistics of buying groceries.
If you missed it, I totaled my car in December and decided to try life without a car. Check out seven lessons I learned from totaling my car.
First, here’s how much I’d spend if I purchased a new car.
The average new payment alone in 2022 was $700 a month according to NerdWallet. If you’re new around here, I’m a cash girl! I believe in saving up to make big purchases like a phone, laptop, furniture, and even buying a car with cash.
Assuming my next car is paid in cash, the cost to own a car is still high. Without a car payment, I’d spend around $150 a month for car insurance and around $35 a week for gas (about $140 a month). This brings my total cost to own a car (without a car payment or any maintenance/repairs) to $290.
Not to mention last year I spent $2,348.88 on maintenance and car repairs.
How much I’ve spent on a bike.
According to Bike Denver, the cost of bikes varies largely. They estimate a bike can cost anywhere from $100- $3,500 depending on the type of bike. I wasn’t sure if biking everywhere was doable and didn’t want to spend a ton of money on this new hobby without knowing how it’d pan out.
I scored a used bike on Facebook Marketplace for $40 and a lock for $5! I had an Amazon $25 gift card and purchased bike lights and a fanny pack, costing me $9.62. I also bought bright colored biking shirts and a helmet for $64.63.
The total for the bike and gear was $124.25. After riding my bike for about a month, I realized it needed a tune up. I ended up also getting new brake cables and a basket for $168.77. In total, I’ve spent $288.02 on my bike.
To get around, I’m primarily riding my bike everywhere. This is a built-in way for me to exercise.
The total for the bike and gear was $124.25. After riding my bike for about a month, I realized it needed a tune up. I ended up also getting new brake cables and a basket for $168.77. In total, I’ve spent $288.02 on my bike.
To get around, I’m primarily riding my bike everywhere. This is a built-in way for me to exercise.
How much I’ve spent on Uber.
When there’s bad weather or I go somewhere that isn’t bikeable, I’ll grab an Uber. Ubers aren’t as much as you’d think. Believe it or not, but I’ve spent less on Ubers than what I’d spend on gas plus insurance.
Here’s my total monthly rideshare costs:
Here’s my total monthly rideshare costs:
- February: $214.05 for 16 rides
- March: $238.13 for 17 rides
- April: $147.78 for 10 rides
On average, I’ve done 14.3 rides a month for $13.95 a ride.
How much public transportation costs.
In addition to biking and rideshares, I also take the bus. I have around a 1-mile walk or bike ride to the bus station. The bus station gets me around to pretty much anywhere in Austin. There’s one route in particular that drops me off to my necessities: Home Depot, Ross, Target, and Old Navy😊.
The bus is $1.25 for a one-way ticket, or $2.50 for a 24-hour pass. A monthly unlimited bus pass in Austin is $41.25.
How do I get groceries?
Initially I tried getting groceries and taking the bus. This wasn’t easy carrying everything. Next, I tried riding the bus to get groceries, and then Ubering home. I then decided to try having my groceries delivered.
If you’ve ever wondered how much more expensive online groceries are, this is what I found. With HEB each item purchased online is 3% more, plus $6.95 delivery fee, and don’t forget about tipping the driver. For me, this meant every grocery purchase was at least $12+ extra. This doesn’t seem like a lot, but over the course of a year it’d be an extra $624.
The last few weeks, I’ve biked to a grocery store half a mile from where I cowork. Then I store some of my lunch food in the shared fridge and bike everything else home. It isn’t easy, but it’s doable!
Life without a car (my conclusion!).
All in all, it’s definitely been a wild experiment. Of course, I’m grateful for friends and family who’ve helped out with occasional rides too! Up next week I’ll share why I’ve decided to go without a car for a few months (it isn’t what you think).
If you get in an accident or experience an unexpected emergency, this is your reminder, you don’t need to react impulsively, look for alternative options.
