Six Ways to Get Around Without a Car

The cost of owning a car always seems to be rising. From insurance to monthly payments to gas to maintenance, upkeep on your car can be a hassle. But with these costs rising, some people are choosing to forego car ownership altogether, as costs associated with public transit or other private method tend to be on the way down. Here are some options to consider if you’re thinking about getting rid of your car.

First, let’s talk about getting to work.

1) Walking. Getting rid of your car is especially do-able if you live within walking distance to work, because that’s the majority of your driving right there. Also, consider what you think of when you think of walking distance. Is it something you can walk to in ten minutes? Try expanding your radius a little. For many people, if you can walk there in forty minutes to an hour, it’s still walking distance. Plus, you can skip your workout for the day.

2) Public transit. Some people, especially those who have never ridden a bus, train or subway, have a strange aversion to public transit. But let me just tell you — it’s great. If there’s a route convenient to both your house and your work, it can be a great way to get around. You pay a low fare — definitely low enough to beat out the cost of owning a car — and you can relax while you get to where you’re going. Read a book, catch up on work emails or even get in a quick power nap.

3) Carpooling. Hook up with someone from work — or even just someone who works near you— who has a car and lives in the same area as you. You can pay half of their gas and you magically get to and from work every day without your own car! This really only works if you have similar schedules that are pretty consistent, but it can also be a plus in keeping your schedule consistent. “Sorry boss, I can’t work late because my carpool buddy would have to wait for me” is a pretty great excuse in my book. So those are the best options for work. What about for travel that requires driving outside of work?

4) Zipcar. Need a car for a day (or an hour)? Zipcar is a great way to get around and is something to consider if it’s an option in your area. You pay less than $10 a month for access, and hourly driving rates depend on what kind of car you need access to. Cars are parked all around the city in convenient locations. You just reserve it online and then walk up to it and use your membership card to unlock it. Gas is included.

5) “Ride-sharing” services. Services like Uber and Lyft are becoming more and more valid options for even the most mundane of trips. Don’t feel like paying for parking? Think you may possibly want to drink at dinner and don’t want to risk having to drive home? More and more people are starting to Uber everywhere. The more services like Uber and Lyft are used, the more they’re able to drive their costs down, making them even more affordable options.

6) Good old-fashioned car rental. Going on a weekend trip? Go ahead and rent a car. You know, just like they did in the olden days. Services like Budget and Enterprise are great places to start and they really don’t cost as much as you might think, especially now that you’re not paying for gas every day of your life.