Can You Survive Without a Car?

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We’ve lived without a car a few times but it does depend on where you live and how much time matters to you.

How To Live Without a Car

This depends on many factors but for some might be more doable than you think.

Society today has us believing we need a huge car or cars, a big house and all the extra things but realistically, we could live more simply.

As mentioned, we’ve lived without a car at times, while pregnant and with kids. It wasn’t always easy but it was doable.

1. Live Close To Everything

Living close to everything makes it much easier to live without a car.

Walking or riding bikes everywhere was great for our health and we got used to it fairly quickly.

We listened to podcasts, chatted or combined free trams with walking etc.

Public transport is great in many major cities plus free in some areas.

If you can, choose a location which enables you to walk, ride a bicycle or use cheap public transport instead of owning a car.

2. Public Transport

Melbourne has trams, buses, trains, rideshare or taxis, bike paths and it is incredibly easy to get around.

As with all cities, peak hours can be hectic, but for the most part, it was ok.

Public transport in Noosa was free on weekends and school holidays, Canberra had great bike paths but terrible public transport and as mentioned, public transport in other cities our team lives is easy too.

Often, public transport in various locations would take the same amount of time as driving but on public transport, we can work, listen to podcasts or do our own thing plus it’s cheaper.

3. Car Share or Car Ride Services

Whenever I have needed a car, we either hired one through Uber Carshare or used a ride option.

Uber, Ola, Taxify and Shebah are all available in areas we live

Alternatively, if you want to keep your car plus payment for when people drive it, rent it out through Uber Carshare.

4. Get Things Delivered

Think you need a car to do groceries and errands? Think again.

Jump online and get it all delivered.

It usually takes you less time, you can save your shopping lists with some supermarkets, delivery is often free or there are special offers if you spend over a certain amount.

5. Change Your Mindset

We are so dependent on cars. It is often seen as a status symbol to have a certain type of car or a new car, but cars depreciate in value so quickly and cost so much to run.

The purchase price, interest on the loan, petrol, services, tyres, cleaning, registration and insurance all add up.

We worked out one year when we moved to Melbourne, if we kept the cars, based on previous habits, it would have been around $20k a year total our 2 cars were costing us. TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!

While we tend to view them as necessary for everyday life, if you break it down, it might horrify you.

Purchase price $2,000 per year (based on a $20,000 car kept for 10 years and spread over that time. However, if you get a loan to pay for this, at 10% it will cost you $31,700 for the 10 years or $3,170 per year).

Petrol $3640 (Australian average when we did the comparison, now it is $5,200!)
Registration $1,000 to $1,500 average
Insurance $1,000
Maintenance and repairs $1,000+
Roadside assistance $200+
Cleaning $100+ time if you DIY

Don’t forget you also need to factor in savings for a new car. Want another $20,000 car in 10 years? You might get $5,000 for your current one if you’re lucky.

So you will need $15,000 over 10 years or $1500 a year to be able to pay cash for your next car instead of a loan.

All up, including saving for your next car, it is over $10,000 per year.

Sit down and work out how much your car is costing you and if it is cheaper and possible to walk, do public transport and occasionally Uber if needed.

What do you think, can you live without a car?

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