Sans Automobile: A year without a car in review

Okay, maybe it hasn't quite been a year yet, but I think it's about time I talk about how we've (Michelle and I) gotten along without a car since we moved into Toronto. If you followed my blog when we first decided to move, you'll remember my post analyzing the costs. If not, take a look - it's a lot more than you'd expect.

So at first, we got rid of our cars (that we both loved using and having) strictly to save some cash; but after only a month or so, things started to change. We started to realize that owning (or at the very least regularly using) a car is not only unnecessary, it's not the norm.

Zipcar...our saviour for the times we
NEED a car

Just in case though, we both got memberships to Zipcar - which we figured we'd use whenever in need of a car; this was in addition to the metropasses we both obviously had. Now, nearly a year later, we not only still have our Zipcards, but we are also both Car2go members

(which lets us make one way car trips), BIXI members, I have a Presto card (which makes GO fare much cheaper), and I carry my metropass around in the same way I used to carry my car keys.

We've had lapses - days when we just looked at each other and said "Maybe we should get a car". It's not like we can't afford it - but now that we've had a year to learn (and master) the transit system, we always end up back to the fact that 'even if we get a car, I don't want to give up my Metropass'. The freedom of being able to hop on and off a subway when you're downtown - without having to "walk back to the car", is incredible. Imagine if you could drive one way somewhere, walk around, and your car be right where you want to get back in it. That's the best way to sum it up.

This past weekend - we rented a Zipcar to go up north - and sure - the $180 hurt to spend for a weekend - we'll still spend less per month than we would on owning a car.

I know it's hard for a lot of our friends to understand - and probably a little frustrating when I try to convince you all to come downtown to hang out - but it's been a year...we've made it work, with no problems...no let's just consider it the future - for now....