Can You Live Without A Car?

Ever since the automobile was invented, people have had an obsession with cars. As a result, a car is not seen simply as a form of transportation which gets you from A to B, but rather as an extension of yourself and something which you identify yourself with.

Some people see them themselves as sporty or risk takers, and so choose a fast sports car. Whilst others see themselves as more business like, and consequently purchase a more expensive looking car which helps them to portray that image.

So whatever car you drive, it is usually a direct reflection of the type of person you are, or would like to be.

In addition to the image our car helps us to portray, the car has also become seen as a prized and cherished possession.

For some people they value their car so much that they will spend hours cleaning and polishing it, sometimes doing this everyday.

Of course not everyone is so caring towards their beloved mechanical contraption, as some people don’t care how they treat their car and before long they are driving around with half their rubbish in it!

However despite the many benefits a car can provide, few can question the expense of having one.

So in this article, we are going to be looking at how you can use your car in the most economical fashion, and ask the question of whether or not you really need to own a car? And are there any other options available to you?

Are Cars As “Hot” As They Used To Be?

In the past getting a new car was a top priority for young people who were old enough to drive, however recently this trend has been slowly declining.

Now young people tend to rate electronic equipment such as computers and mobile phones as things they must buy.

In addition to this young people seem not to want new cars anymore, as now the most common type of purchase for someone in their 20s or 30s is a second hand used car.

Of course there are some people who still want a new car straight away, and will buy expensive flash cars so they can show off to their friends.

Within this subset of people who want new cars are the “speed racers” who “pimp” up their car with expensive sound systems, suspension and stylish hubcaps. Some even go so far as to install lights under their car!

Worries And Woes Of The Auto Industry

Understandably the auto industry has become increasingly concerned with their declining sales of new cars to the younger generation. As a result, they have tried very hard to make new cars both affordable and desirable to them.

One of the ways in which they do this is through advertising, such as on American Idol.

Here you will see Ford cars being advertised by the show participants in a music video. An advert directly intended to promote the car to the young people who watch the show.

However despite the recent attempts to make cars more affordable they still are very expensive.

First you have to learn how to drive a car, then you have to buy a car, get insurance on it, pay for petrol and you might even have to pay to park it.

In addition to this you then have your maintained costs, such as when your car goes in for an MOT or when it needs to be repaired (which can be very expensive).

AND, to make matters worse, roads are increasingly becoming taxed, which means you have to pay a certain amount just for the privilege of using them.

Add all these costs together, and owning a car can take up a significant amount of your budget.

So if you are trying to manage your money wisely, taking the time to educate yourself about how to use cars economically could end up saving you a lot of money.

Can You Live Without A Vehicle?

If you think about, the only real purpose a car serves is to get you from A to B. Apart from that it doesn’t really do much else except maybe prop up your ego, and they are definitely not an essential part of life for everyone.

A lot of people for example get by just fine without ever owning a car. If they want to go somewhere they will catch a bus, train, taxi, walk, ride or even get a lift with someone else.

So with all these options available, do you really need to own a car?

Not Everyone Needs An Automobile

Depending on your lifestyle you may or may not need a car. If you travel long distance a lot then you probably do need one.

But if you live in a city or town where everything is close by then you most likely don’t need one, and would be better off using public transportation instead.

If you do end up using public transportation, make sure you get a weekly or season pass if you are going to be using that service regularly, as this will save you money in the long run.

Alternatively, if you can get to where you need to go by walking or riding a bike, then even better because you can do it for free!

That’s exactly what I did when I was at university. I started out by taking a bus each morning, but then decided to walk and ended up saving a lot of money by doing so.

As an added bonus it also kept me fit, so I didn’t have to go to the gym as often!

Renting A Car

Whilst using public transportation, walking and riding a bike are all good ways to get around, sometimes you might need the freedom only a car can provide.

For example, you want to go out for a weekend with friends and be able to get around easily when you reach your destination.

In cases like this a good idea is to rent a car if you don’t already have one.

Sure it’s going to be a lot more expensive than catching bus, but if you are renting it with friends you can divide the cost and enjoy all of what a car has to offer.

This makes a lot more sense if you only need a car once in a blue moon, rather than paying for something you could realistically do without.