The benefits of not owning a car

I used to have a car since I was about twenty. First I bought allready old cars. I had two VW Golf II. The first one was bottle green. I called him Fröschl (like little frog). The second was a Wilma. She was white and used to turn of her engine every now and then while driving on the autobahn with 120km/hour ... So when I finished studying and started to work and earning my own money I thought it would be a good idea to buy a very new car. Because I loved french cars I bought a red Citroén Xsara. That was in the last century (😜 1999) but I was very happy and satisfied with this car so I kept it until last December. (I tend to keep things)

I really thought it would be necessary to have a car. I needet it to get to work every day and I wanted to visit my 650km away living family very often. But what I did not think very hard about was that I had to pay for the car - of course! I couldn't afford it to pay at once so I obtained a credit from the bank. The monthly amount didn't seem too much... But after one year I had to start to pay back the loan I took for my time to study ... Also there was the rent for the apartement, the cost for daily living, insurances and so on... All in all it turned out to be very tight every month and my bank account was negative mostly. I had to apply fo another credit to refill the bank account (several times 🤦🏼‍♀️). What I am actually trying to say is how hard it was and how long it took me to pay back everything, just because I thought I needed a new car. 

Nowadays I would not by a car anymore. I am in the privileged situation to live in the middle of a smaller city where everything is reachable by bus or tram or bike or even in walking distance. Sometimes I didn't take my care for months! When I finally needed it the battery was discharged - not only one single time! 😆

So the final and best decision was to get rid of the car. (I was a little bit sad because we have had such a good and long relationship and I kind of loved it, but ok)

Now, when we need one, we ask friends or we rent a car. Simple as this!

These are benefits of not having a car:

* everytime we still need a car (for example to visit family) we rent one. I drive the newest, recent, nicest little cars (which is the best about the whole thing! 😁) We love it!

* we don't have to pay car insurance and tax all the time

* we don't have to repay monthly installments

* we don't have to let the car check and repair - the car hirer does it

* we don't have to pay rent for a parking lot

* we are not plugging the city and it's parking spots - most times of the day a car is just standing somewhere, right?

* we don't have to remember: where did I leave the car last 🙈

* we are fitter because we walk and bike much more

* we use a car much less than we would when having one on our own, so we don't produce so much exhaust fumes, don't consum so much gasoline and keep our environment cleaner

* we just buy things we can carry home in our hands so we dont buy too much food for example - only what we really eat

* what other positive things come to your mind?

I think that the car the way people still use it today won't have a future (car industry doesn't want to hear this I guess). Not everybody will have a car anymore because it won't be needed. I think better and nicer public transportation will be the future as well as more car sharing and rental car systems. And I still count on somebody will invent the reall beaming ... Beam me up, Scotty!

☀️