I haven’t owned/driven a car for the better part of six years now.
And it feels great.
It’s not just the costs of owning a car that I’m happy to be free of, though. While the savings are rather significant, I think the non-financial benefits of not owning a car are arguably just as considerable.
The simple act of having a car in my life at all is totally undesirable.
There’s the parking, cleaning, driving, worrying, insuring, maintaining, repairing, etc.
It’s a giant hunk of metal that takes up a massive amount of space in one’s life and mind. As a minimalist, it’s a huge object that takes away space and adds noise. It reduces my quality of life, rather than adding to it. It’s almost all drawbacks with very little benefits.
Even if I had unlimited money, I wouldn’t want or own a car. I would instead continue to walk almost everywhere.
However, I still have to get around. I can’t just magically transport myself from one location to another.
While public transportation is my preferred mode when I need to travel longer distances, walking is by far my favorite mode of transportation overall.
I thoroughly enjoy walking. I walk great distances every day. And I don’t plan to ever change this.
Walking is a fantastic mode of transportation for a variety of reasons, but here are my three favorite reasons:
You’re Physically Experiencing, Exposing Yourself To, And Reacting With Your World
I used to drive great distances at a time, for many years.
The drive to and from work, back when I lived in Michigan, and worked at the car dealership used to be 30 miles, each way. I’d be in the car, in my little “bubble”, for 45 minutes or longer at a time.
I’d sit in a seat, listen to music, try not to get stressed out by traffic, and completely focus on the tasks at hand.
There’s practically nothing pleasurable about the process of driving.
And you’re almost completely cut off from your surroundings, as you’re simply moving yourself as fast as possible from one place to another – which is work and home, most of the time, for most people.
But now that I walk almost everywhere, I feel completely connected to my environment. I feel at one with the world.
The sights, the sounds, the smells, the people…
By exposing myself to and reacting with my surroundings, I feel more alive than ever. And I’m more in touch with life itself.
Instead of my immediate tangible environment being a steering wheel, a dashboard, and a windshield, I’m now surrounded by trees, birds, people, sunshine, the sky, sidewalks, crosswalks, and storefronts. It’s dynamic, as well, because that tangible environment is constantly shifting and changing as I walk. Conversely, driving even great distances will not change the fact that you’re still sitting in a seat and steering a wheel.
Our physical world exists to enjoy, improve, and interact with. Walking is one of the best ways to accomplish all three.
Health
Americans love their cars. America leads the world – by far – in terms of large, developed countries with the most vehicles per 1,000 people.
Of course, America also has the highest prevalence of overweight adults in the English-speaking world.
Causation? Correlation?
You be the judge.
Regardless, there’s no doubt that it’s far healthier to walk than it is to drive, all else equal.
I used to walk a lot in the States, especially relative to the average American. But I walk even more now that I’ve relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand as a dividend expat.
That’s because the environment invites pleasurable walking.
I’m surrounded by dynamic and vibrant urbanity everywhere I go.
There are people to see, coffee shops to visit, gyms to hit, and restaurants to try.
Walking a lot – as well as living a much better and healthier lifestyle in general – has turned my body into a lean and mean machine, with the loss of more than 10 pounds in four months having occurred since relocating abroad.
While fad diets come and go, and while many Americans struggle with obesity, I simply maintain a reasonable diet, exercise frequently, avoid stress, and walk almost everywhere. As a result, I’m in the best shape of my life.
Plus, there’s the fact that almost 40,000 Americans were killed in auto accidents in 2016. That’s not even getting into the life-altering injuries. Whizzing around in a giant metal box, next to many other people doing the same thing, at incredibly fast speeds, is obviously not the safest way to move around.
Significant Financial Benefits
I noted that even if I had unlimited money, I wouldn’t want own a car.
So what do financial benefits have to do with it?
Well, just because you can afford to do or buy something, it doesn’t mean you automatically should.
I appreciate a good value, regardless of how much wealth I have or go on to attain.
And I align my life, time, and spending with what I value, regardless of how much wealth I have or go on to attain.
This is a point that seems to escape many people. It’s perhaps human nature to assign spending necessity with available money. Said another way, people seem to assume that having money means you must figure out a way to spend it. If you have a million in the bank, you thus have a million to spend.
My brain doesn’t work this way.
I look at Warren Buffett, who is one of my personal heroes. He still lives in the same house he bought back in the ’50s for less than $40,000. Just because he could go out and buy an entire city block and build a 500,000-square-foot castle, it doesn’t mean he should.
If spending money doesn’t meet a certain threshold for utility, purpose, and happiness, it’s a complete waste. And it will probably do more harm to one’s quality of life than good.
I constantly allocate my capital in a way that simultaneously maximizes utility, purpose, and happiness. If attaining all three on any given action/decision requires no money at all, that’s even better. I’ll simply have more money to eventually give away via philanthropy.
Owning a car runs the average American ~$8,500 per year, according to a recent study by AAA.
I’m not your average American. So let’s say I could do it on half. Well, compounding even just $4,000 per year at 8% annually over the next 30 years (because I don’t plan to ever own a car again) results in $500,000.
A car isn’t worth $0 to me. It certainly isn’t worth half a million dollars. In fact, I’d probably decline being paid to own a car and drive around. So the fact that I could (and likely will) end up with an extra $500,000 or so in my 60s by simply abstaining from owning something I don’t want is a clear no-brainer to me.
Not wasting those valuable resources will end up serving the world (that world I enjoy being a tangible part of) much better, all while reducing congestion, pollution, and noise all along the way. It makes my world better, all while allowing me greater access and more time to enjoy the world. It’s so easy, it’s a non-choice.
Conclusion
Many people don’t walk around much for many reasons.
Some don’t like walking.
Some people are just plain lazy.
Some people have disabilities that prevent it.
I would venture a guess that most people don’t walk because they can’t. They make choices that prohibit it. Be it living very far from work, moving to a place where everything is spread out (with no public transportation), or not having the time (because they’re too busy working) to stretch their legs and stroll, walking is not a reasonable mode of transportation for many people.
And that’s why it’s important to structure a holistic life in not just a way that maximizes the journey toward financial independence, but also in a way that presents ample opportunities to be a greater part of the world that you’ll soon be able to spend so much more time in.
We don’t have time unless we make time.
And walking more will directly contribute to one’s ability to have more time to walk (and enjoy many other activities), which is on top of the numerous financial and non-financial benefits.
If you build a life that emphasizes walking (or even bicycling, for that matter), you’ll build a holistic circle that feeds into itself, making the journey to financial independence faster and more enjoyable, all while improving the very world waiting for you with open arms when you’re ready to experience it on a more regular basis.
Plus, you’ll be healthier for it, giving you a better shot at a long, healthy life with which to savor all of that financial independence.
In the end, it’s to each their own. It’s a form of arbitrage for me to not drive while others drive, as I personally profit from people buying and driving cars. I earn growing dividend income from many companies that cater to the car lifestyle. It doesn’t financially behoove me in any way to convince people to drive less.
However, I do feel like a lot of people are really missing out on something special.
Walking is incredibly rewarding, both in financial and non-financial terms. And it’s by far my favorite mode of transportation. I honestly couldn’t imagine transporting myself in a better or more enjoyable capacity than via my own two legs.
Time will tell, but I plan to never own a car again for the rest of my life. In fact, my driver’s license is set to expire in two months. And I have no plans to renew it – ever.
What do you think? Do you walk a lot? Is it your favorite mode of transportation? Why or why not?
Thanks for reading.
Image courtesy of: surasakiStock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
P.S. If you’re interested in becoming financially independent, which could allow you more time to walk and enjoy the life and world that surrounds you, check out the numerous resources that personally helped me become financially independent in my early 30s!
I don’t walk to everything, but I do have a bike that I ride to work and to the gym. I love those time of riding around. It helps me by reducing my stress level. For all other kind of travel I do have me car.
Currently, my car is paid for in full and have been that way the past 3 or so years. Once I have enough passive income, and when I move out of south Florida, I do plan on selling my car and be car free as well.
FV,
I know how it is there in S Florida. I experienced something similar (but probably worse) in Sarasota. But I made it work pretty nicely. Unfortunately, the bus system deteriorated over the years in Sarasota, making the experience worse. Still beats driving, though.
A lot of places outside the US are far more dense, making walking easier, more engaging, and more enjoyable. I’m sure you’ll see that play out as you eventually live out your own travel dreams. 🙂
Cheers!
I definitely agree with you on this, Jason. Whilst I was once a petrolhead, FI has taken top position and I now view cars as inconveniences. While I can’t walk around all day due to an injury I sustained in the Army, I still walk to anything within 15-20 minutes of my apartment. Driving gives you the Cliff notes on a location, walking is reading the novel at a leisurely pace.
Moose,
“Driving gives you the Cliff notes on a location, walking is reading the novel at a leisurely pace.”
Love it! 🙂
Best regards.
I have never owned a car or had a driver’s licence and I love to walk everywhere. My work is 3.5 kilometres away and I walk to and from every work day. I take the bus maybe four times a year. I love to go out again on the weekend even when I have no errands to run just to go for a nice walk. I feel bad for people who don’t live in places where walking is safe and convenient. I have certainly had times when I was unsafe out walking by myself but that hasn’t happened in a long while and generally these days, in the town that I live in now, I feel safe.
Sara,
That’s the life right there! 🙂
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes just have this massive smile on my face while I’m walking about. I suddenly realize how great it is and how fortunate I am.
Cheers!
“There’s practically nothing pleasurable about the process of driving”
I disagree with this for myself, and possibly a few others. I enjoy driving sports cars, or performance cars simply because I enjoy the sport of driving. Heel toe downshifting, exhaust sound, cornering, etc. I’ve followed your story since at least 2011, and my life is very minimalistic. I agree with all your FI thoughts and ideas, and have followed some of your advice as well. When I travel, I never rent a car, I walk. I love walking around new cities, my city, etc. But I don’t see it as transportation per se. I just see it as an enjoyable thing to do. Since I’m almost 50 and hoping to retire soon on dividend income/investments, perhaps someday I’ll just ditch the sports car and give up on that part of driving. Turn that into more dividends. But I can totally see how in your situation you don’t need or desire to have a car. Thanks for all the years of posting great articles and life ideas! Yours is a great story to follow! Cheers.
Skottoman,
Hey, that’s great. I mean, life should be about what makes you happy. That’s what everything I do is designed for/around. So I get it. If owning/driving a particular type of car gives you pleasure (and you get value commensurate with spending), go for it. It just doesn’t do it for me. And so I align my resources (time, spending, etc.) with values, happiness, purpose, utility, etc.
I would disagree with walking not being a form of transportation, however. If it weren’t a form of transportation, I wouldn’t be able to get around all day long, since walking is 99% of the way I transport myself. I see it as both a form of transportation and an enjoyable thing to do (much like one could argue how driving a sports car is the same thing). That’s why it’s so awesome.
Appreciate all the support! 🙂
Best regards.
As a photographer I prefer to walk because it provides an abundance of photo opportunities that wouldn’t be possible on a motorized vehicle.
Andrew,
My favorite walk is the one I take over to the market for our regular lunch meetups! 🙂
Cheers.
Walking is my favorite mode of transportation. I have never owned a car and 8 months ago I made the decision to move to a convenient place where I could walk everywhere. I walk the 2.2 miles to work each morning and walk the same 2.2 miles back home for a total of 4.4 miles. It takes me about 35-40 minutes and is great exercise. I enjoy this walk. Before I moved I took the bus which cost me, to and from work, $5.50 per day, $27.5 per week, $110 per month, totaling $1,320 per year. Now that I am walking I am saving all that money. You are so right; walking is incredibly rewarding on many levels! 🙂
MDD,
That’s good stuff! 🙂
I’m with you all the way. The financial benefits are certainly great, but I think walking is in and of itself a wonderful way to get around. It practically sells itself. I just have no desire to drive, regardless of the money. Letting my driver’s license expire will be the final nail in the coffin.
Enjoy the savings, pleasurable experiences, and health benefits!
Best regards.
Hi Jason. Great post of fellow mr. Walker 😉 I too prefer walking instead of driving. Few year ago I found a shortcut trough a park to my work just 3 km away from my home and walked to work for half a year. Then moves to other work which is 7km away and not good path so im using public transport for 1,5y. I still own 15y old car which we use for going to family. Yes i get pissed of when it beaks from time to time 🙂 waiting for shared car service to develop normaly as it is better to pay 20$/day and temporary lease the car for like 4-5 days when you really need it then own a car. Our transportarion costs are 1.7k€/y out of which 0.5k€ something is public transport cost for me and my wife. Rest 1.2k€ is car cost. That is around 400-500€ repair/maintainance and 700-800€ fuel. I think these are not extra big numbers 🙂 even for such average income country this makes less then 1/10 of our expenses 🙂
P.s. waiting for driverless cars that should revolutionize uber to tottal public transport 😉
P2035,
Yeah, I’m excited for what driverless cars will mean for public transit. As it sits, Uber and Grab are ubiquitous, easy, and cheap over here. Whenever I have to jet across town, I just pop up the app, request a car, hop in, and pay a dollar or so for the privilege. It’s an amazing time to be alive. And it’ll be interesting to see how the driverless aspect changes that in a decade or two.
Cheers!
I have a car, and it is pretty old (16 years old) but driving likes a new one. We use the car for pleasure driving, road trip and shopping. It is little important for to have vehicle as we have a 3 years old son and are living in one of the coldest part of the world.
However, I try to avoid taking car to work as much as I can for three obvious reasons.
First, of course, is money. Taking bus to work saves almost $175 per month, including parking fee, gas, and maintenance. So, I could put this saving to work for me.
Second reason, is time. I can get to work by bus much faster than taking car. People living in Toronto know about the 401 traffic in rush hours. Waiting in traffic creates unwanted stress and other problem. In bus, I can take a nap or read a book/website or watch a video.
Third reason is health. I need to walk at least 10 minutes to bus station and another 5 minutes to work. Whether I like it or not, I have to walk at least 30 minutes a day.
In winter season, I don’t need to worry about storm, slippery roads, or shovel driveway or clean car.
Best Regards,
FJ,
Sounds like you’ve got a nice combination of options figured out pretty well, all depending on what mode works best when. 🙂
Thanks for dropping by!
Cheers.
Did you notice that your QCOM stock announced a 9% div increase this week? Divs, keep em coming.
dn,
I notice all of them. Trust me. 🙂
I noticed 20 different dividend increases in February. That was a hell of a month!
Cheers.
Its awesome. Its one of the highlights of my day when I login and see that I got another div payment. Although I understand that divs just come out of total return, its a great feeling to be earning this passive income.
Splurge on a Brompton folding bike. Just as fun as walking, good exercise, but faster. 🙂
I’d like to get to a point where I don’t need a car. Just me and my feet and Brompton. Dream big!
Wade,
I don’t like biking. So I’m not holding back by not splurging on something like that. I’d simply rather walk, which works out awesome since it costs even less (allowing me to instead invest and/or give away that money).
But I think biking is much, much better than driving. It’s great to see so many cities build out greater biking infrastructure, making it safer and more enjoyable. That’s a win-win for everyone.
Sounds like you have a dream, man. Keep chasing it. Doesn’t take much to be happy in this world. 🙂
Cheers!
I’m with you 100%. Though I do include running as part of walking, because the 6 miles to work takes a bit to long at a walk. Before having a kid though, I would take the leisurely two hour walk home on nice days, and it was wonderful.
TLRE,
Running is definitely part of that, and it’s sometimes even more enjoyable. 🙂
Thanks for dropping by!
Best wishes.
This reminds me a lot of “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” where in a car you see the world in a frame, but walking or cycling or (of course) on a motorcycle you are IN the frame. You’re less anonymous and more engaged. You’re alive.
Robert,
Engaged and alive. That’s exactly how I feel when I’m walking around. I truly enjoy it. The fact that it’s free (and healthy) is icing on the cake! 🙂
Cheers.
If I walked to work, I’d have to start carrying a personal weapon at all times. But it’s great if your city has good neighborhoods near enough to places of employment! I definitely agree that being ‘present’ in the world around you through walking vs driving is a big plus!
Charis,
Thailand is incredibly safe. Much safer than the US, and that’s even after factoring in the much greater density.
Cheers!