Deforest City Blues: Is it the summer of your discontent? Pt 6

Yes, there has been a break in the action in this series of brilliant posts about the summer of discontent.

The break goes by several names:

Friday’s Motorcycle Ride (including birdhouse spotting and delivery of a corn broom)

Saturday’s Birthday Bash (not mine; I would have told everyone and expected presents)

The Londoner’s Deadline (I wrote about the climate change concerns mentioned in earlier posts)

and finally, A 40th Wedding Anniversary Lunch (I expected presents but was happy with a free lunch).

Last time I wrote re ‘discontent’ I mentioned a flaw in the thinking that goes this way: Taxes, levies, higher fees and expenses are Darth Vader’s evil twin in disguise. (Nope, there are benefits).

Before that I mentioned we should be keeping a detailed budget (let's know where our money goes) and also considering ways to save on expenses related to our home, i.e., our major expense.

Now, what else can we do to get out from under rising taxes, levies, fees and expenses (all of which seem to be growing)?

Let’s consider another major expense, e.g., the car(s) in our driveway.

I recently read the following: The average annual cost of car ownership in Canada exceeds $9,000. (Aug. 7, Homes section of London Free Press)

The author of the piece ‘Pick a Place to Thrive’ offered the following advice:

“So, if you can eliminate the need for a second car, drive less or get rid of your car entirely, that’s money in your pocket.”

(The phrase ‘get rid of your car entirely’ was not followed by a laugh track. He was being serious.)

He also said, “The environment benefits in a sustainable community because land in the neighbourhood is used efficiently. The natural environment is preserved and servicing costs are lower.”

Many home purchases and communities are unsustainable because servicing costs will likely continue to rise. (The more tarmac we lay, the more we must maintain, even while oil prices move higher).

So, ditch the car? It’s an interesting but almost impossible thought to consider.

Because... are we not actually addicted to convenient transportation? Wouldn't most of us have to enter a 10- or 12-step program (Automobilics Anonymous, perhaps) to save even a dime related to ours?

Step One would be a killer: "I admit that I am powerless over the desire to drive almost everywhere for almost everything."

(My wife and I went without a car for 18 months after selling our last Civic to one of our sons. Though I felt it was doable for a longer period - because I'm retired and live only 3 blocks from the corner of Coffee and Hardware in Wortley Village - we again drive a car but have reduced our mileage considerably and may try ‘the car-less life’ again in the future.)


["You are your own bank: Know what you spend and where"]

Are you prepared to sell your car and buy a smaller one or become a cyclist, walker or public-transit devotee if expenses continue to rise?

(How much would you save per year - for tough times ahead - if the car was gone?)

Would you consider selling your second car and cycling, walking, etc., more than you do now?

(How much would you save if left with just one car?)

I think our addiction to convenience is so strong that most people will look for other answers, besides blaming governments and taxes.

So, are there other items in the budget book that could be cut in half or eliminated?

Link to Series: Please click here to read Discontent Pt 7

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You don’t have a budget book? Oh-oh.

Conclusion will soon follow.

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