How to live a car-free life in 2023, from 3 people who tried it to save money and the environment
Jacob Zinkula
- It's an expensive time to buy a car, thanks to inflation and high interest rates.
- Insider previously spoke with three people who have explored car-free lifestyles.
As the New Year approaches, many Americans are taking stock of their finances. Some looking to save money and reduce their environmental footprints may decide to join those embracing car-free — or "car-lite" — lifestyles.
While some people have ditched cars for environmental reasons, a myriad of other factors have motivated them as well, including time wasted in traffic, safety concerns, and perhaps most notably, high car expenses.
In 2018, 51% of Millennials felt owning a car was not "worth the investment," according to an Arity survey, and that was before the surge in car prices during the pandemic. Even as gas prices have fallen, and supply chain improvements have led some car prices to ease in recent months, rising interest rates have continued to make purchasing a car as expensive as ever.
In October, the estimated typical monthly car payment for new vehicle purchases rose to a record-high $748 per month, per Cox Automotive. The average monthly used car payment, meanwhile, saw a year-over-year increase from $472 to $525 during the third quarter of this year, according to Experian.
Insider previously spoke with three people who have explored car-free lives over the past year. They shared what motivated them to get started, what they've found the most challenging about this lifestyle, and the advice they have for others considering following in their footsteps.
Meet a car-free millennial spouting 'glorious bike propaganda' on TikTok
When 27-year-old Jenna Phillips moved to downtown Portland, Oregon, with her husband in 2017, she recalled paying almost $200 a month to park his car in the city — which was especially frustrating given they were hardly using it. During one road trip, the car broke down.
"We just had this silent moment of like, yeah, we're getting rid of this car," she said. They haven't owned a car since.
After ditching the car, Phillips began to rely almost exclusively on biking and public transit. In 2021, she purchased an e-bike on Craigslist for $2,200 and began making TikTok videos about her car-free lifestyle. In just under a year, she amassed over 16,000 followers.
Read more: Meet a car-free millennial spouting 'glorious bike propaganda' on TikTok
Meet a 34-year-old who lived a car-free life in New York, LA, and Chicago
When 34-year-old Cassy Horton was growing up in Fresno, California, driving was "freedom." But when her partner got accepted into graduate school in New York City, she recognized this as an opportunity to try something different.
Over the past year, she embraced a car-free life, an experience she called "transformational," and one she said she has no plans to let go of.
"I've got more money in my wallet but I also just feel like my life is better as a result," she said. "And then when you add kind of the environmental upside as well on top of that, that whole package is really compelling."
Meet a London mom in who took part in a month-long car-free challenge
When 28-year-old Funmi Shonibare of North London first heard about the UK climate organization Possible's "Going Car Free" challenge last year, she happened to be looking for a new car to replace her vehicle of six years. But she called the search "so overwhelming" and said she was open to exploring alternatives.
In January, Shonibare became one of ten individuals to undergo a trial run of the UK climate organization Possible's car-free challenge, an initiative intended to reduce car usage across the UK.
"Initially, I thought, 'There's no way I can give up the car. There's no way,'" she said. "But if you really think about the journeys you're about to take, just ask yourself, 'Does it really need to be made by a car?"
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