Just realized I saved exactly $1,200 this year by riding my bike to work

I started tracking it out of curiosity back in January, and the number really hit me when I added it all up last night. Has anyone else crunched the numbers on a simple habit change like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

piper_reed12d ago

Don't get me wrong, saving cash is nice, but twelve hundred bucks sounds about right for what you probably spent on chain lube, flat fixes, and maybe an extra pair of work pants from sweating through your regular ones. Plus you're banking on your car not needing a surprise repair that wipes out that whole number in one trip to the shop. Feels more like a wash once you factor in the time and hassle, but hey, at least you got a good leg workout out of it.

hollyg5912d ago

Yeah I kept a spreadsheet my first year of bike commuting and it was close to $400 in tubes, tires, lube, and a new chain. But I also sold my car and saved $3800 on insurance alone, so the math worked out fine for me. The trick is to keep a basic tool kit at home and learn to change your own tires and brake pads, that cuts the costs way down. If your car is paid off and reliable then sure, it's a wash, but for me the bike paid for itself in about 8 months.