Save Money using Public Transport

Public transport can really help you save money. It is cheap, enviro friendly and allows you to save money in a number of ways. This article will look at the costs of using public transport and how it can help you do your part for the environment, but also help you save what I would consider a lot of money ($10,000 or more).

Cost of running a car

A reader of this site, Kimberly, recently informed me that the average cost of running a small car per year is $8000 (Source: RACV). That means the cost of running a car is nearly ten thousand dollars for 12months! Imagine if you could reclaim even $5000 of that by using public transport for 2-3 days a week when commuting to work? Surely that would be worth it! $5000 Invested into a high interest bank account would turn into nearly $6000 by just sitting there over the course of 12months.

Some of the costs of running a car include:

• Tyres ($300+)
• Registration costs ($300+)
• CTP Greenslips ($300+)
  
• Petrol (around $60 per tank currently for a small Honda Civic 2001)
• Oil/Maintainance/+ More ($200+)
• Parking Costs

Save $75 per week using public transport

Whether you are in Sydney or Melbourne or any other state in Australia, we have some of the worlds best public transport infrastructures, though we may not believe it!

For Sydney Siders, the cost of catching a train to the city and back from within the metro region is about $40 for an adult per week, very similar to that of Melbourne prices.

Buy a weekly ticket on Monday morning and use the return ticket for one week back and forwards and you will easily save $75 on petrol, parking and other associated costs. Very easy way to save money really, so I suggest you calculate your year on year savings and start smiling at how much money you will be saving.

Why use public transport to save?

• Minimise petrol use.
• Cut down on parking costs.
• It tends to be faster then driving and traffic.
• You can sell you car, the largest depreciating asset you own!
• Helps cut down green house gases for us enviro happy people!

Fairfax (The Age and SMH) recently did an article called ‘The Great Public Transport Challenge’ in which 4 commuters tested the fastest way to get to work in the CBD using different transport methods. Turns out buses and trains and bikes are the best way to get to work!

Further Reading

• The Age – Great Transport Challenge

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