So me and my husband sat down to calculate the per/km cost of using our cars. Until starting to read the MMM blog, we never even thought twice about the cost of using our cars. We have both driven around our town multiple times almost everyday (work & school) and also trips to Melbourne (151km away) 1-3 times a month.
We have an upcoming trip to Melbourne for a sporting event and decided to work out the most economical way to travel to Melbourne from our home town.
We could catch the train, which for 2 adults and 2 kids will cost us $90 for the return trip. To catch the train we would either have to drive or walk 2km to the station (piece of cake) but we would also be walking 2km home at around midnight with 2 sleepy children (not so fun).
Driving our 2010 Toyota Camry
22 cents per km = $63.42 running cost for the return trip
$25 car parking
$11 toll fees
Total $99.42
plus portion of registration & insurance costs currently we pay these whether we are driving the cars or not)
Before actually working out these calculations, I never would have thought a trip to Melbourne would cost us that much! Then add to that if we purchase anything while we are there (sporting tickets, food etc). And to think that we do this trip 1-3 times a month (for recreational purposes), we are spending much more that I had considered on travel.
Looks like we will be taking the train for this coming trip and carefully re-thinking our travel to Melbourne from here-on in!