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Author Topic: oh no! I've become a car clown!  (Read 3876 times)

brightstache

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oh no! I've become a car clown!
« on: December 24, 2013, 02:31:35 PM »
 what do you recommend: stay at our 425/mo cottage on an organic farm 20 miles from town? The car is our wheelchair.
Or: move to town, where the same house is 900/mo, but where exercise would be built into our lives again?

Our landlords rock: even a shitty 1 bedroom apartment in town is at 650 a month.

Financial history: married dirt poor, now saving my income & living off his. Plus baby. We have enough for a downpayment, but mortgages are evil. Saving to pay cash in a few years for a walking friendly house.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2013, 03:13:13 PM by brightstache »
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m8547

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Re: oh no! I've become a car clown!
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2013, 05:41:30 PM »
Living in town would be an extra $24 per work day (20 days a month). Driving is probably costing you $0.20 per mile in an efficient car, up to $0.50 or more in a bigger car. One person making the round trip once per day costs at least $8, and the 40+ minutes are surely worth the remaining $16. If you are both commuting separately in big cars that could be costing as much as $40 per day or $800 per month.

These are all very approximate numbers, and you estimate more accurately for yourself. It sounds like you aren't happy living in the country any more.
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brightstache

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Re: oh no! I've become a car clown!
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2013, 06:17:11 PM »
Thank you for the clear eyed look at the situation. :)

I love the house out here, and I love the orchard, the pigs, the garden, and the quiet. The only thing that detracts from it is my strong anti car feelings. I used to walk everywhere. I didn't have or need a car. Looking at the figures helps temper those passions.
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more4less

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Re: oh no! I've become a car clown!
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2013, 08:10:05 PM »
More realistically it will be $160 per month: 20 cents per mile (personally my expense is $0.17/mile), 20 miles each way, with some coordination one car will work just fine. $8 per day, $160 per month.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2013, 08:16:33 PM by more4less »
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gimp

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Re: oh no! I've become a car clown!
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2013, 01:42:47 PM »
Probably cheaper to stay where you are. $800 is way too high an estimate in my opinion.
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impaire

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Re: oh no! I've become a car clown!
« Reply #5 on: December 26, 2013, 04:57:58 PM »
Quote from: gimp on December 26, 2013, 01:42:47 PM
Probably cheaper to stay where you are. $800 is way too high an estimate in my opinion.

yep, esp. if this orchard and those pigs also produce part of your groceries...
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Woodshark

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Re: oh no! I've become a car clown!
« Reply #6 on: December 26, 2013, 05:04:47 PM »
You like where you are (sounds nice to me too!) you don't mind the drive and it's fairly cheap compared to living in town. Plus, you get to say "I live in a cottage at the organic farm" Bonus points! 

I say stay where you are and enjoy the surroundings while you can. There may come a day to move, but it doesn't sound like now.
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