Hi all,
I'm a college student living in one of the outer boroughs of NYC (for those unfamiliar, think of them as Lady Manhattan's
less-than-pretty half-sisters.) For the past 4 years, I've been shelling out $112+ a month for bus passes (an unlimited 30-day pass here is that much, plus the cost of occasional "express" rides at $6 a pop.) According to MMM's calculations, that's $20k over a 10-year span spent on transportation.
Even these financial shackles wouldn't have been so bad if the transportation was timely and enjoyable. Unfortunately, while the transit in the city is bar-none, the case is not so in the outer-boroughs. You may share a good chuckle from the screenshot below, which I took a few months ago. Similarly, I've had the pleasure of smelling another person's rancid BO more times than is justifiable in one's lifetime (unless you're into things of that sort.)
But NO MORE! This past week I purchased a used commuter bike on Craigslist for $60. What's more, I've already paid off a sixth of its cost to me by way of the fares I've saved. Goodbye unnecessarily long commutes. Farewell fellow passengers - the only stinky BO I'll now endure is my own, after a long bike ride.
(Coincidentally, this my first Craigslist purchase as well. You'll be happy to note that the seller was not - as I had initially feared - an axe murder luring me in with a bargain.)