Customer Reviews

How to Live Well Without Owning a Car: Save Money, Breathe Easier, and Get More Mileage Out of Life

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First off, I am NOT car-free. I'll admit that up front. But I would LIKE to be and this book has convinced me that I'd save a TON of money if I were able to reduce or eliminate my dependence on our car.
The author saved about 40K or more in 4 years of living without a car. To say he did not EVER USE a car, however, would not be totally true. He bumped up against reality sometime and had to rent a car on occasion...but mostly he made do by bicycling, walking or using public transportation or taxis.
"Wait", you might say, "Take a taxi? Aren't they expensive?" Not as part of an overall plan that allows one to stop paying for auto insurance, car maintenance, buying a car, etc.
The author makes a convincing argument and I have cut down on my use of our auto as a result, walking as much as possible. I'd do away with it forever if we had reliable public transportation and if our kids weren't involved in activities that were out of the public transportation loop, sometimes out of the city.
But I still have hope of living "car free" and I am aiming for a life where using our car isn't necessary, in a town with good public transportation and mild winters...someday. In the meantime, this book has given me a road map (pun intended) for a simpler, less auto-dependent lifestyle.

A fine little book, but not for anyone who has already decided to take the step to become carless or car-lite. This book is 10% manual, made up mostly of common sense ideas (never a bad thing), and 90% arguments and statistics meant to convince you to go car free. If you're on the fence about giving up your ride, this is a great read. If you're looking for a book about the experience of being car free or a good instruction manual on doing so, maybe not the way to go. An interesting little read, though.

Before reading this book, I scoffed at the idea of surviving without an automobile. A victim of our "car-as-necessity" culture, I was curious to see HOW someone could actually do it. Balish not only shows you how to do it, but how to DO IT WELL! If you are fed up with shelling out over $800 per month... nagging neck and back pain... being stuck in traffic staring at billboards... BUY THIS BOOK NOW! I'm seriously considering trading in my SUV for a car-free, stress-free life.

What I liked best about this book is that rather than relying on idealistic enviro-speak, it focused primarily on the fiscal benefits of not owning a car. Balish articulately argues that if you can do the home-to-work commute without a car, spending money on car ownership is throwing money into a sewer. I especially liked Ch. 6, which describes Balish's own non-idealistic journey from SUV driver to nondriver.

And as Balish points out, time in a car is wasted time compare to time bicycling, walking or using public transit. The first two modes give you an opportunity to exercise, and the last gives you an opportunity for productive reading (unless, of course, you live in a place where transit is TOO good, in which case you will not have a seat to yourself and thus will have less opportunity to read).

Also, Balish does not limit himself to walking and public transit, but instead discusses less obvious (to me) alternatives such as carsharing, bicycling, carpooling and motorcycles. He even cites websites devoted to these modes, to assist those of us who don't know much about these options.

Having said that, this book is not for everyone. Balish himself points out that "Families with children might find it difficult" to live car-free as well as "People who live in rural areas." Even these groups can get something out of the book: for example, Balish discusses how a two-car family might be able to function as a one-car family.

And I do wish Balish had addressed a few more objections in more detail, such as:

*In some cities, it may be hard to avoid driving without either (1) living in (or at least passing through) high-crime areas or (2) spending a premium on housing in order to live in a coveted intown neighborhood.

*The difficulties of living in Sunbelt cities (like, say, Jacksonville) that are far more car-dependent than Balish's native St. Louis.

*The concern (for single men) that women won't view you as a real protector or provider if you don't drive them anywhere.

*Once you are married, the difficulties that arise when you and your spouse work in different parts of a region.

But having said that, this book is worth reading for anyone who can possibly get to work without driving.

Anyone who's looking for a way to save money fast should read How to Live Well Without Owning A Car. But that's not all. Chris Balish breaks down and challenges the assumptions about car ownership, then offers step-by-step suggestions for getting out of the car-ownership trap -- including suggestions for dealing with the mindset (of ourselves and others) that it's somehow abnormal to not want a car. The book examines the seductive advertising claims of automakers and juxtaposes those claims against real-world car-ownership needs. Chris shows us how getting rid of one's car doesn't mean "giving up," it means getting free.

Besides, the book is just an enjoyable read. It's filled with testimonials from people all over the place who have reduced their car dependence and the subsequent rewards they've realized by doing so. Comedic and pointed illustrations and quotes kept me turning pages of a book that takes a serious yet lighthearted look at car ownership and alternatives to it. If you're thinking of buying a car, first read this book, then decide.

A natural disaster recently totalled my car, and left me scrambling to figure out how the local buses worked, etc. About a week later, I found this book and read it almost overnight. It is filled with some good math on why being car free makes sense, lots of suggestions on how to explain going car-free to incredulous friends and family, and importantly for me, information on dating and socializing ideas. I thought things were really going to stink for a while when my car first died, but now I am out and about more than ever, enjoying the extra money and better health being car-free has brought me, and its only been six weeks so far!

This book is exactly what it says in the title. Most people will look at you really weird when you tell them you don't own a car and even more so when you say it is by choice, but as gas prices rise, they will start to envy you. This book lays out the steps to becoming car-free and shows how easy they are to follow. Most importantly, it also shows that you are not alone and that automobiles are simply status symbols that have no connection to living your life to the fullest.

This book tells the story of a guy who accidentally went car-free and was amazed at the savings! Most people don't realize how much they pay for their cars when you add up all of the costs. This book is fun to read. If you want or need to save money, giving up the car is well worth considering.

I am not car-free, but my husband and I gave away our second car about ten months ago. I take the bus to work, and we have found it really easy to share a car.

This is a tremendous, hard hitting work on many, many levels. Above all, Balish's appeal for freeing ourselves from the tyranny of our automobiles will resonate with a wide readership - those wishing to save money, (LOTS of money), those wanting to simplify their lives, and those wishing to build a more sustainable future.

Too often, suggestions to wean ourselves from petroleum in order to protect the planet are pigeonholed as strictly "environmental", and disregarded by a population more concerned with their pocketbooks. "How to Live Well Without Owning a Car" brilliantly blends both issues, showing people how they can slash their bills AND reduce their carbon emissions.

As an avid biker/walker who still owns a car, reading this book just may be the final push I need to sell my petro-mobile.....

"How to Live Well Without Owning a Car" would have been relevant 5, 10, 15, or 20 years ago - today it is absolutely a must read.

This book is filled with practical, helpful information. I lived without a car for about a year and managed very well, but I still learned a lot. I am a lawyer who represents people who have lost their driver's license for one reason or another, and I am going to recommend it to my clients. However, even if you have a license, this book shows you that choosing not to drive can vastly improve your life. It is also an easy, fun read.