subject: Carpooling Is Money Saving [print this page] A lot of whether or not carpooling will work for you depends on the kind of job that you have, the location of your job in proximity to where you live, as well as the area that you live in.
Obviously, people who live in a metropolitan area such as New York City or San Francisco will have better opportunities to take advantage of carpooling than someone who lives in a small rural town out in the middle of nowhere. Besides carpooling, mass transit is a fantastic option, allowing you to save some money on gasoline. However, be wary of this as well. For instance, the average person who lives on Long Island, NY and works in the city, spends around $400 per month on mass transit. This 'mass transit' includes things such as taking the train each day as well as subway fare and taxi cabs. So, while you may not have to worry about paying for gasoline, if you own a vehicle, this can quickly add up and wind up costing you far more than it could ever save you. For example, if you own a car, you have to worry about paying for your monthly car payment, your vehicle insurance and any maintenance to the vehicle. Now, add on top of that number the $400 or so that it costs you to commute to work each month and suddenly you may find that you're not really bringing home that much money from your job.
Another thing that is gaining in popularity is something called rideshare. Rideshares are a great method of carpooling that involve having a designated driver pick you and other co-workers up from your homes. Typically, one person will alternate each week (or however you work it out) to pick up the rest of the group. It is a nice option for those who work at the same company and live relatively close to one another. Everyone contributes a certain amount of money towards this method of carpooling. Another method of mass transit involves taking the bus to work. While bus fare may be somewhat inexpensive, knowing where the bus stops are as well as the time restrictions for when the buses operate may prove to be not worth it in the long run. For example, there was one year when I was in college where I didn't have a car and took to using the bus in order to do things such as grocery shopping or just to go places where it was too far to walk. However, the downside was that often the buses were not on time, and the nearest bus stop to where I lived at the time was approximately one mile away. While the mile walk wasn't so bad, there was no sidewalk, and if the weather was bad, I didn't have anything to shield me from dangers such as lightning.
Overall, carpooling is a great idea, provided that you can make it work for your current situation. Otherwise, you may have no choice but to use your car to get from place to place.
by: David Williams 2
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