TXcheermom
Cheer Parent
- Dec 14, 2009
- 866
- 659
ZipCar in a nutshell: car sharing program. You go online and type in when you need a car. They tell you locations that have one available for the times you need and you pick one--they're located all over the city. There are all kinds of cars--sometimes I end up with a Honda Civic or a Mazda 3, sometimes I end up with a BMW or Volvo. There is a modest annual membership fee ($25/year) and then you pay hourly for the car (usually about $9/hour). Hourly fee includes car, gas!!! (there is a card in the car to pay for gas), and insurance. Once you choose your car, you just go to the place it is and use your membership card to open the car. Keys and gas card are inside--the car won't start if you haven't used your card to open it though, so they can't really get stolen as easily as people think.
For cheer I choose whatever is available the farthest out of the city so we can take a train past all the traffic, then drive the rest of the way to practice. Occasionally I wait too long to reserve and get stuck with a car downtown--those are the days it takes 3 hours to get to practice.
As far as cost? YES, I am absolutely spending what I used to on a car in VA, but I don't really do it to save money. I do it to save on hassle. Things I NEVER have to worry about:
--price of gas
--insurance
--depreciation (always new cars)
--repairs
--taxes/registration
--PARKING IN THE CITY --this is probably one of my biggest ones. Parking where I live is a nightmare. I live in the city, so there is never a space, people park "by touch" here--meaning they parallel park by running into your car until they squeeze in.Parking where I work is $30 a day! So not dealing with parking is reason enough to not own a car here. LOL
I plan to move out to the suburbs in a year or so, so I'll have to buy another car then.
holy cow!!!!! lol i give you major props!!!
i hear ya on parking and gas!!! your right you prob do save money!!! gas is outrageous!
