Americans Work 2 Hours Each Day To Pay For Their Cars « Columbus Underground Messageboard

Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion » Transportation

Americans Work 2 Hours Each Day To Pay For Their Cars

[15 posts] [12 contributors]

Topic Rating:

(Total Ratings: )
Rate this topic:

Started 2 years ago by Walker
Latest reply from manticore33

Tags:

Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
Login to Send PM

Americans Work 2 Hours Each Day To Pay For Their Cars
Posted by James D. Schwartz

500 hours a year - or 2 hours each day - is roughly the equivalent to what the average American worker will work in order to pay for their cars (the average is between 1.46 hour/day and 2.90 hours/day depending on which data is used).

READ MORE: http://www.theurbancountry.com/2011/05/americans-work-2-hours-each-day-to-pay.html

More info about the data/calculations used: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/americans-working-to-feed-their-cars.php

Posted 2 years ago #
cc

Login to Send PM

pseudoscience tastes like taco bell without the buzz...

Posted 2 years ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
Login to Send PM

More like 1/2 an hour or less for mine.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
Login to Send PM

We don't have a car payment, so that's zero hours per day for us, right? ;)

Anyway... still some interesting information for review.

Posted 2 years ago #
joev
Merion Village
Login to Send PM

I work 0 hours a week to pay for a car, but might have to find a part time job to afford box gutter repair.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
Login to Send PM

Related...

Teens driving to jobs burn up pay on gas
Sunday, May 15, 2011 03:10 AM
BY ROBERT VITALE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Young workers with a 20-hour minimum-wage job will earn $148 a week before taxes. They'll pay almost $80 for a 20-gallon tank of gas, based on the average price in Ohio last week. That's more than half their paychecks.

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/05/15/teens-driving-to-jobs-burn-up-pay-on-gas.html?sid=101

Posted 2 years ago #
Andrew Hall
Dennison Place (The Circles)
Login to Send PM

Walker wrote
BY ROBERT VITALE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Young workers with a 20-hour minimum-wage job will earn $148 a week before taxes. They'll pay almost $80 for a 20-gallon tank of gas, based on the average price in Ohio last week. That's more than half their paychecks.

Bullshit. If we assume they work 5 days / wk and their car is a low 20mpg car, then they have an 80 mile round trip to and from work (and school). Really? The article writer is an idiot to think that is anything close to typical. And if someone does drive 80mi/day for a pt minimum wage job, they are an idiot.

If they drive ~13 mi / day, that tank of gas will last a month. That is a more reasonable assessment.

A.

Posted 2 years ago #
jeff_r

Login to Send PM

Walker wrote >>
Americans Work 2 Hours Each Day To Pay For Their Cars
Posted by James D. Schwartz
500 hours a year - or 2 hours each day - is roughly the equivalent to what the average American worker will work in order to pay for their cars (the average is between 1.46 hour/day and 2.90 hours/day depending on which data is used).
READ MORE: http://www.theurbancountry.com/2011/05/americans-work-2-hours-each-day-to-pay.html
More info about the data/calculations used: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/americans-working-to-feed-their-cars.php

That is interesting. While people will likely quibble over how the cost of car ownership is calculated, the fact remains that owning a car is expensive. If you're not making a regular car payment on a new or late model used car you're likely investing in the occasional expensive repair job to keep your older car on the road. Throw in gas, insurance, and registration and it does start to add up.

Obviously in a city like Columbus, car ownership isn't optional for a lot of people. I don't know if anyone's ever done a study on what percentage of Central Ohio jobs are "easily accessible" by public transit, but I bet it's not a lot.

Posted 2 years ago #
Chris Sherman
East Franklinton
Login to Send PM

i have no car payments but keeping 2 to 3 vehicles full of gas every week is becoming really expensive. my main work truck get 9 mpg highway. im spending about 100 dollars a week alone just on the chevy sometimes.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
Login to Send PM

jeff_r wrote >>
I don't know if anyone's ever done a study on what percentage of Central Ohio jobs are "easily accessible" by public transit, but I bet it's not a lot.

http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/many-jobs-out-of-reach-of-mass-transit

;)

Posted 2 years ago #
peanutnozone
Baltimore MD
Login to Send PM

Walker wrote >>
Related...
Teens driving to jobs burn up pay on gas
Sunday, May 15, 2011 03:10 AM
BY ROBERT VITALE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Young workers with a 20-hour minimum-wage job will earn $148 a week before taxes. They'll pay almost $80 for a 20-gallon tank of gas, based on the average price in Ohio last week. That's more than half their paychecks.
READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/05/15/teens-driving-to-jobs-burn-up-pay-on-gas.html?sid=101

I can believe that. I mean if you're a teenager and going to high school, that will just barely pay for gas, because not only are you going to - from work, and to - from school, but I'm sure friends that don't have cars will need a ride here and there...

I know when I was 17, which wasn't that long ago...like 8 years ago? I would get a $20 from my mom and I could fill up my little cavalier and still have money for starbucks.

I wonder how kids are doing it these days?

Posted 2 years ago #
Liner Notes
Short North
Login to Send PM

Walker wrote >>
We don't have a car payment, so that's zero hours per day for us, right? ;)
Anyway... still some interesting information for review.

Same here. We average about $500-$600 per year in repairs and maintenance though.

Also, I am going to guess that a good majority of the 1.147 people per household working full time are actually salaried employees or self employed. They aren't getting those 2 hours a day back regardless. ;)

Posted 2 years ago #
MrStoneCutter

Login to Send PM

At the minimum wage of 7.25 per hour you would have to work 8 hours to fill up your tank. I used to commute to osu from mount Vernon and I'd use two tanks a week. I'm glad i've graduated because I could not do that today.

Posted 2 years ago #
GCrites80s
5xNW
Login to Send PM

A lot more kids don't even bother with a driver's license or a car than say 15 years ago.

Posted 2 years ago #
manticore33
Delaware, OH
Login to Send PM

Thank you for sharing these articles. It is important that people start thinking in terms of "total costs" and include time as a factor (even beyond just to have a car or not) when making lifestyle and financial decisions.

I know I could earn more working in Columbus proper, but when I figure the price of gasoline, maintenance, time, city taxes (Lewis Center has no income tax, my city is just now 1.85%) and etc I would lose time and money. Unfortunately, my house is not very liquid either, so picking up and moving close is not an option (plus real estate taxes would be $1k+ higher than what I pay now).

Fortunately, my commute is a relatively short 11 miles each way or about $4.00 a workday (car averages 23.5mpg). Two people at my company live within a mile of me and we started car pooling. Thus, I drive every 3rd week. I will admit, car pooling can be difficult sometimes if you have errands to run or need to stay late, but the overall cost savings make it worth it.

(Edit: I should note that all three of my cars are paid for, I have less than $11,000 (including repairs) invested in the cars. And, I do all of my own service work as a personal hobby).

Posted 2 years ago #