Doesn't pay to live in BFE...sorry...

[capitalcityguy]

If a person wants small town life, for the sake of small town life, I get that . I grew up in towns for 2,400 and later, 250 and do appreciate the charm, laid back pace, chance to know everyone, be elected mayor , etc. that comes with our Iowa small towns.

That said, what many are forgetting when they think the are choosing it also for reasons of cost savings (ie...housing is so much cheaper in BFE, IA) , is what they are spending in commuting related expenses. The problem is, too many just consider the cost of fuel however in the end, it is much more than that. AAA study puts annual cost for commuting at $8776. (ouch!):

Driving costs you $8,776 a year « Des Moines Bicycle Collective Commuter Corner

[capitalcityguy]

This paragraph from the article is probably more level headed than what I expressed above:

This isn't the first time I've seen this annual study, but the price people, myself included, pay to drive never ceases to amaze me. Of course, they're getting a lot of significant things in return for their $8,776: convenient shopping, the ability to get to work on time, an easy way to go on vacation, among other things. I'm not immune to the charms of a beautiful new car, and new cars today are without a doubt the most luxurious and technologically advanced in history. But people should at least know the cost of buying into America's love of the automobile

Read more: Driving costs you $8,776 a year | Bankrate.com Driving costs you $8,776 a year | Bankrate.com

[CarolinaCy]

Not sure why you are commenting on small-town living. From what I can tell, this article states that it will cost you $8,776 per year to drive a car 15,000 miles - no matter where you live.

[capitalcityguy]

Not sure why you are commenting on small-town living. From what I can tell, this article states that it will cost you $8,776 per year to drive a car 15,000 miles - no matter where you live.

Good point. Let me state it better this way.

What could you do with an extra $8,776/year if you made the decision to live within walking/biking (or mass transit) distance from work? Or...forget the money savings, how about the extra benefits received from the exercise?

[azepp]

As you so eloquently put it yesterday...

....and your point?

Where ever there are a lot of people, you increase your opportunity and incident for crime.

Likewise, there isn't going to be a lot of crime in Cummings, Iowa because: 1) everyone is in bed by 9 2) there are somthing like 500 peeps total.

What is next? "Downtown has a lot of tall buildings." ?

[capitalcityguy]

As you so eloquently put it yesterday...

There may be reasons you'd chose not to live in downtown Des Moines (present company included), but crime would not be a valid one IMO.

[ISUAgronomist]

Live close to family>>>>>>>>>>>>>(x ∞) Live close to work

[Boxerdaddy]

Not sure why you are commenting on small-town living. From what I can tell, this article states that it will cost you $8,776 per year to drive a car 15,000 miles - no matter where you live.

Yea...my parents live in a small town and drive about a mile to work. There are people in the city that drive a mile to work. There are people in the small towns that drive 50 miles to work...there are people in the city that drive 50 miles to work.

[capitalcityguy]

Live close to family>>>>>>>>>>>>>(x ∞) Live close to work

Well...yeah...but are you including the in-law's?

[isufbcurt]

After living outside of city limits for the last year or so, I will never live in town again. The financial costs aren't even an issue for me, I prefer to have land to play on with my toys, not having to worry if my burn pile or something else will annoy my neighbors and I like the wooded area and stream that run through my back yard.

[capitalcityguy]

Yea...my parents live in a small town and drive about a mile to work. There are people in the city that drive a mile to work. There are people in the small towns that drive 50 miles to work...there are people in the city that drive 50 miles to work.

OK...OK...let's slow down people. We can all blow up the thread to 50 pages and show examples similar to the above. That is missing the point.

Rather, I can't be the only one that hears people say they chose to live somewhere for X number of reasons, and one factor they didn't consider in the equation was cost of commuting....and if they did, I bet they didn't consider the factor to be as high as just south of $9K.

[jdoggivjc]

After living outside of city limits for the last year or so, I will never live in town again. The financial costs aren't even an issue for me, I prefer to have land to play on with my toys, not having to worry if my burn pile or something else will annoy my neighbors and I like the wooded area and stream that run through my back yard.

Yeah, but capitalcityguy thinks everyone should just go to their nearest city park to get all that...

[capitalcityguy]

After living outside of city limits for the last year or so, I will never live in town again. The financial costs aren't even an issue for me, I prefer to have land to play on with my toys, not having to worry if my burn pile or something else will annoy my neighbors and I like the wooded area and stream that run through my back yard.

Sounds like made the right choice for your situation and desires.

But...how many people don't have the same interests you do, but choose to live out there because they think "it is cheaper"?

[LutherBlue]

Most Iowans don't know anything other than car culture. It would never occur to them to consider proximity to a bus route or ease of bicycling commute in choosing a place to live. Because all they have known is car transportation.

And you could say the same for almost any non-urban area in the USA. Until you've converted to an alternative means of commuting (or been forced to convert by the prohibitive expense of commuting by car), you just don't think about it.

[ISUAgronomist]

Well...yeah...but are you including the in-law's?

Actually I'd rather live close to in-laws than work too. Work is what I'm paid to do. Being with family is enjoyment in life. (Plus, I can easily avoid my MIL with their huge house, wood shop, and land.)