You might have noticed that there was an election last week. Maybe your jammed mailbox and the millions of commercials tipped you off. Some people have been concerned about the nation’s deficit.
Well, I’m not talking about that deficit.
I can’t do too much about that deficit. But I can help folks get a lot of vehicle for a lot less. I’m looking at what a deal riding a bike is compared to a car and how that can help our personal deficits.
I wasn’t paying too much attention to the political ads but I have been watching car ads on TV. Next to a house, an automobile is generally the second largest purchase a person makes and often is the second largest payment a person has. Cash flow is the big issue in a lot of households today and that is what I work on fixing.
How much can you get today for your money?
Let’s compare. I looked at financing a nice little crossover SUV. The one I looked at costs under $19,000. I looked at 72 month financing to keep the monthly payments low and I put $2300 down. Why a $2300 down payment? Bear with me.
For this crossover, I need to pay the $2,300 up front and make payments of over $270 per month (Special Offer – 4.9% interest!!) … until 2016! (Weren’t we supposed to be flying our cars in 2016??) The total interest I pay is over $2,600! I end up paying almost $22,000 for that car.
Why did I go with $2,300 down?
Because MPG Motors is still offering a new Buddy 125 for $2,300 – all delivery and preparation fees included, two year warranty and two years of Roadside Assistance. You pay tax and tags. And by the way, you don’t pay nearly as much *for* that tax on a bike as you do on that SUV – $1,140 vs. $138. Insurance on a $20,000 car vs. a $2,300 bike – not even close.
If the goal is to get you there, have other people wave at you and enjoy life to the max, why don’t we all reduce our deficits with a bike? Use the money you save to do something you want to do instead of writing a $270 check … for the next six years!
What to do with all that extra money??
You know, if bikes can save you that much money maybe the government should start riding fun, fast and efficient motorcycles and scooters! A trillion here, a trillion there…