We all know, driving less is better for the environment. And it's definitely better for your budget. Recession This! readers in NYC and other large cities are probably aware of car sharing companies but perhaps you haven't given it a try. Recently, multiple options for car sharing have become available in NYC. New York Magazine had an article in March comparing 2 new companies (Connect by Hertz and Mint) to the more established Zipcar. Recession This! has not tries either Connect by Hertz or Mint so we can't compare ourselves but several of us are happy Zipcar members.
A Zipcar membership allows you access to over 1670 cars in the 5 boroughs & New Jersey and anywhere else they are available. You can add family members or friends or significant others to your account. There are several different payment plan options depending on how often you want to use the cars. Each plan includes tax, gas and insurance while you drive. For details on how the program works, check out Zipcar's comprehensive site.
I'm here to encourage you to give it a try. We use a Zipcar about once every 2 months to pick up and drop off at our storage unit (the curse of the tiny NYC apartment), drop off stuff at Goodwill (for a tax credit!), take a day-trip out of NYC, pick up free furniture from friends and even to stock up at Trader Joe's in Queens.
If you're curious, Recession This! can offer you $25 in driving credit when you sign up for Zipcar - another way to save a little money! Click the button above or click here to Join Zipcar and get $25 in free driving!
