Buy a new bicycle and start riding it

by sarah gilbert

If you're even moderately healthy and live within 15 miles of your office/school/fave shopping destination, securing a smoothly-operating bicycle is good business. You'll end up saving money on gas and repairs, and if you go whole hog and stop driving like my family, you'll save on insurance and annual tag fees too. Depending on where you are in your bicycling career, you could buy a new bike, fix up an old one, buy some great cargo carriers or child seats (I'm headed straight to a great local bike shop upon receipt of my Stimulus Package to get an Xtracycle with two BoBike seats for my 9-month-old and three-year-old). What would happen if gas went through the roof? What would happen if you could no longer afford your car payment? What would happen... if you already had a well-working bicycle and some strong leg muscles already part of your transportation portfolio? It's good for your health, it's fun, it's great for the planet, and best of all, it saves you money.