I sold my car and started taking the bus. Here are two big ways my life is better now

Who wouldn’t do this?

Back in August, I got rid of my car and started taking the bus. In East Lansing, Michigan it’s not very glamorous. Our bus system isn’t anything like Chicago or New York City. Somehow it’s worse.

My car payment for a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze was $375.24 per month. I was spending at least $250 per month in auto insurance. Not having that financial burden has made my life less stressful and has allowed me to breathe.

There are other perks too. Studies show that U.S. commute times are longer than ever and they’re stressing us out. Lucky for me, I work five minutes away. Being a barista part-time, taking classes full-time, and getting 20 percent of my income from freelance writing isn’t completely stress-free, but not having to deal with jerks on the road helps.

Between stress and work-life balance, taking the bus has been an upgrade. Here’s are the top ways my life is better and I’m able to get more done.

I’m rarely late to anything

I never thought I would be able to say this: I’m the most punctual I’ve ever been. The last time I was this on-time was when I had to take the bus to high school. I was chronically late.