Reconsider your car needs. Robbins believes the vast majority of Americans underestimate the costs of owning a car. They factor in the monthly loan payment but forget about the cost of parking, tolls, routine maintenance, and accidents, for example. If people calculated the true costs of car ownership, they might own fewer vehicles or none at all. Robbins adds that less car use also means more time because you avoid traffic. "When you drive less, you save money and get more exercise. You restore vital connections with people, nature, and community. And you participate in something much bigger. You help reduce our dependence on imported oil, cut down on air pollution, and slow global warming," he says.
Chose your location wisely. Avoiding cars is easier, of course, if you live near public transportation or in a central, walkable area.
Robbins believes that a few key lifestyle changes—and shift in the definition of wealth—offer a better chance at happiness than the more traditional pursuit of material riches.
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