Just a week ago, I traded in my lifted, gas-guzzling truck for a practical SUV.

Alt text Goodbye GMC Sierra

Yes, I truly loved that truck. The amount of time and money I invested to make it look “sick” would probably alarm most people, but the joy it brought me leaves no room for regret.

However, it was time to grow up and recognize that a vehicle’s primary purpose is simply to get from point A to point B. I needed to break free from the social pressure of trying to look cool in a ridiculously unnecessary 7,100-pound machine whose sole function was to ferry me around town.

“No way I could give up my truck!” exclaimed a shocked colleague when I shared my recent decision. I asked him, “Why not?”

After some eye-rolling and mumbled sentences, the best reason he could offer was, “I need it to haul newly purchased household items like the dishwasher I bought last year. It’s always nice to have it when you need it.”

Okay, so you’re spending eight times the gas every day just to drive a vehicle you might use a handful of times per year for hauling? I hope I didn’t sound that ridiculous when people asked me why I drove my truck.

Sure, my SUV can’t carry certain large items, but for those few times a year, I can always head down to U-Haul and rent a perfectly capable pickup truck for $19.99 a day or rent a small utility trailer to tow behind my SUV for $8.00 a day.

Beyond realizing I had no real use for the truck, there was one main deciding factor: money. After adding up all my receipts, the total yearly cost I was spending to drive a vehicle I already owned was mind-blowing.

Below is the straightforward breakdown of my yearly truck expenses:

Yearly Truck Expenses:

Fuel: $4,848
Maintenance: $1,500
Insurance: $2,000
Tires and Accessories: $1,652
Total: $10,000

Yes, that’s right—I was spending a whopping $10,000 a year to drive a vehicle I already owned! No payments, no interest! I drove that truck for four years—that’s an enormous slap in the face totaling $40,000.

After I was done tearing my hair out, I quickly loaded up AutoTrader and found myself a mint-condition 2013 Toyota RAV4 Limited with 50,000 km.

This compact SUV has every feature I could ask for: leather heated seats, sunroof, 4×4, backup camera, JBL audio system, touchscreen—the works! Best of all, it costs just $38.41 to fill up, and after my first week of driving, I had only used half a tank of gas.

Compared to spending $60 every 3.5 days with my truck, I was saving $404 a month—$4,848 a year—in fuel alone! Not to mention all the other “cool” savings on oversized tires and costly repairs.

Now, I watch others drive around in their giant, money-eating machines and imagine how much money they’re wasting just to look cool in a $50,000-plus vehicle. Not to mention, 90% of them don’t even own their trucks outright; adding loans and interest into the equation drives costs even higher and prolongs their time in the 9-to-5 rat race.

You can find a perfectly reliable vehicle between $8,000 and $12,000 that will save you a fortune in the long run—you just have to settle and grow up! Personally, I think having a fat stack of cash and an early retirement looks more badass than being in debt commuting to work.

It’s safe to say I’m happy with my purchase. I highly encourage everyone else driving oversized vehicles to consider doing the same!

Alt text Hello used 2013 RAV4