Codes of Living - 11

Will There Be a Magic Formula?

We're after the magic formula. When we included the last monthly total communication costs in our yesterday's article, it had increased to 14,177 liras.

Today we're going to tour car dealerships, see if we can find an affordable family car.

If we can find it, we will pay with the vehicle loan given to us by our bank under special conditions. Many banks have a lot of prerequisites, one of which is that we have the money saved for the down payment. But we accept that our bank does not have a savings requirement for the down payment. The maximum maturity period for car loans is 48 months. Our bank also gives loans in this term.

Taxi Prices:

Let's call a taxi this time to go to the gallery.

Taxi prices vary from city to city. Let's examine a couple of cities:

The hop-on hop-off fee in Edirne is 6 liras and 4 kurus, and the fee to be paid for 10 km is 46 liras.

Getting on and off in Iğdır is 5 liras 55 kurus, 10 kms 55 liras 50 kurus.

In Muğla, hop on and off is 7 lira 38 kuruş, 10 km 78 lira 81 kuruş.

In Diyarbakir, hop-on hop-off is 15 lira, 10 km is 51 lira.

In Istanbul, it varies from taxi to taxi, hop-on hop-off fares are 28 liras for yellow and burgundy taxis, 32 liras for turquoise taxis, and 48 liras for black taxis. The fares for 10 km are 72 liras 80 cents for yellow and burgundy taxis, 83 liras 77 cents for turquoise taxis, and 123 liras 76 cents for black taxis. Bridge crossings and highways are charged separately.

20 liras for hop-on hop-off yellow taxis and 30 liras for black luxury taxis in Izmir. It costs 96 liras for 10 km yellow taxis and 144 liras for black luxury taxis.

Getting on and off in Ankara is 20 lira, 10 km is 67 lira, 50 cents.

This means that if we have to take a taxi once or twice a month, we will have a minimum average cost of 100 liras. Of course, fuel prices change every day, taxi fares may also change. Let's add 100 liras to our account, just in case, for emergencies, we may need an emergency taxi within the month.

Minibus, Minibus and Other Public Transport Fees:

I wonder how much our transportation expenses would be if we commute from the front of the house to the nearest metro stop by minibus and from there to the nearest stop by bus, 26 days a month on the commute route. Let's make this calculation for Istanbul.

Minibus fares for Istanbul were last increased in April. For hop-on hop-off, 5 lira increased to 25 cents, and for an average distance, 6 lira increased to 25 cents. We can say that a daily return trip is 12 lira and 50 kuruş. Our father's commute to work costs 325 liras per month. We can say that if one-third of the women go somewhere, a minibus fee of 450 liras per month is required.

Then we said metro, we said public transportation. It makes a minimum of 104 rides per month from 4 rides per day. E-tickets for 10 passes cost 88 liras, and 104 passes cost around 950 liras. Tariffs vary from line to line, and city line ferry prices also vary if needed.

In this case, the most logical thing is to get a monthly İBB blue card, the fee is 602 liras per month. The lady also needs one, she may need to go somewhere with the baby. I don't know what the latest situation is, as far as I know it would be discounted for women with babies, although sometimes she might have to go to the market on her own. Let's accept the discounted blue card price for the lady, 374 liras. Although I have a question, the number of monthly issues of the blue card is set to 180, the discount card we get for the lady is 200. We need 104 editions. Maybe she will use less. I don't know if the remaining balance on the card can be used in the next month. Such questions were asked on the complaint line, but the answer is not written. So, let's put this as a question in our minds and for now, let's add the prices to our account as they are now.

In this case, if we add the taxi fare to our monthly transportation expenses, excluding the expenses of our own car:

   √ 100 lira emergency taxi

   √ 450 TL minibus

   √ 976 lira IMM blue cards

We can say a total of 1,500 liras.

By the way, there is a similar application in Ankara, the full ticket is 6.5 liras, while the student is 3.5 liras. Minibus fares vary from 4 lira to 8 lira. But as far as I understand, there is no application such as a monthly fixed card fee. You deposit money on your card and these fees are deducted from the card each time it is issued. It means that you have to deposit money on the card as it ends. I wish they had made the cards with credit, at least they would have put a credit option.

Moscow is a little more practical in this regard, you get a single card, like Akbil. Blank cards are sold for a fee. Then you charge a three-day, one-month, quarterly or annual fee to your card. Then press as many times as you want, get into the vehicle you want, there is no limit. Valid on all public transport vehicles, including the metro. They have taken a precaution so that two people cannot print one card at the same time. After pressing once, you can only print the second one after fifteen minutes. So you cannot use it for someone else next to you at the same time. If you have time, you can wait for fifteen minutes and use the same card for your friend. The municipality accepted this risk. The refill fee of the card is 2360 rubles for a month, 722 liras and 88 kurus in Turkish lira at today's exchange rates. I forgot the blank card price, but it wasn't too high.

It costs more or less the same as in Istanbul, but if you consider how large the metro network is, there is no need for any other means of transportation. You can leave the nearest metro station to your destination and get on the tram or electric bus, trolleybus, whatever you want, and you can easily reach where you want. I think there are also minibus lines in some places, but very few. I don't know their prices, but minibuses charge separately, of course.

The effect of rising gasoline prices:

Unleaded gasoline is 95 octane, 56 rubles per liter. Turkish lira equivalent to 17 liras and 15 kurus at daily exchange rates. It is quite cheap compared to Turkey. It used to be even cheaper, the price has gone up a bit in the last few years. Just two or three years ago, it was around 25 rubles a liter. Here, too, there is inflation, although not very high. I also remember when it was 20 cents, 97-98. If we calculate with today's rates, a liter of gasoline was 3 lira 50 cents back then...

Apart from the monthly or longer-term cards, there are also cards that you can directly load money for single, double or more printing. In short, Moscow seems to me more practical.

Let's not skip the child's service fee, let's take a look at the service fees. Service fees are also not less, the minimum distance for Istanbul is 554 liras. There are also fees for different distances up to 1330 lira. Let's think that the school is not far away, let's consider the fee close to the minimum, a little over the lowest wage, for example, let's say 600 lira per month. There is no service fee during the summer holidays, but if we had taken the average, we would have accepted a higher fee, I think this fee would compensate for the summer months.

Buying a Car:

Finally, it's time for car prices. We reached a gallery to call a taxi and look at prices.

We need family cars, so let's look at sedans or hatchbacks. Owning a car already requires a certain level of income, so as a middle-class family, I say let's calculate the lowest-priced car, whatever model it is, and that price.

There are also second-hand vehicles here, but their prices are not that low when we consider the repair cost. So let's look at brand new cars.

I only look at certain brands in new vehicles, the most preferred ones.

The lowest price in a brand is 374,900 liras, sedan.

The lowest price in the other brand is 481,700 liras, hatchback.

In another, the lowest price is 499,000 liras, sedan.

The lowest price in another is 522.000 lira, sedan

The lowest price in another is 386,900 liras, hatchback.

The lowest priced brand is 374,900 liras, sedan. Since our loan term is 48 months, the monthly installment load is 7.810 liras. How high. This means that buying a car has become a dream come true. What do you think, should we add the installment from this price to the account? Can a middle class family afford it?

This will cost more fuel. Even if we say let's have a picnic only on the weekend, the closest picnic area is 60-70 km away in Istanbul conditions. We went and came, at least 150 km. If we say we go somewhere four times a month, 600 km. If we go somewhere else 200 km in the month, it would be 800 km. Even the cars with the lowest fuel consumption burn 5-6 liters of gasoline per 100 km in the city. With a 45-50 liter tank, it will reach a maximum of 800 km. In other words, one tank per month is just the cost of gasoline.

The current price of 95 octane unleaded gasoline is 27 lira and 51 cents. If we buy 50 liters of gasoline per month, it costs 1,376 liras.

In addition, have you had your car insurance, insurance, oil, water, service, maintenance, washing. In short, it costs a lot. Moreover, it seems very difficult for a middle-class family to buy a car with this calculation, under the conditions of today's Turkey, while fuel prices are rising every day. The calculation is in the middle, I don't think it's possible.

Ana, let's not hold back from our fun. The only way to go to a picnic is to gather three or five families in the neighborhood and put gasoline in Uncle Ahmet's minibus together. No other choice!

In the meantime, it is necessary to keep close neighborly relations. Of course, it is necessary to get on well with Uncle Ahmet, who has a minibus in the neighborhood, and to keep his heart pleasant.

Reducing Gasoline Costs:

What if there is no uncle Ahmet in the neighborhood who has a minibus? What will we do then?

I can think of a couple of other remedies, one of which is to have a picnic in the people's garden. But I don't know if they will allow barbecues there. While there is a metro station exit inside, transportation will not be too difficult. Even though it is a bit difficult with all that load, we may have a chance to have a picnic by reaching the people's garden, which was built instead of Atatürk airport when it was opened. Let's see, we'll find out when it opens. They don't listen to anyone anyway, they'll open soon.

Another option may be daily car rental. There are also rental cars from their owners, the hourly rate is at least 20 liras on the internet. A day is worth 480 lira if true. I'm looking at another site, this site belongs to the car rental company. The daily rental price is written as a minimum of 201 lira. It makes sense now. There is also a rental car for 659 liras per day from more luxurious models. Even if we find a vehicle at this price, it is necessary to deposit the world's money as guarantee money first. Even if we do not take this payment into account, if we rent the lowest paid one for four days a month, the flat account will only cost 800 lira per month. It also has gasoline. We have to put the gas ourselves. If we say that we will use it just to go on a picnic or to eat somewhere, it costs 250 liras of gasoline every time. In addition to the rental fee, a minimum of 1,000 lira per month is the gas money. Our total expenditure is 1,800 lira, which is at least 1,000 lira more than the 800 lira per month we will pay for uncle Ahmet's minibus. I don't think we can handle it.

Let's not forget to ask for the sake of Uncle Ahmet every time we come across it in the neighborhood.

Being a middle class family is really hard. If we also consider low-income families, their situation is even worse, may Allah make it easy for them and give it to all of us.

Unfortunately, it seems very difficult for us to buy our own car, just as we could not buy our own house under these conditions. Even for the simplest model, we have to allocate about 10,000 lira per month with all its expenses. In today's Turkey, I think it is not possible for a middle-class family to own a vehicle at a young age. But if you can save for a very long time, maybe you can get one when you reach middle age. How sad is that, right?

Maybe one day we will understand the gravity of this situation and we will be able to choose the cadres who will manage the country properly, or rather we will. Let's stop saying that fate should be ashamed until that day comes, and remember the words of Joseph de Maistre: "toute nation a le gouvernement qu'elle mérite", that is, in its Turkish translation, "every nation is governed as it deserves". What is the right word?

Let's summarize our account now.

For now, I am adding an additional 800 lira per month to Uncle Ahmet's share for picnics or meals on weekends. If we are going to a restaurant instead of a picnic, I think this money is enough for a taxi.

Here is today's summary:

∆ 2,300 liras of accommodation,

∆ 8,550 pounds of nutrition,

∆ 1,820 TL installment of goods

∆ 985 lira electricity, water and gas

∆ 522 lira monthly communication expense

   √ 1.500 TL for adults

   √ 600 TL child service

   √ 800 lira for Uncle Ahmet

∆ Our total monthly transportation expense of 2,900 TL.

In this case, our monthly total income requirement increased to 17,077 liras.

I was very depressed today because I couldn't buy a car, even the simplest, although what dreams I had. It seems that we will not have a car for many years to come. Study all these years, serve your country, start a family, and then even one day at the weekend for a family fun, as in normal countries, a peaceful life with a car.

Our monthly expense has also reached the limit of almost $ 1000. Moreover, it is a holiday on our account, touristic trips to other countries, even to kiss the hands of our elders in a holiday time, without adding intercity travel expenses. In fact, there are many other activities that should be under normal conditions. But we didn't plan to take it into account because such events are not suitable for the middle class family. However, our expenses have already reached this level. Come on, don't be offended. Why do we have to take this difficulty, is there a solution for this?

Anyway, we need to finalize the calculation, we still have a few more expenses to calculate. Today, we are both very tired and depressed, let's say goodbye to the day, let's go and love a little baby. We continue tomorrow.

Love and regards from Moscow.