Moving to a new city is a big decision that requires careful planning and consideration. Perhaps you’ve already thought about such things as which preschool the kids will go to, and where you’ll now take your yoga class. But have you made a plan for where you’ll park your car in a city which is notorious for lack of parking spots?
Unfortunately, cities with a lack of parking are becoming an increasingly common problem. That’s why we understand that it can seem like quite the conundrum at first, especially if you haven’t had the time to think it through. But there’s no need to stress! You’ll be happy to learn that there are a number of approaches you can take. Just read up on these 4 tips, and you’ll be on your way to figuring out a solution in no time.
Ask Around
Ever heard of the expression, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”? This is the approach you need to take when you first move to a city with no parking for your car. The locals in your city will know all of the ins and outs of finding parking in town, so seek their insights.
Advertise That You’re Looking for a Spot
“Don’t be afraid to create an advertisement that lets everyone know you’re after a parking spot,” says Angela Stringfellow of Motor Today. “If you’ve already asked around for advice on getting a parking spot to no avail, creating an advertisement expressing your interest in renting a parking spot is your next best bet.”
We second this advice – there’s no use being shy about what you need. Either use an online classifieds site like Craigslist, or if you want more of a traditional approach, go around town dropping off fliers with your request.
Find Resources Dedicated to Renting Out Parking Spaces
According to the experts at CarBrain, “when you can’t have your own of something, the easiest solution is to rent it. Same goes for a parking spot – one of your best bets, when parking is a problem, is to rent out a parking spot. The good news is that there are countless resources out there dedicated to streamlining the process of finding and renting one.”
First, you’ll need to decide whether you want to rent from an individual, or a company. If you want to rent from an individual, you can either ask around town (see tip 1 above), or use a website that will help you track someone in your area who’s willing to rent one out, like JustPark.
If you’d like to go the commercial route and rent from a company, just do a search on the web for parking spaces to rent in your city, or use a handy app, like ParkWhiz, to help you with finding a parking spot.
Ditch the Car Altogether
We know some of you car-dependent folks are shaking your head at this piece of advice, but stay with us! If all of the tips above prove to be fruitless, ditching your car altogether might be your only choice. As an added bonus, you can lose that monthly auto insurance payment! Do you really want to be constantly stressing about where to park your car, and burning a hole through your wallet for parking?
It’s no doubt not an easy decision to make, so you’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons. If you do decide to give up your car, there are many alternatives you can look at for getting around. For starters, there’s public transport – buses, subway, and trains.
A more novel approach is ridesharing. If you’re unfamiliar with it, ridesharing is where you take a ride in an organized carpool. Consider looking into Share Your Ride, CarpoolWorld, and RideSharing. If ridesharing isn’t your thing, there are always taxis and of course, Uber or Lyft.
And finally, if none of the above suggestions is an option, you can always use your two feet! Walking or biking is a fantastic way to stay healthy, and save on transportation costs.
Do you have any more tips on moving to a city with no parking for your car? We’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below if you have any advice!
