Car free or car light? [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

miradoblackwarrior

5-31-12, 3:02pm

Hi, all--
I noticed a couple of you had made the plunge to go carfree, or to reduce your cars to one. Has anybody else out there cut out the car? I've been hemming and hawwing about it for a while. The amount I spend on insurance, gas, taxes, etc. comes to about $4000 per year (I own the title). That would be $4000 in my pocket, and ease my life considerably. Only problem is, sore knees, sore hips, big ol' butt. I am hopelessly out of shape, so thinking about losing the car once and for all (we have a good subway/bus system) has consequences on my body. Any thoughts?

catherine

5-31-12, 4:24pm

I guess I'm car light.

I work from home, and really, really love having my own car at my disposal. But I've paid the car off early and so it's mine to keep until it wears out--and since I'm only putting $35/month in it for gas (it's a hybrid), and $60/mo for insurance to me it's worth keeping around.

pinkytoe

5-31-12, 4:54pm

I would love to be car-free but not there yet. I drive an old Volvo that was paid off a million years ago. Just paid the annual insurance of $230. Spend a couple hundred a year on maintenance if that. It just keeps rolling so when it dies, I will consider car-free or another old beater.

treehugger

5-31-12, 6:10pm

I would love to go car light, which for us would mean having only 1 car between the 2 of us. Where we currently live, this isn't feasible, but we are planning on moving in about 2 years and one of the criteria for our TBD location will be moving to a place with good public transit and proximity to services so we will only need 1 car.

Kara

artist

5-31-12, 9:21pm

Our goal is to be car light. We lent our son dh's car for the summer so that we could get a feel for being down to one car. We bought an inexpensive bike for me and I am getting used to riding it for those short hops to the post office, bank and library downtown. (bike trail at the end of my street goes to city hall and Maine street). The market, my doctor, my gym, Kohl's, Home Depot and the movie theater are 2 miles away off the wooded state park walking/biking trail system... trail head is 1/8th of a mile from my house). Dh works 15 mins away (20 with traffic) should I need the car for the day, I just drop him off at work and pick him up afterwards.

fidgiegirl

5-31-12, 9:34pm

Artist, that is an awesome setup. Trails are so wonderful for riding compared to streets.

I wonder if I did my real hourly wage for some bikeable teaching jobs if it would come out higher than must-drive ones . . .

pcooley

6-1-12, 12:35am

We were carfree for almost eight years. My daughter is going to middle school next year, and it's a charter school that's about six miles out of town down a two lane arterial with three roundabouts. We bicycled out there three or four times. My daughter felt it was a bit far for a regular commute for a twelve-year-old, and it takes a certain amount of road sense to navigate into and out of the flow of traffic through the roundabouts.

And to tell the truth, we were a little tired of biking through the cold and the snow in the winter. My wife leaves the house at 6:45 a.m. to get to work, and that means riding in single digit temperatures during part of the winter. Eight winters of that . . . We're not getting younger.

So we bought a car. And then, as I mentioned on the mid-life crisis thread, I bought a scooter.

My wife still bicycles 95% of the time. Since I'm still somewhat the at-home-parent, though I've been working part time for about a year, I've been riding the scooter, running my daughter to swim practice, and out to an outlying bedroom community to a friend's house she hasn't visited much since she was four, and we gave up the car.

Still, it's good to know that we don't *have to* drive. Motorized vehicles are luxuries, and we know that now. (I wonder if that makes it easier to enjoy them when you have them?)

Our whole story is still on my blog, listed in my signature, though I've closed the blog and have ceased to write for the time being. It's now an historical document.

Selah

6-1-12, 2:13am

DH and I used to each have our own cars. Then I sold mine to accelerate becoming debt-free. Then we sold the other car just before moving overseas. We've been car-free for five months now and really love it. No payments, no insurance, no repairs, no worries about accidents or getting the car stolen or dinged.

We have great public transport where we live, but we mainly walk or ride our bikes everywhere. For long-haul trips we use the train and the bus. Sometimes we go on outings with friends in their cars, and we just generously contribute to gas money. Gas costs around $10 USD a gallon here, so it's not cheap. Fortunately, Israel is a small country!

I'd say, go car-free if you possibly can. We use taxis far less than we thought we would, and haven't felt the need to rent a car yet, but even if you really needed to do any of those things, I'll bet it would still cost a lot less in time and hassle than maintaining your own car. DH's computer completely took a crap last week and we had to replace it. Doing so still cost less than one typical car repair! Yes, you'll feel it in your body at first, but you will quickly get used to it and feel better for it, I suspect.

redfox

6-1-12, 3:36am

I've been planning to sell my hybrid Insight this summer... and then, today, I had to dash to my elder parents house 25 miles away for a possible med emergency. False alarm, literally, but on the way home, it dawned on me that med emergemcies are happening more frequently - they'll both be 85 this year - and being able to dash over is becoming more important... Sooo, thinking about it all...

Zoebird

6-1-12, 5:13am

In 2007, we reduced to 1 car which was great. We lived in the US, in an area with poor public transportation, and had relatively long commutes. But, one car was no problem.

In 2010, we moved to NZ, where we lived car-free until 2011 -- it was about a year and a half all told. It was no problem because we lived in the city, could walk to work, walk to the shops, and take the bus anywhere we needed to go.

In 2011, we moved from the center of the city -- a 10-min walk from work -- to a suburb. It's a lovely place, and there is perfectly fine bus transportation. But, we found ourselves really struggling with one thing: going to the grocery store. I know it seems silly, but between bus schedules and how much we needed to carry, it took most of the day, and sometimes two trips. When we borrowed a friend's car to make the trip, it was very quick, and seemed like a miracle!

So, we were able to buy a car (from a friend), and so here we are again using our car. At first it was just once or twice a week, but now it's pretty much daily because it saves both time and money to do so (oddly, using the bus was costing more money than using the car, including parking.

It's working out quite well for us, and so I'm quite happy being a one-car family.

It also allows us to travel.

AmeliaJane

6-1-12, 9:58am

I was car-free, in a city with better-than-average but still not amazing public transportation. It worked, and I'm glad I did it, but only because I had family in town I was comfortable asking for rides as needed (for instance, when the dentist scheduled me for oral surgery somewhere that was 30 minutes by car, but 2 hrs by bus.) Of course I reciprocated with babysitting, letting them park in my spot when they wanted to come to my congested area, etc etc. When I moved somewhere with less good public transit and climate, and family who weren't in the position to help with carpools, I had to buy a car. I try to have at least one car-free day a week and walk when the climate allows.

miradoblackwarrior

6-1-12, 11:52am

To continue this conversation, I actually was car-free for over a year back in '08. For over two years, I had to go home once a month (4 hour drive) to check on Mom, and renting a car was just as expensive as buying a used car. So, I bought one. Now, Mom is safe in a place, and I NEVER go home (I can't bring myself to do that drive anymore). Now I miss the walk, the weather (nothing beats a walk in a snow storm!), and the money. I haven't had a raise since 2006, so, as I watch prices go up and up, my wallet gets smaller and smaller.

I like what all of you have said. I understand that it is a decision that has to be weighed carefully. I think I will take the plunge, but get my knees/hips/back/butt in a tad better shape first. Until then, I will drive the car, and maybe someone will do me a favor and total it (without me in it) or steal it (!), cuz I could really use the insurance money!

Thanks, all!
Susan

bluesman423

6-1-12, 12:23pm

I currently own two vehicles, one is a toy (1970 Scout) that is being readied for sale. The other is a 77 Dodge pickup that I seldom drive, less than 1000 miles annually. Paid cash for both. ( I don't believe in financing anything) I never drive more than 18 miles from my home and only do that about once a month. I find that driving less makes sense in many ways. First, it saves money. Secondly, it is much better for the environment. Thirdly, I am not feeding the oil company megamonsters that do so much to harm the earth. And lastly, I find my physical condition improving due to all of the walking and bicycle riding. Not to mention how it slows my life down and I enjoy the beauty of nature and talking to people on my trips. Yep, life is MUCH better because I drive so little.

creaker

6-1-12, 12:26pm

I have been carfree since later part of 2009. But I'm in the city, so it's pretty easy. I often have groceries delivered (shop online, $10 charge), good public transportation, Zipcars (including vans and trucks) close by, and an Enterprise close by. It's worked out pretty well - and much cheaper than owning a vehicle. One caveat - I've been working from home, if that changed I might have to get a vehicle depending on circumstances.

miradoblackwarrior

6-4-12, 6:34pm

Creaker--
I, too, hail from the Boston area. It's what gives me strength to actually make this choice. Nothing like a good transit system to help with the haulin'!

Anyways, Just wanted to say howdy-do!
Susan

treehugger

6-4-12, 6:39pm

It took our bodies a couple of months to adjust, and we were super-tired until our fitness increased, but we've learnt to be more patient, less stressed, and more organised.

This is such a great summary of all the side benefits of doing without a car (by side benefits, I mean in addition to the obvious money-saving one). I very much look forward to moving somewhere that going car-light will be feasible.

Kara

awakenedsoul

6-5-12, 7:20pm

I'm car light. I use my bicycle or the bus for everything except my monthly grocery shopping trip at Costco. My car is paid off, and it's nice to have in case of an emergency, or for taking on vacation. I also use it for hauling furniture from the Salvation Army. I drive it just enough to keep it running well. I lived in NYC and Europe where you didn't need a car. It's so much cheaper! We have a great public transportation system here, and I'm a short bike ride to the train station. The nearest bus stop is a block away!

miradoblackwarrior

6-6-12, 11:11am

Hello, all--
Well, the hand of fate has made its presence known. I posted the car yesterday morning, got a call that afternoon, the lady checked it out that evening, and it is sold! So, I am now officially car-free, for the first time in several years. I walked to work this morning, and I am thinking about where to stash the money I got for it. I was thinking of opening another cd, since my Roth is already maxed with weekly payments. Or, I might split it up amongst my many little savings accounts. I am debt-free, so I really am rather flush with possibilities at the moment.

Greenfeast, I am glad you mentioned that it might take two months for my body to adapt to the increase in exercise. Fortunately, I've got enough aspirin to get me through!

Susan

awakenedsoul

6-6-12, 10:34pm

Congratulations Susan! I often imagine going car free and saving the money. It's so great that putting the money away, and not spending it.

miradoblackwarrior

6-8-12, 4:34pm

Hi, again--
I'm sad to sad the deal went through. I'm a little angry--it was pretty much a done deal, and the customer's excuse was a bit lame. Oh well. I like some of your comments about going 'car light." I took the time to crunch the numbers, and I think I can do it, but there will be no extras, no treats. I might just walk to work and put it away except for the weekly shopping expedition.

I'm a little discouraged. The car has been on the market for a whole month, and this was the first bite. There is nothing wrong with it, and I've priced it to sell. However, I noticed that not a lot of anything is moving right now--even on Craigs List. Maybe it's just a sign of the times?

Anyways, thanks for listening to me!
Susan

Float On

6-8-12, 6:23pm

When I stayed home full time and homeschooled the kids we just had one truck. If DH was off doing a show I'd be without a car and we live about 5 miles from town and the cliff road is no place to ride a bike unless you are in serious training and even then it is very dangerous.

I wish we could go back to just one truck but with two teenagers its not going to happen.

awakenedsoul

6-8-12, 10:05pm

A lot of people are trying to sell their cars for cash right now. Maybe experimenting with being car light will work for you. Your car will last a lot longer this way. My car insurance went way down, too.

The last year I had my business I took the bike and bus to work. It was time consuming, but it really saved me a lot of money. You might like walking to work. It's good for the endorphins. I notice a lot of people my age, (forties,) smiling at me when they see me running my errands by bicycle. It always seems like they are considering using their cars less. I LOVE being car light, and I never would have thought of doing it before the recession. It's a real lifestyle change...

lhamo

6-9-12, 6:14am

With the exception of a 4-5 month period around the birth of my DD, when we were staying with family in a rural area and needed one temporarily (I hadn't yet learned to drive my mom's stick shift, and was either too pregnant or too close to major surgery to learn), we haven't owned a car since we moved from Seattle to NYC in September 1999. I did learn to drive the stick, and now we borrow my mom's car when we go home to visit family. We do use taxis regularly here in China -- I do a little more than half of my commuting by taxi, and we use taxis to get around town with the kids as the subway system doesn't yet come close enough to our apartment. I'm able to do most of our day-to-day shopping in the neighborhood -- I bought a little grocery trolley that I take out every Saturday morning to load up on staples, and I'll pick up other things we need on my way home after work. DH really wants to get a car so that we can have more freedom to take weekend trips, etc. But that means one of us first needs to get a license (probably me -- been asking him to do it for years and he still hasn't) and then we need to enter and win the Beijing license plate lottery -- they restrict the amount of new licenses they issue now, so you have to enter the lottery and hope you get one. I'm also concerned about the cost. I know it will be more expensive to maintain a car than the amount of taxis we currently use. And I don't think we will actually go out of town THAT much given work/school schedules. I'll probaby get a license later this year and we can try renting cars for the weekend as an alternative, and see if DH likes that option.

If you live in a city with good public transit and walkable neighborhoods, car-free or car-lite living is a great option.

lhamo

nocar

6-27-12, 10:44am

We're car free--we're lucky, though, to live in a hot, flat climate with basically no winter....

We track all our spending & are amazed at the savings since ditching the car. We hardly drove when we did have one and still we've saved a bundle!

mira

6-27-12, 12:56pm

Would getting rid of the car maybe help you to get in shape? I know I wouldn't walk half as much as I do if I had a car.

I've never owned a car, so I suppose I can't comment. I live in a city where there's plenty of public transport, but there is the odd occasion when I wish I had a car - Christmas Day when there's no public transport, being able to visit the countryside, being able to buy bulky items etc. I wouldn't like to use it to commute.

Fortunately, my parents recently bought a car that I have access to. I am not the most confident driver, so I'm still finding my feet (or the pedals, ho ho).

If you want to reduce your car use but not continue to have to pay insurance, tax etc, you could always rent when you need one or join one of those car clubs that allow you to use cars that are parked at various places in a city.

miradoblackwarrior

6-27-12, 4:03pm

Hi, Mira, et. al.--
I'm still listing my car on Craigs List, and getting a tad more aggressive selling it, with signs and the like. Where I live, in the Boston area, we have many options to getting around. I guess we're lucky. I work a mile from home, and the bus stops half a block away. There are zip cars two blocks away. Just selling my car is the only thing holding me from going completely car free. I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm not concerned about not driving. I never thought about giving that up. When I bought this car, I drove at least 1000 miles a month. Now I don't think I drive that much in an entire year. Still, I have to pay for insurance, taxes, parking, and maintenance. So, whether I drive a little, a lot, or hardly at all, it is still a hole to throw money into. I don't need it, don't want it, can't wait to part with it.! :)

Also, the walking can't hurt my health....

Susan

creaker

6-27-12, 8:05pm

miradoblackwarrior

7-23-12, 7:44pm

FYI--I sold the car last Thursday. I catch myself reminding myself that I no longer have a car to bop around in anymore. Other than those senior moments, I'm feeling pretty good!:D

Susan

Tussiemussies

7-23-12, 8:53pm

I am car light since I own my Honda CRX -- and it only has 130,000 approx. miles on it and is 21 years old, I rarely drive anymore. I used to use my bike a llot but groceries and other things are too far away for biking, unless I was in better shape.

DH on the other hand travels 1 hour to work one way and so we do wind up paying out a lot for gas...and wear and tear on the car. We don't want to live closer to where he works because of the atmosphere. We are hoping to soon buy out in the country more...

Tussiemussies

7-23-12, 8:55pm

FYI--I sold the car last Thursday. I catch myself reminding myself that I no longer have a car to bop around in anymore. Other than those senior moments, I'm feeling pretty good!:D

Susan

Good for you Susan, sounds you've adapted very well, very quickly...:)

awakenedsoul

7-23-12, 9:25pm

Congratulations! If we had Zipcar where I live, I'd probably do the same. I'm considering getting rid of my landline instead.

Taffy

9-19-12, 6:18am

I drive a Smart, for 5 years now, and I would not give it up for any reason. I need a car. Well actually my DH wanted the Smart, because he had problems finding a parking space where he worked. Then I started working there and we drove together. After 6 month he started a new job, got a company car and now I drive the Smart and love it. I park at around 6:30 am where I work and with a Smart I always find a space.
This Smart is from the 1. generation and its perfekt. I don't understand why they made the 2. generation 21 cm longer. This is so wrong! They wanted to build a short car and then they make it longer. I will fix up my Smart as long as I can. I do not want or need a longer car!

smellincoffee

9-19-12, 10:55am

I was car free for over two years while at university. I lived, worked, and studied (of course) on campus, and it was only two or three blocks from Main Street. I'd never experienced that kind of autonomy before, and it is my most earnest wish to experience it again. If I needed groceries, I walked to the store. If I wanted to go to the library, I walked to the library. If I wanted to chill out at the bookstore for a few hours, I walked there. The only place not within easy walking distance was my doctor's office, and that was only because my school insurance required me to visit this particular doctor. I'd bet there were closer clinics. I cranked my car up once a week to engage the battery, and I used it once a month to visit my family. Life was simple, and I was freer than I've ever been before. After uni I couldn't find work in that blessed little town, though. Presently I live in a larger town of 20,000 or so: 3.5 miles from downtown and 2.5 miles from the uptown drag, which has all of the grocery stores. To access both, I have to utilize a heavily-used state highway. I could walk to the store, but I'd need to make some arrangment for keeping cold stuff cold. I can keep a swift pace, but 3 miles is at least 40 minutes. Walking downtown -- to work and church -- has its own problems. The neighborhoods on my approach are...dodgy, and if I work up a sweat -- which I will in the course of 40-60 minutes of steady exercise, even in the heart of winter -- I might not be in clean shape.

If the opportunity arises, I'd like to move into some apartments downtown --they're safe and within walking distance of work, a few friends' homes, a courtyard-park for reading, and a community center. I'd also be within walking distance of the farmer's market, but then I'd pretty much HAVE to drive (or bike) to the grocery store.

miradoblackwarrior

9-19-12, 12:55pm

awakenedsoul

9-19-12, 3:21pm

I love reading all of these stories about being car free and car light. I have a couple of neighbors who are single women. They both have two new cars a piece. (SUV's and vans. One has a horse trailer, too.) I can't imagine what that costs. If we ever get zipcar out here, I'll probably sell my car and use that. I do enjoy having a car available, though. Mine's a 2004 Kia Rio, with 120,000 miles on it. Should last me through retirement if I keep taking the bus and bike. I drive it just enough to keep it running.

smellincoffee

9-20-12, 8:00am

Hi, smellincoffee--
Sounds to me like you are thinking it through. You would be surprised at the adaptations you can come up with. Could you carry a thermos tote (like workers bring their lunch in?) Or, can you get a thermal reusable shopping bag for the cold stuff? Some things can be ordered online, including meat.

Susan

I've found a promising thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/139112-How-do-you-keep-groceries-cold) over at BikeForums; the consensus so far is cooler bags, which seem reasonably priced. The key will be finding one that's the appropriate size...I'd rather it be able to fit into my backpack. I mostly eat fresh foods (salads and meat), so I'll chiefly be concerned with keeping lettuce, cheese, and milk safe.

I WILL be walking to the store at some point -- now that summer is over, the days are just too enjoyable not to spend outside.

Minz

9-21-12, 5:28pm

awakenedsoul

9-21-12, 5:34pm

I'm jealous yet inspired by the non-car people! I can see myself down the road (no pun intended) not having a car. My car is paid off and I'm a realtor so I really need my car at this point in my life but how nice would it be not to have car insurance, maintenance, gas and be able to contriubte positively to the environment and so forth!! Day-dreaming again...

For some reason I had an image of you arriving to home showings on a bicycle. It made me giggle. I can see how you would need a car in your business. It seems like there's pressure here in LA to drive an SUV if you're a realtor. Maybe someday that concept will change, too.

Minz

9-23-12, 2:23pm

For some reason I had an image of you arriving to home showings on a bicycle. It made me giggle. I can see how you would need a car in your business. It seems like there's pressure here in LA to drive an SUV if you're a realtor. Maybe someday that concept will change, too.

Heheheee. I wish I could show up on a bike! However, I did some research and there is realtor in Portland who arrives for showings and client meetings on her bike ...she does have a car as well for the times when it is not practicle to bike.