Living Car Free - From two cars to one? How?

I would LOVE to get rid of my car and go car-Lite....just keeping my husbands car. But he won't let me. I am sick of the payment and the insurance. etc. (His car is paid for) He is convinced we can't get by with one car, that we must have two. We live close to everything and I have no issues with riding my bike to run errands. We have two kids ages 9 and 11 (Boys) so I think they would be fine being left alone long enough to go to the store or whatever. I will be going to school 2 nights a week this semester and I work at home, so other than errands I don't drive too much anyway. I do throw my back and neck out quite often though. He has had two ruptured disks and is always in pain. (How do you guys deal with injuries, anyway?) How did you convince your significant other to at least go car-lite or get rid of a car. I really don't want my car anymore. And I know we need one sometimes with the kids not being old enough to navigate traffic easily, and to get to far away places like the lakehouse (1.5 hour drive..we go twice month) or other places as a family, but I just don't think we need two.

Maybe you can do a trial period where you just park your car for a couple months and see how it goes?

Or you could just stop using the car without making a thing of it. Just do your errands on the bike etc. After a month or so, you tell him that you aren't using the car. At the same time, you present him with a calculation of how much money you would save each month...

It's hard for hiim to argue when you have shown that it is dispensable!

Or you could just stop using the car without making a thing of it. Just do your errands on the bike etc. After a month or so, you tell him that you aren't using the car. At the same time, you present him with a calculation of how much money you would save each month...

It's hard for hiim to argue when you have shown that it is dispensable!

This is what I am doing right now. when I switched to biking for most everything, my wife started using my car, since it was better on gas. Her car, which is a minivan, only normally moves on the weekend, and hasn't moved lately in almost 2 weeks-over 1 month for 1 tank of gas :)

Our area is not really carfree-friendly, but I am trying my best, which is all I can do. My goal is to go at least 2 month without needing another car before I start pushing. The warmer months are easier, but when the winter comes, it might be a bit tougher.

(How do you guys deal with injuries, anyway?)

If you look back in the forum, you'll find a number of threads on the topic of illness and injury. This thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=427838) is the most recent one, but not the best one IMO. The consensus is ambulance for emergencies and taxi, bus or rental car for less serious problems. It's been pointed out that car people have similar problems if they have an injury or condition that makes it impossible to drive.

Or you could just stop using the car without making a thing of it. Just do your errands on the bike etc. After a month or so, you tell him that you aren't using the car. At the same time, you present him with a calculation of how much money you would save each month...

It's hard for hiim to argue when you have shown that it is dispensable!
Good suggestion. :)

My ex and I were car-lite for much of our marriage. The key to making it work is cooperation and communication. Most events can be rescheduled a little. Many you can do together which adds to your together time. As you know, a lot of errands can be handled by bike if the car is gone.

The hardest part is getting started. The usual starter is that one car goes out of commission for some reason or another and it is too expensive to get going again.

If you are very motivated, perhaps you can persuade your husband to work on saving money by acting as though you are car lite. Park your car and use it only if absolutely necessary. Immediate savings would be reduced gas, maintenance and insurance costs on your second car. Call your agent and tell him/her how much you have reduced your usage and see how much of a discount that will get you.

Once you get through a month where your car has not moved, then you will have a good case for being able to sell it off.

Millions of people live car free, so I had no worries when I decided to do the same thing.

Two weeks ago, I returned my leased Subaru WRX and now I don't have a car. What I do have:

1) Bus pass
2) Swobo Dixon
3) Two healthy legs
4) Basket for carrying things
5) A new found tolerance for sweat

My wife has the only car now and I'm only ever in it if we leave town.

I went car lite about three or four years ago.

You simply have to do it. When you only have certain options for transport you make it work. On all but the most rare instances it's not a problem and you grow into it. Probably five or six times per year I need to rent a car for the weekend when we can't get by with only one car.

You'll love the extra money, etc. By dropping our 2nd car we save roughly 13k a year in car payments, insurance, maintenance and gas.

Things will change in five years when the older kid approaches driving age. That might be one argument for starting to go car-light now, so that the possibility of getting around by some means other than a car is planted in their minds and has time to develop.

We have two cars and don't see a way out of it until the last kid leaves home in four years. But while he is at home I am developing my "utility cycling" capability so I never have to drive myself anywhere (within reason), and when he leaves, we are planning to dump one car.

I like the approach already suggested, of just quitting driving. Don't make a big deal out of, don't mention it unless asked, just make it a little mental game to not use the car.

As an added exercise, if you are at home while the spouse is working, keep track of the miles you travel by some means other than car, calculate the gasonline cost of driving a mile with the existing car, and after a year, present the amount of money saved by not driving. That amount can be added to the cost of insurance when adding up the total savings of not owning a car.

If, after a year of this, you can say that you haven't used the car for a year and this is how much money you saved, you have a stronger argument.

Remember that if you do have a car, you do have to drive it a bit every couple weeks or things start to deteriorate from non-use.

If you look back in the forum, you'll find a number of threads on the topic of illness and injury. This thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=427838) is the most recent one, but not the best one IMO. The consensus is ambulance for emergencies and taxi, bus or rental car for less serious problems. It's been pointed out that car people have similar problems if they have an injury or condition that makes it impossible to drive.

Didn't she mean injuries suffered while riding? If she did, I suppose the only reply is to ride safely. It can be done!

If your back ever gets too bad for upright riding, you can always go to a cheap recumbent or trike which is basically like being in a car seat.

Regarding people being stubborn, I am in the same situation, I have an good car provided by my parents and they pay insurance. But I never use it nor have any wish to since I like cycling so much. It has been sitting in a park n stay for 3 months and my father is still hesitant to take it back and drop me from insurance. Not only that but my little brother needs a car and instead of taking mine they are thinking of buying another one, it is crazy.

Didn't she mean injuries suffered while riding? If she did, I suppose the only reply is to ride safely. It can be done!

From my brief looks at the accident figures, it looks like you're safer on a bike than in a car.

Is there a car share group in your town?



Millions of people live car free, so I had no worries when I decided to do the same thing.

Two weeks ago, I returned my leased Subaru WRX and now I don't have a car. What I do have:

1) Bus pass
2) Swobo Dixon
3) Two healthy legs
4) Basket for carrying things
5) A new found tolerance for sweat

My wife has the only car now and I'm only ever in it if we leave town.

How do you find that Swobo Dixon?

Well he made a point that on the days my neck or back are out, I can barely move...so what if I need to get somewhere and he has the car? I got hit by a car 15 years ago when I was out running and I can be fine one day and then sneeze the next and I am crippled in pain for a solid week. I can go months without any problem, but then sometimes it's a constant thing. When I am good I am good though. I run marathons and do tris, etc. However, it's cronic and I am sure I will be dealing with it for the rest of my life, but I still think we can get around that with either me waiting till he gets home or whatever if I need a car. I think I will take ya'lls advice on just not driving and then show him what I have saved in gas by keeping mine parked. As it stands..I only fill up about every 3 weeks anyway. (I have a feeling he will give me a hard time though when I DO need a car and ask to drive his...just to prove his point.) I live in Brentwood, Tn, a small town close to Nashville. We don't have buses or anything. Just expensive SUV's ...LOL .

Well he made a point that on the days my neck or back are out, I can barely move...so what if I need to get somewhere and he has the car? I got hit by a car 15 years ago when I was out running and I can be fine one day and then sneeze the next and I am crippled in pain for a solid week. I can go months without any problem, but then sometimes it's a constant thing. When I am good I am good though. I run marathons and do tris, etc. However, it's cronic and I am sure I will be dealing with it for the rest of my life, but I still think we can get around that with either me waiting till he gets home or whatever if I need a car. I think I will take ya'lls advice on just not driving and then show him what I have saved in gas by keeping mine parked. As it stands..I only fill up about every 3 weeks anyway. (I have a feeling he will give me a hard time though when I DO need a car and ask to drive his...just to prove his point.) I live in Brentwood, Tn, a small town close to Nashville. We don't have buses or anything. Just expensive SUV's ...LOL .

Sounds good! I am sure he will look more favourably on you borrowing his car once a month when you mention that buy suffering this inconvenience, you save X dollars in gas, insurance, car payments and whatnot... Do the calculations and take it up if he grumbles!

Everybody mentions saving money, but don't forget carfree's other selling points--exercise, environment, fun, self-reliance, independence.....

Good advice all it is. :thumb:

Now ask hubby what happens if my car get totaled or wrecked?

Ya'd hafta git by with one car. :thumb:

I do throw my back and neck out quite often though. He has had two ruptured disks and is always in pain. (How do you guys deal with injuries, anyway?)
The whole car-free or car-light equation changes when chronic injuries or pain are thrown into the mix. The two of you may need to sit down with a doctor, chiropractor or other health care professional and discuss your concerns together. From what you've described elsewhere in this thread, car-light could work very well for you, with a basic vehicle for those days when riding simply will not work.

Well he made a point that on the days my neck or back are out, I can barely move...so what if I need to get somewhere and he has the car? I got hit by a car 15 years ago when I was out running and I can be fine one day and then sneeze the next and I am crippled in pain for a solid week. I can go months without any problem, but then sometimes it's a constant thing. When I am good I am good though. I run marathons and do tris, etc. However, it's cronic and I am sure I will be dealing with it for the rest of my life, but I still think we can get around that with either me waiting till he gets home or whatever if I need a car.

Hrm, sounds familiar. The worst of my pain sounds a lot more controllable/predictable than yours, so it doesn't affect my family much. And the arthritis is very much a one day at a time kind of thing.

I'd start keeping track of your pain with a diary or journal. Take a look at a standard pain scale, since it's a *really* useful tool for tracking how you felt if you're not the sort who remembers pain. (most people don't, and it's a real blessing not to) Along with keeping track of mileage and theoretical gas use, you'll have a record of how your body responds to biking. Some kinds of pain are helped by exercise, others aren't. It sounds like you're in the helped category, but keeping track will make it easier to figure out.

Then *before* you approach your husband, talk with the doctor who is handling your pain management. Since you'll have a record of what you're doing and how it has affected you from day to day, the two of you can figure out if getting rid of the car is a good idea. If your pain is as bad as you describe, driving may not be a good idea. And if your doctor isn't aware of how bad it is, they can't help. (and if your doctor *doesn't* want to help, it's a good sign that it's time for a new doctor)

You can have physical problems and live without a car. I'm doing it. But it's not a good idea in every situation. The main thing is to watch for your limitations. Some kinds of limits can be improved or worked around, others can't.

I have no advice to offer...I am kind of in the same situation myself. I just wanted to say that I love this thread! This is the sort of topic I believe that a lot of readers can benefit from.

I like Torrilin's idea. Once you have a record of the frequency you can also see if taxi-ing into town and renting a car is a cost-effective solution when the pain comes.

In addition to insurance, tags, and gas, don't forget to calculate in how much you spend on maintenance and repairs. In addition to that, don't forget to calculate in the blue book price or what you think you'd get for your car when you sold it.

HAHA.....So this morning my husband and I were doing our 10 mile route, and wouldn't you know it....stopped at a red light and down I went. RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM!! (and God and traffic, etc) (Cringe) The only thing going through my mind was "Oh..he's going to LOVE this". I just couldn't get my foot undone from the pedal. You know the drill. So I got up and he said.."That's gonna leave a mark...bet you're gonna need a car by this afternoon, huh?" I said "NOOOOOOO.....I'm TOTALLY fine!" (Neck already feeling the twinge from my shoulder hitting the pavement.) Well...12 hours later...He's right. LOL!! Neck hurts pretty good. Not so much I can't ride (Hell bent on "ignoring" the pain) but I have a feeling tomorrow morning is not going to be a picnic. And I know I will be fine in a few days, but he has a golf tournament all weekend and will have the car. WHY???????????? Why did this have to happen ALREADY? It's making me laugh in spite of the frustration. There's a HUGE bruise developing on my hip as I speak, and my shoulder, elbow and hand are nice and scabbed. Sigh...... I'll keep ya posted.

I did bike or walk everywhere I needed to be today, though. And I am on my way (In my car) to a neighboring town to pick up a trailer I found on craigslist for $40.oo. Used TWICE!! Even if it's not true I can't beat 40.oo at the moment. It looked good in the pics so we'll see. I'd hate to pay full price for one until I am truly committed, and this may be a decisive factor.

HAHA.....So this morning my husband and I were doing our 10 mile route, and wouldn't you know it....stopped at a red light and down I went. RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM!! (and God and traffic, etc) (Cringe) The only thing going through my mind was "Oh..he's going to LOVE this". I just couldn't get my foot undone from the pedal. You know the drill. So I got up and he said.."That's gonna leave a mark...bet you're gonna need a car by this afternoon, huh?" I said "NOOOOOOO.....I'm TOTALLY fine!" (Neck already feeling the twinge from my shoulder hitting the pavement.) Well...12 hours later...He's right. LOL!! Neck hurts pretty good. Not so much I can't ride (Hell bent on "ignoring" the pain) but I have a feeling tomorrow morning is not going to be a picnic. And I know I will be fine in a few days, but he has a golf tournament all weekend and will have the car. WHY???????????? Why did this have to happen ALREADY? It's making me laugh in spite of the frustration. There's a HUGE bruise developing on my hip as I speak, and my shoulder, elbow and hand are nice and scabbed. Sigh...... I'll keep ya posted.

I did bike or walk everywhere I needed to be today, though. And I am on my way (In my car) to a neighboring town to pick up a trailer I found on craigslist for $40.oo. Used TWICE!! Even if it's not true I can't beat 40.oo at the moment. It looked good in the pics so we'll see. I'd hate to pay full price for one until I am truly committed, and this may be a decisive factor.

Sorry about the double post. I am not sure how that happened.

I am back with my trailer and it was 88 miles round trip. Yes....a car came in handy. LOL. But now I am prepared to battle. I will post an update for my first shopping trip with my new trailer tomorrow. I am so excited!! Wish me luck!

Taxis exist for a reason.. run the numbers and many people would actually come out even by just hiring a taxi for everything rather than owning a car. If you're messed up so bad you can't bike, it is likely a bad idea to drive too.

Sorry about the double post. I am not sure how that happened.

I am back with my trailer and it was 88 miles round trip. Yes....a car came in handy. LOL. But now I am prepared to battle. I will post an update for my first shopping trip with my new trailer tomorrow. I am so excited!! Wish me luck!

Good luck! Concerning bike stores, don't let them sell you lots of stuff you don't need.

pedal type is a personal choice, but if you are at risk for severe pain due to falling from having your foot stuck in the pedal...

let me just say that I am not, and I still prefer to ride in standard shoes, without clips/straps. Even though I'm kind of a speed-demon. If I were racing, I would learn to use "clipless" pedals but I don't do races.

Ooooooo.....Stiff neck this morning. Nice.

I am going to switch my pedals out. I don't really need those now. I did tris last year and so I found them to help with speed, and I may use them again in the fall for the Jack and Back 100 miler.

I have two bikes. A Gunnar Roadie, (the one with the death trap pedals....speedplay actually) and "the Beast"...my Trek 200 Navigator. !0,000 pound monster that I plan to do my errands on, and build manly leg muscles pushing it around. My husband will "love" that..hehe. I looked like a dude last year due to overtraining for tris and he complained that my "Playboy-Parts" had gone away. Well, I am happy to report my "Playboy-Parts" have returned due to injury and having to quite training. Booooooo!! I really miss doing tris, though. I feel a little psycho when I don't work out..which was another reason for switching to the bike for daily errands around town.

Congratulations, I guess.

You're right that having two cars isn't as necessary as most people think. In fact, I'd say hardly anyone really needs two cars.

We have two little kids and one on the way; we live in a rural area, at least two miles from anything; we have one car, and it sits in the garage most of the time. We fight over who gets to use the recumbent trike, which my wife can (and does) ride even though she's seven months pregnant. I ride my bike to work almost every day, and carpool when I don't ride. My wife "carpools" with her mom on shopping trips quite frequently. I know several couples who own two or more very nice cars and have to work two or three jobs so they don't lose their houses. We built a nice house instead of buying nice cars. I spend a lot more time at home than I do in the car. (We had a hard time finding three child carseats that would fit in the back of the Prizm, but did manage to make it work.)

One car is plenty. We've actually been kicking around ideas for getting rid of the one we have.

Test ride a recumbent bike or trike. It might be perfect for days when your neck or back hurt. (And they're really fun to ride.)

I have to agree with JusticeZero. Price up taxis for the trips you really have to have a car for that cant be planned and hire cars for when that wont work. I am sure it will still work out cheaper that a second car.

I used to use a motorcycle as my sole means of transport. After being hospitalised by a car driver I discovered I could easily do without it while I waited to get better and waited for it to be repaired. Now I use a bicycle for day to day transport, motorcycle for longer journeys and taxi/hire car for anything else (e.g. taking the cats to the vets, they are not keen on the top box on the motorcycle!)

It can be done.

How did you convince your significant other to at least go car-lite or get rid of a car?My wife and I were a 2-car family even before we had kids (we were a bit lazier back then). Now with two little girls we actually have just the minivan which she drives 90% of the time. I'm commuting by bike during the week. I think it's easier for a family to get used to the single car idea when the working spouse is riding the bike and the one with the kid(s) is driving. Until you get the main commuter on board with riding to work, the whole concept just doesn't work so well.

Someone else suggested talking with your doctor about the idea of riding for transportation because if your neck/back issues. I agree with that suggestion because of your special situation. And like someone else said, just don't drive your car for a while and keep track of the miles you're NOT driving, then show your hubby.

P.S. I had a herniated disc once then had surgery to repair it back in 2003. Today I'm in the best shape I've been since high school (I'm 30) and riding is no problem. So with some work he could become a bike commuter himself.

I live with a chronic illness that gifts me joint and muscle pain as well affecting my sense of balance. I absolutely HATE having to drive a car because getting in and out of a car hurts and having to sit passively driving the stupid thing just makes everything hurt all the more. Bicycles are my freedom machines, exercise is my friend and since I started using bicycles as transport again I've had waaaaay less medical problems or interventions over the past two years.
Nothing could be worse for a back injury than sitting slumped driving a motorcar. Improved muscle tone and blood flow due to exercise is the way to improve a back injury and you won't get that being a car potato.

And get yourself this book it is absolutely terrific for anybody who has problems with their back....... http://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie/dp/0959774661

I am car-lite by default: Three adults in the house, two cars, and one cyclist who's willing and able to haul the toddler in the trailer for all errands.


I agree with Nozzle, who said this:

I think it's easier for a family to get used to the single car idea when the working spouse is riding the bike and the one with the kid(s) is driving.
It's so much easier and more convenient to plop the kid in a car seat!! Taking a kid in a bike trailer, with the added stress of a helmet and an extended ride time, is not easy. It's possible, I do it all the time and now the little one asks to go on bike rides, but it's not easy at first.

Also, like others have said, taxis and buses and car rentals are awesome.

Well..today I attached my new bike trailer to the bike and went for a spin with my 65 pound 8 year old and I barely noticed any difference. I am quite surprised. It rode very smoothly! I wanted to go shopping but I am packing my kids for camp so I will complete that mission in the morning to get food for their lunches, etc.

Me and my husband attended a banquet last night and came home about 9:00 pm. We changed clothes and decided to go to the bookstore and he grabbed his keys. I said NO WAY...let's walk! We walked and it was SOOOO nice. I felt like a teenager. The crickets were chirping and it was quiet, and we were holding hands. It was so much better than driving. I was feeling so smug about a "greener" evening. THEN..we got home and he realized there was a hole in his pocket and his wallet had fallen out. He was TICKED. "I knew we should have drove...bla, bla, bla." Sigh..... So we got in the car and drove real slow...(I was like a dog with my head out the window looking for it) all the way back to the bookstore. We couldn't find it. Turns out it was in the driveway but we didn't notice that till we pulled back in.

Me and my husband attended a banquet last night and came home about 9:00 pm. We changed clothes and decided to go to the bookstore and he grabbed his keys. I said NO WAY...let's walk! We walked and it was SOOOO nice. I felt like a teenager. The crickets were chirping and it was quiet, and we were holding hands. It was so much better than driving. I was feeling so smug about a "greener" evening. THEN..we got home and he realized there was a hole in his pocket and his wallet had fallen out. He was TICKED. "I knew we should have drove...bla, bla, bla." Sigh..... So we got in the car and drove real slow...(I was like a dog with my head out the window looking for it) all the way back to the bookstore. We couldn't find it. Turns out it was in the driveway but we didn't notice that till we pulled back in.

He probably got the hole in his pocket from those heavy car keys though.

I really don't want my car anymore.

Then get rid of it. Why do you need some control freak's permission?

Unless he is supportive, it makes life difficult when we are responsible for two kids. He would let me get rid of my current car, but he is hell bent on us having 2 cars no matter what so I would have to get another one...even if it was a P.O.S. That's just the way he is. I have known him 12 years and he has never been the environmentalist sort. He doesn't mind if I am....as long as I don't push it on him. He has his good points, but this is something I don't see him budging on. He uses his car all day, every day for his job and if I need it I am up s*^t creek. My argument is that I think we could work it out somehow if we really needed to, but he just shuts down when I mention it. He can't see past any other way but the way thinks. Hates change..hates inconvenience. I asked him the other day how high gas would have to be before he would stop driving, and he couldn't name a price. He said "Maybe" around the $8.oo or $9.oo mark. Just one of those people. :twitchy:...So....I think I will just have to not use mine unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Possibly trade it in for something paid for at least..and just let it sit there until I need it.

Good idea, - get rid of the modern car you have to pay for and get something cheap second hand in tidy condition. I have a 1977 Datsun sitting nice and snug in the carport attached to my garage workshop (Home for Venerable and Distinguished Bicycles) which only gets used for emergencies and the sort of weather that ducks won't even go out in. The Datsun is in all round sound mechanical condition, tidy to look at and cheap as chips to run. In a heavy use year I might put about 2000Kms on the clock. Nobody really needs to have the latest whizz-mobile IMHO.

On the other hand you could get yourself something like this......

http://www.bikeforest.com/rhoades_car.php

:thumb:;)

Haha!! That's awesome. I loved the video.

we're down to 1 car, a bakfiets, and 5 other bicycles.
i'm in the process of ditching one of the go faster bikes as my wife wants 'wider tires, flat pedals, fenders and a generator light'...

we probably won't ditch the car anytime soon - its paid for and for the most part it sits in the drive. if and when it gives it up we'll debate the local car share program.

i'm the child care provider, and i ride nearly everywhere i need with the little one. my wife works from home - so we only use the vehicle for longer trips.

giving up my car was easy - i just had to demonstrate that it was rare we both were out in cars at the same time, and that we could save $$ while doing it.

We only have one vehicle and it works for us. But communication needs to be the key. It also helps that I commute by bike only in all weather conditions so my need for a vehicle is zero. The only time I use the car is if I need to haul something bigger than can fit on my bike (which can easily be worked out in the schedule).

Wow, the husband seems determined to sabotague you. The "lost wallet" thing? How does he know it wouldn't have fallen out even if he drove? I'm sorry, but he sounds like a very difficult person. He will probably go out of his way to make sure you miss your car if you give it up, by making it impossible to ever use his.

I've been car-light for over two years. I'm lucky because my husband doesn't pull the kind of stuff yours does. I'm also lucky because I can get to work by walking and taking a train. He works about 7 miles away, and will bike on those rare occasions that I need a car. If it's foul weather, I'll rearrange my schedule to drop him off and pick him up. We aren't doing this for financial reasons, it's more that he can't find a car he wants.

Does your husband respond to financial incentives? Does he care about money enough that you can use that to convince him? Because that's one side-effect I didn't fully appreciate until I was car-light. I can't believe how much money it saves us. I knew we'd save some each month, but I way underestimated the savings.

If he's truly going to be difficult, you can get rid of your car and never expect to use his. Rent a car on those few occasions that you need one. Put the rest of the savings away, for your use only. If your husband won't cooperate, he shouldn't get to share in the money.

/rant

Let him make car/insurance payment if he wants to keep 2 cars . . . if he does not, then sell the darn thing!
You're a woman: Assert yourself!!!

Yes...He is someone I would consider to be "Difficult". It's funny because I also started clipping coupons which is a TOTAL pain in the ***. He was giving me a hard time about helping one day and I said "Fine...any money I save due to the coupons is going into my account since you don't seem to miss it or anything". Now he helps. He just grew up never having to worry about money, so he doesn't think much of it now.

Example: 16th birthday- Him: Brand new Trans Am and a paid trip to the UK (School trip)
Me: $20.oo in a card that said "Happy Birthday"

We are polar opposites on the subject of money. He just can't see how anyone could possibly do without a car..or why they would want to. It makes no sense to him, so getting through is impossible. He understands I don't want a car payment...but the lack of a car? What????? That's just CRAZY!

We got in an accident about 2 months ago and our new car was totaled (not our fault) so when the other guys insurance company paid for the car we decided to try only having 1 vehicle with doors. We have several motorcycles and a 98 F150 that are all paid for as well as a house full of bicycles. So far we have been able to do everything we need to do including groceries using the motorcycles and bicycles. We drive the truck about once a week just to make sure it runs. I just finished reading How To Live Well Without Owning A Car, it was an interesting read especially when you calculate the actual cost of owning a car.

I have been trying to convince my husband to get rid of the Cadillac for some time. We can't seem to sell it. The other problem is our poor public transportation system. Calling the customer service for information about which bus to take to get to work is a joke. They usually tell you that they don't know. I am going to have to take time off from work and re-trace the route in order to figure out which bus my husband can take. I grew up in a city that had a real public transportation system. This town sucks in regards to their bus system.

Gas, .69 cents the price of a can of beans.