It's green, but that's not why we did it.

We decided a few months ago to turn in Logan's car at the end of his lease and not replace it. Years ago when we were in serious financial trouble, we talked about getting rid of one of our cars. Back then Max and Maddie were much smaller and the thought of living with one car and being trapped in the house alone with two small kids without any freedom gave me massive amounts of anxiety.

When we lived at the last place, we debated getting rid of one of our cars since the kids walked to school and all the socializing I could ever want was all right there. When we decided to move, I felt certain we needed the second car. I didn't know there was a bus to school a block away and I didn't know at the time that I wasn't actually going to drive my car back to the old house and stare longingly in the windows all day from my car. Eating tear soaked fritos from the bag.

Turns out, you can't do that. It's "weird" or "disturbing" or "mentally unhealthy".

I realized a month or two ago that without my compulsive trips to the old neighborhood I really don't drive more than 2-3 times a week. Logan works literally 4 minutes away, the kids ride the bus to school, I work from home and when I need to get somewhere during the day, almost everything is within walking distance of my house.

Including you know walking to the courthouse and then the bank to file garnishments on people who steal money from you. Heh!

Also, sushi.

So at the end of May we pulled the plug and gave back Logan's lease and walked away without a car payment.

And then the car we own needed work and the bill was exactly the same amount as our lease payment (plus $70), because this is the way things work around these parts.

A few years ago I tried to buy Tigers tickets for Logan as a birthday gift. I looked online and paying $15 in service fees really pissed me off so I drove downtown with the kids and took them to the science museum and then over to the box office to get tickets.

The science center cost $25. The parking ticket I got outside was $25. So you know maybe just paying the service fee would have been wise. But that's not how the Summers do things.

We also flush dollar bills down the toilet for fun!

So far the one car experience has been painless aside from a few snags. Like scheduling two meetings for the same time on one day. Or the time Logan left for work at 3 o clock in the morning [hyperbole] and I needed the car but there was no way in hell I was getting up at that hour.

I'm trying to feel "green" about the decision to go down to one car. I mean, technically it is a pretty green thing to do.

But the truth is I'm just hoping I can get my haircut at some point in the next six months.

Comments

[Why Mom Drinks Rum]

OMG, you just gave me an anxiety attack thinking about going down to one car!

Thank-crap it's not possible for our household. *shudder*

Then again, if I was in your situation I'd probably (read maybe) do the same thing. Or, you know....make hubby take a bus to work. Yeah. I like that idea better.

[die Frau]

You know, we're thinking of a life change (kids, finally) and we're doing the same thing, thinking of what to cut down on. I said I'd give up my every-eight-weeks highlights. Now, a sneaky part of me knows my horrified mother will offer to pay for it, especially if it means a grandchild.

We've thought about going down to one car. I work minutes from home, but we only know that's happening for the next year. Both cars are paid for, so I figure if I just bike everywhere I can, we won't use as much gas and I'll get rid of this ridiculous muffin top I've got goin' on. Plus now I'm taking classes in the city of B (we're in the 'burbs), so we have to have two. I suppose I could look at bus schedules.

Sorry to ramble; you just posted something DH and I talked about extensively last night, so it's on my mind. Good luck!

[ashley]

Hey... I have the name of a great stylist that you can walk to, seeing as though you can walk everywhere else in DT RO. She's pricey, but fab-u-lous.

[Angela]

Good for you!

We went down to one car about 3 years ago and haven't looked back. It does take a bit more coordination for meetings and lunches (we don't live within walking distance). One person ends up doing a lot more driving than the other. But we like that it's cheap, it forces us to be efficient in our errands, and it means we get to spend more time together and that our daily lives are more connected. Honestly I think I'd miss our one-car days if we bumped back up to two.

(If you told me 5-years ago I'd write those words, I'd have fallen over laughing. But it's true.)

[Molly]

We went to one car five years ago, when we moved to D.C. Car ownership is prohibitively expensive and annoying here, between insurance and long commutes and wretched traffic and the fact that pretty much anywhere you go in the city is Metro-accessable and impossible to park at anyway.

It's worked out really well for us, mostly. There was that really fun time a couple years ago when our car was stolen, of course--whee!--and then again this past December, when it was stolen, again, but mostly it's been okay. There are definitely times when it's been inconvenient (see above) but we've rented a car a couple of times when we really just couldn't work around it and other than that we've just sort of learned to work with it.

You'll love not having a car payment. That is most definitely the upside.

[MelissaS]

I have a great guy but he's too expensive.

Alex @ Alex Emilio in Royal Oak.

[Shelli G]

we also went down to one car years ago. It works for us. I loath cars and car payments/insurance more!

I have a great and cheap guy who does my hair in RO if your looking!

[Sara]

Due to my car being stolen we went to one car about two years ago. We moved from Cleveland to Ann Arbor a couple of weeks later and decided to be a one car family in that city. Since my husband was going to school and I was working at the school, it worked perfectly. We just moved (again) a few weeks ago and so far the one car thing has worked really well since I'm not working and my husband is. I don't want to get a second car until we absolutely have to. Saving on insurance and maintenance costs has been awesome. I also enjoy the time we get to spend together during the short drives to work.

[Maureen]

One of you needs a bike. Probably Logan, unless he uses his car during the day for work purposes. Is there an AutoShare club in your area?

[Cat]

We went to one car about 8 years ago. We figure that even if we have to call a cab (it's happened on the rare occasion) or rent a car for special circumstances (hasn't happened yet), it's WAAAAY cheaper than maintaining a second vehicle.

[Aine]

We've been a one-car family for about 10 years. I used to take the bus to work or ride my bike (8.5 miles -- either way it was about 45 minutes). My husband runs to work (2 miles). Now I work just as close, but I usually take the car because I'm the go-to person for kid emergencies. Their school is down the street, less than a mile away.

My husband and I go home for lunch every day. Our daughter has had her driver's license for almost 2 years. We haven't had a car payment since 2002. And it's worked out very, very well.

[Aine]

P.S. We live in Madison, WI. Also, I keep my fingers crossed that our car keeps chugging away for as long as possible, because lord knows we haven't been putting extra money away or anything. :)

[Kelli Taylor]

I would love to be a one car family but this area just isn't one car friendly for us. Grrr.

[jdg]

welcome to the darkside (at least, how such things are viewed in metro detroit). I am either a goddamn hippie who's not helping the local economy or a guy with one too many DUI's, depending on who sees me biking around town with the kids.

let me know if you want to install some panniers on your bike!

[ashley]

Kristyn at Center Street Salon. She's about $50 - $55 for a hair cut, but damn if she doesn't give good head. Errr... Not that kind of head. Hair head. Plus, she's a riot. Love her.

[Ina]

Why don't you buy a Vespa or a smaller cc. motorcycle? Leasing a car is a money drain, but you might also look at buying a really cheap beater with another family.

[Kimberly*]

Getting rid of a car payment is enough to convince me to get rid of a car. But, alas, we live in LA. And I think it's against the law to not have one car per family member.
I need to work on driving less.

[Heather]

Good for you! We had one car for about 2 years, and it was great! It did take a little coordination, but worked out WAY better than I had expected. And financially...it is SO worth it!

[Alana]

I wish we could do that, since I have a huge car payment, and recently quit my job to go back to school. It would save us so much money to go down to one car.

Unfortunately, my husband drives 40 miles one way to work, my school is not on his way, and the kids are in school in the suburb where we live. I'd sell my car and buy a used one, but with the miles that we put on cars here in Houston, we're better off with new cars that don't require maintenance.

[Calee]

I mentioned to my mother in law the other day that I'm hoping to move down to one car and she looked at me with such pity. We both work from home, my daughter will go to a school a mile away next year and everything we need is within 2 miles. I just need a bike with a little bit of cargo room and I'll be set. While my primary goal isn't to be green particularly, I love the idea of living a lifestyle that's a little simpler and community based. Oh- and we live in the OC, to only have one car must mean you live in a cardboard box or something.

[Danielle]

My sister-in-law is a popular stylist at a high-end salon and she ALWAYS does hair on her days off. I don't think your stylist would be offended if you asked her/him whether they do the same. I know for a fact that the down-payment on her house came from all the hair she does on the side, since she gets the color at a discount and whatever the at-home client pays her is cash in her pocket. She told me that her book at the salon isn't what it used to be since the economic downturn, but that the hair she does on the side has increased dramatically.

[EJ]

We've had one car for years now - mine, b/c I work 30 minutes away. It works great because the other adult in the house got a scooter for all those short, in-town trips. $2,000 worked out way better than another full car payment - plus the thing gets 60 or 70 miles to the gallon.

[Amy]

We follow the n+1 car rule, where n is the number of drivers and n+1 is the number of cars. It's crazy, but in a rural area where the mechanic is far away and a little flaky and one of having to travel for work regularly, it's almost a necessity. But we drive old clunkers, so no car payments anyway!

[Meg McG]

We're a one car family too (for now). I bike or walk to the train, 2.5 miles away. We may have to get another car in the fall when my husband is in school in one town, working in another, I work in a third town where one son will be at my sisters and my other son in preschool in the 4th town on the list, the one where we live. Might be kind of difficult with one car...and I think its against the law to ride a moped while carrying two small children. I should check.

[cathy]

we're a zero car family! this works well in inner city melbourne (australia) where we live. no bills, no registration, no insurance - just tram tickets and shoes. for walking!

i lost 8 kilos walking baby to daycare and then tramming it to work. that's about 20 pounds, americans! i felt very smug and pleased with myself. :)

[Elizabeth]

Another Madisonion (WI) on the one-car plan here. We have one Prius, one bus pass, and one bike with a kid carrier, and I can count on one hand the number of times we've had "who gets the car" conflicts.

Not only will you save on car costs, but you end up buying less stuff because you have to physically carry it home. Plus, it's better for your health!

[Becca]

I found your site by accident almost a year ago, and then about 6 months ago my work started blocking your site so I couldn't waste their productive time anymore.

I am sure you will get to get your haircut within the next 6 months (even if you are holding the scissors, hehe)!!

I love your site and you helped me feel pretty normal about my kids, so thanks for that! Can't wait to read every day again.

[Julie]

The lease expired on our SUV on June 1 and we decided to try being a one car family. We moved last year and now live a 2 minute walk to the bus and a 10 minute walk to the subway. It certainly is very doable for the summer when there are no kid activities, no school, no carpool, etc and mild weather. It might be a little more difficult once winter hits, but somehow I don't think it'll be that bad. The one thing I did do is sign up with 2 car share companies that keep cars within a 10 minute walk of my house at the sign up cost of approx. $100 annually for both - in case of an emergency, I have access to a car nearby and it'll cost way less than the $1000 or so we figured out the 2nd car was costing us every month in payments, insurance, gas and maintenance!

[Lena]

You know I feel your pain.

I'm waiting for our direct deposit to hit, so I can do an advance on the next one for groceries! Awesomeness.

[Lisa]

When we moved from Seattle (crappy public transport - but about to get better now that we're gone ... isn't that the way) to Melbourne (AMAZING public transport - we have a train, 2 tram lines and a few bus lines within walking distance) we became a 1 car family. (BTW, Hi @Cathy also in Melb!) My husban works mostly from home and my office is 2 train stops away. My daughter's school is scooter- or bike-able or we can take the tram. Or when we're lazy and running late we drive her. It does take some coordination re: meetings or when I have to go to a client or whatever ... but has been no biggie.

[Anna]

We've been a one car family in ATL suburbs for about a year - which is a challenge with the dismal public transit. The loss of freedom is a little tough to get used to when you're not the one with the car, but I wouldn't trade the carpool time with my family for anything.

[Jill]

We just did the same thing in March! It felt great to walk away from the car and not think about it again... then a bill came for a lease turn in fee (wha?) that was the price of two payments... so imagine the excitement when we got to pay for a "car" for two months with no car! Ha! (or not.) Any how... a couple months in we are doing pretty good. There are things that are a pain here and there - but no car payment pretty much rocks. Enjoy!

[Shannon]

Congrats! :) We are a 1-car family. I'm a SAHM to 2 girls, one just turned 5 and one almost 3. We have never had more than 1 car, though we used to live in a city and my husband could ride the bus to work. Now we live in a small college town and he bikes to work most days. Still, in winter and on days he has meetings or appointments away from his office, he drives and I am car-less that day. It involves a lot of logistical wrangling in general, but I'm kind of proud of us for making do with only 1 car. (Like you, we do it for financial reasons but the environmental benefits are nice.)

[Kate]

We became a one car family in March, and so far it's been great. My husband jogs to work (no, really, he's insane) and just showers there, and I take my son to daycare and then either go back home or head to the office (about twice a week). In the afternoons, I pick up my husband and then we pick up our son together. Bonus: my sister just moved in with us temporarily, and she has no car, so some days I also add her into the carpool mix.

The point is, we haven't really missed the other car. We have great public transportation, so when my husband does need the truck, I take the bus into town with my son and we do our errands, etc. Or, I put him in the Burley thing (bike trailer), and we ride wherever we need to go - one of the pluses when your town is only 8 miles from one end to the other.

[Tracy]

Don't feel bad Melissa.
I haven't had my hair cut in 2 years.

[JRM]

Supercuts

Zipcar

Drive him to work and then you take the car

[MelissaS]

I'm confused about where exactly I asked for advice?

[JRM]

Soryy. I should have written in complete sentances.

Last November I got rid of my car. I take the bus/train and use a Zipcar if I need to. Voila!

[amy]

If we could we too would be a one car family. Hubby works in the city though and stays there 3 days of the week. Doesn't work with three kids (two of which are driven to school out of necessity).

When the kids were younger and we lived closer to the small city we lived in we had only one vehicle and it was gone, with my husband, 4 days and 3 nights of the week. It was ok though, I would put the twins in the stroller with eldest biking and we would get things done. For my sanity we would get out every morning and visit playgroup, friends and run errands. I kind of miss the fact my daily exercise was not 'scheduled in' but part of the routine. I was never so fit!

If hubby worked in town I would happily have one vehicle. No payments, no double the car insurance and more impetus to get out there and walk or bike to where we needed to go.

[Reesie]

I am jealous. We live a mile from pavement in all directions. 4 Wheel drive isn't an accessory here, it is a necessity. My husband work in Boston, a 1.5 hour commute, 3 days a week. Most of the time his truck sits at the Bus station, during the week, but it gets a work out on the weekend. We live in Boston for many years, but the move here was to be near family. My car is a paid for Honda and although I would love more room for car pools etc., I am really looking forward to running that puppy into the ground :) Kudos to you.

[the Mayor]

We are down to one car right now and I hate it. Like not having another payment though, so I'm thinking about buying a hooptee as a security blanket. I loathe that stranded feeling of being car less.

[AmyinMotown]

I go to Nicole at Aqua Salon--it's like $40 but they hand out coupons like candy so your first cut would cost lots less. LOVE HER and I really like what she's done with my hair. I've been very tempted by Alex Emilio because I hear nothing but raves. Wonder if I could go to him every other time or something (I go like 2-3 month between haircuts). My mom goes to Palazollo and bitches about it less than she usually bitches about hairstylists, so that's something.