Author Topic: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified  (Read 6831 times)

MsGizmo

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I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« on: September 07, 2015, 09:24:34 AM »
I'm selling my car, which I probably shouldn't have bought anyway, to a family member. We agreed yesterday and she wants to pick it up today!

Getting rid of the car is good for my financial situation. I have $7k in credit card debt and owed $15k on the car. If I can save the car and insurance payments and a little more on top of that, I should be able to buy a $5K car in Feb.

I live 1.5 miles from work, so biking or walking there is not a problem. I was terrible about walking/ biking to work because I could never get up on time. I don't travel too much for work, but can always rent a car (when work will pay for it) or ask a coworker to drive (we often travel in pairs).

The part that absolutely terrifies me about not having a car though is getting around for the other things I do in life. I am a fan of happy hour and friends and I will meet about once a week for it. We'll also occasionally meet up for dinners, movies, etc. I go to dance class once a week. The gym a few times a week. Grocery shopping once a week.

My boyfriend and I do a lot of things together so about half of those will be with him (dance class, many social events, grocery shopping), but I'm on my own for some of the other things. I plan to bike more and use Uber when I need to.

I think I can manage. I keep telling myself: I only need to be carless for a few months to save money and then go buy a new-to-me one. I'll be fine, but still I'm nervous about saying goodbye to my car though.

I think I can do this. Right?
« Last Edit: September 07, 2015, 09:42:11 AM by MsGizmo »

Kris

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2015, 09:27:26 AM »
Not only can you do this, I predict that if you really just embrace it, you may find yourself reluctant to buy that car in February.

MsGizmo

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2015, 09:43:25 AM »
I hope so, Kris. You're right: I need to embrace it and see it for the opportunity it is.

undercover

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2015, 09:50:03 AM »
My ideal world involves no cars and everything being within a half mile of where I live. I would love to go carless - not for financial reasons, but just for quality of life ones. Problem is, that world is generally more expensive since housing is outrageous in those areas. So I'm sticking with the cheap housing and occasional car use for now.

How old is your car? And what's it worth? If it's not worth as much as you owe on it, think carefully before selling. If it's only worth $10-12k, I'd just keep it if it means that much to you.

frompa

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2015, 10:16:58 AM »
Yo, "terrified"?  Really?!!  I hope you are given to hyperbole and you don't really feel terror at the prospect of going without a car at your immediate disposal.  Looking at car driving more wholistically, including the death rates involved in motorized transportation, you might find that getting around by bike and foot is FAR FAR safer and sensible in about a million ways, i.e., better for your mental and physical health, less taxing on the environment, more supportive of community involvement, etc.  Motorized transportation is a pretty recent and isolated event in the course of human existence.  I have gone for years without a car in the past, and expect to do so again in the very near future.  Without a car, I've found that life sort of slows down imperceptibly but wonderfully to a manageable pace.  Also, biking as a main form of transit will probably mean that over time your ability to bike greater distances and in more complex situations (such as carrying lots of groceries, going on busy city streets, etc.etc.) will increase, giving you a greater range of mobility.  I think you are in for a great adventure; I hope you find the same. Best of luck!

Tyson

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2015, 10:37:28 AM »
When I bike around, I see my neighbors and they say hi to me.  When I'm in my car, not so much.

shelivesthedream

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2015, 11:48:45 AM »
I too predict that you may think twice about buying another car in the end!

Just take it one day at a time. If you can't be bothered to cycle, you can always walk!

Thegoblinchief

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2015, 05:05:44 PM »
Join the monthly cycling challenge threads. They're a great place to share successes, failures, and get advice about improving your ability to cycle.

Retired To Win

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2015, 06:41:30 PM »
... I keep telling myself: I only need to be carless for a few months to save money and then go buy a new-to-me one. I'll be fine, but still I'm nervous about saying goodbye to my car though.

I think I can do this. Right?

Of course you can do it.  There are still lots of people who have no car, period, and they do manage to run their lives using public transportation, bikes, walking and the occasional taxi.  There's been more than one period in my life when that was the situation.  And you know what?  It works out.  You'll see that you'll "discover" transportation options you had no idea were available to you.  You'll be fine.

Good luck.

The Accidental Mustachian

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2015, 05:00:42 AM »
Hi, good luck with this. I definitely think it can be done and i find with cycling that the more you do the more you want to do.

You may find that with the cycling you do that trips to the gym become somewhat unnesecary (incurring further savings)

Good luck and keep us posted.

The Accidental Mustachian

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2015, 05:05:50 AM »
Hi, good luck with this. I definitely think it can be done and i find with cycling that the more you do the more you want to do.

You may find that with the cycling you do that trips to the gym become somewhat unnesecary (incurring further savings)

Good luck and keep us posted.

HipGnosis

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2015, 07:23:07 AM »
Of course you can do it.
Riding and walking to work will make your gym membership redundant - more money saved (though I hear gym memberships can be awfully hard to cancel).
You shouldn't be driving to happy hour anyway because you shouldn't drive FROM happy hour.
Your town has Uber, so it's probably big enough to also have public transportation.  Learn which one is best suited for each errand or destination.
Get baskets (panniers?)  for the bike (and a backpack?) and get groceries as often as the baskets allow.
Most of your list is meeting other people - ask one of them to pick you up and drop you off (or ride to/from their house).  Be grateful; home baked goods are often appreciated.

big_slacker

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2015, 09:38:11 AM »
Commit, do it, figure it out. Problem solved. No overthinking needed, that's too much work. :)

Silverwood

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2015, 06:42:22 PM »
I think you'll be fine.

I get how daunting  it can be. I'm currently in the process of parking my pos car and am thinking I'll just scrap it or sell it.  So the timing on your post is great. If your bf has a car that makes things even easier.

My biggest hurdle has been dealing with not seeing family. My parents are an hour outside the city and my brother would take 3 buses to get to.  I'm fine with it but they seem to think this is a big deal.  I've taken the bus before when being laid off and suddenly I was more organized with my time, I had stories to tell from  interacting with people on the bus and I was in better shape. Oh and I was more in tune with the weather and seasons changing.

Shor

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2015, 07:16:36 PM »
Being car-less is one of my life-long dreams!
Oddly the other dream is to be apartment-less and live out of my car....

KMMK

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #15 on: September 08, 2015, 07:47:15 PM »
Being car-less is one of my life-long dreams!
Oddly the other dream is to be apartment-less and live out of my car....

Ha ha. Similar here. I'm car-free and love it, but I want to live in a van eventually.

relaxednature

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #16 on: September 09, 2015, 11:27:23 AM »
I've been car less now for over 3 years, it's been great.. never realized how annoying having a car was.  All though I work from home 100% so that helps a lot.

I think you'll be amazed at how much money not having a car saves you, and it really didn't change what I do much. just went from going to the store whenever to actually planning out what I get so I only make 1 trip, etc.

solon

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2015, 11:36:04 AM »
Of course you can do it! And you'll be proud of yourself too. This is the most badass thing in the world!

climbgirl

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #18 on: September 09, 2015, 12:00:16 PM »
I'm in my late 30s and I've never owned a car so of course you can do it!  Since I left home at age 17, I've never lived in a household that's had a car. I guess I've just never needed one!

I was on a work trip to Madrid a few months ago and there were 7 of us sitting round a table for dinner. One American, one New Zealander, one French, three Dutch, two Spanish and one from London. We started talking about cars for some reason and the only person at the entire table who owned a car was the American! He was astonished that nobody else had a car and couldn't quite believe we all managed just fine without one using bikes and public transport.

It's entirely possible to survive and live very happily without a car - you'll be fine!

bobechs

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #19 on: September 09, 2015, 02:04:56 PM »
I think you have every reason to be terrified.  I mean, like summer date movie scared. Yes, that scared.

I have lived extended periods without a car -or even a motorcycle or moped- from big Asian cities to rural Alaska.

And look how I turned out.

Be afraid.  Be very afraid.  And don't go upstairs to check out that sound.  Never go upstairs.

StockBeard

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #20 on: September 09, 2015, 02:26:12 PM »
I went carless 10 years ago. I didn't realize it was a thing, it's just that life made it so that I had to get rid of lots of stuff before traveling.

I never looked back. Now one of my worst fears is to ever have to own a car again.

You'll be fine. Cars are like lots of expensive gadgets: you can't imagine life without it, until you actually make the move. Then you realize it was as much trouble as it was useful.

dennityrrell

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #21 on: September 10, 2015, 11:41:01 PM »
Your an inspiration! I just took a new job that is 1mi from my home and I really want to go carless.

I would think about it as an experiment. Use UBER, bum rides off friends, extend your biking distance, use the bus ... maybe you will deicide that it wasnt all that hard to go carless.


Good luck!

JJNL

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #22 on: September 11, 2015, 12:46:17 AM »
Of course you can do it! I'm 36 and like many Amsterdammers have never owned a car in my life - in fact, I only got my drivers' license at 31, because I increasingly felt like useless luggage when travelling together with friends and now I can take a shift driving (I'm a very good navigator, but nobody needs those anymore since the arrival of satnav). Whether you'll be able to keep it up for longer than a few months is probably going to depend on where you live and what public transport is like there. If all the distances you travel regularly are bikeable (<10k or so) you'll be fine indefinitely - if you need to travel further regularly it really helps if there is some form of public transport to help you do it. Also, do you have car sharing available? I am a member of a car sharing service, which lets me rent a neighbour's car for cheap should I need one. I use that for longer trips a couple of times a year.

BrandonP

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #23 on: September 11, 2015, 03:43:07 PM »
I haven't owned a car for 6 and a half years. And only drive once every year and a half.

Good luck!

You'll be fine.

galliver

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Re: I'm going carless for a few months and I'm terrified
« Reply #24 on: September 11, 2015, 04:39:22 PM »
Dear Europeans and urban dwellers: being carless in some parts of the US (including, I imagine, many parts of Texas) is very different from being carless someplace with good public transit.

OP: you didn't give a lot of the distances between your other activities so it's hard to say how feasible your plan/lifestyle is. You also didn't say if you and your bf live together; regardless, you can probably do all sorts of errands together. My bf and I moved from Illinois to the LA area a year ago, and bought a car so we could take trips around the state, and not spend hours getting groceries. It worked out for us that we do most of our errands, social events, and trips together. But he uses it to drive to work and I borrow it on rare occasions when I have an awkward errand, like a doctor's appointment mid-day or an appointment at a government office like DMV. Since our use/benefit is pretty equal, I chip in 50% for gas and insurance, and then feel free to ask for it when I needed. Maybe you can work out something similar.

Other tips from years as carless or mostly-carless:
-Do check out the public transportation options. Texas isn't famous for it but the one bus your town has may just run on a convenient route for you. I was surprised how good the PT was in our LA suburb, given my (very low) expectations. Even if you don't use it regularly, you'll have a backup plan (besides walking) in case of a flat, etc.
-With a 1.5 mile commute I wouldn't be surprised if biking was faster than driving, accounting for parking.
-I used to avoid asking for rides typically, but I made an exception when I knew for sure it was on a friend's way, or like 2 mins away (I lived ~.5 mi from a lot of restaurants/bars, but it was a creepy walk at night, alone, as a woman). I did also accept if someone voluntarily offered and it significantly improved my transportation prospects (so not if my bus was coming in 3 minutes). If someone gave me particularly long or frequent rides, I'd give them some gas money or buy a drink. If you bum rides, be a good bummer ;)
- It's going to take more scheduling/planning to get places.
-There are still places and events you might opt out of or leave early because of transportation convenience. It will probably feel like "you know, it's just too much hassle to go to X". And that's ok.

Good luck, but you'll do fine!