Would you possibly be able to give up your car? The place where you can indulge your NPR habit, the place where you have a few minutes of peace commuting back and forth to work or your kids' school, the thing that houses all those reusable grocery bags, two strollers, and a month's supply of baby wipes so you never have to worry about running out?
Some people do, and never look back. Tammy Stroebel wrote about doing so for Wise Bread and estimates she and her husband save over $10,000 per year by not having cars anymore ... and she didn't reveal this, but you know they have admirable quadriceps as well from all that pedaling.
Moms have different concerns when it comes to car-free living, though; here are some pros and cons to giving up your automobile for a life on two wheels:
Pro: No more listening to the Barenaked Ladies' Snacktime album every time you so much as back out of the driveway (it's a great album, but it wears thin after listening to it every. Single. Day);
Con: No more NPR fix once the kids are delivered wherever they are going (or Rush Limbaugh, if that's your thing).
Pro: You kill two birds with one stone; commuting or running errands and a workout, which saves time;
Con: Helmet hair. Sweaty helmet hair.
Pro: No more vacuuming out a metric ton of Goldfish crumbs, pet hair, and "what the hell is that?" from your back seat; no more sour milk stench from a forgotten sippy cup;
Con: No more placating fighting siblings by tossing them both handfuls of Goldfish; no DVD players in bike trailers;
Pro: No more carseat battles before you can go anywhere.
Con: No more carseats; no more trunk to hold all your crap; and if you think your kids scream bloody murder at being strapped into their car seats, just wait until you're wrestling a helmet onto them.
Could you give up your car?
Image via oepidusphinx/Flickr
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Comments 51
I would LOVE to give up my car....and if I could figure out a way to do it I would. However living in MI might make winter commute a little tricky....and chilly for the kids!!!
It would be easy for me for the most part. I live within walking distance of the school my son attends, a grocery store, Target, etc. My husband cannot take Public trans so he MUST drive to work so we'd have to keep his car. The problem for us would be that our other son attends a special needs school over an hour away. Wouldn't work.
I have never owned a car. I've learned to adapt.
Nope. Couldn't do it. Have two kids and juggling them, and the numerous errands I run on a daily basis would be too much without a car. Plus living in NM with the heat in the summer is killer! Giving up the car would be a stress reliever though with all the crazy drivers out there!
Couldn't do it. Live in MI so if all I had was a bike or had to walk we would be home bound for to many days in the winter.
Not possible in this area. I am 3 miles from the nearest convenience store, 6 miles from the nearest Wal-mart, and 10 miles from my nearest grocery store. There is NO public transit in this area, either. If you don't have a car, you're screwed. DH wouldn't be very happy, either, with a 30-mile round trip to work (the home leg after dark).
If I lived in an area with public transit and close to everything, I might. At the very least, the car wouldn't get used very much.
We have been investigating a motorcycle as a means for him to get to work, though. It would save us a LOT on gas money.
yes it would save money but most importantly it would be better on the environment and that would b the reason to do it!! but can't i live 30 miles from town and could u imagine biking with 4 kids and groceries in tow for 60 miles round trip...ya i can't even pedal 5 miles alone without giving up a lung...LOL!! besides all that tow sure ain't gonna fit on no bike.barly fits in my s.u.v... i do recycle though and am going to start composting this summer--hey it's a start!!