Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Tammy Strobel of Rowdy Kittens.
Americans have a love affair with cars. Cars symbolize freedom, wealth, and a carefree lifestyle. Consumer culture has created an illusion that we “need” cars. Rather that giving people freedom, cars saddle us with incredible debt, constrain life choices and hamper good health.
Going car-lite is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. Below are a few options to get you started.
1. Start small.
Selling our cars was part of our downsizing process and it was one of the best financial and health related decisions we’ve ever made. It took over two years to shed our cars and downsize our debt. So if you’re thinking of going car-lite, start small.
Micro-action: Leave your car in the garage for a week and do all your local errands by foot, bike or via public transit. Go for a test ride and see how you do.
2. Do a cost-benefit analysis.
Even if you’ve paid off your car, do you really know the true cost? According to “How to Live Well Without Owning a Car”:
- Americans spend 1/5 of their income on cars.
- An American Automobile Association study pointed out that the average American spends $8,410 per year to own a vehicle. That’s $700 per month.
- The figure includes car payments, insurance, gas, oil, car washes, registration fees, taxes, parking, tools and repairs.
Car ownership is the second largest household expense in the U.S. According to Bikes at Work, Inc. “the average household spends almost as much on their cars as they do on food and health care combined for their entire family.” One of the best money saving strategies available to you is going car-lite.
Micro-action: Add up the true cost of your car(s). How much do you spend every year on car payments, maintenance, gas, insurance, etc.?
3. Consider your health.
The rates of active transportation have declined significantly in the U.S. People are more likely to jump into their car and drive 2 miles to the store, rather than walking or biking. As active transportation rates have declined “we’ve seen a dramatic increase in childhood obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other health risks. In fact, our children may be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.”
Micro-action: Think about how much time you spend sitting everyday. Can you change this behavior by biking or walking more?
4. Going car-lite with kids.
Going car-lite with kids is challenging. But don’t let that stop you. There are many people who have gone car-free or car-lite with kids and rave about the benefits.
- You don’t have to spend $5,000 on a bike to get around safely. There is an abundance of family cargo bikes, child seats, and trailer options to consider. Totcycle.com is a great place to start poking around and exploring options.
- Don’t forget to connect with parents who have gone car-lite or car-free. Ask questions about bikes, gear, challenges and successes.
Micro-action: Read What is this thing we call safe? and In Praise of Car-Light Families.
5. Go multi-modal.
Biking isn’t the only way to get around without a car. Consider taking the bus, train, or walking to your destination. Taking a multi-modal approach to transportation is a great solution and will make your life a lot easier. For instance, on days when it’s pouring rain or snowing you can take the bus.
Micro-action: Research the types of public transportation options in your home town.
6. Truly experience your city by walking and biking.
You don’t have to travel the world to go on an adventure. There are adventure opportunities waiting in your backyard. Going car-lite is an amazing way to see your city in a new light.
For instance, as a result of selling my car(s) my world view has shifted. Rather than rushing from place to place, I slow down and observe my surroundings, patronize local business and say hi to my neighbors.
By biking and walking your city, you can truly experience it.
Micro-action: Tour your city by foot or by bike.
7. Get connected to your local community.
The U.S. has seen a resurgence in cycling. As gas prices continue to rise, new community groups have been founded in cities across the U.S. So get plugged into your local community. If your community doesn’t have an organization devoted to cycling, maybe you should start one?
Closing thoughts…
Going car-lite or car-free is possible. Changing my transportation choices has been large part of my simple living journey and it’s improved my life for the better. I’m happier, healthier and finally have a savings account.
***
Tammy Strobel blogs at RowdyKittens about social change through simple living and is the author of You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap).
sarah says
I’m guessing there are – I’m in Chicago. One of the students I know here said she was “only hit twice” last year. Um….YIKES.
Jenny says
@Sarah,
I just moved from SF to Chicago and I’ve been carless in both cities. Honestly, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a city where can get along without a car better than Chicago. NYC, but that’s about it, in the US. I’ve been here for 4 months and I need to go to the suburbs a lot, my job and friends are there. I don’t want to make assumptions about your life, but have really given transit a shot? Not having a choice, I’ve taken a multiple connection transit trip many times and gotten used to it. In fact, I find being in stop and go traffic as a passenger more stressful than riding a bus while reading a book. I also pull out my old lady cart for errands when that makes it more comfortable.
Bicycling helps a lot with transportation. Chicago easily beats SF in transit. SF is definitely safer for cycling. I would recommend learning to ride as part of traffic (which Chicago, sadly, does not encourage). It will make you feel safer on the road. Whether you choose transit or cycling, it’s totally doable. I really think people in urban places in the US drive much more than is necessary.
I hope’ll give transit and urban cycling a fair chance. Our city wasn’t meant to be experienced in a steel cage.
Tammy Strobel says
@Joshua – Thanks for the opportunity to write this post! It was great fun.
@frugalapolis and @Adventure-Some Matthew – Thanks for the suggestions. Using a scooter or motorcycle is a great alternative to owning a car. A friend in Sacramento recently sold her car and is scooting and biking around town now. She loves it!
@codyvilla – Yay! And thank you. I’m happy you found the links useful. I love the Totcyle website. It’s filled with incredible information. And I’m happy to hear you’re riding a bike more. When I started cycling again, I slowly increased my millage over 2 or 3 months. I do think it’s important to start out slow, that way you don’t get injured. I’m sure you’ll be able to make your commute in no time. :)
@Kristin – thanks for reading RowdyKittens! I appreciate it and I’m so happy you and the “kiddo” love riding the bus. And I dig your suggestions. Everett wrote a great guest post on buying bikes from Craig’s list a while back. http://rowdykittens.com/2010/02/how-to-rent-a-bike-in-any-city-for-free/
@Sarah – Are there any cycling organizations in your city? The local organizations I’ve worked with have done a lot of awesome campaigns around safe transit alternatives. And they are constantly pushing public officials to include more bike lanes on roadways. Check out The League of American Bicyclists – http://www.bikeleague.org/
sarah says
I hardly drove at all before I had a child. Once a week I’d drive to the store to buy groceries – i lived 5+ miles from the store, and it was a lot easier to go once a week than spend 3 hours going to and from the store multiple times a week in 100 degree weather (because you really can’t carry enough food for more than a day or two on the bus, and it takes about 1 hour to go that far). Western states are hardly car-lite friendly, since everything is soooo spread out and public transit is limited.
Now I live in a city with lots of public transit, but it’s annoying to have to spend hours and hours to get a mile or two with a baby, only to not be able to carry anything home. How on earth do people do that? Also, I’m afraid to ride a bicycle here – and it’s really too cold for half the year to do that anyhow (especially with small children – it’s only 45 right now). So, I find it odd that I’m even MORE dependent on a car in a city with tons of transit options (although, again, I’m afraid to ride a bike here – there aren’t bike lanes on most streets, and even residential streets are so narrow that cars can barely make it through).
Also, it’s difficult to resist the car when you know it’ll take 20 minutes by car, but 1 hour by train/subway, or 1.5 hours by bus (one way). So, you do have to remember that you’ll get a lot less done if you’re doing the public transit thing.
Kristin Brown says
By the way, Totcycle is rockin’! Thanks for the link!
Kristin Brown says
My daughter (she’s 3) and I have been working on going car-lite ever since I started reading Tammy’s blog (thanks, Tammy!). Kiddo loves riding the bus; she doesn’t like being strapped into her booster seat and prefers to sit next to mom. I think being car-lite makes for better family time.
I have 2 suggestions:
1. Try to negotiate a remote work station with your employer if you have the kind of job that would allow for that. I started asking to work from home almost 3 years ago. It took my company a while to come around, but last year they offered anyone who wanted to work remotely that opportunity. My office is 14 miles from home and since I work splits, that change has effectively saved me from driving 56 miles a day! That’s over 14,000 miles a year just from that one change!
2. Check out Craigslist for bikes and biking accessories. My daughter weighs almost 40 lbs so I decided to get a bike trailer rather than a seat. Those things can run anywhere from $150-$600 at the store. After putting a wanted ad on Craigslist, I found a brand new (brand new, tags and all!) trailer for $65. Doesn’t get much better than that. :-)
codyvilla says
Josh – thanks for the post and for previously linking to Tammy’s blog. I recently bought a bicycle, hoping to make use of it as a commuter bike this summer. Though, I was a bit ambitious considering my commute is over 5 miles one way. I am working towards it though, and am inspired to – at the very least – ask the question, “What would life be like with one car? without cars? with different cars (hybrid, etc)?”
Tammy – I especially appreciate the family links. As a dad of 2 small kids in the burbs, it’s hard to imagine life without the minivan. I do know that my next home-location decision will be heavily influenced by the goods and services available within biking/walking distance.
Adventure-Some Matthew says
My wife and I share one car. While it does get to be frustrating at times, it’s also definitely doable. When we do upgrade to a second vehicle, it will be a motorcycle for me.
Motorcycles – easy to store, easy to park, cheaper insurance, more fuel efficient… Lots of advantages, and I don’t mind being out in the weather most of the time. When I do, we’ll carpool again.
joshua becker says
@barry – thanks for the comment. but just to be clear, the article is titled “how to be car-lite” not “car-free.” i believe the hope was to encourage people to use their cars less. and it sounds like you already working towards that. good for you.
Richard says
Thanks… Got me thinking.
Barry T Dallmann says
I like the idea, but being car-free does not work for everyone. Some of us value where we live over minimalism. I live in a very rural area, 10 miles from the closest town, and 40 miles from a metro area. That’s a tough bike ride for a daily commute. :)
That said, my family does try to reduce what we spend on vehicles, and overall, the article is good advice. Thank you for writing it.
frugalapolis says
You forgot to mention a scooter or motorcycle. They are a viable alternative, but can cost a bit for insurance if you choose.
alan says
well, maybe if there are electric mopeds. trouble is, gas scooters stink. just today, i was on my bike behind one. even though it sped away, it left a trail of truly disgusting exhaust. i had to change my route to get away from it.
Kami says
The newer models of gas scooters actually do not stink and get 70-100+ mpg. You were most likely behind a vintage scooter, which are quite nasty. I have feet, bike, scooter, car, bus and train and use them all for different things (much less on the car when I retire soon).