Are you here because you’re considering becoming a one-car family? Just interested in hearing our story? Either way, this blog is for you!
First, let me address those of you who are considering selling a car. You need to know that it’s not all a bed of roses. That’s not to say you shouldn’t do it, but it definitely isn’t easy. However, if you’re even considering this move I feel like you’re our kind of people.
You swim up stream. You may have concerns, but you’re willing to do hard things. Whether you decide to live life with one vehicle or not, I just want to encourage you to keep that mindset.
The world tends to offer us a lot of things that will “make our life easier,” and we constantly have to ask, “but it is right for me?” I can’t tell you what the answer is for you regarding becoming a one-car family, but I hope as I share our story it’ll help you come to the right decision.
How and Why We Became a One-Car Family
A few years ago, we came across a Youtube channel called, The Minimal Mom, and it took our life of intentionality to a whole new level. We decided to go room by room in our house and purge. We’re not minimalistic purists, but the exercise of getting rid of unnecessary items played a huge part in our decision to sell my car.
Here’s how it all went down.
I’m a Stay-at-Home-Mom + Homeschooler
Just to lay a little foundation, I’m a stay-at-home mom. I have been since 2012, and I’ve been homeschooling our kids for the past 7 years. Our lifestyle is definitely more chill than the average family…
Our kids don’t participate in any extracurricular activities (at least not yet), and the responsibilities that draw us out of the home typically include the entire family.
However, these pieces of information never prompted the question, “Should we get rid of a car?” I really enjoyed the freedom that two vehicles afforded us. We could come and go as we pleased and say yes to last minute plans. It never crossed our minds that we should give that up, until…
Covid
My husband was already working from home here and there, but obviously that changed in 2020. All of a sudden he was home all day every day.
We live in the city and our house has a one-lane driveway back to our garage. We parked my vehicle inside of the garage, and since Trent’s truck wouldn’t fit he’d park right behind me. Prior to 2020, he would leave in the morning, and I’d have the freedom to pull my car out whenever I wanted. When we found Trent at home all day, his truck took up permanent residence in the driveway, blocking me in.
When I needed to go to the grocery store I’d just take his truck, so after a while we realized my car wasn’t getting used. At all.
The One-Car Family Test Run
I can’t remember who suggested it, but we started talking about selling my car. We were paying for insurance on a vehicle that wasn’t getting used and was dropping in value. That didn’t seem like a smart financial decision, and as weird as this sounds, I felt bad for my car.
It needed to be used… It was built to be driven! We were stifling its purpose, and it just didn’t feel right. lol Does that sound crazy??
Anyway, I was afraid we’d sell it and immediately regret it. If I can be honest, I loved that car. It was a pearl white Buick Enclave with leather seats and beautiful rims. <swoon> When we bought it I’d been looking for months for this exact vehicle. I told Trent that I loved it so much I’d drive it into the ground.
But it wasn’t getting used. I told Trent, “Let’s put storage insurance on it and pretend like it’s gone. We can test out this whole one-car scenario for a few months, and if it works we’ll sell the Buick.” So that’s what we did.
Is Becoming a One-Car Family The Right Choice For You?
For more info, you can check out our list of pros here and our list of cons here. For now, here’s what I would ask.
- Do you have friends or family around who can help if you’re in a pinch?
- Do you and your spouse communicate well with one another?
- Do you need to get rid of a car because you can’t afford two? Or because you want to pay off debt?
If you answered yes to any/all of those questions, then it may be a good choice.
- If you didn’t have a second car, would it negatively affect your livelihood?
- Does your family frequently have to be at different locations outside of the home at the same time?
- Do you loathe walking or riding a bike?
If you answered yes to any/all of those questions, then it may NOT be a good choice.
Those are not the only questions to consider, but they should give you a good place to start. Becoming a one-car family is going to be a super easy decision and transition for some. It’ll be difficult for others and not an option for the rest. It really depends on your family’s dynamic, and no one can make the choice except you.
Well, that’s the story that brought us to becoming a one-car family. Check out our list of pros and cons to hear what life has actually been like since selling my car 🙂
Sarah
question: are you leaning towards becoming a one-car family? what’s holding you back?
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