One Car Family?

**MissL2**

Just been talking to my OH and we have been discussing the possibility of of me getting rid of my car and becomming a one car family. I'm currently on maternity leave and don't really use my car other than going to the shops and seeing family. In one year we've worked out that I could save £2000+ by using just one car.
I'd still have access to a car as DP only works 15mins away and when I needed to I could drive him to work and use his car.
Has anyones else gone from 2 cars to 1? and did it work out for you?

Thanks
Lx

immoral_angeluk

We've only got one car. You just manage. If you don't need 2 cars, why spend a fortune on maintaining 2?

moodydonkey

At that amount of money use online shops that deliver and even if you use a taxi occasionally you are stil going to be better off.

tallulah20

I am also on maternity leave and we were in exactly the same position!

We have gone down to one car from two - saved a fortune on tax, insurance and petrol and I have lost all my baby weight walking everywhere - so in a roundabout way saved on gym membership / weightwatchers!

Snaggles

We've recently done exactly the same. I used to have my own car, but got rid of it when I was on maternity leave.

If you don't NEED it (to get to work etc), then I would say go for it. You do have to plan things a little more, but I find walking much easier than driving when you've got a baby. No lifting them in and out of an awkward car seat, no trying to squash a pram into the boot etc. It forces you to walk places, and walking with a baby is lovely, people stop to admire your little one, and say how cute they are. And it's good for you too....lol.

We car share now - hubby gets the bus on the one day a week when I really can't manage without a car (have to do school run, nursery run and get myself to work 8 miles away, all before 9am, with no direct bus or train services). And very occasionally, if he is running late, I have to get a taxi home from work, which costs almost a tenner, but that probably happens less than once a month, so it's still waaaay cheaper than running a car.

And I don't have to ever say no to a glass of wine 'because I'm driving'....hee hee!

monday_blues

hi there, we have gone from always having 2 cars down to 1, and although you can say you only use say £10 per week petrol, its the tax, mot and insurance that make it so expensive. so we really feel the benefit, exactly like you, with a young child at home, dont really go anywhwere at night, so was just using it for shops etc. try it and see how you get on.

kizzykizzywizzy

Same here, went from 2 - 1 when on maternity leave, walked everywhere & lost baby weight,walking everywhere gave me something to do, as all day at home is a little bit of a shock after having worked full time. If the baby was crying they usually fell asleep after a bit, so bit of peace for mummy;)
Also I still had use of the car if DH wasn't using it, we have never gone back to having 2 cars, as even now I walk as much as possible, I only use the car for days out, visiting relatives & shopping, we walk to school unless REALLY bad weather & all feel fitter for it!

moodydonkey

And if you ever needed more of an incentive, had two girls within a year of each other. Had no car so walked everywhere. Soon as I got my own car back, well you can do the maths! Kate Moss I aint haha

TwinkletoeA

It was a while ago now, but when my DD was a baby we only had 1 car. If I needed the car for the day I drove DH to work - 30 mins away and then picked him up later on. It was fine I lived about 20 minutes from town and could walk and get a bus anywhere if I wanted. After a year he got a company car and then I had the car.

9 years later we have 2 cars of our own but I still rarely use mine but we have moved over 2 miles away from the kiddies school and need it on the days that I need to take them as I now work part time (job is in walking distance). Next year DH is taking the motorbike test (he now travels over 50 miles a day) and we are going to go back to sharing 1 car.

RoxieW

We have one car which hubby uses for work. It's just not worth it financially for me to have a car just to , as you said, go to the shops and see family. I do online shopping and we see family together at weekends. The only time I really miss it is if it is chucking it down or during the school holidays when it would be nice to be able to get out and about with the kids. Still, then you're spending even more money. And as hubby says, getting the occassional taxi is waaay less exensive then running a second car - although I still dont - I hate paying out for taxis lol.
Its worth it for what you are saving - If we're desperate to go anywhere then the buses have to do! A friend of mine always comments on how 'loaded' we are and how we're always going out places/taking the kids out - but i tell her she would be too if they didnt have two cars! She spends £50 a week on petrol and wonders why she's skint!

mummytofour

We had 2 large cars as we are a family of 7. But I needed to raise some cash so dh could leave work and be at home as a carer for our son. We sold one car and then the other car was costing almost 50 a week in petrol, so I sold that one too. I then got a 1,1 secento! Very funny as we cant even go out together now! But its fab it costs almost nothing to run which is such a weight lifted. We are thinking about getting another 7 seater coz dh is around all the time now so we could do lots more as a family but its the cost of everything that worries me.