Thinking of selling my car.

Brassic

As the title says really - I'm so keen to try and make a dent in this HUGE debt, that I'm considering selling my car. Don't think I'll get a huge amount for it (Citroen Xsara Picasso 51 plate) but thinking about how much I'll save in insurance, tax, petrol, etc it would make a fair old difference to my dfd.

However, dh is very worried about being left with only 1 car.

At present I use it about once a week to take daughter to swimming lesson which I'm sure I can find a bus route for (haven't been on a bus for years), and to take the elder 2 girls pony riding.

School is about 1.5 miles so we can cycle/walk. Shopping I get delivered and the fresh stuff is done in the village which I walk to.

My main concern is the pony riding - I found a lady with 3 ponies willing to let me use them for free or a token gesture, a couple of times a week which the girls (and I) love. It definitely is a car jouney away with no bus routes. Is it fair to expect them to give up this as well? We could do one day on the w/e I guess, when dh is around with car.

Feeling guilty that my folly in my youth (and dh's folly in his not so youth) is making them miss out, but trying to look at the long term too, quicker we reach that dfd the better for all of us.

Sorry for the ramble, just needed to bounce my thoughts off someone/somewhere. What does everyone else think?

CLAPTON

what would a taxi cost relative to car ownership?

southernscouser

Is it possible for your OH to use public transport on that one pony riding day? Or perhaps you can drop him into work and pick him up?

shayshay

Why not cycle to the pony place? or if you really need a car get a banger just for that or check out freecycle. We got a K reg metro that has been our saviour, 28k on the clock had a years MOT with 6 months tax and runs perfect.

tomstickland

However, dh is very worried about being left with only 1 car.

At present I use it about once a week to take daughter to swimming lesson which I'm sure I can find a bus route for (haven't been on a bus for years), and to take the elder 2 girls pony riding.

You are correct; sell it and get by with one car and some planning/walking/cycling.

mountainofdebt

Personally I would try and live without the car for a month - at least that way you'll be able to have a fair idea of what you would be letting yourself in for.

I know this is not really the way a dfw should think but we are getting to the miserable time of the year, weather wise - would you really want to walk/cycle in the rain?

tomstickland

The car is getting very little use, so you effectively have a few K of depreciating capital sat outside, with tax, insurance, fuel and maintenance costs. It's a no-brainer.

Sell it and if not happy then buy a £400 car from the paper with 12 month's MOT.

Brassic

mountainofdebt wrote:

Personally I would try and live without the car for a month - at least that way you'll be able to have a fair idea of what you would be letting yourself in for.

I know this is not really the way a dfw should think but we are getting to the miserable time of the year, weather wise - would you really want to walk/cycle in the rain?

That's a really great idea - and dh thinks so too. It's not the weather that bothers me (who was it that said "There's no such thing as bad weather, merely inappropriate clothing"?), it's just I've had a car for the last 13 years, so it feels a bit like I'm about to cut off a limb. :rolleyes:

Sadly I can't cycle to ponies as it's about 6 miles away, and I have a 1 year old, wobbly 6 year old and 8 year old and it involves a fast A road with no pavement/cycle track etc. :eek:

Getting a banger isn't an option really either - I'd still need to pay the petrol, the insurance etc, and I'm hoping that if I stick all of that back in my debts, that's what will make a large difference.

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions so far!