By contributing writer Andrea Vandiver
We’re a one car family.
There. I said it.
I don’t know why that has such a negative connotation to it, but it does. Anytime I tell someone, I get a barrage of questions and sad looks. But let me clear something up once and for all.
We’re happy!
And, we have options. We don’t only have one car because we can’t afford another one. We only have one car because we have some pretty incredible financial goals and it works for our family.
A year ago we sold our second car because my husband’s job provided a company vehicle, and we became a one car family. We didn’t use the second car enough to justify keeping it. But shortly after doing so, an opportunity came up that we couldn’t refuse. Which meant switching career paths and losing the company vehicle. When we sat down to discuss what to do about our new predicament, we decided to see how long we could suffer through this unimaginable circumstance.
Honestly though, it hasn’t been that bad. It’s actually kind of fun! And we’ve learned some things along the way.
1. We save money. This is obviously the biggest perk. You would be surprised at how much money you spend on car maintenance. Gas, insurance, tires and washes all add up. That’s not to mention a car payment. We follow Dave Ramsey’s philosophies and are committed to living a debt free lifestyle. That means paying cash for cars.
2. We take better care of our car. We realize how vital our car is to our life. If it breaks down, there’s not an easy backup. So we take really good care of it. The oil is changed on schedule. The tires are rotated and watched carefully. An odd noise is checked out immediately. We even keep it cleaner.
3. We spend more time together. Some of our best family time is spent in the car. It may be a little inconvenient to travel everywhere together, but it’s a great opportunity to spend quality time while life is busy. In a season of extra jobs and late nights, drives to church or the grocery store provide quick chances to reconnect.
4.We are picky about where we go. With only one car, it’s just not feasible to go places on a whim. We live in a suburb of a major city and plan our trips to “town” carefully. I try my best to make each trip really count by listing out every errand that needs to be done and knocking it out in one day. I even schedule doctor appointments and volunteer shifts accordingly.
Here’s why it works:
I’m a stay at home mom. And honestly, I don’t have that many places to go. We have a park in our neighborhood and a good-sized backyard. I grocery shop on “town days.” I stock up on fun activities to keep us entertained. I’m also lucky to have found some work from home opportunities.
My husband works nearby. This one is a major factor. Generally speaking, I drop him off at work when I need to run errands. He brings his lunch and I pick him up at the end of the day. Occasionally something last minute pops up and I need the car unexpectedly. In this case, he comes home for lunch and I take him back.
We do have a plan though. As of now, we are on Dave Ramsey’s Baby Step 2, paying off all debt but the house. You can read all about Dave’s steps in his book, The Total Money Makeover.
Once we’ve hit that milestone, we will turn and place every extra penny into a new-to-us car fund. Or we may have to briefly pause our debt snowball. But trust me, this experience will forever motivate us to stay out of debt.
Making sacrifices to accomplish goals won’t always be popular. Or cool. Or easy. But the bigger picture, that prize you have your eye on, it’s worth that.
The timeline of your goal is measured by how deeply you’re willing to sacrifice.
This won’t work for everyone -being a one car family. And it won’t work for us much longer. But this is a season. And if you’re in this season too, know that while it’s an adjustment, you can do it. And be happy.
Looking for more like this? Check out these posts:
- 7 Great Reasons to Hang-Dry Laundry All Year-Round
- 3 Possible Reasons You’re Failing at Sticking to a Grocery Budget
- Why We Said Goodbye to Our Television (But Still Have Screen Time)
- 5 Things to Buy at Thrift Stores (And 5 Things to Avoid)
- Why International Travel with Kids is Worth It (And How to Keep it Simple)
- How to Set a Beautiful Holiday Table on a Tight Budget
Andrea Vandiver is a work-at-home mom and freelance writer in Oklahoma. She spends her days imitating animals and blowing bubbles. Her favorite things are those that taste, smell, feel, sound and look wonderful: the stuff that romance is made of.
sarah
I’m really encouraged by this! My husband and I have maintained being a one car family since we were first married, nearly 4 years ago. It made it easier when he had a job that provided a work truck. Now we are back to no extra work vehicle and just our personal car. We had our first child last August and I’m a stay at home mom, so for now it works fairly well. I find I struggle more with it on the harder days with my son, feeling stuck in the home. We live right down the street from shops, a community center and beautiful park but we also live in Canada where winter can be brutal. I am learning that it takes adjusting my perspective because if I do take my husband to work so I can have the car, I’m usually doing something that involves spending money, sometimes unnecessary spending. Our main motivation for having one car is so we can pay off our debt, as well. I have about 2 more months to go before the weather improves and I can get out more with my little guy. I know this will be better. Becoming a blogger has given me a creative outlet during these hard winter months. I’ve totally gotten the looks and comments from people where they feel sorry for us. It’s not that we couldn’t afford a second car but we are choosing to be responsible to our debt. But it’s really encouraging to find others who understand this lifestyle choice. Great post =)
R&H Assistant
You can do it, Sarah! Warmer days will be here soon. 🙂
Ana
Oh I so can relate to you!! We also have one car and we follow Dave Ramsey’s FPU! We just became debt free! Woohoo! Oh but we don’t own a house, we rent. So still a few more steps to go. Hey no shame in being a one car family! We have bigger priorities right!?
Andrea
Ana! YAY! Congrats on being debt free! I love seeing the far reach and effect FPU has had on people. It’s changing our lives! We should be debt free in 20 months. Seems like forever away but we are chipping away at it. IT’S WORTH IT! You go girl!
Melody
My husband and I both work full time. Im the main user of the car as I work as a multi site therapist for the health authority I work for. My husband works at a K-12 private school. Most often I drive him to work then carry on to my job. In the evening he takes the bus home. Sometimes he has to take a bus to work as well but we deliberately chose our rental home because a bus stop was metres from our door and that bus goes to our local depot then converts to the route that goes to the school. Our system might complicate when we have kids but for now its great.
Beth
Glad you have a system that is working for you. Kudos for making a thoughtful decision!
Kate
We also only have one car. We also on purpose live as close as we could to my husband’s job so he can bike or take the bus if I can’t load up the kids and drive him to work. We pick him up every day. That’s the end of the similarities though. I’m a birth worker. I have to take the car and leave everyone to fend for themselves pretty regularly. I get that going “down” to one car could be an awesome way to save on expenses, but I think it’s in the same class as “just cut out your Starbucks coffee!”. It’s great advice if you’re actually spending money there. We have one car because that’s all we can afford, and we pray every time we turn the key that it will get us to where we are going! And we have friends without cars at all. I thought this might outline some of the awesome things about being good stewards, driving less, etc, etc, but instead, I find it still gives the impression that one vehicle is a hardship that you put up with or deal with for only a season. Honestly, even if we ever get to the place of privilege where we can buy and maintain two cars, we won’t. We’d love to have a *reliable* car, but there are reasons other than just getting through a season to only have one vehicle. Even if there isn’t a primarily “home” adult in the family.
Beth
Really good points, here, Kate. I agree that we shouldn’t assume that everyone *wants* more than one vehicle. It makes a lot of sense to have one on purpose, for many reasons. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
Jacob Rule
Great article!! RaLynda and I have done the one car thing and other methods to save money and it is very effective in saving money when you have a goal you are working towards. It also helps you appreciate the two vehicles more when the one car season ends. Also, I’m very proud of you guys for making the choice of your Husband being the primary financial provider and You being a Mother who is a keeper at home. This is one decison you guys will never regret. Investing in your family in this way is one of the best investments you could ever make. Also, it is the lifestyle that God intended for every family. We absolutely love this lifestyle and wouldn’t trade it for any amount of money. Unfortunately, I realize not ever person has this opportunity due to life circumstances such as a husbands illness, absent father, single Mom, etc. but to those who can, I strongly encourage you to consider it. I could go on and on about the benefits!! Keep the articles coming! I like it!
MamaV
We have one car and I love it! We intentionally live close enough to hubs job that he can bicycle so in reality we use our car a couple of times a week. I really loathe the idea of having a second car 😛
Julia
I remember growing up with just one car–when my dad lived close to his workplace. And we were a one-car family (again) until very recently. It pains me to have two cars. But we reluctantly got to the point where a second vehicle seemed like the best option because it saves gas and time in our situation. My husband can no longer just walk or bike to work, which cost two round trips a day for me to drop him off and pick him up.
Andrea
Julia, it sounds like you have some fond memories of being a one-car family! I applaud your hesitation to move to two, but every family has to do what works for them. Seasons come and go. Thanks for commenting!