We sold our car on November 12, 2010 as part of a goal to simplify our life.
Giving up vehicle ownership was scary. Scary not because we miss having a car – our lifestyle makes it easy to go without – but because we are born and bred North Americans and everyone needs a car, right? Wrong.
We live in downtown Vancouver. We walk everywhere: for groceries, to visit the library, movies, walks on the sea wall, to take our son to the park. Our car was mostly used to visit family that live in the suburbs. We still plan on visiting them but we will use public transportation, ZipCar or car rentals to get there. We’re excited about this new journey and the freedom of not owning a car.
I’m tracking our use and spending on transportation to see if it is a cost savings, neutral or more expensive. To check in on our progress check out our transportation budget here.
Thinking about getting rid of your car? Check out Tammy Strobel from RowdyKittens’ Simply Car-free for inspiration and how-to.
I found this page through Google. Selling or otherwise getting rid of an unneeded car is great! I did that recently and it feels great. I had a V6 Tacoma truck for a few years. For a while we had use for its carrying capacity. Then we stopped having a need for it. I don’t drive a lot. Less than 8,000 miles per year when averaging the time I had my truck. Probably way less in the last year. So I sold it to a dealership and got a really good amount.
And I went from debt to the opposite of debt. Having thousands of dollars saved up! I owed about $5,000 in payments for the truck and that was paid off. The remainder that was paid to me is much more and that was put in a savings account.
I could use that money to get a more reasonable car. But not now. I’m taking a nice break now that I have no car, cellphone, facebook, or debt. Besides, the household I live in still has two cars and I’m insured to drive them. If I really need to. But I don’t drive enough for us to need a third car. No thanks.
Much prefer sitting on a bus or train and reading to sitting in traffic!
I was just watching a piece on the TV about you and your choices towards being a minimalist. I admire it, and want to encourage it.
I did, however, notice a necessity for balance within this choice. As I reflect on it more, I realize that this balance may be more about how the choice is communicated, than about the actual life choice.
For example, I noticed that while being car free, that you chose to provide for your occasional needs for a vehicle either by renting or by using one from a relative or friend. Both are good decisions. But the way this was communicated on the TV was that your friends/relatives were so gracious to provide at least once. The cost of that gift was not considered in the interview. The needed balance is to teach our youth today that by choosing to be a minimalist, they should not construct the expectation that wherever they live somebody else should provide those needs that they are deciding to do without. I did not get this feeling from you, but I wanted others who may read this to realize that if they expect others to loan them the use of a vehicle, that the costs for insurance, maintenance and replacement value is nearly double the cost of the gas that is used. Choosing to use someone else’s car would mean that they at least recognize this value.
As I read Melissa’s comments above, I noticed another awkward conclusion in her communication. She equated their family’s choice to be carless with being “environmentally responsible”. I do not think Melissa meant that anyone else who owns and uses a car is the opposite… but it does come across that way to some readers.
I live in the rural part of northern BC, about 20 minutes from the closest small town. To do most of our shopping we would go to Dawson Creek or Fort St John, both being about 90 minutes away. I could choose to live here without a vehicle, but the cost to go shopping once a month would be prohibitive, not to even speak of the needs for my job and personal lives. There is no bus or train that passes by a couple blocks away. There is not even a block. Being environmentally responsible is different for different people. The one thing that is similar is that we both ask ourselves the same question, “How can I contribute to a better environment?”
By the way… those many bags of stuff that you decided to get rid of… I wonder how many of those ended up in the landfill? Secondhand stores go through the thousands of bags of stuff dropped off and toss some away. When I grew up, my father would take his shoes into town to get re-soled. Today we wouldn’t consider it, because the cost of repair is more than the cost for a new pair. So our society makes things cheaper and easier to access, until there is no way for us to renew and reuse the worn out. Shoe repair shops are now very rare. The result is that our toss away philosophy is deeply woven into the fabric of our society. I may live with a minimal amount of stuff myself, but what to do with those boxes of stuff that I don’t use… without just sending it to a landfill… is a just one of the questions on my mind.
I hope this provides a bit of balance to your readers.
Hi Gary. Thanks for your thoughtful commentary on my appearance on Global News. I’ll respond to some of your points below:
– We don’t rely on family to ‘help us out’ with a vehicle. My sister-in-law’s loan of her vehicle was an act of generosity. We had already booked a ZipCar for use over the holidays when the offer was made. It’s this kind of self-less sharing that inspires me to do more of it myself. I realize I may have emphasized this gift in the interview rather than our use of alternate modes of transportation. I’m quite green at the whole tv thing.
– Going without a car has been made possible by our close proximity to amenities and our decision to slow down our lifestyle. We try to not over-schedule ourselves so we can walk or take public transit. People without these options would face a lot of difficulty in being without a car. I do think, however, that a lot of people can find alternate ways to get around. I once commuted to work by bike for 6 months, 10 km each way. For those commuting long distances or living in rural areas being without a car may not be an option.
– Landfills: I do realize that some of my ‘stuff’ has probably ended up in a landfill. I recycled, gave away and found buyers for as much as I could. While it is regrettable that some things may have ended up in the dump it was inevitable. What is has shown me is that quality counts. In the past I have bought cheap shoes that couldn’t be reheeled and cheap clothing that it wasn’t worth the money to repair. I’m more conscious of the quality of the few things I do buy now. I want things that will last.
Thanks for your comments and perspective on minimalism, Gary.
Thanks for commenting, Melissa. And wow, you are an inspiration with no car and three kids. In Ottawa, no less!
I agree, we book a ZipCar when it makes sense. I do love walking places, and I’ll even make the time to push the stroller 15 to 20k round trip if the weather is okay, but sometimes it is nice to book a car for errands.