Get rid of DEBT once and For ALL: 1 Car Challenge

What would you do if your car crapped the bed? 22 months ago, 3 weeks after James and my wedding, the worst happened: James car crapped the bed. Meanwhile, the gas prices reached a steep $5.25 per GALLON! We looked at one another and said, “HONEY MOON’S OVER!!”

We wanted to buy another car because we believed that there was absolutely NO WAY we could survive on one car. James had to attend school 25 minutes away from our house and he worked about 40 minutes from school! However, we couldn’t afford to buy a new car because he was in school and our house required most of our extra income!

I was ANGRY about the gas prices, and I was bound and determined to use as little gas as possible just to show the mean people who caused the prices to rise who’s the BOSS!

So what did we do? We dedicated to sharing ONE car. At first, our solution was temporary- 6 months MAX!

The first six months were terrible. James had to arrive at school at LEAST two hours early to drop me off at work before 7am. I had to ride my bike to work quite often, and sometimes I had to walk or ride my bike to doctor’s appointments. I will never forget the day that I got caught in a DOWN POUR, thunder and lightning storm 3 miles away from home! The whole walk I thought, “THAT’S IT!! 2nd car is IN ORDER EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!!!”

Well, the truth is I didn’t melt and I didn’t die and we didn’t buy another car. Actually, we learned that living on one car was WAAAAY better for our life! So, we committed to staying a ONE CAR FAMILY! I have a 2nd car: my legs and they happen to get excellent gas mileage!

Why did we choose to remain a 1 car family?


Save $$

We save SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much money driving one car. First, we were able to pay off our one car quickly! So we do not CARRY a car payment! As Dave Ramsey would say, “cars get better gas mileage when they don't carry a payment.”
                                                  LAST CAR STATEMENT                                                           

We pay for ONE cars' oil change, inspection, registration, and routine maintenance check

We Fill ONE car with gas

We pay ONE car insurance

We pay to fix ONE car’s repairs

We pay to Fill ONE cars' wiper fluid

Increase EXERCISE

I walk to work daily. I tell people, “My transportation is MY LEGS!” Now, sometimes I have to travel for my job and I cannot walk to work. This does pose challenges for me, but to date I am able to conquer all challenges. When I have to go to an appointment, I ride my bike to work and proceed to ride my bike to my appointments. Once my doctor said, “WOW, I have never had a patient RIDE THEIR BIKE to an APPOINTMENT.”

Improved Relationship

We spend more time together because we depend on one another to get around

Improved patience: sometimes you have to wait a looooooong time for the other person

James practices patience with road rage, and I practice patience coping with James' road rage

Environment

We support a healthy environment because we put less pollution in the air EVERY DAY and that feels GOOD!

22 months ago, I believed that James’ car breaking down was one of the worst things that could happen to us 3 weeks post marriage. Today, I believe it was the best.

Try it for 1 week! You might immediately think, “we just can’t.” You can! I thought I couldn’t either, but you can find a way!