Surviving With Only One Car

With the current economic climate such as it is, many people are reconsidering necessities versus luxuries. When it comes to having only one car, I'm a little torn. I think it really depends on location and lifestyle.

However, I can tell you first hand that it is entirely possible to survive with only one car.

A few years ago, we did just that. For a few months before Olivia was born until she was 9 months old, we had one car. We managed just fine, even with three children, 2 in car seats, 1 in a booster seat. Fortunately, they all fit perfectly in our back seat.

I will admit it wasn't always easy and there were definitely times when I longed for a second car. But we made it work with a little creativity and lots of forethought.

Here are a few of the tips we learned during that time.

1. Plan ahead and keep the lines of communication open. Throughout that year, Eric was working almost every day and night. He was rarely home and he needed the car to get from one place to the next. He made sure to always keep me apprised of his schedule as far in advance as possible. That meant I made sure I planned doctor's appointments or outings for days when I knew he could either be at home, or I could drop him off at work and pick him up later. Then, I made sure I let him know of our plans right away. And I made sure I reminded him of them so that we wouldn't get our schedules crossed.
2. Look for and utilize alternatives whenever possible. We do not have public transportation of any kind in our area. But there were still alternative methods we were able to take advantage of. For example, there were a few times when Eric was able to carpool with someone or borrow a vehicle from a neighbor when absolutely necessary.
3. Organization is key. This was so important for us. When we were organized and on top of things, there was rarely a day when I ran out of diapers or milk in the middle of the day. We always kept an eye on our supply of household things and whenever something started to get even a little low, we made sure to pick up more. There were still many a night when Eric would have to pick up something on his way home, but overall, we were usually well-stocked.
4. Keep the car seats at home. Even though the chances of actually needing a car seat when you don't have the car at home are very slim, you never know when an emergency could arise. We learned this one the hard way when I had to call 911 for Alex when he choked on a piece of crafting glitter. There was not a car seat in the ambulance and they could not transport him without one. Fortunately, our neighbors had an extra car seat for their grandchildren that we were able to borrow.
5. Don't be afraid to walk. Fortunately, there is a convenience store less then a mile from our house. The few times when I wasn't organized (see #3) and ran out of milk in the middle of day, I packed up all of the kids and we walked to the store.
   
6. Be willing to sacrifice. There were times when I needed the car for homeschool field trips or similar things. We always found a way to make it work, even if it meant everyone getting up early, driving Eric 30 miles to work, and picking him back up when needed. Often that meant I would then have to find something to do with the kids for an hour or two while Eric worked at his next building before we could all head home. It did feel like a sacrifice at the time, but when it meant not missing an exciting learning opportunity, it was more than worth the hassle.
7. Staying home is not so bad. Just accept that and find ways to enjoy it.
   

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