https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Jul 2026 01:36:08 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1761211 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 22:09:36 +0000 hummusgirl 1761211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@abbydabbydoodlebug: Thanks for posting this - we're moving to Austin in a few weeks from NYC and I'm trying to figure out whether we really *need* to buy two cars at once (we have zero now). </p> <p>I agree with @NovBaby1112 that you'll probably want to get out more as your LO gets older. Could your husband sell his dream truck and just get a beater for a while? If that's not an option, you could plan each day so you at least have an activity - e.g. Monday neighboring park, Tuesday friend comes over for a playdate, Wednesday husband stays home and you go to the library, Thursday back to the park, Friday another playdate. </p> <p>I work full-time, otherwise I'd offer to come over and hang out during one of your days in! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1761140 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 21:28:50 +0000 Greentea 1761140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@abbydabbydoodlebug: we have one car. DH used to take the bus to work, but currently he works before the bus runs. We moved so that we are close to his work AND we can walk to almost everything we need (park, grocery store). He also has Mondays and Tuesdays off, so we go together to LO's appointments (what used to be my prenatals!) My goal is always to not need a car at all. I don't really like driving... I am not too sure any of this is helpful other than to say it hasn't been a problem for us! Our friends shared a car and they lived out of town. If she wanted the car for the day she and lo would drop her SO off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1761109 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 21:13:48 +0000 MediaNaranja 1761109@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just have one car, but my DH doesn't drive so it's not really necessary to have another one. We live in an area with good public transit. It's about a 10-minute walk to get to the light rail which takes us anywhere we need to go. I currently work about 25 miles away so I have to use the car daily, but I'm looking for something that I could get to on light rail, too :) When I was in grad school I used public transit for EVERYTHING and only had to fill up my car every 6 weeks and it was glorious...I'd like to get back there again!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760988 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 20:19:00 +0000 namaste 1760988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've always had one car and our city is not public transportation friendly at all. We just got a train system but eh, it's not too helpful for where we drive. Mostly DH drives but I drop him off on days that I have meetings/errands. He works downtown so plenty is in walking distance from him. On the days that I am at home, I have friends with multiple cars nearby in case of an emergency. It's worked pretty well but now with a baby on the way, we need a bigger car than our two door sedan lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760129 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:45:49 +0000 abbydabbydoodlebug 1760129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: I have 1 friend that's super close that I could call. We actually have had a couple play dates so far. So when my LO gets older, we could hang out more. I have 3 more friends that are a little further away, but they have multiple kids and their kids are older so they might not be as available to catch a ride or hang out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760112 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:41:42 +0000 illumina 1760112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have always shared a car. When I worked, I was able to walk there whilst Dh drove to work. Now Dh works at home, so I can pretty much drive myself and LO wherever I want. If Dh needs to travel, he rents a car or takes the train. </p> <p>Do you have any SAHM friends in the area you could share lifts to places with on the days your Dh doesn't work at home? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760074 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:29:05 +0000 NovBaby1112 1760074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@abbydabbydoodlebug: hmmm, yea that's tough....my LO doesnt care for being in the car for too long either- so I totally get that. My only concern would be as your LO gets older, you are probably going to want to be able to go places and get out of house, even though right now it's hard bc they are on 3 naps, I imagine within 6 months or so you might be more free to do more. I'm just using my perspective bc when I am home with LO I love being able to get out and go places, and so does LO. But maybe like you said, your DH could perhaps work from home 1-2 days per week so at least you'll have the car sometimes. And your LO might grow to like stroller as they get older- mine did and now we can go on nice long walks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760056 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:23:12 +0000 abbydabbydoodlebug 1760056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: I don't think he knows anyone that lives near us, but I'll ask him. Thankfully his boss is a really nice guy and will understand our need to go to 1 car. I think DH will be able to work from home 1 day a week at least. Other guys in his group work from home almost full time, so I think 1 day a week would be acceptable. </p> <p>I think more than anything, I'll miss the *option* of going out, even though I don't go out much currently because of DD. I'll probably get used to it pretty quickly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760053 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:22:27 +0000 avivoca 1760053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've shared a car for most of our marriage. When I was on maternity leave, I took the car for one day so that I could go to my mom's group, but the rest of the time, LO and I were at home or walking the dog. It's not that bad. We commute together and our car is paid off, so it's nice not having another payment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760041 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:18:56 +0000 abbydabbydoodlebug 1760041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@renee: I'm in Austin, TX which I feel like is turning into LA! haha. There's literally no public transportation. </p> <p>I guess the upside is that I won't be able to make random trips to Target and spend money we don't have. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760040 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:18:36 +0000 mrs. wagon 1760040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@abbydabbydoodlebug: could he look up a rideshare to carpool to work?? Even if he has to do the drive sometimes, at least it leaves you carless for only a little bit at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760026 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:14:35 +0000 abbydabbydoodlebug 1760026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: His work is about 30 minutes away, and dragging LO along for the ride wouldn't be fun. She doesn't tolerate the car seat for more than 30 minutes. We don't live in a walkable area really. It's not the nicest part of town. It's decent, but I wouldn't feel comfortable walking long distances. Plus, LO doesn't sleep in the stroller.</p> <p>@mrs. wagon: I don't like the idea of being without a car in case of an emergency either! I do have a couple neighbors that are at home during the day that I could call on, or my friend lives about 5 minutes away and she could come, </p> <p>We live in a townhome community with no park and tiny yards, but there's a playground about 15 min walk away in the neighborhood next to us that I could go to. LO doesn't tolerate the stroller very well though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760016 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:11:16 +0000 looch 1760016@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only recently got a second car for commuting, but I have been car free since I graduated from college up until last year! </p> <p>We could rely somewhat on public transport for commuting, so I'd drive my husband to the train station if I needed the car or vice versa. If my husband needed the car, I would borrow a car from my parents. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760012 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:09:31 +0000 regberadaisy 1760012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only have one car. DH drives us everywhere. He does daycare drop off and pick up. He drops me off at the train station every morning then drops LO off then goes home to shower and get ready for work. At the end of the day he picks LO up then picks me up at the train station. </p> <p>The key to making this work for us is how flexible his employer is. On his long 11hr days his employer let's him close down shop to go pick LO &amp; I up.<br /> When I was laid off LO and I were stuck at home all day when he's at work. </p> <p>It is the toughest on DH because he drives us everywhere. We do NOT live in a public transit friendly city. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760007 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:07:48 +0000 oliviaoblivia 1760007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've shared a car for four years. There are days where I miss having my own car, but that's maybe four days a month. Definitely not worth the expense.<br /> DH works in the burbs and I work within walking distance.<br /> Our city is fairly well supported with public transit. I haven't found it too difficult to get where I need to go if DH has the car.<br /> That said I spend a lot of time waiting on elevators. Which is a pain. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760004 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:06:27 +0000 renee 1760004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH and I have shared a car in Los Angeles (THE driving city, mind you) for the past 5 years. We don't have kids yet, though, but we both work. He just works longer hours than I do. What we do, is I drive him to work around 6:30am, and then I drive to work and am there by 7:00am. It's convenient his work is somewhat on the way to mine. After work, I drive home to take the dog out, then will pick him up sometime between 6:00pm-10:00pm (he's a resident physician, so his hours are crazy). It's a lot of driving on my end, I end up being the car maybe 2 hours day. I don't mind it most of the time though, because it's time I spend with him!</p> <p>We're currently TTC and trying to figure out of if we need a car. My DH actually works right along a bus route, so if I'm unable to pick him up, he can take the bus. I work 25 miles from where I live, so public transportation is out. He said he'd be fine taking the bus more often, so we may just stick with one car. So many people think we're crazy, but cars are REALLY expensive, and if we can avoid that cost, we will. We figured we would spend $10,000 to buy a "new" used car, plus insurance, plus maintenance, plus gas…. Is it really worth it to not take the bus? Probably not.</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1760003 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:06:25 +0000 mrs. wagon 1760003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>P.S. It's very possible for us because of the train and commuting together, but in general, I LOVE having only one car. Only one set of carseats needed, and never leaving something in the other car. Plus, driveway space. Our car is like our home base wherever we go and I always keep it stocked with diapers, wipes, toys, snacks, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1759999 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:05:45 +0000 NovBaby1112 1759999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we only have 1 car and it hasnt been an issue or problem at all. but we also live in a very walkable area, and are a few blocks away from the train station/bus stops that go into the city for work. we both work- so I take LO to daycare and then go into work, and my DH takes the train in, so it works out. on days I stay home/work from home, he leaves me with the car and he takes the train. personally i wouldnt feel comfortable staying home and not having access to a car in case of emergencies. and I also wouldnt want to be trapped in the house all day. How far away is your DHs work? could you pick him up and drop him off, so you could use car during day? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1759998 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:05:06 +0000 mrs. wagon 1759998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@abbydabbydoodlebug: we have always only had one car, but we also commute together. Back when I was a SAHM Wagon Sr. would walk to and from the train, and I had the car all day. Sometimes we'd pack up the baby and drive him to the train if the weather was really bad or if he was late.</p> <p>Most days I wouldn't even really use the car though. I would always be nervous that we'd have an emergency and need to go to the hospital or something, but in that case you could always call a cab or ambulance. </p> <p>If I had to do it right now without a car, I'd invest in a really nice stroller with lots of storage space so we could go on walks and have picnics, to get out of the house. And some nice outdoor toys to spend time in the yard. I'd also schedule grocery shopping and other shopping for the nighttime after bedtime. That's how we usually got it done when I was a SAHM anyway, because I didn't like to shop with the baby (I don't like splitting my focus!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-only-1-car#post-1759984 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:00:36 +0000 abbydabbydoodlebug 1759984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What's it like?</p> <p>DH and I just went over our budget and we are seriously in trouble. After bills, we only have $200/month leftover for clothes/food etc. Basically everything besides the "must pay" each month. :( So we have pretty much decided to sell my DH's truck (his dream vehicle since he was a kid), so we can actually have money for food each month. That means, we'll be left with my Mazda5. We live in a city where you have to drive everywhere and my LO is still on 3 naps a day. We currently don't leave the house very often because of that. I am a SAHM. My DH is able to work from home sometimes, so I guess days that I would need to go out, he could stay home so I could use the car. I'm just wondering how you manage with one car. </p>