On April 19, we began our living our lives with one car. So paraphrasing a question frequently posed by New Yorkers, "How we doin’?"
Honestly, not that bad. A little forethought about work schedules, conference calls, and the kid cartage schedule has helped us eliminate a hefty new car payment and is saving us cash on gas, not that we spend that much to begin with due to working out of the house. We have yet to tap the rental car option.
So to date, the tally looks like this:
New car payments (2) $1,320
Gas $ 200
Rental car $ 0
Repairs $ 0
Total $1,520
This was our approach to dealing with the soaring price of oil. What have you done to cope?
5 comments:
Couldn't do it, Bob, so more power to you! I closed our physical office on Fridays and have asked my team to telecommute in the morning, and then take the afternoon off. If billable hours stay where they need to be, and this experiment works for them and the agency, it could be indefinite.
Michelle,
I wouldn't be surprised if more business took on approaches like yours.
Bob
Bob,
Your the man, Bob. Stick it to the oil man! Our experiment is 3 on 2. 17 year old Matt gets to drive one of two cars. We went the Hybrid route (Honda Civic) and it has been 10 days since the purchase. Money saved: $210 on gas (the dealership filled the tank and we are still driving on it, 390 miles) We would have filled the Pacifica twice and the Passport once in these past 10 days.
I got the Insurance bill today and I saved $40/mo. Matt is still a liability until November (3 year anniversary of his driving debut.)
For your audience Bob, my wife Karen drive 23 miles round trip to work, all city traffic in downtown Greensboro. Lots of traffic lights. she is getting 42.0 mpg (according to the mpg meter on the dash.) If there are any doubters, the engine does turn off at all stops. Eerie to hear nothing at a traffic stop. What is even cooler, there is a competiton to see who can get better gas mileage among us in the Hybrid.
Since I work from the house like you folks, my car stays parked until Junior needs to use it. I am getting ready to convert my old road racing bike into a commuter machine for local shopping jaunts.
In conclusion, I have to thank Bob and family for starting the trend to breaking the gas dependency. No, we have two cars (down from 3) but we are managing as my parents did in 1976 when there were three drivers with two cars. Thanks!
Since you asked, I will tell you that I have written my congressman and others to pass the off shore drilling bill and encouraged my friends to do the same.
I also try to limit errands to 2-3 times a week.
Doug,
Thanks for the thumbs up.
Bob
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