Anyone sold second family car to save money?

[bellissimiaow]

Dh has lost his job and we're both worried about how we're going to manage financially. We currently have 2 cars and had both been working ft - him 8-6.30pm, me 7am-7pm ish on a split shift so home for an hour or so during the day.

We're thinking of selling one of the cars and dh working nights 10pm-6am which means we can share one car. The kids are older teens and can generally get themselves about.

Even taking a lower salary than he was on, we should save a small fortune which we will use to clear our debts and start a savings pot in case of future financial emergencies (which we've never had before)

He's worked nights before and while he doesn't exactly enjoy it, he'll be ok. He's prepared for the messed up sleep patterns and I'm prepared for not seeing him much.

I know loads of families only have one or no cars and apologies if this sounds patronising, it's really not meant to be. It's just that we've come to reply on two for many years so just trying to anticipate any frustrations.

After DC1 borrowed DH's car and never returned it we got used to only having one car. We manage and save loads.

DH is now mainly home working although does look after family members (not local). I work largely outside of home and try to take public transport when I can. On the rare occasions we both need the car, I'll hire one (I can claim rental as a business expense.). Works well for us.

We share one car - we have little kids as well! DH cycles to work mostly although sometimes gets the bus. It’s 2 buses so a bit of a PITA but only takes him about 25 mins on a bike with the bonus of it being good exercise. I drive round seeing clients so have to have the car for work, so I do all pickups and drop offs for the kids but I would anyway as DH works shifts. It’s absolutely fine, I definitely walk a lot more than I would have done otherwise and we’ve saved a lot of money by not running a second car. We do live somewhere which is reasonably good for public transport and we have a shop we can walk to in about 15 mins if we need anything urgently and the car isn’t there.

Doesn't sound like the one car is the issue, the problem is your DH will be working nights.
Isn't there any other solution- electric bike, public transport- that avoids him having to do this ?

How much money world you save by having one car?
I agree I think the nights are the problem, I’d health worth the financial saving?

Factoring in the the lease he was paying and the huge fuel bills from his previous job which was 30 miles from home, I reckon we'll save around £400-500 a month, depending on the salary he ends up with and obviously how much closer he can get a new job.
We're hoping to then use that to pay off debts as quickly as poss and he can then get off nights and maybe get a cheaper runaround or just use his bike if poss to get a job close to home but back on days.

We did and although it was necessary, I hate not having my own car.

Public transport is ok-ish but not great. Just buses really, a couple an hour and they stop around 6pm so ok for normal daytime commuting into main town but not really out to industrial estates which is where he'd be working.

We’ve only ever one car, and had periods of no car. Honestly i think you’ll adjust quickly, you have to be a bit more organised but it makes me be much more active. I cycle to work or get the bus. Sounds like you’ll save a lot of money

Can you get a cheap or second hand folding bike to take on the bus, to get From the stop to work?

There's a big industrial estate quite near to us that, if he can get a job there, he can get to by bicycle. It's just getting a job now that's the issue! So many factors to take into account.

Always shared a car with dh (12 years). He takes the car one day per week and I stay local with the kids. When I was working, I'd get the bus home on that day.

I can't see us ever getting another car in all honesty.

That could be an option yes.

Also,if your kids are fairly independent, I'm sure there's some evenings you could drop him at work. There are driving jobs ie asda/tesco deliveries regularly advertised.

lots of people only have one car and make it work. It does depend on your jobs and logistics though.

Presumably depends what job he ends up with and the hours. For example if it was between 7-7 he could take you to work and pick you up afterwards. You wouldn’t be able to go home in the middle though. Or one of you drop or pick up the other and they get the bus the other way or part way.

We have one car. I work from home when DD is at preschool, but on days she isn't at school we drive DH to work if we want the car for the day which is a bit of a pain but doable. (Rural so few public transport options). We often discuss getting a second car but always come to the conclusion that it's too expensive to justify really.

We’ve only ever had 1 car but DH does WFH 3 days a week and cycles to the office on the other days and school/nursery are only a short walk away plus there’s good public transport, we do online food shopping and have a prime subscription. If the kids were out of car seats so it’s easier for Uber, taxi, rental car etc then we could probably get away without the car completely.

Yes during a period when we just had one car I used to take DH to work every day and pick him up, with kids in tow. It was a huge pain, but better than being car-less every single day!

Nighttime and shift working are both very bad for health

It's often possible to make things work with one car

Even if it takes longer to get to work it's likely to be healthier than nighttime working

I know which is why I don't really want him to do nights at all - he's in his 50s so not as young as he was when he did it before and it took its toll last time.

My own job means I'm out visiting clients all day so if he did get a day job he'd have to either use public transport (not the greatest), use his bike (would need to be close enough) or buy a cheap car (prob my preference for sanity reasons)

I’d try for a job close enough to cycle and that isn’t nights as first preference. It’s great exercise. A 5 mile cycle should only take about 30 minutes so it doesn’t have to be really really close to home. He can change clothes when he gets there if he’s worried about rain or sweat!