to be pished off at having to give up my car?

[Fontella]

My 10 year old car has finally bitten the dust. It could be repaired (best part of a thousand quid) but it has a very high mileage due to me having to make numerous trips down the years to visit elderly parents who live over 300 miles away. Mechanic says there will be further problems up the road when MOT is due as certain things will need doing then, and if it was him he would scrap it and just accept that it's had a good innings and has served me well all these years.

It makes sense I suppose - the money it would cost could go towards a new one, trouble is I don't have it (would have had to borrow it) - I'm self employed and have had a diabolical few months. Never known it so bad. So realistically it's going to be a while before I can even thinking about getting another one and it will require a lot of scrimping and scraping (which I'm doing already to be honest) to raise any money.

On the plus side - it's Summer, I work from home, and there is a massive Tesco five minutes from my house that sells everything. Also a bus stop right outside the door (with a bus every 10 minutes) that takes me straight into town. I also have a bike and cycle to the library, local shops etc. My mum is now in a nursing home some of the time, and other family members have finally stepped up to the plate in terms of visiting my parents (for years it was just me and the kids). I am planning to go up and see them in August but could hire a car for the week, or maybe go by train. Other than trips to visit parents, I mainly used the car for taking daughter to school, son to college and acting as a taxi service for them. Daughter is walking to school and getting lifts off other parents for social events, and son is using his bike. They understand how tight money is, and have been very supportive.

It's just that I have never been without a car my entire adult life and apart from visits to mum, I used to love going off with the kids on weekend camping trips and so on, just to get away from the daily grind. It's easy to get cabin fever working from home everyday, and I already feel a bit isolated. At least the car was a way of getting out. I could take rubbish to the tip, go to DIY stores and garden centres (as I am trying to decorate my house, and sort out my garden - single mum, no bloke). Sometimes I would just drive out into the countryside and get a coffee somewhere, or go for a walk. I am feeling very down about it, a bit tearful to be honest. It's like I've failed somehow?

Are there others on here who have had to give up their cars for financial reasons, or any reason really, or others who live quite happily without a car?

All positive comments welcomed.

I am on mat leave and don't use my car at all through the week. I use it at weekends but really could manage without it.

I haven't sold it as i will definately need it when i return to work. I work shifts inc nights and weekends and just have time to get the children to childminders then straight to work for early shift.

I think it depends on your circumstances. Think of the money you will save without one.

I have a car, but while I'm on maternity leave I'm using it once or twice a week. Work is 12 miles away and rural public transport is shocking, so I do need it. I'm really enjoying walking everywhere I go though. When DD is bigger I'll definitely get a bike seat.

Think of the savings you're making on maintenance, fuel, insurance and tax. And the green credentials! How old are your kids? Could they be useful with luggage on camping trips via train?

Thanks for that ... yes, the fact that I'm not running one will certainly help the finances. I was always shelling out for repairs, then petrol, insurance, AA membership etc. I've already cancelled my car insurance (no claims will stay on there for two years, so at least I won't lose that), and the AA just suspend your membership so the months I have in credit are safe. If I get another car, I just have to ring them up and they will reactivate it.

Also I've got a few months left on the tax, so will get a refund on that.

I know it all makes sense, and I am incredibly lucky to be able to work from home ... it's just this horrible feeling of failure I can't get my head around. Never been in a position before when I haven't been able to afford a car and everytime I think about it the old bottom lip starts to tremble lol. Pathetic I know!

How easy is it to hire a car where you live? Maybe you could hire one once every couple of months for a day and go somewhere nice?

Other options are to arrange to go out with a friend to the garden centre, etc and you pay for the coffees if she drives?

I am thinking of giving up my car when it dies too - just hoping it will last until the dcs are finished primary school or are old enough to cycle there!

Yes, I've got a couple of obliging nieces living locally who have already taken me out to the garden centre. I also went with one of them to see my parents last month. I just contributed towards the petrol.

My niece is on holiday week after next and I've already arranged with her to go to Wickes so I can get all the stuff I need for my garden.

You're all absolutely right. I've just got to buck my ideas up up and get on with it. I'm lucky to have a superstore so close and an excellent bus service etc. etc.

I never even thought about hiring a car for the day. That's an excellent idea as well.

Thanks so much for responding everyone. I only joined this board a week ago, and I'm so glad I did. Thanks again.

I know car hire is expensive but even if you hire one for a few weeks each year, it's far cheaper than buying and running your own.

Some bigger towns and cities have car clubs - so you pay an annual fee or joining fee and then just pay for when you actually borrow the car.

I got rid of my car years ago after it was written off due to fairly minor ding.

I wrote down what it cost me to run: tax, insurance, parking, services, parking tickets, fuel etc etc. I was shocked at how much it was. Then I got by with bicycle/public transport for years.

Now I used OH's car for convenience (though initially I asked him to get rid of it, he refused). Great help with picking up DD after work, grocery shopping etc.

It does depress me how much of the weekend can be spent in a traffic jam if I'm not careful re planning, but it does mean we can do some nice outings that would be impossible with public transport.

I was without car & OH last week - life was more difficult. Would have been OK if bike was working (it's not)& I got organised around that.

As soon as I went on maternity leave I had to sell my precious little car. Sniff. It was a mini so not the most practical car with baby/dog/junk to ferry about anyway.

But so far I honestly haven't missed it. Have saved a FORTUNE, which has enabled me to pay off some debts, even on maternity pay which is great and one day I will be in the position to afford one again, I hope!

As others have said just have to get creative and get a good pair of walking shoes!

Brilliant idea Riven.

I've got a savings account (bugger all in it mind) and online banking so I can transfer money from account to account. What I'm going to do is work out how much the car cost me per month (as I do my own books I've got all the info) and then transfer that money over each month. I'm feeling more positive by the minute thanks to you ladies.

So sorry to hear about your daughter - must be so difficult for you getting around, and your positive attitude puts me to shame. I feel even more pathetic about my whingeing now

I have never even thought about camping by train either. My kids are teenagers and perfectly capable of helping me lug the gear. Could be quite an adventure!

Thanks again everyone. Can't tell you how much I appreciate the responses.

I had to do without a car for a couple of weeks before we moved house as there was no point in buying one before we moved.

It is incredible how quickly you adapt and how much you can do without a car.

You will be fine.

Can you find out if there are any car share places around you? The Swiss have a thing called Motility, where you sign up for the year and can borrow a car for a day or a couple of hours.

I had to stop driving a few years ago for medical reasons, and yes, for the first few weeks it felt like I was missing an arm. I was signed off work too, so felt completely stir crazy in a very short space of time.

I still haven't been allowed my licence back, so I'm still carless, though I'm in a much better location now in terms of accessing shops etc. It does take a little while, but you get used to public transport and managing things. I was lucky in a sense that my DS came after I lost the licence, because I never had the luxury of driving him around so didn't miss that particular element. Still, your DC seem old enough that they can get themselves around without too much trouble. I think you'll also find that they complain less about long car journeys when they do crop up - sitting in a car for even quite a long time suddenly becomes far less stressful when it doesn't happen often. When you hire out a car for trips with your DC, make a note of any behavioural differences!

Also, now that you're on foot, start to make a note of local parks and other places you cna visit on foot. It will give you a different perspective on where you live, and you'd be surprised at the destinations that there are tucked away in the average town.

It's hard at first to look past the negatives, but once you do, things really do look up. DP is looking to learn how to drive in the next few months so that we can visit family more often (DC2 is due in the next week or so), and tbh, we probably won't use the car for anything other than that because we just don't need to. Everything else we can do on foot/the bus.

I get by without a car. I just use local shops and go with my sister to tescos a couple of times a month. I'm lucky to live right next to a big park though so i can easily get to a bit of greenery without leaving the city.

To me it sounds like you are in a great location to be carless. You could always organise days out with family/friends that have cars? Doesn't give you quite the same freedom but so much cheaper!

Is there any chance you could get yourself insured on a relatives car? That way you could 'borrow' (hire?) their car once in a while to get your car 'fix'.

We do this at times with our daughter, put her on our insurance so she can gad about when her car is out of action.

It'll be fine - I went carless just over two years ago, when we moved somewhere with better public transport. I bike everywhere local, using an old child trailer for shopping, trips to the tip, etc. Perhaps you could pick up one of those? They're usually in excellent condition second-hand, as most are only used a handful of times for weekend leisure cycling before the kids get too big.

It's a great time of year to start, too, as you'll find you adapt to the colder weather as it comes. I live in chilly Switzerland, and there was only one or two weeks last winter when I didn't feel comfortable cycling due to road ice and the inability to feel my hands!

you'll be fine. we have a car at the moment, as I am in an essential car user job, so it's part of my contract that I run one.

However, for YEARS we didn't bother - too much cost for too little benefit IME. You will get used to walking and cycling more, and get fitter for free (I have put on a stone and become really unfit since having the car). Riven's point about not being able to "pop" someone and spend is a good one. when you have to plan ahead a little to do something, it's something you really want to do, rather than spending for the sake of it.

in terms of things like going to IKEA or the tip, I'm sure friends will help. My friend has a SMART car, so I always take him to IKEA in my four door car if he needs bulky stuff. And if you're not paying out for insurance, petrol, and repairs all the time, then the odd taxi is much more affordable.

We would also hire cars a couple of times a year for the odd weekend away (about £60 for the weekend), and would try and fit in a trip to the garden centre/tip before returning it.

I think the key is to telling yourself that it is a positive lifestyle decision you are making. Sell it to friends as being green, budget busting and trendy.

Car hire firms will often deliver it to your door so you get up in the morning and 'ta dah' theres a car there for your use.

Like GeekoftheWeek I'm on maternity leave now and don't use the car at all now so we're going to take it off the road/sell it. Admittedly DH will still have one that we will use together/I can have if I need.

Are there any car share type clubs round you?

use a car club - ask local council if there is one - if not get them or already established ones localy/regionally to start one... eg
www.streetcar.co.uk/locationslist.aspx

I'm sure it will depend on your usage, but when we priced up joining a car club, we found that using taxis for short hops and car hire for weekends was more cost effective.

My car broke down/blew up nearly 4 years ago so I thought I'd see how long I could cope without one. Still coping. I live out in the sticks but get by with bike/trains/cadging lifts/not going to places for the sake of going. Fitter, richer, and definitely less stressed with no tax/insurance/MOT/depreciation/fuel costs to worry about.