I think that I want to sell my truck. It is just going to keep costing me my savings, as it is just, getting old, a '94. Going on 200,000 miles, although I rarely drive it now, just to the store and back. If it's not raining, I can walk from one end of town to the other very easily. I'm just hoping for some feedback from folks that get by without a vehicle. Especially folks that do some traveling by bus, train, plane, or maybe something else like a broom, LOL!! Well that would be me at times when I'm not behaving
I'm sure it all depends where you live. Bet @Terry in St. Petersburg will say he gets along fine without a car. I need one, no way to get to my daughters 3 hrs away. I had a 1997 Nissan Altima that had about that many miles on it and it was costing me too much to repair. Thankfully my kids helped me buy a new Chevy Cruze 3 yrs ago. Now my drive to my daughter's isn't as stressful as it was with the clunker.
I live in a town with one taxi cab and, by that, I mean one taxi cab, not one taxi company. The nearest grocery store is on the other side of town, about a mile and a half from my house. The nearest bus stop is twelve miles away and it makes one stop per day, weather permitting. I think I want to keep my car. My wife and I each have a car so if either of our cars has to be in the shop, we're not terribly inconvenienced.
I have a car but I don't drive much, to the store and to work and back is about the extent of it. maybe the thing to do would be to sell your truck and take that money and buy a used car that would be cheaper on insurance and gas an stuff. I usually buy used cars and don't carry the collision insurance because chances are if I was to get hit the damage would exceed the value of the car. This has worked to my benefit on more then one occasion, but you have to make sure you have a good mechanic that can keep the vehicle in good running shape. Here is another option that maybe you can use to help, it is possible in some states to change your insurance to withdrawal of use, you could do that over the milder seasons and use a bike to go to the stores, that way when the weather is bad, or you need it, you can put the car back on the road. I used to do this with my truck, I would drive it in the winter and then in the summer I would use other means. If you are lucky enough to have mass transit in your area you would be fine. The limitations would be to use the transit in the hours they run. Do they have Uber out your way?
If I lived in a city, I think I'd buy a motorized scooter or small motorcycle, which would be good for city traffic. You can get through traffic jams with them, and they cost almost nothing for gas. On the other hand, carrying four bags of groceries home can be a problem, I know, because I've done that. Then, there are rainy days to contend with. That wouldn't be the most practical thing to do here in Maine, since we have snow and ice on the road most of the year.
I understand your dilemma @Abby Normal...Denise. If you are paying out a lot of money to just maintain an old truck, while getting very little use out of it, I would consider selling it.. Cut out the expense and future problems... I wouldn't lose your savings over it, especially if you can walk places. Selling probably seems like a scary thing to do ... the 'isolation' feeling, but you'll bounce back from that. You've been bouncing back from one situation after another pretty well it seems. ... Positive thinking! I have a similar situation, but different. ... I live alone with an old car. Walking to any store is out of the question .. 2-3 miles. I don't have any car expenses, just insurance and tags, and gas. I don't want to ask people to take me places, even though I hate driving anymore..lol. My daughter lives close by and would take me shopping, but I don't like the thought of losing the independence. This old age thing sure can give you a headache!
Denise, if you can't afford it, you'll have to sell it unless you can sacrifice something else. I myself would do just about ANYthing to keep my wheels! Things change and change rapidly as we get older. I would be afraid that next year, or the year after that, maybe a walk to the store might become really difficult. I would hate to beg rides in bad weather for important Dr. visits, church services, medications and groceries. To be able to drive somewhere to meet a friend for lunch or coffee can also be important for one's state of mind, to get out of the house. Hopefully you can keep your truck!
Once a car starts needing repairs it seems it's one thing after another, that's the way mine was. Some of the repairs could have been done by my husband if he was alive but I don't have that option anymore. Maybe there is some guy in your complex that might be good at fixing cars, pay him a little if you can or for the parts and make him a nice dinner. Make sure he understands the deal though. I had an issue after my husband died with a friend of a friend who always came by fixing things for me and wouldn't accept payment. Then one day he dropped by and I figured out what he wanted in payment. Nothing bad happened, he understood and we were still friends after,
Living in Hawaii is okay if you don't have a license or car any longer. But Oahu is different than the mainland. Everything depends on where you live and if you have fast ways for emergencies to commute anywhere. If you've relatives near by that can help you it's great. We are older, so shopping for our daily needs is essential for we can't carry much when you don't have a car. I've passed many a 2 liter soda sale because I just can't carry it. I have a Trolley Dolly too and it's limited capacities go for essentials. I live near a grocery store called Marukai which has weekly sales, but not on everything I need. They carried toilet paper and discontinued carrying it then carries it again now to my delight. I don't have to worry for that essential that's bulky and big and doesn't go well for long distance carrying on the bus for you got to buy only 1 package and come right home. Things to consider when you are going totally without car: *do you have some sort of transportation for emergencies of any kind including evacuation? *are family able and willing to cart you when you need a car ride? *can you get your essentials easily like bread, water, toilet paper etc. that's bulky? *is your bus system dependable? *can you go out when it rains or snow for your essentials? I relinquished my license after a long and hard thoughtful consideration that I will not need a car ever. We got a good taxi system and over 3 taxi companies to catch if needed. Our bus system can stop for anyone in case of emergencies and evacuation situation and we live near a main street where most all the buses passes. My neighbor is willing to transport us in case of evacuations too. For me it's easy to go without a car and not have a license. It's not easy to relinquish your license or car I know, but be sure you got a plan so you'll never regret it. Talk to everyone about it you can so you'll have a ride when you need it. Good luck.
If you are not using your truck except for occasional trips to the store, then it should last a whole lot longer than if you were driving it every day, like someone who drives back and forth to work would do. Before you sell the truck, why not try getting along without it, @Abby Normal , and then you can see how well you can do without it. Jusst pretend that it isn't there, and see how shopping and so forth goes when you do not have a vehicle. Try using public transportation to go places, and see if you are comfortable with that. We have a van service here called "Handi-ride" that is for handicapped people who need transportation, and you might also have something similar to that. The one here only allows you to have 1-2 grocery bags (if I remember right); and shopping with your own vehicle would be much easier most likely. Another possibility would be to get a bicycle, and use that for the trips to the store. Once you have experienced the alternatives to having your own vehicle, then you can make the decision whether to sell the truck.
Here in Metro Manila, commuting by public utility is not so difficult except during rush hours. In fact, we have here the tricycles which ferry passengers for a short distance of less than a kilometer. Its normal capacity is 3 passengers but often they are overloaded. Add to that the pedicab that can ride 2 passengers in the same route as the tricycles. However, in terms of convenience, it is still the own vehicle that is the best. You have the aircon and you can pass in any route you wish. However, there is big responsibility in owning a vehicle, from the insurance to maintenance not to mention the repairs. When I finally retire from work, we would probably dispose of our cars and have just 1 vehicle depending on our needs because most senior citizens in our village have no vehicle of their own. And they seem to be comfortable.
I am away from home more than half the year, but I do consider a car essential to live the life I want to, such as visiting friends and distant relatives, plus shopping for various larger items for house repairs etc. Local public transport is good but anywhere outside the city is poor and inconvenient, so its not really an alternative. as @Chrissy Page said I don't need it here in St.Petersburg, because public transport both locally and to most places in the country are cheap and plentiful, I also wouldn't want to drive here, it's far to dangerous. When travelling in Europe I rent a car locally and that usually works very well, because public transport abroad can be confusing and not so easy to use.