The challenges of a one-car couple

Since I work from home and my husband retired in early May, we came to the difficult conclusion that our needs have changed. We don’t really need two cars. Gulp. 

I have had a car at my disposal since I was 16. My husband has had one since he was 18. Now, at 65 and 55, we share one. The decision made sense. After all, on many a week, his car would remain in the driveway and mine in the street for four or five days without moving. We don’t seem to go out much. On Sundays, we go to church together. I have occasional classes to teach or meetings to attend, but that’s it. Neither of us has to drive to work. 

A couple of weeks ago, Bill sold his car. Since then, it’s been rather humorous how many times we’ve both scheduled something for the same day. 

“But I scheduled this appointment six months ago,” Bill said yesterday.

“But my Writers’ Breakfast Club has met on the fourth Wednesday of the month for a year now,” I countered. 

Hmph. Amazing. 

It happened last week, too. 

“I have a doctor appointment at 10 in Cranberry,” I told him, proud of myself for finally making the appointment I’d dreaded.

“I have a doctor appointment at 8:15 in Wexford,” he replied. 

Problems. The solutions involve us spending lots of time waiting for the other person while they do their thing, so they can then wait while we do ours. Fun times.

People ask us why we did this. It’s rather simple. Having two cars costs money, and since one of us retired, there isn’t as much of that lying around in the bank or in our pockets. Even without car payments, each car requires registration, inspection, and auto insurance. Let’s face it, car insurance can be costly. Before we decided to do this, we looked up some auto insurance rates, but it was to no avail. Even with the least expensive option, it was still an expense.  

So that’s where we are right now. We’re a one-car couple with lots of one-car challenges. Every week seems to bring new ones. Funny how we never seemed to have plans on the same days when we each had a car! It’s all part of adjusting to retirement. And it’s all okay. It just means we have to be a bit more creative… and start writing things down on the calendar! 

Sharing my challenges,

Hana