Has Anyone Given Up a Car and Just Ubered?

[Anonymous]

Our DS is going to be a junior in college and will be living off campus. He has a job and while he can walk, driving would be much more convenient. My DH and I work the same hours for different companies but in the same building. We’re thinking of letting him take one car and sharing our second vehicle and Ubering when we would need to. Does this sound cheaper than buying a 3rd vehicle? We are on a tight budget now and have another kid headed to college in 2 years.

[Anonymous]

It literally depends on your commute time and distance from/to your job.

If you have a second car, I would focus on leaving from and going to work together. Then one person taking the car for errands while the other is at home.

Ubering can add up very differently in different markets. I've traveled to St. Louis were an Uber of the same distance was 3X what it would cost in Washington, D.C. simply because there were fewer Uber cars on the road and competition was less.

I'd download the app and do some virtual test runs between your favorite locations. See how much 5 to 7 Uber rides a week would cost you.

Also if you live in D.C. - something to consider is a VIAPass. It's like Uber but they'll let you do a monthly pass for rides. I think it's like $275/mo. That's still cheaper than a car note plus insurance costs.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend that did this. She seems happy but also is hard to hang out with because she has a limited radius of availability.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of people in the city who don't own a car. These are people of all ages with varying income levels. I am one of them. Between Metro, bus, Uber, taxis, bikeshare, and just plain walking it works just fine.

[Anonymous]

Get your son a bike.

[Anonymous]

That sounds incredibly stupid.

[Anonymous]

Usually college kids might use Zip car - did that go out of business?

[Anonymous]

No, he can be a big boy and use public transportation, walk or bike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, he can be a big boy and use public transportation, walk or bike.

This, three people sharing one car while one is at college and has other options is a huge no. And, insurance will be more.

[Anonymous]

We have only ever had one car. It is fine.
In fact, we didn’t get a car until we had our second kid.

[Anonymous]

Why not let your adult son save for a car with his job? He can walk, bike, skateboard, scooter, etc.

[Anonymous]

So the distance to the job is walkable- I’m assuming 2 miles or less. Can he not travel by bike? Does he have some sort of disability?

Unless there is some true hardship, imho you are coddling him by even considering sending a car with him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of people in the city who don't own a car. These are people of all ages with varying income levels. I am one of them. Between Metro, bus, Uber, taxis, bikeshare, and just plain walking it works just fine.

Add Zipcar/car2go, scooters too. We have 2 kids and only 1 car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of people in the city who don't own a car. These are people of all ages with varying income levels. I am one of them. Between Metro, bus, Uber, taxis, bikeshare, and just plain walking it works just fine.

I would challenge the "in the city" part. You can go car free on the Rosslyn to Ballston corridor easily, inner Bethesda, etc, but it's harder in the less urban parts of DC like Palisades or 16th St heights. So it's not all parts of DC and it's not limited to DC as you can go car owning free in accessible areas of Arlington, closer in Montgomery County, and PG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, he can be a big boy and use public transportation, walk or bike.

Yeah. Totally.