Real Change: Selling The Car

Ouch! This one hurt. I bought my car only a year ago, and I've had a lot of fun with it since then. Unfortunately, even at 30+ MPG, I had to send it packing. Between gas, insurance, and random repairs, owning a car can be a huge strain on one's personal budget. Besides, when you live in a place that offers easy access to affordable and reliable public transportation, like Arlington, Massachusetts, who needs a car?

Aside from the financial benefits, selling my car means I'm no longer driving alone to and from work, for an hour each day, contributing to global warming, etc. Hooray for bragging rights! Does it take getting used to? Of course. But being as Joanna still has her car, the transition is a lot easier for me than it might be for others. Baby steps people. Baby steps.

Mission the First: Take Dog Biking

With the astronomical cost of gas, and a beautiful Memorial Day weekend staring us in the faces, my wife Joanna and I decided that it was high time we find a way to take our dog around without the car. Logically, we thought of bicycles... and milk crates. Turns out, we're not the first one's to try this.

Driving (I know) to a bike shop in a nearby town, we found a decent bike rack, and an employee who was nice enough to let us borrow a few heavy-duty zip ties. Next stop, our friend Tara's apartment, where another friend, David, bestowed us with a used (and surprisingly, legally owned) milk crate. It turns out that our bikes aren't set up well for bike racks, so I had to improvise a little.

Here's the finished product. Our dog Scooter only jumped out once. After that, he more or less understood what was going on. Total cost ~$45. The best part is, with the crate now secured to Jo's bike, she can use it for short errands that would usually require a car.