Simply Car-Free: a Journey With Tammy Strobel

Posted on | September 4, 2010 | No Comments

I just finished the book by Tammy Strobel titled “Simply Car-Free: How to Pedal Toward Financial Freedom and a Healthier Life” by Tammy Strobel of Rowdy Kittens fame.

Over the years I have traveled on foot and with bikes, though never as a full time pursuit. While married I would walk with the kids the three miles to the grocery and back; and after repairing an old bike I would ride it into town to go to work. Whenever I was just going to rent a movie or check out a book at the library we would walk and enjoy the scenery.

During the high gas prices of 2006 I parked my old car in protest, took the money I would have used to fill up the tank and bought bikes for me and the little one.  I mounted a rack on the back of mine, riding it to work every day and giving the kid a ride to the bus stop and home morning and afternoon. She would hop on the rack, grab hold of me and squeal in delight at the short trip up and down that hill!

I still have that bike, much beaten but still going strong. I bring it out to ride to the corner market, the library or other places.

Life being what it is, until my youngest reaches the golden age of 18 I will not be able to consider going totally car free with any seriousness, but it is definitely something that I plan to consider.

Cars, even paid-off ones, cost money. I spend $300 a year in insurance, $100 a year for tags and permits and a ridiculous amount in gas, oil changes and maintenance. I would love to be free of these charges, and honestly do not know how some manage with a car payment on top of that.

Tammy and Logan managed to go from a two-car household to a zero-car household, and explain tips and tricks for going car-free in a book that is loaded with useful resources.

Everything that you own actually owns a piece of you. You gave a piece of your life in exchange for the money to purchase it, give pieces of your life to clean and care for it, then even more pieces to pay for when it breaks down, all for the convenience of going from point A to point B and possibly pick up more stuff on the way.

Tammy does not preach about the environmental benefits of going car free in this book. Though she does mention them she does so in a very casual way. I was impressed with her method when compared to other car-free missives that I have read in the past.

She covers the decision making process, her personal story, the time and financial savings, grocery shopping, maintenance and even includes a section by Everett Bogue on how to rent a bike for free!

If you have ever considered going car free, this is the book to read. Regardless of whether you plan to bike or not, this book will provide you with enough information to help guide you toward making your decision.

Tammy sells this book on her website for $9.95 and delivery is immediate.

Comments