Single-car SAHM... What's Your Emergency Plan?

As a single car family... The person AT HOME kept the car. Bussed to school & work. After all... The car just sits for the day if the person working has it!

As a single mom with no car for 5 months, and in and out of the hospital, ER, doctors appts...

- Taxis
- Zipcars
- busses
- borrowed cars
- rental cars (whole day rental)
- rides

ALSO.. Came to find: pizza delivery guys are more than happy to run a quick errand for $10-20 (groceries, pharmacy, post office, etc.)

Quite frankly, it would cost less to lease a car than to pay for bus fare alone, much less all the 'Cripes! We need to go NOW!' (kid with respiratory problems, means we know the ER staff by first names, and their kids/spouses/vacations/etc.) for US that meant Zipcar, as there are several parked a block away.

(Yes, my ex is a peach.. To leave a sick kid with no way to get to the ER fast except an ambulance.$

honey, there are VERY few people in this world who wont go out of there way to help you with a sick child, a 15 minute walk with a sick toddler IS your back up plan, it is for me too, we are down to one car, my other half works three hours away and we have an very active ( read curious) toddler.
get to know your neighbors, they are invaluable in a child related emergency!
K. h.

I just wanted to add, does your local ambulance service offer a subscription to the community? Ours does. We pay about $75 a year and it covers the entire family and any guests we have.

Since we are subscribers we will not be billed for any of the charges that our health insurance will not pay. So if the need arises we do not need to be worried about whether insurance will cover it. (Now we do need to pass along whatever the insurance does pay, but that is the extent of our liability.)

In addition, is it out of the question to drop your husband off at work and pick him up so the car will be available to you?

Like Riley suggested, does your town have Zipcars?

It sounds like you have multiple options so while I agree with preparing for the worst, don't let it consume you because the worst rarely happens.

I'm pretty sure even a neighbor you didn't know well would be willing to help out a sick kid.

In all instances of my friends, the kids got the car. Who ever had the kids kept the car in case of an emergency.

I just bought our van for $800. It has a lot of miles on it but it runs well and drives smoothly. It did need a tiny bit of work, less than $100.

I "know" you can find a vehicle for less than $1000 if you really try. I also know that the parent that travels on the highway should most likely have the safer better car. But the child should always have the car and even when mom or dad works the night shift the other should drive them to and from work.

In your case where he works out of town this is of course impossible.

So you must decide to stop dreaming of a new car or some sort of vehicle that costs too much and buy that second car now. Then you can both do better and have the ability to save for a newer one.

Winter is coming up and you might find yourself unable to walk anywhere and taxi's so overwhelmed with calls that they would just tell you it will be hours.

You need a vehicle with this baby at all times just in case. Especially since the weather is about to get nasty.

It sounds like you have it all planned out. Since hubby works nights, I assume you arent running errands and Dr apts etc. Just know which neighbors are home (again more should be around in the evenings) and have their phone numbers handy. If you have to get her to the pediatrician-Dont you have a stroller?? if not get one, if you need a double get a double. I never thought of taking a cab (not a lot around here) I just planned to call a neighbor if I needed an emergency ride. When I was single, or when my 2nd hubby is out of town, I would never have survived without great neighbors to help, be friendly and helpful to neighbors!

We are a single car family and always have been, because I do not drive. Our kids are 10 and 12. My husband goes to work around 5:30am.

We live in the middle of a small city, but I wouldn't call it 'urban'. We're within walking distance to the kids schools, the university, parks, the hospital, library, grocery store, pharmacy, and other places.

Even though I easily walk to the clinic for a well-person appointment, walking with a sick child isn't ideal.

I'd call an ambulance if necessary, but we've never had a life-or-death medical emergency. We have had a few occasions of 'needing to see a doctor today', but it could wait until my husband came home. Fortunately, his job is only 7 miles away and he has a lot of flexibility when he needs to leave or take time off.

My #1 tip is to get to know people where you live. That is what makes a place home. Your Past friends will still be there, but you need Now friends too. You'll find that easier when your child is school-aged. You practically have to be intentionally antisocial to not meet other moms with similar interests.

We have 1 vehicle, I am a single-car SAHM.
I have 2 kids, that are now in elementary school.
Since we had kids, I have had the use of the vehicle. My Husband, car pools to work or I take him myself, after the kids are taken to school. Or he takes the bus.
Per appointments, I have the vehicle during the day, so I can attend them.
Per emergencies... I have family for back-up and I have friends.
Or there is a taxi.

On days I do not need the vehicle, my Husband uses it.
ie: summer time or school vacations when the kids don't have school, etc.

The thing is, I am home with the kids, therefore, I need the vehicle. And I also now work too, part-time.
My Husband car-pools, or takes the bus to and from work. I know at least 2 Husbands that even BIKE their bicycle to work. And back home. And this is over a 40 minute ride. One way.

It also helps if you get to know at least, 1 or 2 neighbors. In case of real, tight, emergencies.

We can't afford another vehicle.
We have one.

And the thing is, my Husband, even if he did take the vehicle... and use it to go from/to work.... Well, the vehicle would just be SITTING in the parking lot ALL day, while he is in the office. And that is a waste. He does not need the vehicle, for work. He has an office job.
So I have, the use of the vehicle and plus the kids are with me.

What does.... your Husband, think of all this?

It doesn't sound like a shoddy plan. You have though of just about everything. Some insurances offer a ride to appointments & emergancy rides... call your insurance and see if they do. Also, sometimes EMTs and Firefighters will give home first-air for injurines that don't require an EM visit, but needs addressed.

Where I live now it is just as close to go to the hospital as it is to go to the firestantion... but at one point it was only a 5 min walk to the firestation & nearly 30 min drive to the hospital. My daughter needed a few breathing treatment back to back... you need to want the vitals when so many are given so close together. I ran her to the station and the guys were happy to watch her while I gave her her meds. After all they are suppose to have a "man" there at all times so even if they are on class... someone should be there to help.

Added: We do have 2 cars... hubby's work truck and the family (mommy's) mini van (there are 7 of us), but mommy hasn't been able to drive or work due to doc orders since November. So, mommy stay home and tends to what I can... we have 5 kids - 3 (8, 7 & 5 yrs) will be in school this year & the 2 little ones (2 yrs and 9 mo) will be home. When I go places - it is only when daddy is home to take us or I have to walk with the kids. If need be I can call my in-laws... but she works & he is "retired" and having fun... well most of the time he still does some jobs for his near & dear old clients. But they do try to help as much as they can... everyone got really scard last fall when they were told they may loose me.

Just if something comes up - try to stay cool & you will figure out how to manage... our lives have been turned upside down, but we have addaped and found a way - so will you if you need to.

We had one car for a little more than two years and split the days we had it - I had it on preschool days to get my son to and from; my husband had it on days with no preschool. So 2-3 days a week it was just us and our feet. My emergency backup was always ambulance for real emergency and calling him to come home for less vital, but still need to get there soon kind of things. It always worked for us. He works about 25 minutes away, so if something was so bad it couldn't wait 25 minutes, it warranted an ambulance anyway. If our son was sick the day before and might need to go to a doctor, I simply drove him to work the extra day to keep the car on hand. Luckily, we never really had to put the plan into action!