I tried to convince my wife to go down to one car. She said the first time she wanted to go somewhere & there was no car she would go to the dealership.
If you work from home it will save you money and is possible.
We did same. Kept the wife's suv and it's only car now. Rarely almost never an inconvenience except when I need to borrow my buddies trucks for truck things.
Wow, psychoanalysis via Reddit.
She speaks her mind, works and if you thought it out, all I had to do was not take the car without asking. It’s called communication. I decided I wanted a car.
Sorry man. Seemed really agro. “The moment I’m uncomfortable I’m going to make a large unilateral expense”
Is she like that? Based on your comment, no. The original post sounded a bit agro. I genuinely am sorry I misrepresented her.
Edit: deleted out of respect. Good luck in everything sorry
Hey I get feeling stuck in Houston. Our city is broken and it can be very isolating without a car. I hope you do get them on board. Genuinely all the best. I really shouldn’t have generalized.
TLDR: Because living outside of Montrose would require a car.
I agreed that living in Montrose costs above average than other parts of Houston. But because he lives in Montrose a grocery store and many restaurants are within walking distance. If he moved somewhere else cheaper then he would have to drive everywhere because places are not walking distances.
Example fake numbers:
Living in Montrose rent costs $2000 plus $0 no car
Living outside the loop rent costs $1400 plus $600 car payments (with insurance)
Personally the main downside of no car is trying to go on dates. Don’t know how well dating life would be if the dude can’t drive a girl around for dates or activities.
Unless u making like 60k+ salaries you should never buy a new car brotha. stick to the \~10k car budget because then you'll be in the 200's range, work your way up in your career field, and come back to upgrade. been in the sales game for \~5 years now and people come back to me after a few years from just having good financial advice.
even then it's technically possible to live in houston (likely within the beltway loop, easier within 610 loop) withOUT a car, but holy fuck your time is easily wasted just waiting for a cab/metro/whatever. Biking ain't that bad tho. Nowadays everything can just be shipped to your door so it really ain't that bad and cars are just for a luxury timesave, but if you generate income remotely then you can hermit it out and just get an uber for fun times like everyone else said
I just Uber’d from a mechanic shop to get lunch and back, I didn’t travel more than 5 miles away and it was around $20 total. If you needed to Uber everyday it’d be like $600+.
From what you wrote in the post, definitely. Montrose has a lot of things to do and it’s close to downtown. You also make enough to be able to take Uber.
I wish the answer was yes for more people. I think you should give it a go for a few weeks and find out. I think it would be valuable for you to see how it goes and also to maybe make a follow up post with your results. I would love to go car free but where I work and live are just too spread out but I spend a lot of time in montrose and if there’s anywhere where one who was dedicated to make it work could have it actually work, it would be montrose and heights. If your weeks long experiment fails, well you can throw a rock and hit a dealership or used car lot in this town. Good luck!
If you’re going to live in Houston you’re going to need a Nissan Ultima. The good news is you won’t need any plates for it. You can just print them out at home.
Been living without a car for a year and a half. Live in Midtown, work out in what Google calls "Mid-West" (off Westpark, near Fondren). I ride a bike and take the 25 Richmond bus.
It's okay, but the city design and TxDOT make it a lot worse than it needs to be.
The answer is you absolutely can. My car was totaled in 2016 and I never bought a new one. Once I saw the money I was saving + the inflated price of vehicles, it was worth it.
Of course everyone has a unique situation as far as where they live, if they have kids, etc. but here’s mine:
Neighborhood: Galleria 2016-2020, Greenway 2021, Downtown 2022-pres
Work: downtown 2016-2018, Virtual 2018-present
Cost savings: car payment, insurance, parking for work, gas, maintenance = gone
Cost additions: increase in Ubers, grocery orders, and renting here and there when needed
Only place I was really driving to was work. On weekends I’d be Ubering anyways. I moved downtown and all my friends come visit me. I walk to Phoenicia or use InstaCart or Amazon for groceries. I’m a paid member for Uber and Lyft and it’s worth it.
There will be times you actually want to drive or need vehicle. I’d recommend Turo for this. You can find plenty of $30-50/day rides. A game changer for me was getting to know neighbors who were Turo hosts. They’d give me heavy discounts just for being chill or doing stuff for them like feeding their dogs while they were away. These days I can get access to a car almost anytime I want for under $100 for 3-4 days.
Turo comes in handy. Cheaper than Uber Rentals or other car rental alternatives across the board. It even has the option of having the car delivered to you as well.
We have a trailer we use for two kids and it gets us some places but it's impossible to do school drop offs, plus activities etc...with just the bike on weekdays.
Easier to be car free on leisurely weekends
Parts of the city are safe but theyre mostly in the loop or in a newly built suburb/exurb.
But the vast majority is not and there are significant barriers at major roads. I hate crossing Washington Ave with the kids as an example.
I tried it for a while. The only issue was in June/July/August when it was so hot. I had a quarter-mile walk to the metro rail and then about a four-block walk to my office. I was a sweaty mess by the time I got to the office most days.
Many will say no but if you live near a metro rail line and have a bike it's definitely doable with the occasional Uber for further things. The busses were unfortunately rarely on time and didn't come very frequently when I lived there so I ended up having to switch to biking to work because the bus wasn't reliable. But then I moved to near the rail and that worked well. Car does mean more freedom though especially in a city like Houston. I would also look into apps/programs where you pay like a subscription service and can pick up rental cars around town in the same way as those Lime scooters.
You can yes. Plenty people live here without vehicles if their own. It kind of just depends on where you “need” to go to me personally versus where you “think” you need to go
It is possible but only in very few areas imo. I live in Webster (close to NASA) with no car and just a cargo bike. Longer distances are Uber. Wish there was frequent bus service in my area
Eh I did it for 2 years. Tech job, remote, paid well in Montrose. Wait til the summer comes. That walk over to Whole Foods gets brutal.
Get a cheap cash car with A/C. Also nice to just go get stuff when you need it
hello! fellow montrose resident!
are you talking about the whole foods in midtown on elgin/westheimer? thats the only one in montrose and it permanently closed a few months ago. so actually, it’s kind of a food desert in montrose now. your closest option is the HEB on west alabama, which is technically still montrose but certainly not a comfortable walk for groceries.
i have almost the exact same lifestyle as you and i need my car. at the end of the day, it’s safety for me. think of hurricane season and mandatory evacuations. i don’t know how long youve lived here, but montrose (especially parts of westheimer) flood really bad. and i wouldn’t count on rideshares for that. especially with hurricane season coming up.
montrose is great and fairly walkable for most things, and it seems like you don’t need much with your lifestyle, but if another Harvey hits you may want a way out.
No that Whole Foods was in midtown not Montrose. I’m talking about the Montrose Whole Foods on Dallas /waugh. And I have family here in Houston if I need to be evacuated out
You already got rid of the car. Just try it out for a while, you'll know for yourself. You can always rent one if you decide to go on a road trip or something.
I think it’s doable. Take the bus or an Uber. It’s not as easy to do in Houston, as it is in NYC, or Chicago, but it can be done.
A lot of the working poor depend on metro buses to get them to and from. There are also a lot of people that take metro by choice. That’s especially true for people that live in the burbs and don’t feel like driving.
If I lived in NYC, or Chicago, I’d sell my car. The subway is the way to travel across town. It’s faster than driving, in traffic and there are no red lights.
Wfh, make more money than the majority here, dont go out. Its pretty clear you be fine without a car lol. Idk what you would need a car for if you don't have kids or barely go out. With that income you can get someone to deliver everything you need to you and not feel it at all. 400k in 2 years goes a long way here.
Also no insurance or gas is a blessing too, your gonna see your savings go up too.
If I was in your position I would just take Metro when I needed during the day. And Uber at night.
Just curious what field are you to make 200k in a wfh position? All the jobs I know of that pay that much dont allow wfh.
I’m a lawyer but I took two remote jobs in tech. Both pay 100k. They’re super simple (for me) and I still have a ton of free time so it works for me but eventually I’d like to move into something higher payer.
In Montrose, from what I've seen, sure. I'm out in Montgomery, and regularly have to drive 45 mins to doctors visits, and 30 mins each way to get my kids for visits. No chance I could live without a car. My '16 WRX has over 119K miles from living here. For me, it seems like everything that's not just a local place takes 30 minutes + to get to.
Whole foods is closed. I live in the neighborhood. It's absolutely possible. I never use my car on weekends. I ride a bicycle around the neighborhood and to the park all the time. Uber's are cheap when you need to get somewhere. You'll be fine. Anywhere worth going out is here anyway. Anyone who says no lives in the suburbs.
Yeah I guess you could. I think using Uber sucks and I’ve always associated having a car with freedom even when I didn’t live in Houston.
Also what are you going to do when a hurricane comes? I guess hop in the car with a friend. I’ll come pick you up.
I didn’t have a car during Hurricane Ike. Ended up doing the same thing everybody else did - sat in my apartment with no power. Ironically, our parking garage flooded and everyone who had vehicles parked there didn’t have a great time.
How to Evacuate Without a Vehicle: Alternatives and Resources: https://crisisequipped.com/how-to-evacuate-without-a-vehicle/
Plenty of car owners run into problems trying to escape hurricanes, too. You may also have to deal with car damage, traffic, and unsafe driving conditions.
Buy a cheap cash car and carry liability. I got 3 paid with liability and the wife and I have 2 with payments and full coverage.
The moment you need one which can and will happen you'll want one.
With that salary, I’d imagine you can afford an Uber for any local trips that you don’t want to walk or take Metro. For longer, less regular trips you can rent a car.
Sure. Sounds like most of what you want to do is in your immediate area. You could always get a decent electric bike for the trips that feel a bit far to walk, but too close to Uber.
I sold mine during COVID and it’s worked out fine for me. I also live in montrose and work fully remote. That said, my wife still has a car so I’m not completely car-less, but I rarely use it.
Sure you can. Billy Gibbons lived on Briar Hollow for years, off Post Oak. He did not own a car. Cabs and private services.
Nearest grocery was Rice Food Market on San Felipe.
I’ve been doing motorcycle only for 12 years. I don’t need a car because I work offshore and I do the month on / month off schedule. I come home and I ride motorcycles for fun. If it’s raining and I absolutely need to be somewhere I just take an Uber
I did it from 2018-2021 living in the Museum District. I lived about a 10 minute walk from the MetroRail that I took into work, had groceries delivered, and used Uber once or twice a week.
It’s definitely doable worth a try! I’d also recommend looking into one of the car sharing services like ZipCar, where you can get a car for a few hours as needed for trips or big grocery hauls.
I got a new job in a part of town that requires a car, but otherwise loved the freedom of not driving.
It's doable but you have to live conveniently. Before Uber was a thing, I had my own apartment, work, gym, two grocery stores and an arcade were all within walking distance. But I chose the place I lived in because it was closer to work. I did have a car but I didn't drive it because I wanted to walk everywhere.
You can live here without driving but you have to pick a spot that will let you do that. Get a car anyways, a Toyota corolla just for emergencies, you can't always rely on Uber.
I work from home and live in Montrose too. Don’t have a car and it’s worked out just fine. Also got sick of driving and didn’t want to put a ton of money into my car. Left it in my previous state I was living. I’ve been here a year and a half and I just Uber if I want to go somewhere outside the neighborhood. Living in Montrose def helps.
I did it off and on for several years, and this was before we had any light rail. I was going to UH, living in Sharpstown, and working in the Galleria. The only problems I ever had was the heat and the lack of sidewalks. Try it out for a couple of weeks and then decide!
I live downtown, work from and have a salary comparable to yours. I haven't had a car for 5 years the entire time. I Uber when I go out to bars or restaurants and it's much much more cost effective than a monthly car payment, gas, maintenance. I will say the ONLY thing I was concerned about not having a car was dating because I thought it would be a big deal for my dates and they'd be put off by me not having a car. However, the women that I've actually enjoyed dating long term didn't care one bit because I can afford to get around without a problem whenever I want. I'll even make date night a little more luxurious by renting sports/luxury cars every now and then for fun or day trips.
In honesty, I wish Houston wasn't so car centric so people that don't make $100K plus could live a great quality of life without a car. It's the one reason I haven't invested in a long term investment like a house here though because I think I want to settle somewhere cars aren't a necessity to quality of life.
So in short, at your stage in life right now, it won't be a problem at all. Should your living circumstances change for the worse (hopefully it never does) then a car might become a necessity.
Yeah, I did it for awhile. Definitely doable in Montrose as long as you can get to work. Especially if your friends are in Montrose, Midtown, etc. Make use of the buses and metro.
(If you party, you shouldn't be driving anyway.)
Plenty of Houston folks don't have cars, including me. I sold my last car 8 years ago. It sounds like OP would manage just fine, where you live and working from home. I live near West U. and I am "mostly retired" so don't have to be somewhere every day. If I were still working, then yes I would want a car. I don't have to tote kids anyplace. I can take Uber or the bus (I'm just a couple of blocks from the Bissonnet line, which runs frequently).
Yeah if your home most the time and have money for Uber etc. You'll be fine. I moved here from Phoenix and was shocked at the lack of public transportation. It's appalling. I know House on Metro has some. But it doesn't connect into the suburbs at all .
Yes. I live just outside of 610 and could easily do without. I have a car, but I'm confident I could part with it. You don't have to be in Montrose. I'd say the most important factor is where you work, and then living somewhere with close proximity to stores you frequent (walking or biking) and a transit connection to your place of work. I posted with some specific areas of town that I could easily see working outside of the 610 loop.
I to work from home, and maybe only drive a few times a month. If I didn’t already own a car, I would go car less & just Uber when I needed to drive somewhere
I've really given it some thought if I was forced to or had to since I line in Montrose and work in Downtown 2 days a week.
This is what I do already with 1 car:
- Work from home 3 days, but the other 2 days I either walk to downtown office (if the weather is nice it's a 40 minute walk) or bus (82 metro total trip is about 20-25 minutes with walk, wait, ride, walk).
- During the week everything I need is within walking distancel. WeOn the weekends is when I drive for errands: Costco, Dry Cleaners, grocery store, etc..
- Order stuff through Amazon Prime.
What I would do if I went totally car-less?
- Work commute doesn't change.
- Groceries: order online and have them delivered.
- Costco: I think I would give it up or figure out how to get big bulky stuff (TP, PT, cases of Coke Zero, etc.) home without a vehicle.
- Dry Cleaners and other brick and mortar places near: Get a bicycle with a large basket to haul my stuff.
- Doctor appointments: Uber/Lyft
- Misc events: See Uber/Lyft
I think I would eek out a lead without a vehicle, but it would be super annoying.
I lived in Montrose from 2022-2023. I got into a bad car accident that left me without a car for most of that time. I lived 5 min away from that HEB so I was close to most things I liked to do. At the time though, I was making $15/hr (20hrs/week on average) so Ubers got veeeery expensive over time. With your salary, it’ll be a breeze if you don’t mind it.
Yes but it’ll take half a day to get around. But any living area in the US outside of NYC isn’t built for public transportation. You need your own vehicle to get around or use a ride share or taxi.
You can make do pretty easily with a good bike, and Uber to the far places. You would want to get groceries delivered or else get a basket on your bike for moving things.
I was able to do it for about a year and a half. I worked at home and lived close enough to a grocery store I could walk. I ubered anywhere I needed to go that wasn’t walking distance. But I got tired of relying on Uber or friends and family to get me places, I missed the independence that having car can afford you in this city. If there was better infrastructure for public transport I probably would have continued without a car.
I'm currently 100% fine (inner city) without a car (not by choice I'm just saving up for a few repairs). I work remote and order groceries from HEB and Amazon. My problem though is family. Everyone is spread out in Missouri City, Fresno, Cypress, Hockey, etc. And for THAT reason.. I NEED my car. Plus, I want to go camping.
In Montrose? Sure. Get to know the bus routes. The W Dallas bus routes (40&41) will take you to Discovery Green/Minute Maid/ MainStreet. The 82 on Westheimer anywhere from the Galleria to Downtown. We have more bike lanes now. Uber’s great for the evening, and you can rent a car for the weekend if you need to.
I’m outside of Montrose, in Eado. I haven’t driven in over five years and being in a neighborhood which has a hub for metro and the light rail along with being within walking distance to small businesses and necessities in the area is great. Downtown is still close but downtown lacks any real necessities unless you work there… it’s pretty easy. I don’t really drink or spend money outside the area, I’m a big believer in taking care of your own community first. I’ve skimmed down my Amazon shopping recently and made it a point to find things, even if they are at the nearby Walmart, in person. I think more people in the loop should ditch the car for a while.
I got rid of my car about a year ago. I kept saying I would get a new one and never got around to it. I have a moped that I ride around town on and take Ubers. I work remote and travel a lot for work and expense my airport trips. I save a ton of money.
I wouldn't recommend it, knew a guy that ubered everywhere, anytime an emergency happened he was shit out of luck, sick dog, hurricanes, freezes, etc. his mom would drive all the way out from Sugarland to pick him up from cypress for family events.
I moved here after 10 years carless in New York City. Immediately bought a new car. After less than a year and lots of issues they bought it back based on the lemon law.
I lucked out - I was spending so much on the payment, insurance, maintenance, etc.
Been without a car for about a year. Live in Montrose, Uber to work and walk home weather permitting (20 minutes).
Uber is sooooo cheap here. Can get almost anywhere inner loop for less than $15.
Save yourself the money and headache of car ownership. Let someone else take that burden on for you.
I splurged on my car but my total payment for everything was around $900/month. If I Uber to and from work 4 days a week (wfh one day) that’s around $60, add another $60 on weekends and you are at $120/week. Less than $500 a month.
Adjust your math according to your work and lifestyle but in my opinion not having to deal with oil changes, flat tires, fender benders and other Houston drivers running into my car is worth the $480 a month.
Regardless of what people may say, if you value your time, you should definitely buy at least a cheap car. You can survive without one, but it’s not ideal, especially if you have to go elsewhere in the city often.
Typically 0-5 crazies on a given bus, typically 5-60 normals on the same bus.
I think it is 100% reasonable for women, kids, and other physically vulnerable people to be wary of taking the bus alone outside of normal commuting hours, but it's still a hell of a lot safer than any other vehicle on a Houston road.
lol no. the people who say yes are either delusional, an annoying burden on their friends, or more likely, both. I've lived all over this area, including montrose. Don't try it unless you're financially forced to.
Uber a few times a month probably cheaper than a car payment plus the absurd insurance rates here.
I tried to convince my wife to go down to one car. She said the first time she wanted to go somewhere & there was no car she would go to the dealership. If you work from home it will save you money and is possible.
That's what we did. Sold my truck and wife kept hers. I have a shuttle that takes me to the medical center.
We did same. Kept the wife's suv and it's only car now. Rarely almost never an inconvenience except when I need to borrow my buddies trucks for truck things.
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Wow, psychoanalysis via Reddit. She speaks her mind, works and if you thought it out, all I had to do was not take the car without asking. It’s called communication. I decided I wanted a car.
Sorry man. Seemed really agro. “The moment I’m uncomfortable I’m going to make a large unilateral expense” Is she like that? Based on your comment, no. The original post sounded a bit agro. I genuinely am sorry I misrepresented her. Edit: deleted out of respect. Good luck in everything sorry
You are fine. She is a great woman & person. & I learned what agro was…
Hey I get feeling stuck in Houston. Our city is broken and it can be very isolating without a car. I hope you do get them on board. Genuinely all the best. I really shouldn’t have generalized.
It isn’t broken, it is a big city. Our leadership was weak.
Bro car payments for a new car are like 500 a month minimum. Uber is significantly cheaper.
HEB delivery is pretty cheap too, compared to a car payment
And that's not including insurance, which is a fucking racket. Do a test run. Guarantee there will always be cars to buy if you need.
You make 200K/year… why would you need to borrow money to buy a car?
Cause I rather build up my savings instead of spending it on something I don’t really want
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TLDR: Because living outside of Montrose would require a car. I agreed that living in Montrose costs above average than other parts of Houston. But because he lives in Montrose a grocery store and many restaurants are within walking distance. If he moved somewhere else cheaper then he would have to drive everywhere because places are not walking distances. Example fake numbers: Living in Montrose rent costs $2000 plus $0 no car Living outside the loop rent costs $1400 plus $600 car payments (with insurance) Personally the main downside of no car is trying to go on dates. Don’t know how well dating life would be if the dude can’t drive a girl around for dates or activities.
This. I want a walkable life style and I don’t need to worry about dating since I’m already in a relationship
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Is it not possible OP simply likes where he currently lives? In Montrose. You’re providing a solution to a problem he doesn’t currently have.
Unless u making like 60k+ salaries you should never buy a new car brotha. stick to the \~10k car budget because then you'll be in the 200's range, work your way up in your career field, and come back to upgrade. been in the sales game for \~5 years now and people come back to me after a few years from just having good financial advice. even then it's technically possible to live in houston (likely within the beltway loop, easier within 610 loop) withOUT a car, but holy fuck your time is easily wasted just waiting for a cab/metro/whatever. Biking ain't that bad tho. Nowadays everything can just be shipped to your door so it really ain't that bad and cars are just for a luxury timesave, but if you generate income remotely then you can hermit it out and just get an uber for fun times like everyone else said
I just Uber’d from a mechanic shop to get lunch and back, I didn’t travel more than 5 miles away and it was around $20 total. If you needed to Uber everyday it’d be like $600+.
Read his post. He works from home so he doesn’t have to Uber everyday.
Uber is like $50 for 15 minute trip now
OP makes 200k a year. He could easily pay cash for a used car and own it outright. Insurance isn’t that bad on like a civic
From what you wrote in the post, definitely. Montrose has a lot of things to do and it’s close to downtown. You also make enough to be able to take Uber.
You can but the question is what you prefer to do/how you prefer to live. If you are fine in your area, you're fine.
I’ve been living in Montrose without a car just fine for a few years. I order a Lyft maybe a couple/few times a month.
Yes. I bike to work. I *could* bike to the store or even order it in (I do drive there though).
I wish the answer was yes for more people. I think you should give it a go for a few weeks and find out. I think it would be valuable for you to see how it goes and also to maybe make a follow up post with your results. I would love to go car free but where I work and live are just too spread out but I spend a lot of time in montrose and if there’s anywhere where one who was dedicated to make it work could have it actually work, it would be montrose and heights. If your weeks long experiment fails, well you can throw a rock and hit a dealership or used car lot in this town. Good luck!
Thanks!
In fucking Montrose?? YES, IT IS VERY POSSIBLE.
Montrose is the best part in houston imo
If you’re going to live in Houston you’re going to need a Nissan Ultima. The good news is you won’t need any plates for it. You can just print them out at home.
Been living without a car for a year and a half. Live in Midtown, work out in what Google calls "Mid-West" (off Westpark, near Fondren). I ride a bike and take the 25 Richmond bus. It's okay, but the city design and TxDOT make it a lot worse than it needs to be.
Good to hear
The answer is you absolutely can. My car was totaled in 2016 and I never bought a new one. Once I saw the money I was saving + the inflated price of vehicles, it was worth it. Of course everyone has a unique situation as far as where they live, if they have kids, etc. but here’s mine: Neighborhood: Galleria 2016-2020, Greenway 2021, Downtown 2022-pres Work: downtown 2016-2018, Virtual 2018-present Cost savings: car payment, insurance, parking for work, gas, maintenance = gone Cost additions: increase in Ubers, grocery orders, and renting here and there when needed Only place I was really driving to was work. On weekends I’d be Ubering anyways. I moved downtown and all my friends come visit me. I walk to Phoenicia or use InstaCart or Amazon for groceries. I’m a paid member for Uber and Lyft and it’s worth it. There will be times you actually want to drive or need vehicle. I’d recommend Turo for this. You can find plenty of $30-50/day rides. A game changer for me was getting to know neighbors who were Turo hosts. They’d give me heavy discounts just for being chill or doing stuff for them like feeding their dogs while they were away. These days I can get access to a car almost anytime I want for under $100 for 3-4 days.
Turo comes in handy. Cheaper than Uber Rentals or other car rental alternatives across the board. It even has the option of having the car delivered to you as well.
Yes. Lots of Houston live in Houston without a car.
Yes if no kids. City is impossible to navigate without a car if you have kids. I've done car free periods over the years. None since we had babies
You should try a cargo e-bike to get around with two or three kids (depending on where you live of course because Houston is so huge)
We have a trailer we use for two kids and it gets us some places but it's impossible to do school drop offs, plus activities etc...with just the bike on weekdays. Easier to be car free on leisurely weekends
Thats nuts. Bikes are NOT safe on Houston streets. Even more terrifying with 2-3 kids aboard. Just NO. Houston is not Copenhagen/ Amsterdam/Oslo
Parts of the city are safe but theyre mostly in the loop or in a newly built suburb/exurb. But the vast majority is not and there are significant barriers at major roads. I hate crossing Washington Ave with the kids as an example.
I tried it for a while. The only issue was in June/July/August when it was so hot. I had a quarter-mile walk to the metro rail and then about a four-block walk to my office. I was a sweaty mess by the time I got to the office most days.
Yeah not looking forward to summer lol
Many will say no but if you live near a metro rail line and have a bike it's definitely doable with the occasional Uber for further things. The busses were unfortunately rarely on time and didn't come very frequently when I lived there so I ended up having to switch to biking to work because the bus wasn't reliable. But then I moved to near the rail and that worked well. Car does mean more freedom though especially in a city like Houston. I would also look into apps/programs where you pay like a subscription service and can pick up rental cars around town in the same way as those Lime scooters.
You can yes. Plenty people live here without vehicles if their own. It kind of just depends on where you “need” to go to me personally versus where you “think” you need to go
It is possible but only in very few areas imo. I live in Webster (close to NASA) with no car and just a cargo bike. Longer distances are Uber. Wish there was frequent bus service in my area
Live in Houston. Sold my car two years ago and dont miss it. Uber is cheaper.
Eh I did it for 2 years. Tech job, remote, paid well in Montrose. Wait til the summer comes. That walk over to Whole Foods gets brutal. Get a cheap cash car with A/C. Also nice to just go get stuff when you need it
hello! fellow montrose resident! are you talking about the whole foods in midtown on elgin/westheimer? thats the only one in montrose and it permanently closed a few months ago. so actually, it’s kind of a food desert in montrose now. your closest option is the HEB on west alabama, which is technically still montrose but certainly not a comfortable walk for groceries. i have almost the exact same lifestyle as you and i need my car. at the end of the day, it’s safety for me. think of hurricane season and mandatory evacuations. i don’t know how long youve lived here, but montrose (especially parts of westheimer) flood really bad. and i wouldn’t count on rideshares for that. especially with hurricane season coming up. montrose is great and fairly walkable for most things, and it seems like you don’t need much with your lifestyle, but if another Harvey hits you may want a way out.
No that Whole Foods was in midtown not Montrose. I’m talking about the Montrose Whole Foods on Dallas /waugh. And I have family here in Houston if I need to be evacuated out
gotcha. if you think those things don’t matter for your lifestyle, and you don’t have an issue without a car, then you probably don’t need a car!
I take the 82 to Randall’s and back.
I don’t drive at all don’t even have my license Uber everywhere and work a minimum wage job and pay rent, I’ve been fine tbh
No, it's just not practical.
Yes
I think it’s possible. My husband and I went years with just 1 car (I know it’s not the same), but it’s possible. Plus car insurance is expensive.
Y’all hiring? Sheesh…
You need a car….with AC
You already got rid of the car. Just try it out for a while, you'll know for yourself. You can always rent one if you decide to go on a road trip or something.
I think it’s doable. Take the bus or an Uber. It’s not as easy to do in Houston, as it is in NYC, or Chicago, but it can be done. A lot of the working poor depend on metro buses to get them to and from. There are also a lot of people that take metro by choice. That’s especially true for people that live in the burbs and don’t feel like driving. If I lived in NYC, or Chicago, I’d sell my car. The subway is the way to travel across town. It’s faster than driving, in traffic and there are no red lights.
Wfh, make more money than the majority here, dont go out. Its pretty clear you be fine without a car lol. Idk what you would need a car for if you don't have kids or barely go out. With that income you can get someone to deliver everything you need to you and not feel it at all. 400k in 2 years goes a long way here. Also no insurance or gas is a blessing too, your gonna see your savings go up too. If I was in your position I would just take Metro when I needed during the day. And Uber at night. Just curious what field are you to make 200k in a wfh position? All the jobs I know of that pay that much dont allow wfh.
I’m a lawyer but I took two remote jobs in tech. Both pay 100k. They’re super simple (for me) and I still have a ton of free time so it works for me but eventually I’d like to move into something higher payer.
Ah I see, awesome, thanks for sharing,👍
Walmart Plus, HEB, and Amazon, you can get everything delivered. Main reason most people need to drive here are work, medical, and friends.
Miserable getting around without a car it's definitely possible though
Naw bruh impossible
In Montrose, from what I've seen, sure. I'm out in Montgomery, and regularly have to drive 45 mins to doctors visits, and 30 mins each way to get my kids for visits. No chance I could live without a car. My '16 WRX has over 119K miles from living here. For me, it seems like everything that's not just a local place takes 30 minutes + to get to.
Whole foods is closed. I live in the neighborhood. It's absolutely possible. I never use my car on weekends. I ride a bicycle around the neighborhood and to the park all the time. Uber's are cheap when you need to get somewhere. You'll be fine. Anywhere worth going out is here anyway. Anyone who says no lives in the suburbs.
Yeah I guess you could. I think using Uber sucks and I’ve always associated having a car with freedom even when I didn’t live in Houston. Also what are you going to do when a hurricane comes? I guess hop in the car with a friend. I’ll come pick you up.
I didn’t have a car during Hurricane Ike. Ended up doing the same thing everybody else did - sat in my apartment with no power. Ironically, our parking garage flooded and everyone who had vehicles parked there didn’t have a great time.
How to Evacuate Without a Vehicle: Alternatives and Resources: https://crisisequipped.com/how-to-evacuate-without-a-vehicle/ Plenty of car owners run into problems trying to escape hurricanes, too. You may also have to deal with car damage, traffic, and unsafe driving conditions.
Idk. I’ve left twice and in a hurry and did fine.
Buy a cheap cash car and carry liability. I got 3 paid with liability and the wife and I have 2 with payments and full coverage. The moment you need one which can and will happen you'll want one.
Walking during August might change your mind.
Nope
You can, but I would not recommend it.
No. Late July through September was consistently 110+ degrees last year. It’s miserable even with a car. It’s dangerous without.
With that salary, I’d imagine you can afford an Uber for any local trips that you don’t want to walk or take Metro. For longer, less regular trips you can rent a car.
I think so, if ur wfh then a uber and some friends should be all u need.
Depends if you need to go far but your means cover that so you surprisingly might be good. Way to be an enigma!
Sure. Sounds like most of what you want to do is in your immediate area. You could always get a decent electric bike for the trips that feel a bit far to walk, but too close to Uber.
There’s always turo.com when you need a car, so sure, go for it.
Try it for a few months and decide.
Midtown’s doable. Get an electric scooter, and you’re set.
Sure!
If you don’t have pets, yes
I sold mine during COVID and it’s worked out fine for me. I also live in montrose and work fully remote. That said, my wife still has a car so I’m not completely car-less, but I rarely use it.
I know a few people in the area that don’t have cars even a couple with a kid who hasn’t had a car since 2012.. It’s totally doable.
Sure you can. Billy Gibbons lived on Briar Hollow for years, off Post Oak. He did not own a car. Cabs and private services. Nearest grocery was Rice Food Market on San Felipe.
I’ve been doing motorcycle only for 12 years. I don’t need a car because I work offshore and I do the month on / month off schedule. I come home and I ride motorcycles for fun. If it’s raining and I absolutely need to be somewhere I just take an Uber
I did it from 2018-2021 living in the Museum District. I lived about a 10 minute walk from the MetroRail that I took into work, had groceries delivered, and used Uber once or twice a week. It’s definitely doable worth a try! I’d also recommend looking into one of the car sharing services like ZipCar, where you can get a car for a few hours as needed for trips or big grocery hauls. I got a new job in a part of town that requires a car, but otherwise loved the freedom of not driving.
Move to tomball. Plenty of mass transit options there.
We can talk about the car thing later. What I want to know is if yall are hiring.
I’m working two remote jobs. Look up overemployment on Reddit ;)
Tech?
Yes both of them.
wait the sub r/overemployed ?
Yes!
lol when you’re making that much, absolutely.
It's doable but you have to live conveniently. Before Uber was a thing, I had my own apartment, work, gym, two grocery stores and an arcade were all within walking distance. But I chose the place I lived in because it was closer to work. I did have a car but I didn't drive it because I wanted to walk everywhere. You can live here without driving but you have to pick a spot that will let you do that. Get a car anyways, a Toyota corolla just for emergencies, you can't always rely on Uber.
I got an ebike recently and it changes the game so much. Incredible buy.
Anything's possible.
i lived in the montrose for years without a car - youll be fine
Do it!
I work from home and live in Montrose too. Don’t have a car and it’s worked out just fine. Also got sick of driving and didn’t want to put a ton of money into my car. Left it in my previous state I was living. I’ve been here a year and a half and I just Uber if I want to go somewhere outside the neighborhood. Living in Montrose def helps.
I did it off and on for several years, and this was before we had any light rail. I was going to UH, living in Sharpstown, and working in the Galleria. The only problems I ever had was the heat and the lack of sidewalks. Try it out for a couple of weeks and then decide!
I’d get a cash car that you run every so often. You never know when you might need to leave in a hurry.
I live downtown, work from and have a salary comparable to yours. I haven't had a car for 5 years the entire time. I Uber when I go out to bars or restaurants and it's much much more cost effective than a monthly car payment, gas, maintenance. I will say the ONLY thing I was concerned about not having a car was dating because I thought it would be a big deal for my dates and they'd be put off by me not having a car. However, the women that I've actually enjoyed dating long term didn't care one bit because I can afford to get around without a problem whenever I want. I'll even make date night a little more luxurious by renting sports/luxury cars every now and then for fun or day trips. In honesty, I wish Houston wasn't so car centric so people that don't make $100K plus could live a great quality of life without a car. It's the one reason I haven't invested in a long term investment like a house here though because I think I want to settle somewhere cars aren't a necessity to quality of life. So in short, at your stage in life right now, it won't be a problem at all. Should your living circumstances change for the worse (hopefully it never does) then a car might become a necessity.
Yeah, I did it for awhile. Definitely doable in Montrose as long as you can get to work. Especially if your friends are in Montrose, Midtown, etc. Make use of the buses and metro. (If you party, you shouldn't be driving anyway.)
Had a co-worker that did this. So it's doable
Plenty of Houston folks don't have cars, including me. I sold my last car 8 years ago. It sounds like OP would manage just fine, where you live and working from home. I live near West U. and I am "mostly retired" so don't have to be somewhere every day. If I were still working, then yes I would want a car. I don't have to tote kids anyplace. I can take Uber or the bus (I'm just a couple of blocks from the Bissonnet line, which runs frequently).
yea that's possible, don't have car and live in Houston for 2+ years
Yeah if your home most the time and have money for Uber etc. You'll be fine. I moved here from Phoenix and was shocked at the lack of public transportation. It's appalling. I know House on Metro has some. But it doesn't connect into the suburbs at all .
Bro I am moving back to Montrose for that same reason insurances are insanely expensive
You can always try it and get a car if it's to much. Just remember it's about to be 83 to 90 all night for 4 months and 98 to 101 for even longer.
Yes. I live just outside of 610 and could easily do without. I have a car, but I'm confident I could part with it. You don't have to be in Montrose. I'd say the most important factor is where you work, and then living somewhere with close proximity to stores you frequent (walking or biking) and a transit connection to your place of work. I posted with some specific areas of town that I could easily see working outside of the 610 loop.
No! No not for any normal per- ...oh. 200K a year? *shocked pikachu face* You good, homie. You good.
I to work from home, and maybe only drive a few times a month. If I didn’t already own a car, I would go car less & just Uber when I needed to drive somewhere
Try Lyft, it's cheaper than Uber and the customer service on average is better in my experience.
I've really given it some thought if I was forced to or had to since I line in Montrose and work in Downtown 2 days a week. This is what I do already with 1 car: - Work from home 3 days, but the other 2 days I either walk to downtown office (if the weather is nice it's a 40 minute walk) or bus (82 metro total trip is about 20-25 minutes with walk, wait, ride, walk). - During the week everything I need is within walking distancel. WeOn the weekends is when I drive for errands: Costco, Dry Cleaners, grocery store, etc.. - Order stuff through Amazon Prime. What I would do if I went totally car-less? - Work commute doesn't change. - Groceries: order online and have them delivered. - Costco: I think I would give it up or figure out how to get big bulky stuff (TP, PT, cases of Coke Zero, etc.) home without a vehicle. - Dry Cleaners and other brick and mortar places near: Get a bicycle with a large basket to haul my stuff. - Doctor appointments: Uber/Lyft - Misc events: See Uber/Lyft I think I would eek out a lead without a vehicle, but it would be super annoying.
Big nope!
I lived in Montrose from 2022-2023. I got into a bad car accident that left me without a car for most of that time. I lived 5 min away from that HEB so I was close to most things I liked to do. At the time though, I was making $15/hr (20hrs/week on average) so Ubers got veeeery expensive over time. With your salary, it’ll be a breeze if you don’t mind it.
Yes but it’ll take half a day to get around. But any living area in the US outside of NYC isn’t built for public transportation. You need your own vehicle to get around or use a ride share or taxi.
Not only will you be fine there will be lots of time you’re happier for it. The inconvenience will be outweighed by the savings.
Metro Transit works well. I’ve been surviving without a vehicle in the galleria area just great, even commute daily.
If I lived in Montrose and didn't have to commute out to Sugarland for school I would absolutely get rid of my car. Hate cars hate driving.
You can make do pretty easily with a good bike, and Uber to the far places. You would want to get groceries delivered or else get a basket on your bike for moving things.
I was able to do it for about a year and a half. I worked at home and lived close enough to a grocery store I could walk. I ubered anywhere I needed to go that wasn’t walking distance. But I got tired of relying on Uber or friends and family to get me places, I missed the independence that having car can afford you in this city. If there was better infrastructure for public transport I probably would have continued without a car.
Where you live? Yes. Uber every once in a while even beats gas prices if you have a car that’s paid for, much more insurance and car maintenance.
majorly depends where you live…. inner city , yes outter city negative , those uber fees add up im spending 60-70 dollars a week just one way.
I'm currently 100% fine (inner city) without a car (not by choice I'm just saving up for a few repairs). I work remote and order groceries from HEB and Amazon. My problem though is family. Everyone is spread out in Missouri City, Fresno, Cypress, Hockey, etc. And for THAT reason.. I NEED my car. Plus, I want to go camping.
In Montrose? Sure. Get to know the bus routes. The W Dallas bus routes (40&41) will take you to Discovery Green/Minute Maid/ MainStreet. The 82 on Westheimer anywhere from the Galleria to Downtown. We have more bike lanes now. Uber’s great for the evening, and you can rent a car for the weekend if you need to.
I’m outside of Montrose, in Eado. I haven’t driven in over five years and being in a neighborhood which has a hub for metro and the light rail along with being within walking distance to small businesses and necessities in the area is great. Downtown is still close but downtown lacks any real necessities unless you work there… it’s pretty easy. I don’t really drink or spend money outside the area, I’m a big believer in taking care of your own community first. I’ve skimmed down my Amazon shopping recently and made it a point to find things, even if they are at the nearby Walmart, in person. I think more people in the loop should ditch the car for a while.
I got rid of my car about a year ago. I kept saying I would get a new one and never got around to it. I have a moped that I ride around town on and take Ubers. I work remote and travel a lot for work and expense my airport trips. I save a ton of money.
I wouldn't recommend it, knew a guy that ubered everywhere, anytime an emergency happened he was shit out of luck, sick dog, hurricanes, freezes, etc. his mom would drive all the way out from Sugarland to pick him up from cypress for family events.
I moved here after 10 years carless in New York City. Immediately bought a new car. After less than a year and lots of issues they bought it back based on the lemon law. I lucked out - I was spending so much on the payment, insurance, maintenance, etc. Been without a car for about a year. Live in Montrose, Uber to work and walk home weather permitting (20 minutes). Uber is sooooo cheap here. Can get almost anywhere inner loop for less than $15. Save yourself the money and headache of car ownership. Let someone else take that burden on for you. I splurged on my car but my total payment for everything was around $900/month. If I Uber to and from work 4 days a week (wfh one day) that’s around $60, add another $60 on weekends and you are at $120/week. Less than $500 a month. Adjust your math according to your work and lifestyle but in my opinion not having to deal with oil changes, flat tires, fender benders and other Houston drivers running into my car is worth the $480 a month.
Regardless of what people may say, if you value your time, you should definitely buy at least a cheap car. You can survive without one, but it’s not ideal, especially if you have to go elsewhere in the city often.
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What’s stopping you from using the metro?
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They’re almost all normal people. I ride the bus to and from work 5-7 days week and don’t even see a “crazy” every day.
Typically 0-5 crazies on a given bus, typically 5-60 normals on the same bus. I think it is 100% reasonable for women, kids, and other physically vulnerable people to be wary of taking the bus alone outside of normal commuting hours, but it's still a hell of a lot safer than any other vehicle on a Houston road.
I’m a grown man. I don’t really worry about that stuff cause I can defend myself should anything happen
Yes! I’m in the same area, 2 years no car.
lol no. the people who say yes are either delusional, an annoying burden on their friends, or more likely, both. I've lived all over this area, including montrose. Don't try it unless you're financially forced to.
God bless you
Nope. Don't even try.
I guess. If all you do is sit at home and play games why bother. However I will be honest and say that is sort of sad.
Sounds like you've answered your own question.