Erin Perkins sold her car on July 23, 2010, jumped on her bike and never looked back. The Charleston, S.C., art director started her blog, High Heels & Two Wheels, to prove that people don’t need to be so dependent on their cars. Not only is Perkins minimizing her carbon footprint, but she’s also saving some serious cash. “I never have to pay for gas, maintenance or insurance, and it feels good to become more fiscally responsible,” she says. Plus, getting around on two wheels has encouraged her to buy local.

 

Perkins says she doubts she’ll buy another car because she enjoys biking and thinks it’s important to serve as proof that people can live without cars. “The most frequent thing I hear is, ‘I could never do that,’ but you can! Our country is addicted to cars and we are taught bicycles are only for recreation. We need to start turning this around.”