In 2002, when the price of gas first went up to $1.50, I was a student and couldn't find room in my budget for the more expensive gasoline. I made a rule that I would take the car out 1 day a week and drive anywhere and everywhere I needed to that day. It worked well and I saved a ton of money.

Although I was very disciplined for many years after that about how much I drove, I found that my way of thinking about transportation still did not really change until I sold my car. When I had my car sitting in the driveway, I still thought of the car as the default way to get where I needed to go, with my bike or the bus as an alternative or back-up plan. These days, when I consider going anywhere, I start by thinking about how far it is, what I need to carry, and what the weather is doing. Then I pick the transportation plan that fits my needs. (Note that my husband still has a car that he commutes to work in. So I have a car available sometimes, with pre-planning around his long work hours.)

After I got away from driving for a few months, driving suddenly became a hassle. Rush hour! Parking! How much gas is in the tank? Construction! Accidents! Did I mention parking? Parking is such a hassle! Someone already mentioned that driving felt draining. I agree. Life is so much simpler when you don't have to plan your trips around finding a parking spot.

I agree with the sentiment which was posted upthread, that if you really want to cut out driving, you need to live in the right spot. Living within walking distance of a grocery store can will out an amazing number of trips.