Adventures in...teen driving

So we have five kids.  Three live independently and have their own lives.  Two are still at home.  The two still at home are the same age.  Sort of like twins...but not really.  We actually have two sets of kids the same age...I guess the hubster and I were in tune long before we were married...but I digress.

Anywho, said boys will be 15 this year.  Enter the great debate of the driving years...do we buy them a car or not.  Now understand first of all that insurance alone for a teen boy runs around 150-200 a month.  Each.  So yeah.  Then you have the whole car thing...do you just buy one and make them share?  If so that is not fair to boy #3 because boy #2 is so active he would literally always have the car.  So ok, buy two cars.  Hold on what?  Buy two cars?  Are you crazy?  We already have three cars and no driveway. 

But really, the only option is to buy two more cars.  Ok, fine.  Start car looking so we can find something reasonable and yet safe...times two.  In my mind I'm thinking we should be able to find two cars that are similar but not the same and yet both equally cool (the cardinal sin when you have two kids the same age is for one to have something cooler than the other) for around 3500 dollars.  Did I mention times two? 

But...did I mention that boy #2 has well off friends?  So all his friends, who I might mention are 17 or 18 but that's a whole other post, drive 20,000 dollar cars. And so he keeps showing me pictures of 20,000 dollar cars.  Times two?  I think not.  Boy #3, on the other hand, gives no indication of what he would like to drive and even tells us that he will drive whatever we get him (I always knew he was my favorite). 

So we are car hunting...times two.  And adding 200 dollars a month car insurance (times two) into the budget starting next year.  Good times.  I can't wait to be pulling my hair out, worrying about them driving safely, worrying about them not using their phones and driving, worrying when they are late, etc. 

Time stops for no one though.  Boy #2 is actually 15 already (as of two weeks ago) and will go get his permit when basketball season finally ends.  Boy #3 turns 15 in a few months but already has the drivers manual and is actually studying for his permit test (as opposed to Boy #2 who is just going to "wing it" in his words).  Hmmm.