There have been times where I haven't had enough money. I live pretty comfortably now because I always make sure to have a few hundred in my account just so I can pay rent and stuff but when you don't have that buffer, you do stress. One time I went shopping and my card was declined so I went to a nearby ATM, took out money from that and had enough in my wallet so I could get groceries with that. And I also grew up poor and that frame of mindset is what sticks with you. Because when I see my friend has spent 30K on a new car, I'm not really jealous because he worked hard for that I just wonder what I could do with 30K and I usually draw a blank because I have everything I need to survive now.
I dunno, it's just weird cause living that far down the hole to the point of where you're living in a condemned house, when you managed to claw yourself out and you have disposable income to spend on something or anything, you're not really sure what to do with it.
Try investing your money in one thing or another. Do not waste it on an expensive car or resorts or stuff like that. I'm looking at me and my neighbors that have expensive cars and go on expensive trips, I do not see them being happier then I am. I've never bought a new car in my life and I still buy most things on discounts. Even my house, I bought it early, during construction for the discount.
Like you I was not raised with money, I was not poor but we did not have a lot and as a consequence I'm happy with little and I do not like to waste money.
I've never bought a new car in my life and I still buy most things on discounts.
See, that's a mistake to me.
We used cars all my life because we've got mechanical know how in our family. Then Cash For Clunkers came along, and you're god damned right I took advantage of that.
I also disagree with the Mises institute on this because they don't really seem to understand the problems of owning a used car. It only makes sense if you repair it yourself, and if you have one used car and no others, you're a god damned idiot. You need two used cars. One that runs, and the other that you're repairing. We've had three before, and we still ran into an incident where all 3 broke down in the same time frame. Used cars take an absolutely enormous toll on time and mechanical effort.
The new car I bought, I've just maintained properly. I hit it's first major repair at 80,000 miles. Buying a new car, means you don't need two. I think the optimal situation would be a new car and a used car later on of the same type and age that you can use as a parts car.
A new car, if well maintained, cost less than the best used car you can buy.
I'm not that good with cars. I can fix some easy stuff and I know what most of the components are but that is about it. I've not had much problems with them. Currently I have a 2012 Ford Kuga that did not break on me once. My only complain about it is that the engineers who designed it are sadistic, it's a pain to change the oil filter or the battery, a problem that newer version do not have.
I usually keep a car for 2-3 years and then change it. A good argument against it would be that rather then buy 2 cars in 6 years you get one new car and have it for 6 years.
I'm honestly not sure, but so far I've not had reasons to regret.
My only complain about it is that the engineers who designed it are sadistic, it's a pain to change the oil filter or the battery
They're not sadistic, they just threw the dealerships a bone so that more people would come in.
A good argument against it would be that rather then buy 2 cars in 6 years you get one new car and have it for 6 years. I'm honestly not sure, but so far I've not had reasons to regret.
That's basically what I have. A good new car for ten years.
Eh, I've bought a used car with the express knowledge that I'm going to destroy it - small car plus 20,000mi/year means that the car's going to die, it's just a matter of when.
Still, managed to make enough of that 20,000mi/year business expenses that I made the purchase price back, which was the point.
A new car, if well maintained, cost less than the best used car you can buy.
I seriously doubt this.
I've owned exclusively used cars throughout my life. I keep up the maintenance on them, pay attention when the check engine light comes on, and maybe have to do a minor repair ($100-500) once every 2-3 years.
I've been left "stranded" exactly two times in my life; once when a timing element sensor in my '95 Mustang died, so the engine didn't know when to fire. Once when the alternator on a '98 Grand Am crapped out, so the battery died. In both cases, the cars were up and running again before the end of the day, and I was able to get myself to my destination via alternate means.
A subscription to AAA is absolutely worth it though, just for the peace of mind. Being able to call a single number for help anywhere in the US is extremely handy.
Just do your homework on the vehicle before you buy; there are car forums all over the place that will tell you everything you need to know about older cars and whether they're likely to have problems.
I don't care if you doubt it, I lived it. I got real sick and tired of going into the garage to repair one of our cars once a month. I was genuinely happy when I realized that I'd been driving 6 months in a new car and hadn't once needed to actually fix anything. I was even more ecstatic when that turned into a year... then into 2, then 3. If my car finally goes, I will cry because it has been the most loyal and enduring partner in my life. I've been able to depend on it more than my friends.
Thanks to cash for clunkers, I've only spend a grand total of maybe $8,000 - $9,000 on my car including all repairs and maintenance. First moderate problem was at 80,000 miles (tie-rod went bad). I've never had a used car do that. NEVER. If I buy a used car in January, it need repaired by June.
Hell, one of my friends bought a vehicle with no issues at all around 80,000 miles. The car literally started falling to pieces. Alternator, power steering, ignition coil, cluch, all of them seemed to die between 85k-90k miles. Then his door fell off.
From now on, I'm only buying new cars, or I'm buying two identical used cars. Never one.
I've owned exclusively used cars throughout my life. I keep up the maintenance on them, pay attention when the check engine light comes on, and maybe have to do a minor repair ($100-500) once every 2-3 years.
I'd spend $100-$500 every 3-6 months on every car. Nobody ever took good care of their cars, and worse, the cars were basically designed to fail.
This was during the popularity of the 2-3 year lease, so we'd have cars that were already shitting the bed at 40k-50k miles.
A subscription to AAA is absolutely worth it though, just for the peace of mind. Being able to call a single number for help anywhere in the US is extremely handy.
I've had it for years. I actually still have it now, but when I was living out of my new car, I sometimes lost charge on the battery by accident. (Might fall asleep with something running inside the car). So I just went out and bought one of $300 those handy-dandy portable battery jumpers & air compressors. It's totally worth it for yourself, if not for others.
Having grown up with a dad who ran his own business I can say that being intimately aware of what it actually took for the new car to sit in the garage and the nice house we lived in has much the same effect.
Knowing where your food comes from makes you appreciate it a hell of a lot more.
And I also grew up poor and that frame of mindset is what sticks with you
Honestly, its amazing how many people grew up poor that it didn't stick with them. They fall into the same cycle of cigs, snacks, and beer that kept their parents broke. But now its weed, vapes, and 7 streaming sites.
But I second that "what do I even do with this income" problem. People hate me for Christmas because I literally want nothing. If I wanted it, I already bought it because I had the money. Instead I just keep saving and considering a 20$ knick knack (shit I love knick knacks) my monthly splurge.
My dad worked with this one guy for something like 30 years. Both did the same job and made the same amount of money. My dad managed to raise a family and now has a comfortable retirement, his coworker blew all his money at the casino and is constantly broke.
Some people are just incapable of competently taking care of themselves, and no charity or government program is going to change that.
There have been times where I haven't had enough money. I live pretty comfortably now because I always make sure to have a few hundred in my account just so I can pay rent and stuff but when you don't have that buffer, you do stress. One time I went shopping and my card was declined so I went to a nearby ATM, took out money from that and had enough in my wallet so I could get groceries with that. And I also grew up poor and that frame of mindset is what sticks with you. Because when I see my friend has spent 30K on a new car, I'm not really jealous because he worked hard for that I just wonder what I could do with 30K and I usually draw a blank because I have everything I need to survive now.
I dunno, it's just weird cause living that far down the hole to the point of where you're living in a condemned house, when you managed to claw yourself out and you have disposable income to spend on something or anything, you're not really sure what to do with it.
Try investing your money in one thing or another. Do not waste it on an expensive car or resorts or stuff like that. I'm looking at me and my neighbors that have expensive cars and go on expensive trips, I do not see them being happier then I am. I've never bought a new car in my life and I still buy most things on discounts. Even my house, I bought it early, during construction for the discount.
Like you I was not raised with money, I was not poor but we did not have a lot and as a consequence I'm happy with little and I do not like to waste money.
See, that's a mistake to me.
We used cars all my life because we've got mechanical know how in our family. Then Cash For Clunkers came along, and you're god damned right I took advantage of that.
I also disagree with the Mises institute on this because they don't really seem to understand the problems of owning a used car. It only makes sense if you repair it yourself, and if you have one used car and no others, you're a god damned idiot. You need two used cars. One that runs, and the other that you're repairing. We've had three before, and we still ran into an incident where all 3 broke down in the same time frame. Used cars take an absolutely enormous toll on time and mechanical effort.
The new car I bought, I've just maintained properly. I hit it's first major repair at 80,000 miles. Buying a new car, means you don't need two. I think the optimal situation would be a new car and a used car later on of the same type and age that you can use as a parts car.
A new car, if well maintained, cost less than the best used car you can buy.
I'm not that good with cars. I can fix some easy stuff and I know what most of the components are but that is about it. I've not had much problems with them. Currently I have a 2012 Ford Kuga that did not break on me once. My only complain about it is that the engineers who designed it are sadistic, it's a pain to change the oil filter or the battery, a problem that newer version do not have. I usually keep a car for 2-3 years and then change it. A good argument against it would be that rather then buy 2 cars in 6 years you get one new car and have it for 6 years. I'm honestly not sure, but so far I've not had reasons to regret.
They're not sadistic, they just threw the dealerships a bone so that more people would come in.
That's basically what I have. A good new car for ten years.
Eh, I've bought a used car with the express knowledge that I'm going to destroy it - small car plus 20,000mi/year means that the car's going to die, it's just a matter of when.
Still, managed to make enough of that 20,000mi/year business expenses that I made the purchase price back, which was the point.
Yeah, that bitch is gone. That's fair enough.
Are you buying $600 used cars or something?
multi thousand dollar cars
Insert Toyota meme.
I'd buy a Toyota pickup truck. It comes with an endorsement from the Taliban for reliability, so it must be good.
I seriously doubt this.
I've owned exclusively used cars throughout my life. I keep up the maintenance on them, pay attention when the check engine light comes on, and maybe have to do a minor repair ($100-500) once every 2-3 years.
I've been left "stranded" exactly two times in my life; once when a timing element sensor in my '95 Mustang died, so the engine didn't know when to fire. Once when the alternator on a '98 Grand Am crapped out, so the battery died. In both cases, the cars were up and running again before the end of the day, and I was able to get myself to my destination via alternate means.
A subscription to AAA is absolutely worth it though, just for the peace of mind. Being able to call a single number for help anywhere in the US is extremely handy.
Just do your homework on the vehicle before you buy; there are car forums all over the place that will tell you everything you need to know about older cars and whether they're likely to have problems.
I don't care if you doubt it, I lived it. I got real sick and tired of going into the garage to repair one of our cars once a month. I was genuinely happy when I realized that I'd been driving 6 months in a new car and hadn't once needed to actually fix anything. I was even more ecstatic when that turned into a year... then into 2, then 3. If my car finally goes, I will cry because it has been the most loyal and enduring partner in my life. I've been able to depend on it more than my friends.
Thanks to cash for clunkers, I've only spend a grand total of maybe $8,000 - $9,000 on my car including all repairs and maintenance. First moderate problem was at 80,000 miles (tie-rod went bad). I've never had a used car do that. NEVER. If I buy a used car in January, it need repaired by June.
Hell, one of my friends bought a vehicle with no issues at all around 80,000 miles. The car literally started falling to pieces. Alternator, power steering, ignition coil, cluch, all of them seemed to die between 85k-90k miles. Then his door fell off.
From now on, I'm only buying new cars, or I'm buying two identical used cars. Never one.
I'd spend $100-$500 every 3-6 months on every car. Nobody ever took good care of their cars, and worse, the cars were basically designed to fail.
This was during the popularity of the 2-3 year lease, so we'd have cars that were already shitting the bed at 40k-50k miles.
I've had it for years. I actually still have it now, but when I was living out of my new car, I sometimes lost charge on the battery by accident. (Might fall asleep with something running inside the car). So I just went out and bought one of $300 those handy-dandy portable battery jumpers & air compressors. It's totally worth it for yourself, if not for others.
Having grown up with a dad who ran his own business I can say that being intimately aware of what it actually took for the new car to sit in the garage and the nice house we lived in has much the same effect.
Knowing where your food comes from makes you appreciate it a hell of a lot more.
Honestly, its amazing how many people grew up poor that it didn't stick with them. They fall into the same cycle of cigs, snacks, and beer that kept their parents broke. But now its weed, vapes, and 7 streaming sites.
But I second that "what do I even do with this income" problem. People hate me for Christmas because I literally want nothing. If I wanted it, I already bought it because I had the money. Instead I just keep saving and considering a 20$ knick knack (shit I love knick knacks) my monthly splurge.
My dad worked with this one guy for something like 30 years. Both did the same job and made the same amount of money. My dad managed to raise a family and now has a comfortable retirement, his coworker blew all his money at the casino and is constantly broke.
Some people are just incapable of competently taking care of themselves, and no charity or government program is going to change that.