Showing posts with label wheels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wheels. Show all posts

March 28, 2012

debt diet and replacing cars: how to pay cash for a car

it has been 6  months 
since i celebrated this day
the day we could officially
declared at the top of our lungs

that we
had
no 
more
credit 
card 
debt!

i swear i never ever 
want to be in that place again.
ever. 


we now pay off everything monthly,
sometimes sooner
and we
prefer it that way

(again, thanks to
this man and his book
can't say enough about it)


so with 6 months of 
dutiful financing underneath our belt
we must think about the
inevitable

it is time.

it is time for us to upgrade the vehicle.

now most sane, normal, everyday americans 
go through this process every 3-4 years.
some wait even 6-8 years.
die hards will make it 10-12 years.
(the average is about every 5 years)

not sure what category we fall into.
we have been driving our beast for
14 years.  

crazy?
i know.

this is us the year we  bought our car.
the twins are 5 months old and big sis is just two.



it truly has been the greatest car ever.

many treks to our beloved disneyland
back in the day.


this was the girls
all geared up for a dad's-only
camping trip.


not sure where the time goes but it has gone

so now the search has begun.
let me add,
after we paid off our last car
(probably in 2008)
we continued to pay our car payment 
to ourselves.

**this is the key, peeps.
continue to pay yourself 
allowing at least 4-5 years of this 
and before you know it.
your pile of car payments to yourself 
is now equal to writing a check for your next car.

i know you want to celebrate
when you make that last car payment 
with a big steak dinner and 
more moolah for you.

but instead, 
start that 'car fund', 
stash it away
and watch it grow.


not a bad gig
really


lo and behold,
 we have a small stash of cash
ear marked just for that.

mamma needs new wheels.
so i must ask myself,
what do i want to still be driving 
in at least 14 more years?

i have some ideas...

hint, hint...

ever pay cash for a car?

would love your thoughts, strategies, car ideas.

all of it.