I work a lot, have a newborn, and my wife is in full-time nursing school. My job includes being on call answering phone calls and emails 24/7 365, I wake up and work 2-3 times a night, 5/7 nights. This isn't a pitty party, I like my job. With fall here I closed our pool (another lesson learned) and the grass is slowing down so there is less to do around the house for several months, which should free up some time around. My travel time at work is almost over so that will help as well.

I took the car to the dealership tonight just for a laugh. The sales manager was very helpful and gave me some good tips for selling the car on my own (maybe I'll visit him again later in life ) It was good incentive to get the car cleaned up and photographed so I can put an add online and sit and wait a little while I'm traveling for work this week.



Funny, I could take a 2-week paid "staycation" and get a $5,000 bonus with all the time off I haven't been able to use this year.

If I can find the usb cable for my camera, I'll get this thing posted tonight!

I'm glad you asked, I've been thinking about this a lot lately to help prevent it in the future. I started reating "Millionair Next Door" this weekend and I think it has helped me learn a lot about myself (the non-millionaire type )

I do not believe I was largely influenced by marketing or advertising, the vehicle I bought was 3 years used and not regularly advertised to begin with. I contemplated the decision for 5-6 months so it was not impulsive. I bought a RWD powerful car during a snowstorm in Colorado and traded in a 4WD jeep for more than I could have sold it privately here in Oklahoma. I was very aware of the financial implications of my decision at the time. I was unaware of my wife's nursing school enrollment that would happen 10 months later. Basically, I've been obssed with cars since I was 13 years old. I graduated college making 6 figures and held off buying a vehicle for 2 years and basically gave in to my desires.

From what I've read this week, I was likely affected by my proffesion and realized income more than direct commercial marketing (I don't watch TV or listen to the radio anyways). Several of my co-workers have vehicles that I admired and take them to a local road-race track as a hobby and we talked about cars often for fun.

In hindsight, I think it was both a poor financial decision and poor buying decision. The value or cost of the car was as expected and reasonable. However, the cost of not investing those same $$$ is likely great. I would say I made an "unenlightened" buying decision. I didn't understand how committed in all aspects of buying and finances we must be as a family to reach the financial independance (wealth) that we desire. At the time, I had no debt except our home (we owe about 75% on a 15 yr note). I didn't know what it fealt like to have debt on a depreciating asset. I hadn't realized the opportunity costs of making car payments before. I think I saw it as a reasonable "investment" in my own happiness or comfort.

That's a wordy way of answering your inquiry.

I don't mean to be rude, but if your wife was still in school full-time, and you're swamped with work, why did you have a baby? Who did you think was going to take care of it?

We had a baby because my wife got pregnant. It was best thing that ever happened to us.

When that happened, she wasn't in school, and my job was not as demanding. My entire family lives in town and her mother stays at the house often to help watch Paul. The thinking was more along, "well I'll try nursing school now, but if it's too much I'll quit, no big deal". We're in the process of hiring for a new role at work that will replace my "on-call" duties at work which will be a game changer.

I shared a link on my G+ page on advice and inside info on how to buy a car - it's here:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/113845064 ... 5859/posts


Great advice on how to buy a car. Follow the money.