$170 investment - Page 2

disneysteve · #21 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

Example, we were watching football, and there was an ad for LEASING a VW for $260/month. He got very excited and said he could do that.

His rebuttal is that leasing a car for what his car is worth say 3 years at $250/month would be great. That way if we have kids and the car doesn't fit our lifestyle just trade it in and get a new car.

I've learned that it is nearly impossible to have an intelligent conversation with someone who thinks that leasing a car is a good idea. It's like they're brainwashed. They spout off all of the supposed advantages of leasing over buying, none of which makes a darn bit of sense when you run the numbers. I've given up trying to convince anyone in my life why they shouldn't lease, though I'll certainly continue to preach against it here in the forums.

If he doesn't see why a 3-year rental is a phenomenal waste of money, you've got your work cut out for you. Good luck.

LivingAlmostLarge · #22 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 02:10 PM

I've been preventing it for now. And leasing can make sense in terms of business owners. I've asked multiple CPAs and business owners and it can be a good idea.

Yep, I've been slowly pushing off the leasing car idea as a good one. I hope to push it back using these positive reinforcements.

disneysteve · #23 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

leasing can make sense in terms of business owners. I've asked multiple CPAs and business owners and it can be a good idea.

True. I was only referring to personal leases.

DebbieL · #24 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 03:02 PM

I drove a Nissan Micra until my daughter was 10 years old and it fit carseats, etc. just fine. I totally don't understand anyone thinking they need a minivan just because they have a kid or two.

PS - DH is 6'6" and all leg, and had no trouble fitting in my Corolla. I actually know someone about his height who drives one of those Smart cars (they're tiny if you haven't seen them). Apparently they are roomy inside.

LivingAlmostLarge · #25 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 04:30 PM

My roomie can't drive my corolla and is 6'4". He's all legs. Our roomie tried out the Honda Fit and Smart Car and didn't fit. They are very roomy I feel.

Minivan would be bought because it would be 1 child + 4 adults. Also two dogs and potentially extra guests.

scfr · #26 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

Minivan would be bought because it would be 1 child + 4 adults. Also two dogs and potentially extra guests.

How often would you really have all of the above in one vehicle at the same time? Could you not occasionally take 2 cars? Or, if the potential guests showed up, could you not rent a minivan for a short period of time?

disneysteve · #27 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scfr

How often would you really have all of the above in one vehicle at the same time? Could you not occasionally take 2 cars? Or, if the potential guests showed up, could you not rent a minivan for a short period of time?

I'm sure if there are 4 adults living in the house, there would be plenty of times where all 5 went out together (maybe not with the dogs). Many cars that seat 5 do not seat 5 when one is a carseat. In my Camry, the carseat only fit properly in the center position of the rear seat which made it very uncomfortable for anyone else to sit in the back seat. So if there were more than 3 of us going anywhere, we needed to take the van.

Also consider that if you plan to have more than one child, a large vehicle becomes a necessity since kids are in carseats or boosters until age 8 so you will most likely have 2 or even 3 kids in carseats at the same time.

maat55 · #28 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 08:39 PM

When our daughters reached school age, a mini-van was the way to go. DW had that van packed with the kids and their friends. They are smaller but seem to hold as many people as big SUV's and get a little better gas mileage.

disneysteve · #29 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 06:47 AM

Vans are also important for cargo space, not just seating space. When 4 of us drive to Florida for a week's vacation, there's no way we could do it with our car unless we hitched a trailer to it or shipped stuff down. We need the space in the van for suitcases, cooler, etc.

LivingAlmostLarge · #30 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 12:56 PM

My parents and in-laws scfr would be LIVING with us (Eeeck!) not even sure I'm ready for that. They are definitely staying for at least months after birth.

I am pretty sure that a minivan would be a necessity not a want. 4 adults in most cars and 1 car seat would be pretty tight. And if my grandma (who already lives with my parents most of the time), comes to then it's 5 adults + 1 baby + 1 wheelchair for grandma.

I am sure if it's just my mom, even then my grandma is likely to come stay bits with a wheelchair/walker. She is only 80, but if we're going out for the day we need it. When she visited in May I had a wheelchair in my trunk for her.

My DH of course hasn't considered this. Although he has considered that a baby seat is rather large. Friends like I said have been trying to sell us their BMW and Lexus because it doesn't fit the car seat in the back seat.

I was planning on a second kid in 2 years and then we'll see. I'd like 4, but we've agreed to try 2.

cptacek · #31 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 10:32 PM

Does your husband have a goal? Or does he feel the money is just sitting there, waiting to be spent on a car or whatever else he feels like spending it on?

I ask because for a while my DH was always talking about getting a more expensive pickup, another tractor and trading the baler in for another more expensive baler. Bam, bam, bam, every time we talked about money, he said we needed those things.

But then, we started talking about buying more cows (which have been our best investment so far). We are going to need to borrow about $50,000 from the bank to buy 40 more cows, so all of a sudden, he can get by with the two old pickups we already have and the old baler. We are still talking about the tractor, which truth be known, we do need. But it is so much easier to deflect some of the other things for now because of the big goal he is really pushing for.

Sorry for the detour to hicksville, but I think if your husband had a big goal that he chooses (don't push one on him) the talk about having to get a new car would go away.

LivingAlmostLarge · #32 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 08:50 AM

We don't really have financial goals. Just finish school, pay off our student debt $25k, but I think we can manage that pretty easily and clear it in a year if we choose. So does he, which is why he is focusing on the car.

I brought up having a kid last night actually and throwing away the BC and suddenly he changed and said "we have to save all our money. We can't buy anything stupid." I'm pretty sure a new car was the last thing on his mind.

Hmmm...seriously do men grow up only when things happen?