So, I'm getting the feeling

[Camino LS6]

... that a new El Camino is going to happen.

Because of that, I think I have a new mission. By the time I can order one I want to be entirely debt-free and have enough on hand for a cash purchase . I know it isn't the "American way" but I'm tired as hell of finance charges and being tied to payments. In fact, I'd like to find a way to never borrow again.

The way I see it, you are never really free when someone has you by the financial short hairs. I would like to be able to live wthout the burden of monthly payments needing to be paid no matter what unforseen cicumstances arise. Without that burden, any temporary crisis is just that: temporary. But, once you miss any month with payments, the problem can easily snowball into a years-long ordeal. I'd rather eat mac-n-cheese for a month than pay absurd rates of interest for a year or more. The finance companies (especially credit cards) have to be the kings of over-punishment and greed. They want you to trip so that they can kick you. I've had enough of that garbage. Life doesn't allow for non-stop perfection such as they demand.

So screw them.

[mustang84]

Good Camino, I say go for it. I have a credit card but haven't used it yet and don't really have the desire to. I know so many people with deep credit card debt and yet they still keep charging to it like an addiction. I'm going to be in debt enough paying off college, I don't need a credit card adding to that.

And I'm able to save my money, unlike my sister. I'm actually worried for her financial future because she just blows all of her money as soon as she gets the paycheck. She used to have a decent amount in savings in high school and then at college spent 95% of it clothes, shoes, and other crap she doesn't need. Now she's being forced to work 2 jobs so that she'll have enough money saved up to be able to pay her apartment rent this fall, but I can't help but think she is going to have it hard once she gets out of college and finds out she has no financial buffer because she spent it all.

Edited July 7, 2007 by mustang84

[frogger]

Good call on the debt thing. I hate having a mortgage and paying all that interest to a bank, hoping to be done with it in 5 years and at the same time have some investments earning me a few thousand $ a month.

At that point I'll feel better dropping $40K+ on a nice car, nearing 40, just in time for a midlife crisis?!

[Camino LS6]

Of course it means that I'll have to keep doing things like I'm doing right now ( fixing the cord on my vacuum instead of getting a new one).

I have Zora to thank for that particular chore.

That's ok though, I am ready, willing, and able to fix things and it beats buying something new.

Unfortunately, it also means that the "fleet" has to go.

[daves87rs]

It would really be nice to have no payments...

I think some of it too just simply depends on luck.

I'm a shining example of that.

I'm good with saving money-yet I'm in pretty big debt.

Hospital bills (3 times), 3 repairs (1 Major)-caused by someone else -stupdi MI drivers ) 2 Accidents are just a few of the reasons It it so hard to keep money..

I hate Surprises.

Can only hope it gets better from here...

[ocnblu]

Hi, my name is ocn, and I am addicted to new vehicles. Therefore, my own dream of living debt-free remains unfulfilled. Best of luck pursuing your dream, Camino.

[Camino LS6]

Heard that, Ocn.

I'm just so disgusted with the entire credit system that I want to live outside of it if I can.

[CARBIZ]

Good call on the debt thing. It really can snow-ball. Add a couple nasty, unforseen shocks in your life and you can find yourself in deep doo-doo. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Ten years ago my (now ex) partner and I were, like, $25k in debt to CREDIT CARDS, plus a payment on my power boat, mortgage - we had it all. An unforseen career change and moving to Toronto, followed by his braking his knee and being off work for 3 months, then a few months later I smashed up my Caprice, giving us a huge lease payment on a spanking new Blazer, plus my insurance doubled. Well, recipe for disaster. At one point, we needed $4,300 a month CLEAR just to keep afloat.

It was not pretty, and we were not big spenders when it came to frivolous things (booze, for example, although he did smoke).

I now have one visa with a $1,000 limit and it is paid OFF. I clear it off every month. The boat is gone, the Blazer is long gone, that free-spending boyfriend is gone, I have no mortgage, a company vehicle and I have ZERO debt and a lot of savings. It is a serene feeling, knowing that I can quit my job tomorrow and NOT worry about money.

Oh, one slight, important thing: in my case, I am very, very glad I live in a "free" healthcare system because my pills cost my partner's union $1,100 a month. We pay the other $300 "deductible." I jokingly tell close friends that I have 43 months to live because that is when his $50k "lifetime" drug coverage expires. However, I have already applied for Trillium drug plan in Ontario, which will pay most of it if he quits his job or I hit the$50k threshold.

I know all about unforseen circumstances, and although I am the first person to admit the government health system is a mess, for some people , it is a lifeline.

[Camino LS6]

That's another whole topic of griping and the gnashing of teeth, health care here is an obscene business.

Right now, I do without.

But, I don't want to roll those dice forever.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Good call on the debt thing. It really can snow-ball. Add a couple nasty, unforseen shocks in your life and you can find yourself in deep doo-doo. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Ten years ago my (now ex) partner and I were, like, $25k in debt to CREDIT CARDS, plus a payment on my power boat, mortgage - we had it all. An unforseen career change and moving to Toronto, followed by his braking his knee and being off work for 3 months, then a few months later I smashed up my Caprice, giving us a huge lease payment on a spanking new Blazer, plus my insurance doubled. Well, recipe for disaster. At one point, we needed $4,300 a month CLEAR just to keep afloat.

It was not pretty, and we were not big spenders when it came to frivolous things (booze, for example, although he did smoke).

I now have one visa with a $1,000 limit and it is paid OFF. I clear it off every month. The boat is gone, the Blazer is long gone, that free-spending boyfriend is gone, I have no mortgage, a company vehicle and I have ZERO debt and a lot of savings. It is a serene feeling, knowing that I can quit my job tomorrow and NOT worry about money.

Oh, one slight, important thing: in my case, I am very, very glad I live in a "free" healthcare system because my pills cost my partner's union $1,100 a month. We pay the other $300 "deductible." I jokingly tell close friends that I have 43 months to live because that is when his $50k "lifetime" drug coverage expires. However, I have already applied for Trillium drug plan in Ontario, which will pay most of it if he quits his job or I hit the$50k threshold.

I know all about unforseen circumstances, and although I am the first person to admit the government health system is a mess, for some people , it is a lifeline.

Wow that's a lot of drugs.

[CARBIZ]

Not really: 3 little pills taken before bedtime Cost: $1,400. That's, like, $15 a pill, a day. Actually, one side benefit is that I occasionally wake up in the middle of the night, horny as hell, higher than a kite! boyfriend is not amused! Still, I feel sorry for anyone taking this regiment who is not experienced with psychotropic drugs, because I can't imagine any "innocent" going through this. I am told most people have no side effects, but I am in the lucky 10%. The side effects are lessening. I now sleep through most nights.

So, yeah, government healthcare is bad, but if I didn't have it, I might be dead. $1,400 a month would put a serious dent in our budget. I don't know if I would want to put my partner through that. It might be better (in that case) to stage a fight and demand he move out, for his sake. Still, life is good.

(Sorry, don't want to scare anyone. I am not the walking dead. I still have customers, male and female hitting on me. I still "got it". ha, ha) I did lose 12 lbs back in January and DID look like the walking dead, but now I look 29 again. Hit the gym with a vengeance.....

wait a minute, what does this have to do with credit card debt???????

[knightfan26917]

It would really be nice to have no payments...

Indeedy.

I have no car payments right now and it is sweet.

Course, I have other bills ... insurance, medical, etc. So, many of those go on credit card, which I ALWAYS pay off EVERY month. But, the card I have gives 1% back on purchases ... so, every few months I have a $20 credit ... which helps.

*shrugs*

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"We never stop to think what we consume" ... Bellamy Brothers ... 'Kids Of The Baby Boom'

[Brandon Lutz]

... that a new El Camino is going to happen.

Because of that, I think I have a new mission. By the time I can order one I want to be entirely debt-free and have enough on hand for a cash purchase . I know it isn't the "American way" but I'm tired as hell of finance charges and being tied to payments. In fact, I'd like to find a way to never borrow again.

The way I see it, you are never really free when someone has you by the financial short hairs. I would like to be able to live wthout the burden of monthly payments needing to be paid no matter what unforseen cicumstances arise. Without that burden, any temporary crisis is just that: temporary. But, once you miss any month with payments, the problem can easily snowball into a years-long ordeal. I'd rather eat mac-n-cheese for a month than pay absurd rates of interest for a year or more. The finance companies (especially credit cards) have to be the kings of over-punishment and greed. They want you to trip so that they can kick you. I've had enough of that garbage. Life doesn't allow for non-stop perfection such as they demand.

So screw them.

Thats what I'm doing in preparation for the new Camaro. The borrower is always slave to the lender. I want to have the most cash on hand as possible when I go to make my purchase.

[Sixty8panther]

The entire fleet has to go...???

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Hi, my name is FOG, and I am addicted to CLASSIC vehicles. Therefore, my own dream of living debt-free remains unfulfilled. Best of luck pursuing your dream, Camino.

Adjusted slightly so that I could use it.

My goal is to be out of debt by the time I get out of college, and then it's time for me to finance a new Camaro Z/28, a new G8 GXP (or preferably GTO Judge) or a new Corvette Z06 (Yeah right!) I'll never save up the money to pay cash (Since I'm still in school and working bitch jobs.)

[Drew Dowdell]

Actually, one side benefit is that I occasionally wake up in the middle of the night, horny as hell, higher than a kite! boyfriend is not amused!

uh.... can you PM me?

[Camino LS6]

The entire fleet has to go...???

Sort of.

I intend to offer everything but the Silverado for sale eventually. I have decided to "collect" one at a time from now on.

The plan is to have :

1. The Silverado

2. a driver

3. a project

I'd like to try to keep the fleet at three total (with some occasional overlap) at any given time.

Nine is too many.

For now.

[K.C.]

I am in the same boat as ocn and FOG. I wish you lots of luck in this debt free movement. I'll try to get there someday too. Not going to happen anytime soon since I want to order a G8 GT in February. Bring on the credit apps!

[CARBIZ]

uh.... can you PM me?

...........well, why the hell not, my other half won't mind, and my family does have a divorce lawyer on retainer.