Puppypal's Personal Finance Blog

LOL!
My Dh being the deer hunter he is couldn't wait til Muzzleloader season was open so he could rush right down and hunt bambi! OK fine! I have handled this through the years because the deer meat has helped the budget. Well this year so fair DH has went twice . Once with bio-son and bio-son came back with 103.7 fever and off to the doctor we went! He missed two days of school and antibotics puffers and cough meds totaled 75.00
Also the alternater went out and that cost 300.00
So last weekend DH went by himself! Came back from camp no deer but two broke ribs!
So off to the doctor again, meds and doctor visits and missed work this week totals so far 400.00
LOL!
Poor! DH! He can't win for losing this week!
LOL
Glenda

After a huge amount of research we decided on the toyota yaris liftback.
stripped. The search was on.......
I bet ya I contacted 9 dealers and well I do not enjoy the dealers that talk the talk and lie because I would rather spend 1000.00 more for a car that an 1/2 honest person was trying to sell me and give him a bit of commission that go with a crook!
Now morels and budget tend to differ a bit but I am that type. Found finally a blue one! In russellville. It was about an hour from hubbys work and we went and looked at it August 10th, 2006 bought it that day because the salesman was up-front and had a nnormall range price.
I have to give this little car an A+
So far my calculations avg. 41 miles to the gallon. Boy! That alone is a nice change from 15 miles to the gallon! It is tiny, but it is only used for hubby's work travel so it is ok. Hubby was paying anywhere from 120.00 to 145.00 a week in work only travel gas and now it is knocked down to aaaaaaaaauuuuu
$31.00 a week.
That is a savings of appoix 100.00 a week.
We paid 12,500 for the yaris but it had a couple more bells and whistles on it that we wanted but they were useful so we didn't bark!~ Hubby will sure love the rear window defroster come cold weather! and He never had a CD player so that help sell the car to him!
I borrowed 2500.00 from my dad because of course as you read before we are broke!
It has been a month, and we have managed to pay insurance 339.00 for 6 months
taxes $875.00 1st car note 200.00
and tags 25.00
I also took on two more saturday runs so I could pick up 100.00 or so in the plus cash flow side. hubby got a couple extra hours to boot!
So all that stress paid off maybe I am a worrier by nature but it seems that If I research something long enough I come out better.
My car has 4200.00 left on it and well Hubbys yaris is 10,000
With what we are saving in gas costs we should be able to pay dad back, pay insurance, and pay car note without ever taking an extra dime from the checkbook!
So today is a good day! Now to find the next challenge to take on!
The one pictured is blazing blue we got a gray-blue one. Called Bayou Blue..

Well, finally got in tough with Ralph....EEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW It doesn't sound good! Dh truck is no doubt a liability considering the
NO AIR=600.00 wrecked front=2000.00
Transmission=1500.00
and the durn thing does nothing but screams MORE GAS MORE GAS!
Dh drives 500 miles weekly to work.
So taking all that into
account--->This truck is costing us a small fortune......
We placed a sign on it and a ad in the paper...Fixer Upper Best offer!
LOL
So I have been rimmed a new one so to speak as far as
researching, pricing, dealing with dealers(YUCK) etc.

That is why I haven't been here.

New vs Used...Loan rates...insurance

what MPG really means...7yr/70,000
what is and not covered

what real invoice is...
what are real charges(what aren't)

I am stilling floating through it all.

I am also doing the almighty straining budget...Or disapprearing budget per say!
I have came up with a few Dollars...here and there. Like the major one of gas saving costs and paying the mechanic NOT

Also interest charges are way lower for New Vs used no matter if it is 2 yr or whatever...My figures say that considering DH major mile tracker new is the way to go. I would hate to pay for something 5 yrs that died yr four!
Cars in the running

Toyota Yaris 5 speed Manual 1.6
Best choice if I can find one w/o all the bells and whistles This one gets max at 40mpg forum of yaris owners say it gets between 36 - 40 hwy so far!

Kio Rio 5 speed manual 1.8
max 38 mpg forum reads 32mpg max
Salesman PO'ed me so bad showing me the dealer sticker that sits along side the MSRP sticker and well I will never buy from them because they have every trick they know of to play folks!
Normally equiped with POWER Package
another 2300.00 can't find a stripped one with air! Go figure!

Chevy Aveo manual same air conditioner NOT standard~!! 36 mpg forum says 2006 only got 31mpg

Honda Versa
about the same 34 mpg only a couple folks post toward this one and they are disappointed in the miledge!

Checked out them Hybrids and well the battery that you will have to buy costs a small fortune and has to be replaced like 5 yrs Not to mention the normal price size for size is major up there and the tax right off an't what it should be!
So as you all can tell this pup is pooped! Tired and even a bit hung up wet. I wish I lived back in the time when your word was gold and you knew what folks say is the truth! Sad world we live in when everyone shoots you one line of ___ after another!

I just had to post this! It is right on track!

Rules for Non-Pet Owners
Who Visit and
Like to Complain About Our Pets:

First off, You complain about everything anyway!

1. They live here. You don't .

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture; That's why they call it "fur."

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, she is an adopted daughter Who is short, hairy, walks on all fours
and doesn't speak clearly.

NOTE:
Dogs and cats are better than kids.
They eat less.
They don't ask for money all the time.
They are easier to train.
They usually come when called.
They never drive your car.
They don't hang out with drug-using friends.
They don't smoke or drink.
They don't sass back.
They don't worry about having to buy the fashions.
They don't need a gazillion dollars for college.
If they get pregnant, you can sell the children.

Well, I figured since I am a newbe here and I recieved some very nice replys from folks that don't know me I would give ya a bit of an Up-date to the Soap opera "Drama of Tranportation"! LOL
Finally Friday afternoon, we managed to beg DH's brother to get his Car Hauler thingy and go get the truck! I reckon' in one way, you can see the positive in all this because Dh's truck wasn't touched!
DH then took it down to a guy in town that seems to be cheaper but slower than the rest!
To this day I have yet to find out what is wrong with it! But I am crossing my fingers as I type.
Paid the thing off in 2000
We rebuilt the engine in 10/2003
Post of cost 1800.00 but since Dh managed to mess it up Threw a couple rods into something if I can remember right?
So we ended up bending way over (LOL) and paying 3000.00 for all the needed work. See, they had me OPPS! DH by my _______ it would have cost 1500.00 to stop at that point and call it a learning experiance....Couldn't afford to rush out and buy another so I figured at the time a couple thousand is better than new!
BOY! this was the wrong way to go. Worked in the past several times but read on.....
DH hit that deer in November 2003
Not to mention he totalled my beat up truck 94 silverado.
Pine Tree vs Truck
Pine Tree 3
Truck 0
Ended up having a car payment anyhow! But I managed to get it at 5% and put 4000.00 down in June of 2004 and now only have 4500.00 left to pay! See the end in sight there!
NOW: Back to the truck!
Put a new Transmission in the thing
around May 2004 because we figured the engine cost hadn't benefited at that point.
November 2004
Power steering pump
Now this. At the engine rebuilting point we had to put a new clutch in the thing anyway.....
So I pray it is just that and not the whole transmission.
I am going to call Ralph

Goodness I want to tell ya if things could go wrong well....The did. DH called me from the worst part of town and told me that yet again his beat up battered and bruised truck is broke down. I head off in my PT to get him right after work. Well wouldn't ya know on the hottest day of the year I have a flat! DH has no cell phone so he is just stick till I put this tiny round thing they call a tire on by myself in 110 degree weather. Finished that. But I was really scared i hadn't tightened it well so I went to a taxidermist I know down the road to help. Then I pick DH up telling him to leave it un-locked because glass broke and replaced is major let the mean folks in. You are talking downtown bottom end gang crime capital place. Since his truck has 350,000 miles on it no air or radio not to mention will not go into gear let them have it!
We still haven't been able to find someone cheaply to get the durn thing out of the crime land. Hopefully this weekend His brother will help take it to a shop. We live deep in the country and the truck is 40 miles away. Cheapest quote on towing was 350.00 and we don't have it! So it sits being a target to crime and we wait. DH has to work today and tomorrow so it isn't an option to get it before Saturday. He is driving my car with tiny round thing on it til payday so we can get a tire real one. I reckon' you could look possitive toward this and say that the tiny round thing hasn't blown yet! And so far I guess DH truck isn't a popular parts model because nobody has touched it! But maybe it has something to do with the front! It was smashed in half way from a deer-truck thing last winter!
Hopefully I can post possive to the max soon because this is getting depressing!

It was such a great weekend. Since I have two teen boys and they are not anything like each other expecially size wise I found several things for them last weekend that I put up for school clothes. Since I have redneck rough and tough boys that love the woods and 4-wheeler etc. I tend to buy better made clothes not for brand but for dependability. I found 4 pair of shorts to start school in and they were only 7.99 each. With Names like John St. Bay and Plugg they will stay everything my kids dish out. 2 yard sales had .50 cent tee-shirt which were also a good brand that will fit right into the shorts days. I found 3 yards of beautiful matterial for 1.00 also that will be made into curtians for by french doors in the kitchen. I aso stocked my present closet a bit with several pair of trinket jewelry and .10 cents and .50 cents was the max. Even One pair of ear rings still had the price on it of 25.00 sterling silver! So I felt I did pretty well considering I didn't want to waste too much gas in the process.

i found this great site and it has already helped a huge amount. I was looking for an outlet as sorts to saving, and tightwadding and I think I have broke the normal barriers. I have read I think every book in the Library on saving, tightwadding, and penny pitching but same ol' same old as sorts. Here has opened my eyes to a couple new tricks.
I love the post about where you were at 15 years ago. It brightened my day and made me realize that I have indeed come a long way. Flash-back 15 yrs......Major Broke moment....To say the least. The post made me realize that I have something now compared to then. I own a home....I drive a good car....My kids don't do completely without, and last but not least No credit card debt do we have!
So other that a car note and house note we owe for nothing as such. So thanks to the one that made my day and that posted that thread! Hats off. So we are in the botton income bracket! We are a lot higher than 15 yrs ago. Glad I found you all!

July 12, 2006

Well, today is one of them, broke days where you get a bit depressed on life in general. Being a mom to a teen age boy is the easiest part of it all. I have raised him to believe it isn't what you wear that makes you, YOU. It is what you do and how your react that always manages to make you come out on top. So far so Good there. He has a wonderful girlfriend and she is somewhat cautious of her spending. So that helps.
Now on the other side of the fence there is my SS who basically believes style is everything and popular is the most important thing in the world. Going to the right parties throwing them himself...etc. I like to call him my Abercrombie and Finch Profit maker!
At least he isn't here full-time because BOY would he have a rude awaking.
Dh is starting to get the # of our Budget! I actually had to step on THEM man toes and make him realize full face that after we pay weekly child support and his gas to get to and from work we have a WHOOPING 186.00 a week that isn't 800.00 a month.
I make 1400.00 a month PERIOD!
It takes most of that to pay for my car note house note electricity, phone, water gas bill, drugs and dr. car & house insurance Personal property taxes,
not to mention the house note which I might add we couldn't have afforded if my father didn't carry the morgage. it is 565.00
we manage I reckon....
I basically pay all the bills and we live off what Dh brings in and I try my best to save for disasters like car repair etc. But the cost of milk is terrible so we do without. I am trying real hard to minize the bills as best as possible. I found an extra 5.00 a month lowering my bills by taking off private # on my land line. Also no cable....
My car only has 5000.00 left and hopefully we can get DH a car cheaply.
Well that about sums it up......