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A 25-minute walk would be roughly around a mile. There's really no reason to use the whole refund check along with an additional vehicle loan for a daily 2 mile (+/-) round trip. Not only would you have the vehicle payment, you'd have to carry full coverage on the vehicle since it would be financed. Buy a $300-$500 junker, put liability insurance on it, and put the remaining money in savings. Or, if your husband is fit (or needs to get fit), and doesn't mind, then buy a 'cheap' used bicycle.
I agree 100%. It sounds like having a second car for him to drive to the train and back would be a benefit, but you don't need anyhting special if that's all its being used for. Just buy something dirst cheap that runs good and do the bare minimum maintenance. Use the rest to build up your emergency savings and pay off a couple of the smaller debts.
I agree with the bike idea!! It's only a mile or so...that's nothing to complain about and the exercise will do him some good.
With only $700 in the bank, you need to put as much of that money in the bank as possible. You don't 'need' a second car, you 'want' a second car...huge difference.
Clunkers need repairs, repairs need money...you dont' have the money for repairs or up keep.
He could Ride the bike there (Subway Station) in the afternoon ~2p, lock it up. She can then drop the car off when she get off work ~4-5p at the Subway Station. Unlock the bike that has been there for maybe one or two hours, Ride it home, He then has the Car to drive home at midnight.
BTW: All Marta Buses have BikeRacks on the front of them, so Go to the Bus to the Train, he would only need to ride the bike to the Bus Stop.
You did not say how far it is from Subway to bus stop, But you could do the reverse also, Park Car @ subway station, Grab the Bike, Take bus to stop near your Apt, then ride the bike home from there. (That would add ~$2.50/day for a oneway bus ticket to your commuting costs, I also assume your Marta subway Station has parking, and is free)
My husband and I married last year in a debt-free wedding but we have roughly $60K in debt between us and making just $46K between us
We recently got a $2,500 tax refund back and it's the most any of us ever received, so we're wondering what would be the wisest approach.
We only have one car that's approaching 190k miles that I use for work. My husband takes public trans, but I still have to pick him up from the train station because it does not come all the way to our apt. (I work 7a to 3p, and have to pick him up at midnight because he works 3p to 11p -- so I'm always tired)
We are thinking of buying a $5k used car (putting $2k down and financing the rest) so he can get to work on his own and so one of us is not stranded at home when another is working.
But the other option is to pay off six debts that are under $600 that are in collections and have been in collections for years. Based on the credit report, the debts now have dates to be "removed."
Would you get a car or pay off the little debts?
what kind of car? and are you the original owner or do you know it's entire history?
personally, I would pay off the debts. it will improve your credit scores, which i imagine aren't great and will result in financing the car being pretty expensive anyways.
how big of an inconvenience is having one car? i miss the days when one of us took public transit and only needed one car, even though it was occasionally a minor inconvenience.
We don't pay for cable. We do have internet, but that was for a school (which I since decided to quit because I realized I should not be accepting another penny from Ms. Sallie Mae) So I suppose internet can go now, since we have it on our phones. That is, if AT&T will let us (think we sign on for a year contract) And we haven't been to the movies since last Thanksgiving. But we do occasionally eat out, so we can def be more aggressive in that area.
I think my bank offers free financial advice over the phone, so that will be my next step. Again, thanks to everyone. Any other advice is def welcomed and very appreciated.
what were you going for in school? how far along were you? student loan debt isn't necessarily bad debt, if you're going to be able to increase your work skills and income when you're done.
To paraphrase an old saying ...
"I cried because I had one car, until I met a person who had none"
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but we have roughly $60K in debt between us 
