OP hitpausebutton:
I'm in the camp that says you can't afford the cars, and really can't afford a pet, nor sat. Tv.
You got into this situation, WORK your way out. I mean. It. WORK a second and third job if YOU have to.
YOU chose the cars. You didn't but a pair of $10k used cars, you got yourself into deep deep debt buying them. Time to pay the piper. My last vehicle payment was $167/month for 60 months, paid it off in 27 months. I still drive that vehicke, now 12 years old and psid for long ago. It was also a 3.5 year old USED vehicle.
You say YOU CHOSE the higher payment to not "pay for them forever" if I remember right. I'll give you the advice the dealer finance adviser gave me when I bought My very first car with my very first payments many many years ago. " take the longer-term loan to get the lowest payment you can get, you can ALWAYS PAY MORE TO PAY IT OFF EARLY".
Next, I use Roku, streamed on twc ( now spectrum), and pay $7.95 for Netflix. I have no problems, if you did, you probably didn't have at least the minimum streaming service. If nothingvekse I'll advise you TO spend $20 on a DVD player, and take out videos of all sorts from the library. Save the cost of sat tv. I don't care how much you use tv( ours is on from time We get up until going to bed), YOU CANNOT AFFORD IT, and you don't "NEED" it. GO get books and magazines from the library and read instead.
I'm also in the camp of giving up the dog, I don't care if your uncle takes care of get bills, you simplycant afford it. It's heartless TO have a pet you can't afford.
Next, YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE NOW, AND YOU WANT TO BUY A HOUSE??????? NO NO NO. EVEN with the cars paid off, and combined with your current rent payment, it sounds like a nice tidy mirtgage payment. But houses need maintenance. Please please put it off unless or until your wife has a steady permanent job, I don't care doing what. I'm in the "some college " camp, but no degree, I'm at just above minimum wage, and I only work part time (24 hours A week), as a hotel front desl clerk, but I bring in that $800 ++++ that you need to pay for the cars. Tell her to get OFF HER DUFF and get a jib, any job. You are doing her and yourself NO FAVORS letting her slide. Baby or not, she can work around your schedule. My jib require a no skill set except a smile, and a little knowledge of a computer. Surely she has that? Tgey will train her, I'm sure. Same with My OH s second job...a cashier in a grocery store. My OH works 5 4 hour shifts and comes home with $800/month ++ for that mediocre job. Im sure tgey can give her a schedule that works around yours so you can watch the babyvl while she works. My OH works the 7am to 11 am shift at the store, before going to another better paying job for the extra money we need.
I am physically disabled with a mental illness and I WORK TOO. I also am allowed to work part-time whike I collect SSDI, that's how disabled I am, and I WORK TOO. So I dont want NO EXCUSES for the wifey.
We bought a house and then set about accumulating some debt by over updating and upgrading it. That's another mistake you could make in buying a house. We have about 3 years left to get the debt paid off. That's WHY I'M WORKING. Yours now is the cars, ours is the house. We did it, we are now paying the piper. YOU NEED TO TOO. We have NO EXCUSES FOR THE DEBT, BUT don't complain about paying off the debt.
Over all, cut cut cut what you can, get her a job, any job, and buckle down to pay the cars off. THEN KEEP them till they fall apart. NEVER AGAIN buy an expensive vehicle, but a 3 or 4 year old USED vehicle, and stretch out the lower payments to reduce your future outgo.
Also your electric....suffer a little and sweat a little and raise your a.c. setting. We hardly used the a.c. this year to save on our electric, and I sweat profusely over 68°. So if I can suffer so can you. Keep heat no higher than 65° when hone, 60° at night or away.
Lastly call 2-1-1 help line anywhere in the country and Ask about food pantry help, or programs that help lower income families to help with basic bills. HEAP may help with your utility bill. ( Home Energy assistance program).
Apply and it will HELP with utility bills.
This is a REALITY CHECK, as harsh as necessary to give you a WAKE up call.
Best of luck, and get her a J-O-B.
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