Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Actually the very wealthy often use it as a good example. Not many are born with millions to their name. But by sacrificing initially, be it to save for a house, or a business, or retirement, etc, they can sacrifice today to set their future on the right path.
I mean just the fact that you'd say something like that makes me question your logic.
Health insurance rates are completely off the chart. Way too many mouths to feed and too many dollars chasing them. It's crazy what it has become.
Makes for a great story, but that’s not really true.
Most wealthy people are in fact born that way. Getting from lower classes to upper middle class is far more common. It’s typically done by getting a degree and a well paying job or starting a business. It’s not from driving a 1985 Honda Accord for decades on end.
I’ve paid far more in daycare cost than I have in car payments. One daycare payment is the equivalent of a $100k car loan payment. By your rationale, I’d be better off with no kids and a $100k car. At least the car would hold some value. Daycare is 100 % depreciation.
Makes for a great story, but that’s not really true.
Most wealthy people are in fact born that way. Getting from lower classes to upper middle class is far more common. It’s typically done by getting a degree and a well paying job or starting a business. It’s not from driving a 1985 Honda Accord for decades on end.
I’ve paid far more in daycare cost than I have in car payments. One daycare payment is the equivalent of a $100k car loan payment. By your rationale, I’d be better off with no kids and a $100k car. At least the car would hold some value. Daycare is 100 % depreciation.
If you want to argue semantics I'm not going to go down that road.
You get that degree and spend all that income you're still left with nothing.
Absolutely, income is part of the equation. No one disputed that.
Well it certainly is applicable in this forum too. Maybe there are people that don't know a different way, and just think buying a car on payment is normal?
The enlightened folks strive to better themselves not to buy nicer things but to feel more fulfilled. As desires for (nicer) things increases as income increases, that eventually results in discontent with not being able to obtain that next nicest thing. The super sweet Mercedes in your driveway suddenly looks kinda crappy next to the new Porsche.
In short, learning to be happy and content with what you have, will allow you to enjoy life more rather than someone who constantly turns up the speed on the hedonic treadmill. So if you can afford more...great...but it probably won't materially make you much happier.
So have you hit up the boat forums yet? Let them know how much happier they would be if they didn’t have a $120k fishing boat? Or how about the aviation forums. Talk about a materialistic money pit. How about the guys who spend tens of thousands to climb mountains? Or the motorcycle forums? I can’t imagine a worse investment than traveling. Have you attempted to save them yet?
Buying a car that makes you happy and doubles as transportation is probably one of the more rationale hobbies to spend money on.
If you want to argue semantics I'm not going to go down that road.
You get that degree and spend all that income you're still left with nothing.
Absolutely, income is part of the equation. No one disputed that.
What makes you think they’re spending all that income? Is that the conclusion all frugal types come up with when they see someone driving a new car?
Everybody budgets how they want to. If they wanted an old car they’re well aware that’s an option.
Meh, I lease a new Camry for $169/month. No repair or maintenance bills ever, don't even know how to open the hood lol and 42 mpg. Oh and you know what I'm doing on the weekend.....not working on my car.
And when your lease is up, you have nothing to show for it.
I think Ziggy is advising to spend the savings from driving an older car on whiskey and loose women, because eventually, as King Osric so aptly put it in the original "Conan the Barbarian": "There comes a time I fear, when the jewels cease to sparkle, the gold loses its luster, and the throne room becomes a prison...". Paraphrased as, "Nobody gets out of here alive, so you may as well enjoy it while you can".
However, Oscric finishes by saying, "...and all that is left is a father's love for his child". So if you are saving it for your offspring, you get a pass, I guess. I understand the lure of doing things "on the cheap", it brings a sense of satisfaction that one is Smarter Than the Average Bear, and makes one feel productive. I fixed my furnace the other day vs. having a Tech. gouge me for three hundred bucks for a part I can buy at Home Depot for thirty bucks and ten minutes to install it. I felt good by doing that, even though I could afford the service call. If they weren't such friggin' thieves, they would have gotten the work (beware of the "Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter company" of Chicago). Not much different than your keeping a high-mileage car on the road.
There’s typically no free lunch. You can “live it up” but for most there comes a time where time (work) will need to be traded for funds to “live it up”.
What makes you think they’re spending all that income? Is that the conclusion all frugal types come up with when they see someone driving a new car?
Everybody budgets how they want to. If they wanted an old car they’re well aware that’s an option.
I think most people frugal or not are smart enough to realize that some people can truly afford whatever they buy. However, there may also be people who approach most of their driving from a purely cost perspective - nothing wrong with that.
Makes for a great story, but that’s not really true.
Most wealthy people are in fact born that way. Getting from lower classes to upper middle class is far more common. It’s typically done by getting a degree and a well paying job or starting a business. It’s not from driving a 1985 Honda Accord for decades on end.
I’ve paid far more in daycare cost than I have in car payments. One daycare payment is the equivalent of a $100k car loan payment. By your rationale, I’d be better off with no kids and a $100k car. At least the car would hold some value. Daycare is 100 % depreciation.
I believe you would be surprised by the amount of under the radar millionaires out there — people that have a top 10-20% net worth simply by being frugal to differing degrees. Some may get there by driving that ‘85 Honda and some may simply buy $25k cars every 2 years instead of $60k cars - who knows.
Certain principles of frugality — both mathematically and philosophically can indeed help a person without any particularly unique skill jump a class or two. That can pay huge dividends later in life and for generations to come. I find that typically people who give careful thought to the longer term economics of driving tend to also be financially prudent in other ways...more of a snowball effect.
Jumping from say “poor” or working class (combined nearly 50% of the country) to even lower middle class is HUGE...short term and long term.
Last edited by eddiehaskell; 10-17-2019 at 05:36 AM..
Buick LeSabre with 3800 engine is the best and finest "free" car in the world. It also lasts longer and more durable than 90% of the new vehicles sold today from all makes.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
