News Flash

This just in...Only 88 days until Christmas.

That is all.

How We Acquired a Jeep

Our mini-van died. As in it would cost more to fix than it was worth (the ENTIRE electrical system went, and was confirmed by our mechanic). Yes, the mini-van we've only had for about 4 months. We definitely need 2 vehicles that are reliable (including one that can haul a family of 5 and a ton of gear), so I can't just go and buy a $500 piece of crap to get around town in. So Fidget and I discussed it, and decided the only thing we could do was trade the van in. Not what we had planned to do, but it had to be done. Obviously the van wasn't paid for since we'd only had it for 4 months, so we were a bit limited as to what we could do. We couldn't stay in the price range that we set as ideal because we had to roll the remainder of the van loan into the loan for whatever we bought. Keep in mind we live in the middle of nowhere, and our choices were very limited. We went to a dealership who had no vehicles in our price range. The next one we went to had one. Then we went to our favorite dealership and they had 2...well, okay, they actually had 3, but one of the three was a 1997 suburban with a 17 inch lift kit so we were able to eliminate that one right off the bat. We ended up with a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with 131,000 miles on it. It was a sales vehicle and the dealership that we trust had done all the service on it, and was willing to show us the records for it. It gets the same mpg as the van did, so we were okay there (the van got 21 mpg, the Jeep gets 20). Our interest rate BITES. Apparently when you purchase a vehicle with more than 100,000 miles on it they add 3 points to your interest rate automatically.

We did the best job we could with the options we had. Obviously if we could have afforded to make a better deal, we would have. I'm no slouch in dealing with salesman, and I normally walk away from a car deal with Fidget going, "How in the hell did you do that?" Seriously. I get the lowest price, the best interest rate possible, and I usually get them to add features to the vehicle if there's something we want but that it doesn't have--and they pay for it.

One of Fidget's co-workers actually had the balls to ask how much I make in order to afford the Jeep. My favorite comment from a friend was, "You change cars more than more people change underwear." Good grief, are we the only people that something like this has happened to?

We didn't plan this. Shit happens. I'm am tiring quickly of people saying, "do you part for the environment", "why did you buy a gas-guzzler", etc. Oh, my favorite..."Must be nice to trade a vehicle just because you're sick of it." GRRRRowLL.

Didn't we all grow up hearing, "Don't judge a book by its cover"? My response to Fidget's co-worker? I would have said, "Well, as soon as you start taking over the payments I'll make you privy to our personal finances." Of course, Fidget is not as blunt as I. But she still feels the need to explain our every action to anyone who might judge or ask. (Which really aggravates me, but perhaps that's a story for another time.)

My point? I had one. Really I did. Oh yeah. The Jeep was an unexpected purchase. It was more than we had budgeted (as we thought we'd be driving the van for several years). But I LOVE driving it. It's a comfortable ride, it's not a gas-guzzler like I feared it might be (my Explorer only used to get about 16 mpg--OUCH!), and after I cleaned it up it looked pretty nice.

I would like to hear from people who have owned Jeeps...How many miles did you have on it? How long did it go? Things like that. Feel free to comment or email me. Thanks!

100 Things About Me

So, I was reading Frugal For Life (and if you haven't been there yet, please go visit...Just click that link that's off to the right...It's okay, I'll wait here, take your time) and Dawn has posted a 100 Things list. Which got me to thinking, "Could I come up with 100 interesting things about me?" And the answer, after much arguing and bickering amongst myself ("yes, I think I can!" "No, no way can I come up with that many.") followed by a time out during which I processed with myself the danger of talking to myself...Well, anyway, here's my attempt at the list. So...17 days later, and I'm stumped. So, instead of 100 things, here's 59.

1. I was born and raised in Iowa.
2. I liked it.
3. Out of all the vehicles that I have owned through the years, my favorite is still the 1985
Honda Prelude that I drove in high school/early college.
4. I paid for it myself.
5. The only accident I was ever in that was my fault was in that car.
6. I was not speeding or drinking or using drugs.
7. I hated high school so much that I graduated early.
8. I did not attend my own graduation.
9. I also do not know my class song, motto or anything else about the ceremony.
10. I don't feel like I missed much.
11. I used to work as a counselor in a psychiatric medical institution for children.
12. I also did crisis intervention, and also worked with battered women and their children and
victims of sexual assault.
13. I burned myself out and to this day have the utmost respect for the professionals who work
in those fields for years and years.
14. My favorite job (so far) has been being an EMT.
15. I have saved lives.
16. I have watched people die.
17. I have saved people who wanted to die.
18. One of them is still angry that he is alive.
19. I have 7 pets.
20. They are all spoiled rotten with love and attention.
21. I don't like tomatoes.
22. I do like peas.
23. I don't use drugs.
24. I used to.
25. There are large chunks of the 80s and 90s that I cannot remember because of this.
26. I do smoke cigarettes.
27. I can't count the number of times that I've tried to quit.
28. I still miss my parents (they're both deceased).
29. I have lived in 4 states: Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
30. I have been to traffic school.
31. It was for speeding tickets.
32. I've only had 2 since. (Oh, come on, 2 tickets in 12 years?! For anyone who knows me,
they would think this is miraculous.)
33. The most recent ticket I received was after I bought my partner her ring. I was so excited to get home that I forgot to set the cruise control.
34. I have hit a skunk with an ambulance.
35. I have gone skydiving...Once.
36. I am afraid of flying (in an airplane...I mean, I'm not afraid that I'll just suddenly go
airborne or anything like that).
37. My middle name is the same as my mother's.
38. I'm not telling.
39. My partner's favorite musician is Neil Diamond, and I took her to the concert.
40. I secretly (and not so secretly) sort of enjoyed it.
41. I would do ANYTHING to quit smoking for good.
42. I am truly afraid that I am going to fail my history classes.
43. I still don't know what I want to be when I "grow up".
44. I've had a blast (and supported myself and my family) trying all kinds of different jobs.
45. I have known many born-again Christians.
46. I have known only 2 who actually seem to"walk the walk". My dentist and my friend DC
from high school.
47. I have never been on one of those "terror tower" rides. (You know, the ones where you are
up against the wall and spinning and the floor drops out from under you?) I completely
understand the physics...But I am still too terrified to try them.
48. I love the Harry Potter books.
49. I love to play "tycoon" games (like Rollercoaster Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon, etc.)
50. If I could have one wish...It would be to have more time with my mom.
51. I think "Mein Kampf" should be required reading in high school.
52. I think we are not learning from our mistakes.
53. I love Rosie O'Donnell.
54. If I could meet one famous person, it would be her.
55. I sent a hate letter once, to a neighbor who was convicted of molesting his daughters.
56. I signed my own name to it.
57. I have currently been working on this list off and on for 17 days.
58. I have 7 tattoos.
59. I cry every time I hear a 21 gun salute and taps.
60. I can't believe I can only come up with 59 things about myself.