Can't Afford to Drive My Car. What Should I do?
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Anonymous
about $250/month with full coverage 
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Anonymous
Welcome to being an adult. We can't always get the things we want. |
Anonymous
| Student loan ? Did you finish school? |
Anonymous
Sorry but it's a fake engine sound. Same as Mustangs. That's not a real engine sound. |
Anonymous
JFC. DH and I combined is $400 for 6 months in Virginia (we're 29). How many accidents and speeding tickets do you have? |
Anonymous
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OP--the short answer is the car has to go. Trade it in or sell it. Yes, you're going to take a loss. Consider it a lesson learned.
I don't know what type of job you have that you have to drive and can't afford gas but that needs to change. Ideally, in the short term, you take the bus. No car payment and no insurance. You also need a second job. If you live an a remote area where public transportation is not an option, you need a cheap beater---something under $5K. Yes, they are out there. And notice I said "not an option" which is different than "I really don't want to take the bus" |
Anonymous
You don't know how old he is, and being married brings your rates down a lot. Rates for a young single male are really high. Stop piling on him, it's not going to make him respect what you say more if you try to make him feel like crap. OP, I hope you hear what people here are saying, don't discount our advice because some of us can't help but be sanctimonious and condescending. Yes, your car is very expensive and the best thing to do would be to sell it. Even if it's at a loss. What's the point of a cool car if it keeps you in debt and costs so much to fill up that it's not even fun to drive anymore. So, if you sell that car for $17K and buy a used Civic or something like that for 5K, you will have an affordable car and now you only owe 8K. Payments for 8K for 48 months at 4% are going to be $316, so that saves you $200 a month right there. A Civic will cost less in maintenance, gas, and insurance as well. True, it's not as sexy as a Challenger, but you know what's more sexy than a car? A good bank account that will eventually get you out of your mom's house. |
Anonymous
How long have you been out of college, what is your degree in and what do you do for work? |
Anonymous
| troll alert. |
Anonymous
I agree. |
Anonymous
| I suspect your mom started charging rent because she's sick of subsidizing your poor spending habits. You need to sell or trade in your car and get something cheaper. "I wanted it" is not a good enough reason to buy something you can't afford. You should NOT have credit card debt if you were living rent-free with your parents. |
Anonymous
| Life lesson kid. You need to pay rent before you pay for the car, which was not needed. You could have gotten a junker. Sell the car or get a second or third job. Buy a cheap, old car, and run it into the ground. If you don't do this, you will be poor forever. |
Anonymous
+1 Stop freeloading on your parent. Your mom probably got fed up with you not helping out financially and then seeing you buying an brand new big ass truck was the last straw...grow up and try to be financially independent!! |
Anonymous
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OP, you know that "you've got to be kidding me?!" feeling you got right after your mom told you "out of the blue" that she would now be charging you $400/month in rent? Well...that's exactly what your MOM felt when you came roaring into their driveway with your awesome new monster $500/month truck last year!
The only reason you didn't realize back then that you could not afford such a car is that your mom is subsidizing your life. She is helping your realize that you are not the independent adult that you thought...and, in fact, the only way you have $500/month to spend on a vehicle that you "really want" is if you aren't taking any responsibility for paying for other necessities in your life. She is no longer interested in helping you live in a fantasy world. I know it feels mean and arbitrary and cruel, OP...but she is your mom and she loves you. She is probably worried sick that she has created an entitled man-child who doesn't know how to take care of himself by prioritizing needs over wants. She is worried that if she doesn't charge you rent (and $400/month is NOTHING for housing!!), then you may never learn to work for what you need and budget for what you can afford. You are very fortunate to have your mom as your safety net for housing, OP. People gave solid advice on here regarding the truck. I just hope you read this and eventually realize that your mom is giving you a GIFT. |
Anonymous
Look, everybody, OP is never going to listen to any of you if you keep referring to his (most like) Dodge Challenger as a truck. The Challenger is a muscle car. Thank you. |