If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that I have frequent meltdowns concerning my finances. I am sure there have been dozen of blogs stating something like:
"Should I sell my horse?"
"I need to sell my truck"
"Where will my next meal come from?"
"I need to move barns for cheaper board"
"Shoot me"
... Well, I did a quick run of numbers this evening as I am STILL struggling with being able to afford things.
I am spending at least $400 A MONTH on GAS!!!!!!!!
I knew this, but for some reason it just hit me.
I need to trade the truck in for a fuel efficient car. Doing this will 1) cut down on gas expenses and 2) hopefully lower my monthly payments.
It makes me sad to give up the ability to just go hook up the trailer and go somewhere. But, on a good note I will still have my trailer. I can either borrow a truck, or rent one. Yes renting cost money but in the meantime I will be saving. On another good note, perhaps I can finally stop overwithdrawing my checking account and suffering from panic attacks when I don't know where I will get food or gas. Hampton won't have to move to a primitive hillbilly farm and maybe I can afford to go to a horse show.
Now ... car shopping time.
Shoot me.
Good luck with the auto downsizing. My truck gets *choke* 16 mpg, maybe 12 when towing. Fuel is eating me alive and I can't even think about lessons, clinics, etc.
ReplyDelete("hillbilly farm" cracked me up!)
I'm learning to juggle my finances too. My plan with the vehicles is having a nice car that I drive all the time and then evetually I will save up money for a old cheap truck exclusively for "horse" related stuff. I'm moving out of my parents and I can't believe how expensive things are when you're on your own!
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling! But crunch some more numbers before you trade. If your truck is paid off, you may not save as much as you think. I did some math b/c I was contemplating the same thing when I had my gas tow vehicle. It got about 17 mpg. If I spent $5000 and got a vehicle that DOUBLED my gas mileage, it would still take 5 years before I started saving money. And that did not count insurance.
ReplyDeleteI'd still like to have a little beater to commute in, but now I have the diesel truck and at 21 mpg on the highway and a priceless engine w/ no payments, it's not so bad in the big picture.
Uh, my little Subie only gets 20/mpg city. And she can't tow anything. :( Well, she could, but it'd have to be tiny. Like a Breyer trailer.
ReplyDeleteHave you thought about getting a relatively okay POS? Like, drop an imaginary grand on something that isn't pretty but is gas-friendly? I know the counter-argument is that a POS is going to break down, but my Subie is my POS (and my regular, every day car - I have low standards) and she's doing okay. Also the double-insurance. But the saving in gas might cover all that.
Could you not just buy a super cheap run around car AND keep the truck? I think Eventer79 might me on to something.
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky - my father owns the tow vehicle and let's us borrow it whenever we like. Totally financially viable. :p
Glad to see I am not the only one who's daily driver is a diesel truck! The money spent on fuel sucks, but I sold my old SUV to buy my saddle :)
ReplyDeleteHang in there, Karen!
My ideal situation was to buy a POS car to just get around in. However, it was just impossible to do that as I literally had $2 to my name at the end of every two weeks. I have NO savings. So coming up with even a grand is next to impossible.
ReplyDeleteI'm really interested to see how this works out for you. I could easily afford to buy a trailer, but am unwilling to give up my 2010 Honda Fit that gets 35 mpg + on the interstate, especially when the barn is 38 miles there and 38 miles back. It's not feasible, with fees and insurance and such, to have a third vehicle just for towing. So, I am interested in trying the same thing you are, but I've heard that there are insurance issues involved with that. Do keep us posted on this!
ReplyDeleteHi! I am new to your blog, but reading this post right now has really struck a chord with me. I've recently decided to sell my horse - partly due to financial reasons, and partly due to unavoidable life circumstances which make it impossible for me to train him.
ReplyDeleteBoth reasons suck, so good luck in finding a replacement vehicle! I hope you find one that works well for you. :)
bonita of A Riding Habit