The Credit and Household Budgeting Challenge!!

[~Daisy~]

Quicken me. Please

[Sunny]

I will continue to lurk on this thread...my only "budget" tip right now is "PAINT PAINT PAINT"! LOL!

It's absolutely amazing what a little coat of paint can do to freshen or modernize a room! My poor husband has officially painted EVERY single room in our home, in addition to a FLOOR! After finding two layers of mildew-infested carpeting in the lower level family room, we now have a nicely painted floor until other flooring comes into the budget!

[Gryphon]

Here's a great article that deals with the financial blunders most people make when buying a car. Im shocked to see that the average loan is over 5 years now...and that a quarter of all people end up financing part of the negative equity from their trade in when they get the new car...

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveonaCar/TheRealReasonYoureBroke.aspx

[Sandy Eggo]

Thanks for the article. I'm fairly certain I'm looking for a new car very soon, so this is timely.

[Gryphon]

what are you looking at? Im going to a car show this afternoon...

[Sandy Eggo]

Sadly, I'm not sure what I have in mind.

[followsthewolf]

Can I suggest that you look closely at Toyota?

I've owned two, a Camry LE and an Avalon.

They just keep on runnin' with minimum of maintenance, and they have a LOT of zip.

I've been quite happy with them.

[Sunny]

I agree! In addition, Toyota has excellant customer service.

[Gryphon]

Toyota has great cars. I love the Avalon....its every bit a luxury car without so  much the luxury price.
Lexus had their new LS there today---talk about swanky. The rear seats had massagers in them....a reclining foot rest.
Oh man, it was nice.

I found a cool little toy too...a four door Jeep Wrangler. Not very refined, but where else can I get a convertible that seats four comfortably and I can haul yard crap in it too??

[Blaze]

I hope you will continue on this subject, it was a good read and helpful, our family was looking at a new truck, but the thought of being so financially tied to it is what slowed the processes way down to consider other ways.
Figuring in too, drive time and average miles driven, you don't need a 20+ thousand dollar car just to drive 20 mins to work and home, short trips around town. It is alot to think about, knowing that money situations can change, but the payments will not.