by Beks
I fully enjoyed sleeping in, eating a leisurely breakfast in front of the TV, and practicing my yoga routine on Monday morning. I met my husband at a local sandwich shop for lunch and slowly made my way back home for a relaxing afternoon. Ten minutes into watching Maury’s ‘My husband is cheating on me with my best friend’, I decided midday cable television wasn’t for me. I fired up my computer… and that’s when the trouble started.
OK, OK, honest truth? The REAL trouble started 15 weeks ago when I discovered our impending parenthood. I looked at my car, previously seen as perfectly reliable and safe, and decided it was a traveling death trap and I needed a new ginormous SUV ASAP. Before you say it, let me say it for you… ‘That’s a Californian for you.’
I shared my terror and newly discovered hatred for my car with my husband and he sweetly said, ‘Sure hon. You are more than welcome to get a USED car… as soon as you come up with fifteen grand cash.’
He’s a friggin’ laugh a minute.
Back to President’s Day, I clicked on the internet to surf some of the debt blogs I like to read and my home page pop up said, ‘CAR SALE – CAR SALE – CAR SALE!!!’ and of course, the photo was of my shiny new dream car. I began to think, ‘It won’t hurt to just test drive it. Test driving never hurt a soul’ followed by, ‘I wouldn’t have to finance much’ and ‘My raise will cover it’ completely ignoring the fact that future daycare expenses will more than eat through my raise AND my husband’s raise.
I put on my shoes and practically vaulted out the door in my excitement to get a new car when I received the following text from my husband, ‘Just wanted to let you know how much I love you and I’m so proud of how we handle our finances.’
I glanced up at the security cameras on the front of the house and froze, wondering if he was somehow watching me then remembered I had paid out of our budgeted cash for lunch and he had made a comment about how great it was to not use the debit card.
Daaaaaaaang it!!! Guilt ALWAYS works.
I went back inside to finish watching Maury and polished off an entire cantaloupe in the process. I had the rest of the afternoon to assure myself that my car is fine… it’s my patience that needs the work.
Beks is a full-time government employee who enjoys blogging late into the night after her four kids have gone to sleep. She’s been married to Chris, her college sweetheart, for 15 years. In 2017, after 3 long years working the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps, they paid off more than $70K and became debt free. When she’s not working or blogging, she’s exploring the great outdoors.
I think a slip up would have been if you had actually taken the test drive (or worse). As it was you just ‘nearly’ slipped up. Congrats on self control and glad you got the clue from the karma-type intervention 🙂
Hardly a slip up! Sounds like you’re doing so well. Great story and congrats on the pregnancy.
Well written post btw.
“my car is fine… it’s my patience that needs the work. ”
Amen.
This is what I never understood. I am in California. When we had one kid, having a sedan was weird. Actually, a compact sedan. Having 2 kids? OMG. Anyway, it’s fine. You don’t know how many people told me they needed a new car for the stroller/carseat. O.M.G. Get a smaller stroller and a smaller carseat!! IT’s that simple. I share because you will go through this again when you shop for stollers and carseats. This is the point most people I know decided they couldn’t survive without an SUV. We found it easier just to go for smaller carseats and strollers. 😉
Anyway, with 2 kids, the compact is just dandy. They outgrew carseats rather quickly and take up absolutely no room in the car. My spouse loves to drive little cars, but I worry it won’t cut it when they are 6-foot teenagers is all. It was cramped for a year or so when we had 2 carseats, but it seemed like such a temporary problem.
All of the above said, I had a convertible (no real backseat) when I had my first child. I was in denial almost a year before I sold it. I traded it down for a year newer sedan. Just to point out the other lesson that bigger/roomier/safer doesn’t mean it has to cost more. I Deposited $2k cash with the transaction, myself.
Congrats! Now, if you can just keep a level head for the next five months…
I so admire you for blogging this. This is the type of post that lets us all know that we are normal and don’t have to succumb to those urges to buy stuff. Thank you. Although I don’t need a new car, I need the reminder that other people are on the same road as I am and are doing just fine.
Great post! And keep on resisting the lure of “gotta have it” so prevalent amongst the baby culture.
Must be the mommy hormones kicking in.
Seriously, I’m proud of you too!
I actually followed through on your experience. When my daughter was born I convinced myself I needed a safer car. I bought the car (with a big car loan) then had to pay daycare and car loan — it sucked up every drop of my discrectionary income. So I am so glad to see that you resisted! Save the extra money for fun trips with the kiddo 🙂
Congrats on the upcoming baby. My wife and I are expecting our second any time now. It’s funny how things like that happen. My wife always seems to text me the right thing at the wrong time :).
they say that “the feel of the wheel seals the deal.”
Don’t test drive if you aren’t buying – way too much temptation. I admire your restraint and really, really hope that you have a four door car because putting the car seat in the back when you have only two doors is a pain – it can be done, it’s just a pain!
Will you still be able to take public transportation when little one is here?
Keep steeling yourself. When oil hits $200 a barrel, dealerships will be giving those SUVs away.
Haha! Husband saves the day! You guys are a great team. Congrats on your impending family expansion!
Thank you so much for posting this! I also suffer from patience-related slip ups, so I know how you feel. 🙂