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I mentioned recently that I purchased Princess a car. And I am very pleased with it. (She is too.) But boy, that experience was so stressful. Let me give you the short version.

Right around her 18th birthday, I found an AMAZING deal on a Honda Civic on Carvana. It wasn’t a “Carvana” car evidently but from one of their partners. (I’m not sure if this is the right terminology.) But they said they could deliver it on her birthday so I bit the bullet and purchased it.

I set up a birthday lunch with the family and some of her friends and was so excited to do this.

Her Birthday

HOURS before it was to be delivered. After over a month of waiting for the day to arrive. They sent me a message that it was delayed. So I printed some pictures to give her at the birthday lunch and as disappointed as I was, I figured another week’s wait was worth it.

Delivery Day

Then a day before the now rescheduled delivery date…they called again and said it would be delayed another MONTH! What!!! I was so mad. And she was so sad. Their explanation, well, frankly, it didn’t ring true to me at all. I cancelled the order.

The Perfect Car

I got online and started the search again. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to find another car. It was the killer deal that I thought we had found. But it is a great car.

Now the real question…care warranties? Thoughts?

I ended up purchasing a 5 year/100,000 mile extended warranty for the car from CarMax. Essentially if anything goes wrong mechanically during the warranty period, she just has to take it to a Honda certified mechanic (dealership, etc.) and pay a $50 “co-pay” for it to be fixed. It cost about $1,300. And Princess has been told that any repairs, etc. going forward are her responsibility.

And in this case, it has already paid for itself…her A/C condenser went out over the summer, around an $800 repair. (I know this because I had to replace mine this summer too and I didn’t have a warranty.) She paid $50.

So what do you think? Extended warranty or no? It was my first time ever doing it. And I really only did it because I wanted any repairs to be within reach for my “broke” college student over the next few years.

Hope

Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.

But life has a way of rewriting your plans.

A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.

Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.

Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.

She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.

Court Update

by Hope

For those of you who have been around BAD for a while, you will remember the legal challenges both Gymnast and I faced earlier this year. Gymnast’s were the result of his car wreck in early December and mine were the result of my night in jail or rather the administrative error that ended up with me in jail for 12 hours. At the time, I was stressing over the cost of lawyer representation. They had quoted $1,500 for my defense and $2,500 for my son’s defense or vice versa, I have blocked it all out now.

The Court Dates

In the end, I decided not to hire a lawyer for either of us. It was a calculated risk, I know. But in the end, it paid off. I won’t bore you with the details. But in the end, we each had to attend two different court dates.

Gymnast’ Outcome

For Gymnast, I came prepared with an assortment of recommendations, school reports and doctor’s notes. The first court date resulted in no action, just a date to come back. At the second court date, the judge and prosecutor decided on something akin to deferred adjudication except he didn’t have to plead guilty. I am not sure what it was called. If he stays out of trouble for the next year, the charges all just get dropped. Cost $0

My Outcome

My first court date was just a time to plead. I plead, not guilty, of course. And they scheduled a time for a hearing. At the second court date, the trooper did not show up so I was given the option of rescheduling to another time when the trooper could come in. Or the judge said he would dismiss the charges if I paid the court costs. No brainer for me as I just wanted it over! Cost $336

So I saved a ton of money in not paying for lawyers. Yes, I know it was a risk. But it did work out and every so slightly restored a little bit of faith in our system. (I still have PTSD-type gut reaction every time I see a police officer.) And my friends and family continue to ask if I will pursue some sort of action against the jail due to the violations I dealt me during my twelve hours there…no glasses, no medication, no hearing aids, no toilet access and so on. That night was terrifying for me.

I’m just so glad that it is all over and behind me. And that it didn’t cost any more than it did in time and money.