Loving My Car Right Into the Ground

I love my car. No, it's not a hot rod Mustang or a cutesy Mini Cooper with racing stripes or a Bug with a convertible top. Sexy my car is not. In fact, I'm sure my car doesn't turn much heads at all unless someone notices the Harley Davidison sticker on the back windshield and is curious about why a woman would have such a sticker on her car.

My car is an ultra-practical Ford Escape Hybird. When I bought it four years ago, I don't think most folks even knew what a hybrid was. Many mistakenly thought I had an electric car that had to be plugged in. Duh.

For the record, a hybrid like my Escape means the car's engine runs on both an electric battery and gas. At lower speeds, very low speeds less than 25 miles an hour, the car is relying mostly on the battery. The vehicle did cost me about $4000 more than a regular Escape that just runs on gas. Over time, I should make up that difference as I'll use less gas. The Escape, at least in my experience, averages about 28 miles per gallon. Pretty good for a car the size of the Escape and I do quite a bit of highway driving; ironicallly, I'd probably get better mileage if I did more city driving.

Now, you may be asking what does this have to do with being a tightwad?

Well, as I've said: I love my car. Especially when I pull up at a red light and the gas engine seemingly turns off and the car becomes silent. When I pull away, it makes a low whirring sound similar to that of a roller coaster when it starts up the track. I also love driving an SUV that doesn't feel like an 18-wheeler.

Loving my car means I'm probably going to drive this car right into the ground. Until the axels start to fall apart and the wheels come off. And that, if nothing else, is going to save me a ton of money. Even if I don't recoup the $4000 I paid on the hybrid, driving the life out of my car is the best way for me to get its full value.

A lot of folks probably don't realize that keeping a car is the best way to recoup their investments. They worry more about re-sale value or what they're paying monthly on a lease. Well, I don't advocate leasing or selling your vehicle (unless it proves to be a headache or super expensive to maintain).

Instead I advocate buying a car you love, that suits your lifestyle and when I say buy the car, I mean BUY IT. Take out a loan at a reasonable interest rate. Pay the loan off and then drive that car into the ground. Your first reward will be a period of time when you're not making a monthly car payment. Your second reward will be fully getting all the value out of your car. And if that doesn't help you to love your car, I don't know what will.

Celebrating Small Victories

Depending on which groundhog you subscribe to, Spring either remains a laborious six weeks away or will be here a heck of a lot sooner (and for some of you, that may still not be soon enough). To be honest though, I don't much care what Punxsutawny Phil or Staten Island Chuck have to say about the matter. It's nothing personal guys, or "hogs" I should say.

As far as I'm concerned, as soon as the calendar changes over to February, I've got reason to celebrate.

First of all, the days are already longer in February. The sun is not fully setting in the evenings until close to 5:30 p.m. now and the shortest, most bleak days of winter are done. And I've survived without going stark, raving mad or suffering too badly from cabin fever or the lack of sunlight. Yahoo. My first small victory of the year.

And this year, I've got another fantabulous reason to feel good. My resolution to become a tightwad is beginning to see results. At the beginning of the year, I resolved to stop using credit cards and for the whole month of January, I didn't use my credit card once. I paid for everything in cash or with my debit card. Another yahoo.

Now, you may say to yourself. Whoop-de-doo. Who cares?

I care. And while it's a small victory, I'm celebrating because positive change is paved with small victories. When we achieve a milestone, no matter how minor, we have to sit up and take notice and pat ourselves on the back. After all, who will take note of my progress if I don't take the time to note it myself?

Now, I do realize that how I'm celebrating this victory has to be in line with what I'm celebrating--so no huge dinner at a fancy restaurant or an evening of partying at a local wine lounge. Instead I'll celebrate with a small dinner at home, fully paid for in cash of course, and a good book (see my previous post and you'll understand why a good book). And tomorrow, I'll continue my frugal spending with renewed energy knowing that I'm making good progress.

This pat on the back feels good.