It's still ongoing, but I feel close enough to the end to finally it get out and leave it here.
On December 4th, Matt was rear-ended in a 100% the other guy's fault wreck. Our insurance company closed out the file immediately.
Enter, Allstate.
The town the wreck happened in (Hanceville) has the vehicles towed themselves, so the first series of calls we had to make were to locate the car for the insurance company and have it towed to the dealership they use (Mitch Smith) for repairs. Note, they are not an 'authorized' dealership, meaning they can't inspect their own work. More on that later.
We were told it would be repaired by Dec 30th. Allstate arranged for a rental car. A week into the new year, they wanted the rental car returned. The dealership was not finished with the car, so after 20 calls back and forth to and from Matt to and from the dealership, Allstate and Enterprise, the rental was extended. After 60 days, the car was ready to pick up, so we returned the rental and the next morning, got the Forte.
It had subsequent damage from being cinched onto the tow truck after the wreck and the front end needed part replaced. Then there were gauges that needed replaced, half an hour after picking it up, we returned it (never left the parking area in fact) because the airbag light was on, even when I sat in the passenger seat.
They checked it over and a couple of hours later, sent Matt home in a loaner car.
Allstate opted to total the car on Tuesday the 16th of February. We were asked to return the loaner car. Allstate refused any more help, cut a check to Redstone and said they absolutely would not pay for another rental while we looked for a replacement car. Keep in mind, the rental and loaner cars were during the period of time we were told we'd be getting our car back, so we had not looked anywhere.
That Friday, Kurt offered us his extra car, so Matt had vehicle to get to work and back with. We started calling, looking online and cruising lots when he was home from work. Saturday the 27th, we went to Murfreesburo, TN to look at another Forte and ended up buying a 2014 Nissan Versa Note for what we owed on the Forte-so at least we are not in more debt. It's a 5 speed, very basic (crank-down windows!). The plan is for Matt to drive it for now until he finds just what he wants, then it will be my car. The van is way too much car these days and I freaking LOVE a stick shift. Plus, it gets nearly 40 MPG and only has 22k miles on it. In the meantime, it will be paid off in 2 years, so that's a plus.
So, the Forte was scrapped, we looked at buying it and having it recertified as road safe with a salvage title, but the dealership can't actually do that, we'd have to pay someone else to look it over and then repair everything that may have been missed, then pay to have it inspected again. Ad Nauseam.
We already knew the airbag sensor was bad, $1200. Bam.
In the meantime, we went to get the new car registered and found out they need a copy of the title and some other forms sent directly to the courthouse, which the dealership could not comprehend. The guy we bought the car from is out o town for a few days and has not started the paperwork. The bank they talked us into using has never heard of us, I could not even get past the automated answering system. I sent an e-mail, to which they have not yet responded. We are having the loan transferred to Redstone, I can't deal with that. our credit rating is so chewed up by buying a car 6 months ago putting a chunk on the credit card out of the blue with the brake job in December and then again this week and now transferring the loan will ding it another 30 points. The lady at the courthouse was nice, but she blessed my heart, which pretty much means, "Sucks to be you".
I called the dealership back and said they had until next Tuesday to fix this and woe unto them if I had to drive up there myself on Wednesday. The other salesman acted like I was being an idiot and making up things, then the bank called him and he clicked back over to say they were sending the forms he needs and he would take care of it right away. So, maybe it will all work out. Maybe I will get to have lunch at Omar's again next week after I chew through a small car dealership. Who knows?
I do know this much-I will not buy out of state again and I really, really hope I never have to buy another car from anyone other than Jeremy at Shaddix in Cullman because he is really nice and does not add fees or play games. He just could not find what Matt wanted in the short period of time we had to find something. And I do like the Nissan, I just could really do with it being a much smoother transaction.
UPDATE: They sent the title and all the info we needed in time to get the paperwork done, so yay!
So, fingers crossed that nothing else car-related will crop up for a while. I just want to get the little car registered by the 15th and go on with life. The crank down windows pleased Chandler quite a bit. Now we can escape if the car goes into water! Ack
Showing posts with label debt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debt. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday! and thinking back...
On Friday, we worked on the house. I cleaned inside and Matt and Jake put up more fascia boards. It's starting to look much better out there! We are out of wood, so a run to the store is in order. We got a Lowe's card, but the wood is JUST too long to fit in the van, so we will have to get it locally. Driving a mile with the hatch open is not like driving 22 miles with the hatch open. So that will have to wait a little longer.
Matt's gig was last night, we had hoped for a substantial payoff, but the crowds were waiting for New Year's Eve and so he made enough to cover his gas for the practices and his lunches for next week. Not quite enough to head out camping for the weekend or to get more supplies for working on the house or any one of a dozen small things we'd talked about this week.
2011 seems to have been the year where we were lucky to break even. And we did break even, we did not go into debt, even got some things paid off. Jake's braces for one. That patience to wait until it's saved for, to get something paid off before getting something else-it's hard to do. It's hard to take care of something you mentally have decided to upgrade or replace, but it has to work until the money is there. Or you have to do without. It's how the country used to work, back when it was still headed toward being the most prosperous nation in the world.
Some debt makes sense-living in a house and making payments instead of renting and trying to save for a whole house. Driving a car that does not need repairs every month or two and that does not leak things into the environment while making payments on it. While auto debt is a horrible one, the depreciation alone should be a crime, it's still better for the most part to have something reliable. Medical and dental bills for things that just can't wait until you can save up for them. But other things-new electronics, new furniture, vacations, things for the house or yard...those can wait and be saved for.
Anyway, even if it is my blog and I get to say how I feel and what I think, I am not meaning to be preachy. It's just what I want for myself, for my children. To think of the overall cost of an item and decide how important it truly is. I am very pleased to say that before they spend a dime on anything, they talk it over with me or each other and decide how much use they will really get from it, if anyone is willing to split the cost, they look up prices online and read reviews and they decide exactly where it will go once it's bought. That's great stuff to practice. And they have been really resistant to sales, knowing if someone offers it at this price today, it will be offered again at the same price in the future. That's a hard one to keep in mind at times, Matt and I both have been guilty of 'grab it now' syndrome.
Matt's gig was last night, we had hoped for a substantial payoff, but the crowds were waiting for New Year's Eve and so he made enough to cover his gas for the practices and his lunches for next week. Not quite enough to head out camping for the weekend or to get more supplies for working on the house or any one of a dozen small things we'd talked about this week.
2011 seems to have been the year where we were lucky to break even. And we did break even, we did not go into debt, even got some things paid off. Jake's braces for one. That patience to wait until it's saved for, to get something paid off before getting something else-it's hard to do. It's hard to take care of something you mentally have decided to upgrade or replace, but it has to work until the money is there. Or you have to do without. It's how the country used to work, back when it was still headed toward being the most prosperous nation in the world.
Some debt makes sense-living in a house and making payments instead of renting and trying to save for a whole house. Driving a car that does not need repairs every month or two and that does not leak things into the environment while making payments on it. While auto debt is a horrible one, the depreciation alone should be a crime, it's still better for the most part to have something reliable. Medical and dental bills for things that just can't wait until you can save up for them. But other things-new electronics, new furniture, vacations, things for the house or yard...those can wait and be saved for.
Anyway, even if it is my blog and I get to say how I feel and what I think, I am not meaning to be preachy. It's just what I want for myself, for my children. To think of the overall cost of an item and decide how important it truly is. I am very pleased to say that before they spend a dime on anything, they talk it over with me or each other and decide how much use they will really get from it, if anyone is willing to split the cost, they look up prices online and read reviews and they decide exactly where it will go once it's bought. That's great stuff to practice. And they have been really resistant to sales, knowing if someone offers it at this price today, it will be offered again at the same price in the future. That's a hard one to keep in mind at times, Matt and I both have been guilty of 'grab it now' syndrome.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Spring is on the way!
After the first day of work, the fence line is in place as far as holes go, but not secured yet.
Today we went to the dentist, because we are a family of people who love to have their teeth looked at as much as humanly possible. Found out that Ben will need braces, but we have more than a single week to gather the money. A whole 6 months-maybe even a year! So just about the time Chan's are nearly paid off, he will get his put on. This is all very much like when they were little and overlapped diaper wearing. Jake was out of his 6 months after Chan was born and she still in them a year after Ben was born. I bet diapers cost us $3500 each kid, too.
After that, we went to Green Mountain and walked around the lake with Heather and Karen.
After that, we went to Green Mountain and walked around the lake with Heather and Karen.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Marching In
Wow, 2 whole months of 2011 gone already. I still am writing 2010 on checks and such.
February went by in a flash, the first half was SO cold and then on Valentine's Day, it started warming and now, the maple and forsythia, redbud, daffodils, quince and Bradford pears are all blooming away! The grass is coming up, everything looks a little greener each morning. It's a miracle all over again!
The play ran its course and ended. It confirmed for Chan that theater is something she really wants to be involved in, which is a thrill for me. I love when the kids really dig into something like that.
We repaired Poppy, though she's not 100% just yet. We found a new place to hike that we LOVE. We rounded out the backpacking gear and only need to make a couple more purchases to start hitting the trails as a family because Matt is off the CPAP!
I hit a new low weight, first time since Ben was 3 that I have weighed what I do now. We have continued eating MUCH better foods and I was right, we have started eating less as our bodies have adjusted to the more dense nutrients in the smaller servings.
February was a pretty good month over all, even with the few budget bumps and surprises that came along. Chan is in braces ASAP, the down payment is more than we had set aside for our Disney tickets. It's looking like that will be out for this year for certain, which is a bummer, but not the end of the world. At least it frees Matt up to camp with us, as it was, he only had the time off to go to Disney, so it will be a different year than I planned on starting out!
February went by in a flash, the first half was SO cold and then on Valentine's Day, it started warming and now, the maple and forsythia, redbud, daffodils, quince and Bradford pears are all blooming away! The grass is coming up, everything looks a little greener each morning. It's a miracle all over again!
The play ran its course and ended. It confirmed for Chan that theater is something she really wants to be involved in, which is a thrill for me. I love when the kids really dig into something like that.
We repaired Poppy, though she's not 100% just yet. We found a new place to hike that we LOVE. We rounded out the backpacking gear and only need to make a couple more purchases to start hitting the trails as a family because Matt is off the CPAP!
I hit a new low weight, first time since Ben was 3 that I have weighed what I do now. We have continued eating MUCH better foods and I was right, we have started eating less as our bodies have adjusted to the more dense nutrients in the smaller servings.
February was a pretty good month over all, even with the few budget bumps and surprises that came along. Chan is in braces ASAP, the down payment is more than we had set aside for our Disney tickets. It's looking like that will be out for this year for certain, which is a bummer, but not the end of the world. At least it frees Matt up to camp with us, as it was, he only had the time off to go to Disney, so it will be a different year than I planned on starting out!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Debt and Money
So, we paid off the Discover card this week! I had planned it to be paid off in Feb 2011, so I am a little ahead of the game! The Citicard will take...until 2012 to be paid off-though it's been canceled for a year now. December of 2012 on my current budget. *sigh* The van will be paid off by then and Jake's braces will be paid for by April of 2011. Slowly but surely...
I was able to score some clothes at the thrift store yesterday at a great deal. I am not sure what was going on with my luck, but nearly everything Ben agreed to was marked down when I got to the register! I still need more pants for him and more for Chan, she needs a good jacket and Ben still needs shoes. I am going to pop back in next week and see if I have any more luck. They prefer thrift store clothes because they are not stiff or scratchy, so that works out very well!
I was able to score some clothes at the thrift store yesterday at a great deal. I am not sure what was going on with my luck, but nearly everything Ben agreed to was marked down when I got to the register! I still need more pants for him and more for Chan, she needs a good jacket and Ben still needs shoes. I am going to pop back in next week and see if I have any more luck. They prefer thrift store clothes because they are not stiff or scratchy, so that works out very well!
I have paid ahead on the van loan, so I decided today that I can skip it in January and that will nearly make up for the days Matt will not get paid for over Christmas. I am glad to have that to tide us over, I just am not thrilled about using up my slack that way. Matt has a couple gigs as well, so it will be okay. I REALLY hope that's the only forced time off we will have to juggle. That was so stressful last year, but boy howdy did it ever whip me into shape to stick to my budget and get rid of our debt. That debt is like a soul suck.
So, in February when they announce the September dates, I will make our Disney reservations and buy the tickets and pay for the campsite, in April I will be able to report the braces are paid off, that gives me May-August to funnel the Discover and braces payments into savings specifically for the trip. That's $1000! Gah, I hate there is that much money leaving our bank account and going to pay for stuff we could not wait to get. I truly hope to never be back in that situation again. It's nearly all-other than braces and the van-things we did not need, just wanted, even the van is a stretch to say we needed a $16k vehicle, though after several cars in a row with multi-hundred dollar repair bills, it HAS been nice just paying for oil changes and tires and little $40 tinkering repairs for a few years.
I hope, from now on, to be much wiser with our money!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)