I love saving Money on Big Purchases

I love to save money. I am very good at budgeting and making informed decisions about buying things. I definitely use coupons and shop with sales. I even make myself wait a period of time if I am not sure I want to buy it. It limits impulse buys. If I am shopping online I will compare prices too.  I like to shop around and make pro and con lists. If it's a big purchase such as a used car I do my research and see how I can get the most for my money.  I definitely think of all the angles and possibilities.  It’s funny because I never used to make pro and con lists when I was younger. You can save money and get more for your money when you buy a used car.  Each person is different and you have to decide what’s best for you.  As the adult, I have to make those decisions for my family and see what is best. For me personally a used car is the right decision for us. So I will be buying a used car.

To see what all I considered check out my post about saving money on a used car.

Take Care of Your Used Car

My ex-husband was awful at taking care of his used car. He never got the oil changed, serviced or did anything to take care of it. I remember one year there was a snow storm and we couldn't really see out of the windshield. I guess the wipers needed replaced and he didn't do it. It was so bad that we had to get a car wash just so we could drive. That wasn't a smart idea either.  We tried to opt for the heated dry and of course it didn’t dry the car so there was now instant ice all over the windshield. It was very dangerous and thankfully we made it safely.

His car was so poorly serviced that it died on the highway on Christmas Day. Luckily, it wasn't too terrible and it was pretty mild. It could have been a lot worse. We had to walk through a field to get off the road and I believe my cell phone was dead as it seems to always work out that way. We had to go on a hunt for a payphone.  The only thing that was open was a Walgreens because it was Christmas Day. His mom had to come pick us up and then we had to get rides with other family members to be at our different celebrations.  It was not a good feeling at all.  It's so important to get used car serviced.

My Family's Dreams

One of my favorite movies is American Beauty. One scene that really stands out is when Lester Burnham talks about buying his dream car after wanting it because it reminds him of his cousin and his youth. It is really a great moment. It reminds us that it's never too late to make our dreams come true regardless of what they may be. Many people dream of owning a dream car and it's such an awesome moment after working hard and achieving their goal successfully. While I don't have a dream car really, I can relate. One of my dreams is owning a hot tub someday. I have always wanted one but haven't been able to achieve that dream yet. Hopefully someday soon. I also dream of other things that aren't materialistic like being with family, being healthy and some day having more children.

 My son Noah has a dream of owning every single Lego set out there. Except the Lego Friends Sets of course. My mom dreams of having all of our family together in one place. We have family all over the world, so that hasn't happened in a very long time.  It would be nice to see everyone. Some of my family I haven’t seen since before Noah was born. Regardless of what you dream I hope it comes true.

Check out my article about buying your dream car used.