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Money Under the Bedliner
by Cheryl Gochnauer
My husband and I saved $15,000 this month. Here's how:
October marks my sixth year as a stay-at-home mom. Things aren't nearly as
tight as they were that first year, thanks to regular raises and several
years' practice in learning to live on one income.
As the budget began flexing a bit, Terry started letting the remote linger
on new truck commercials. At first I was nervous, but hey - he's been
jockeying his 1985 Dodge Ram for years, and I figured with all the overtime
he puts in, he was due for an upgrade.
We followed the TV ads onto a friendly lot, took a look at the new truck
prices, resuscitated each other, then headed next door to the Used Trucks
section.
Still tough -- $16,000+ for a program truck. But maybe with some creative
financing, and 20 years to pay, we could swing it.
As we continued talking ourselves into a possible purchase, Terry and I took
a critical look at our trade-in. Hmmmm...15 years can do a lot to a truck, no
matter how well it runs.
Faded paint and rust patches; cracked upholstery and washed out interior
door panels; bald tires, missing trim and peeling pinstripes. The only way
we'd get anything out of this baby would be if we parked it close to the new
truck lot and snagged someone blindly stumbling around with sticker shock.
It was time to spend money to make money. Scheduling an appointment with a
local discount paint shop, we had them buff out the rust and give the Dodge
a new coat of charcoal gray, along with fresh pinstripes. We had the
interior door panels re-dyed and bought a colorful slipcover and mats. Old
or missing trim was replaced with shiny edging. By the time we added
deep-treaded new tires, we were in love.
No way were we giving up this truck. Instead of a clunker, Terry now had a
classic. And instead of paying $16,000+ for a program truck, we spent a
little under a thousand to spruce up the reliable one we already owned.
Think about your own car, home, furniture. Do you really need new? Or is
there a classic hiding under some old paint? If you're concerned about
getting the most bang for your buck, see what it will take to fix up what
you've already got before you reach for the credit cards or loan
applications.
Maybe, like me, you'll save $15,000 this month.
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A
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