I have no idea how people afford new cars. According to bankrate.com, I can't even afford a $10,000 loan for three years, unless I ratchet it up to a 5 year loan, which I don't want to do. I am not hurting for a car (yet) but my commute is long and my car is 11 years old, and has many miles on it for a Ford. I am really afraid it is going to blow up one of these days and that will be that. I cannot find a trustworthy mechanic in this city either ($660 for a water pump? I don't think so). I'd like to give it to my sister, who has access to a decent mechanic and does not have a car yet. However. I'm not going to spend three years paying on a car when at the end of those three years it will have just as many miles on it as my current car does. This is a such a pain. What I really need is a new job that pays me a decent wage, so I can afford to buy a car that has less than 70,000 miles on it.
Yesterday I spent $6. Today I spent $4. Last night's kickboxing was really fun and a good workout. I was exhausted by the end. I really needed that.
I read a bit on that 'Money Millionaire In The Making' site, and it just made me irritated. There was a couple on there who are 25 and 27 and are making $108,000 a year. If they each make half of that salary, they are still each making $20,000 more a year than I am, and I am the same age as them with the same credentials!!! It made me feel like my college education was completely worthless. What really gets me irritated is the fact that I will be paying off my college loans for the next six years, and my loans are what are preventing me from buying a decent car or buying a home. God forbid I have a child, because there is no way on earth I could afford it.
By the way, my sincere thanks to whoever gave my journal five stars yesterday. It made my day. 
car shopping sucks
March 31st, 2005 at 08:14 pm
April 1st, 2005 at 05:33 am 1112333629
Just remember that it's far, far more impressive to make a million (or more) on a real modest salary. Check this out, maybe it will cheer you up..
http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2004/commentary04123101.htm
April 1st, 2005 at 03:24 pm 1112369067
April 2nd, 2005 at 06:11 am 1112422299
Good luck with the car search; it can be like a job search. With anything big like this, you've got to approach it cold, clear, and emotionless. Keep looking and put your social feelers out, you might find a car from an unexpected place. If you have a friend who is a car mechanic (or your car mechanic is friend), you might find a rebuild.