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Have you ever felt like you have nowhere else to turn but debt? This may sound a bit strange, but let me tell you a story….
Baby RB40 was born in October, to our house with 2 small cars as our vehicles. Initially, the thought was that her car seat would fit in the larger of the two cars along with both of us, but boy, were we wrong!
Seeing as The Big Guy is 6′ 5″ and 250 pounds, even the larger of our cars – a 2013 Chevy Cruze was a tight fit. For two weeks we tried to tough it out, tried every possible combination of carseat and people, but we just. didn’t. fit.
So, two weeks after Baby RB40 was born we traipsed into the dealership and bought a brand spankin’ new 2013 Chevy Traverse.
Yup, you read that right.
We traded in a 2013 Cruze on a 2013 Traverse.
Not good.
Now, don’t go thinking bad of the dealership – they gave us a fair price for the Cruze (they have it sitting on their lot for $1,000 more than they paid us) and a fair price on the Traverse ($2,000 below employee price). I know, because we normally utilize the employee price since the Big Guy’s grandpa retired from GM. But, after taking a huge hit whilst trading in the Cruze, we now owe about as much on our car as we do on our house……
In those first couple of weeks, when as a family we just weren’t fitting in our car as a family, I felt so trapped. Sure, we have an emergency fund, but its only $1,000 – not enough to buy a dependable larger vehicle. I felt like the debt we had in the Cruze was trapping me to the point where I could not sell it, could only trade it in, and incur even more debt.
In short, I felt helpless. That is a feeling I don’t like. Not one bit.
Was there ever a time you felt this way? What did you do about it? What should I have done?
What’s done is done, I suppose.
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I guess I still do feel trapped time to time when looking at our student loans and my hubby’s ridiculous amount of car loan. But like you said, what’s done is done and we just tried to calm ourselves down and stick it out. I know you feel trapped since it happened not too long ago, but you’ll figure out a financial plan/budget for this and follow through. Just attack it and not get this bump get in the way of your overall plan.
Thanks for the encouragement! As bad as this sounds, it is encouraging to know that other people are in the same position and making it through! We’re looking at our budget to see where we can cut in order to make this happen. Good for you, trying to pay down debt and keeping a positive attitude!
Thanks for this post. Due to the explosion of David Ramsey’s book, many people on the road to becoming debt free only have $1,000 in the bank. It sounded ridiculous to me at first, but who’d knew that $1,000 can allow you to sleep at night with out worry. Glad to see someone who is talking about the emotional turmoil that debt brings into your life. I believe that people are not truly prepared for the truth and the sacrifice needed to become debt free. Great post.
It’s amazing what just a little money in the bank and a light at the end of the tunnel can do, right? However, the process can be extremely frustrating! Admittedly, I have control-freak tendancies, and this situation was so hard for me. Thanks for the encouragement and for stopping by!
I can definitely relate. There have been a few times where I’ve felt that suffocated trapped feeling, and now reading your post I’m thinking about the twins fitting in my car!! Hmmmmm
I would definitely grab a couple of car seats from a friend if you dont have yours already and try them in your vehicles. If your hubby is even remotely tall you might have trouble…sorry for all the negativity :-( I just want you to have a little time to strategize if its going to be an issue! You’re 29 weeks, right?
I can definitely relate. There have been a few times where I’ve felt that suffocated trapped feeling, and now reading your post I’m thinking about the twins fitting in my car!! Hmmmmm
I would definitely grab a couple of car seats from a friend if you dont have yours already and try them in your vehicles. If your hubby is even remotely tall you might have trouble…sorry for all the negativity :-( I just want you to have a little time to strategize if its going to be an issue! You’re 29 weeks, right?
i would sell the car, i know thats what dave would say. to much debt in to it.
not a investment it depreciates faster than a rock in water. get your self something alil
older but with same room. for less money. will help you in long run. not what you want to hear but you have to sacrifice to win. and stay fired up, good post
i would sell the car, i know thats what dave would say. to much debt in to it.
not a investment it depreciates faster than a rock in water. get your self something alil
older but with same room. for less money. will help you in long run. not what you want to hear but you have to sacrifice to win. and stay fired up, good post
I agree! Thats the plan…just need to get it paid down enough to break even. It feels like its taking forever
We were well on the way to working our way to being debt free and I had to have physical therapy for several months, then surgery. Uninsured medicals were over $5,000. Let yourself off the hook because you have a safe reliable automobile to carry around the most precious things in this world, your family. You are still moving forward with everything else and that is progress,
Thank you for the encouragement! How is your debt repayment going now?
We were well on the way to working our way to being debt free and I had to have physical therapy for several months, then surgery. Uninsured medicals were over $5,000. Let yourself off the hook because you have a safe reliable automobile to carry around the most precious things in this world, your family. You are still moving forward with everything else and that is progress,
Thank you for the encouragement! How is your debt repayment going now?
So the best thing I have found to help me get out of debt is this little booklet called One for the Money the LDS church gives out it is pretty awesome you might be able to find it online. It’s from like the 70’s or 80’s but they still have it if I remember right it’s free.