Friday 12/28/2012
I still have Mary's car. It makes life SO much easier having a car! It's raining outside. I'm SO grateful not to be going to the bus stop in the rain!
I'm trying to make sure I've written down any shopping or errands I need to do while I have the car, also the things that need transported. Last time I had her car I reveled so much in being able to get home at a decent time, that I didn't do most of the needed shopping trips!
I'm really grateful for this year and for all I've learned and all the growth I've gone through, but I'm also very happy that the time for doing without my car is almost up! I've noticed that my mind isn't necessarily taking in the fact that I'm going back to riding the bus after I give her car back. The year isn't done yet. I still don't know what to do about getting a car, either. I'm just hoping it will happen.
I'm leaving later than I meant to. I also meant to grab things from the garage to take to Avalon for giving away on freecycle. They'll have to wait till the next trip. That's one thing I'm definitely better at now, setting firm limits on when I need to leave, and letting go of anything that's not absolutely necessary once that point's reached. I'm not as good at doing it when I have a car as when I'm riding the bus. I have the mental building blocks, but I think it's about practicing now. I actually think staying riding the bus would keep me from growing more. Isn't that interesting?!
In between yoga classes I'm figuring out the costs of having a car. There's registration, gas (which I think is a little under $150 a month for me), Insurance, AAA, and any repairs (even the best cars need oil changes, regular maintenance and tires.) Wow! It really is a lot more expensive to have a car than to do what I've been doing! I'm figuring I'll be adding about $220 a month to my total expenses and that isn't taking into account any car repairs. If you add in $2000 a year for that (yeah, I know, that's probably high, but if you prepare for high and it doesn't happen you are just happy.... if you prepare for low and high happens you can be in a world of hurt!), then its about $385 a month extra, just to have a car and the freedom that goes with it. That doesn't include any car payment either! I thought I'd been tightening my belt, but I'm going to have to tighten my belt even more. I'm also going to have to build a savings account for the car expenses, build it up to the yearly insurance plus $2000 for car repairs and just let it sit there. That way I'll know I have it. I still think it's doable and still think it's worth it. It's a lot though. If I didn't have any debt it would be definitely doable, it's paying the debt down while doing this that's going to make it tough. One more reason to stay debt free!
I forgot my wallet at home. It's in the coat I used last night. Instead of running errands I'm going home to get it. Maybe I'll have time for one stop on the way back to Avalon. At least I have a car so I can go home for it!
I'm almost home. I've realized it was silly for me to drive all this way for my wallet. I'm not going to have time to do any errands before work, I'm spending all the time driving. After work, I'm going over to DD's for dinner. She hardly ever sees me these days, I need a car to be able to comfortably go home after visiting her. Anyway, no shopping after work either because I'll be busy! At least I'll pick up the things I had in the garage for freecycle while I'm home. The trip won't be a total loss!
Hah! It turns out I need to go to Home Depot and pick up some things for Avalon. I couldn't have done that without my wallet. It was a very good thing I went home for it!
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