A kind of freedom
The next entry I write, I promise, will be about my trip back home. Short version: had a fantastic time. Couldn’t have been better.
And awaiting me in the mail was the freedom I’ve been looking for: the payoff for my car loan.
I wasn’t sure when I’d be done paying; this month or next, but apparently my last payment was this month, because I got the title back to my car. I’d anticipated having to shake the lender vigorously to get it back, but turns out they just send it to you as soon as you’re done paying.
What a relief. I guess I’ve spent the last nine and a half years of my life making car payments. I bought two new cars right in a row. I’m not sure, if I did it again, that I would buy new. At least, not two of them. It seems extravagant, especially on two Saturns. I surely could’ve spent some of that money elsewhere. Or saved it elsewhere. Either of those cars represents a nice chunk of down payment on a house that I could’ve had.
I will say nothing about my car running or not running. I will mention that it’s having a weird issue with the ignition. It has far less miles on it than the last one did.
I wish I could say I’m debt-free. I paid off my student loans. But somewhere along the way, I bought a condo. Ah well. The American dream is one of debt, really. I’m just glad I freed up a good chunk of my money. I won’t have to scrimp as much anymore, but neither will I go crazy. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, and I have a few plans. Pay off the small amount of credit card debt I have (compared to the average person, anyway) because I bought a computer. Probably buy a new camera lens a few months down the road. And save.
Save save save.
Doesn’t it feel delicious, to have that car paid off?
It always feels good to get out from under that car loan. While it’s probably more economically responsible to buy a used car and pay cash for it, I haven’t bought a used car since I started working full-time. I need reliability and at least a two-year warranty because I put around 30,000 miles on a car in a year. One of our vehicles has been paid off for over a year; the other still has about three to go, but we are considering buying a new car within the next few months. Though I don’t relish having two car payments again, with Josh always needing transportation to and from work, dates, etc., another car is looking like a viable option. Lynn will get to pick this one, since I basically chose the last one.