Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

[67rs/ss]

Re: Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

When my son was born and my wife quit work we worked out a deal that our account gets the first 40hrs of paycheck and whatever is leftover is car money. It has been a sweet deal for the last 6 years and I have worked my butt off in overtime. This summer the car money is buying a race cart for the kid. works great! Sometimes I think about how much more house I could have instead but everyone is happy. I do have a few jealous friends though ;D

[HotRodLadyCrusr]

Re: Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

I am single with no children and have owned my home for over 17 years.
One third of my take home pay has been going toward Big Olds the last few years. I have about two more months of spending large amounts of cash on him then I am done till next winter when I'll again spend a few dollars on a heat/air system.

My next plans will be to finish my basement once I am not spending money on my car.

[std]

Re: Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

I can only trickle money into car stuff. Just what I can make on the side.

All the time I wish I was spending on my stuff I read forums instead.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

If I get the shop I'm trying to buy (yes the same one from December for those who remember) and I get my way and live in it, then it will go from about a 1/3rd to about 75% ;D I can do it because I'm single and it will probably be the reason I remain so :P

[Mopar Jim]

Re: Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

With a wife, 3 sons, a California mortgage, and 4 horses, not much of my money goes to my old cars. Luckily I bought one almost 20 years ago when it was cheap by today's standards and before we had kids. The second I bought 4 years ago with money from stock options so it didn't affect the family budget, otherwise I would never have been able to afford it even though it was not expensive.

The good news for me is that now that the kids are older and don't need her around all the time my wife has returned to work after 14 years at home. Its a big help and will go a long way towards paying for her toys which are far more expensive than mine (new Dodge diesel 4x, 2nd barn out back, training for her show horses, etc). I may be kidding myself, but I hope to be able to afford to do some work on my Sport Fury this spring/summer, but even a full engine rebuild would be cheap compared to what the horses cost us.

[DanStokes]

Re: Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

I spent many happy years messing with jumping horses, and I'll remind you of the best advice I ever got about horses -

"Know how to make a small fortune in the horse business? Start with a large fortune....." This from my buddy Fred, who is a wonderful horse trainer and a car guy.

Dan

[Schtauffer]

Re: Cars... What percentage is spend on them...

Here's my strategy: I spent money on the cars for about three years or so, in order to get them driveable, reliable, and respectable looking. I just got married, have a heavy (for me) mortgage and two cars that are dependable but not all that fast. Right now I am only spending what is necessary for maintenance on the cars (except for a really good deal on some good engine parts that I couldn't pass up), with an eye on my mortgage. My plan is to get the mortgage paid off ASAP, then start going fast. I figure its better to go slow for a while rather than pay for my house three times.
Fortunately, my wife does not have any expensive hobbies. She is an artist, and spends maybe a few hundred dollars a year on paint and canvas. And that art decorates our house, so she doesn't spend a horse-size fortune on decorations.
So, for right now, I spend almost nothing on cars. But once the mortgage is paid, look out! I will have lost time that I will need to recover. ;D ;D ;D