I took my car in yesterday. 60k maintenance = $353. Ouch...
As if that isn't bad enough, they called me with another 1200 in recommended repairs. All my fluids (transmission, power steering, and brake) need to be flushed in addition to some other stuff (including my rear brakes and a burnt license plate light bulb). SO can do the rear brake pads, but they also suggested machining the rotors (something to do with the brake pads). Does anyone happen to know if it would hurt anything for SO to do the brake pads and then I could just have them machine the rotors (each service was $200+, so if I could knock one off, that'd be great). I got a recommended order on the fluids, so I'll be addressing one/month over the next 3 months. I also plan to look into doing this work with someone other than the dealer. All of this unfortunately means the CCs will take longer than I want. I put the repair on the CC for the rewards and then immediately put a $500 payment to it. I have about a grand on the Freedom card and I hope to pay down another 400-500 by the end of the month. I was hoping to having it paid off, but that's looking unlikely unless I draw some of the money I'm still 'owed' from our joint account. (I probably won't do this as this was a lean month for us since SO has training, but I am tracking it. As we get surpluses, I have $750 that needs to be repaid to my cards.)
On the plus side, I'm $2 away from the 10k mark on my 401k. Seeing as my family has never been good with money, I think this is a huge start for me. I want to eventually get my savings up to 10% (which will happen automatically in June to coincide with raises). It's probably small change to most people, but to have 10k aside in retirement is a pretty big deal for my family.
Setbacks and a milestone
May 19th, 2015 at 12:59 pm
May 19th, 2015 at 01:38 pm 1432042727
May 19th, 2015 at 03:25 pm 1432049115
May 19th, 2015 at 08:54 pm 1432068850
We went to the car dealership yesterday to get our oil changed (for free) and a young woman was kidding about how much she would like to have the new corvette in the showroom; However, she said, she only had a waitress's earnings and could never buy one. How much I wanted to tell her, that I was a waitress and the most I ever made in one year in my life, was $8000! BUT, I always saved 10% of my tips and earnings and we drive a new corvette. Slow and steady wins the race.
You are doing great!!!!
May 20th, 2015 at 12:09 am 1432080552
May 20th, 2015 at 01:37 pm 1432129021
I'd personally run from the dealership and find an independent mechanic. (We pay pennies for maintenance and on average keep our cars for 200k miles).
May 20th, 2015 at 03:19 pm 1432135162
* ask who does the actual work on your car at the dealership. {I found it was done by a high school kids who participate in a school apprenticeship program for credits. A mechanic tried to monitor a dozen students snd do his tasks too]
* check with Better Business Bureau for ant complaints about dealership or unnecessary maintenance.
Our Honda dealership always suggested our car urgently needed work to be safe if I brought it in for [free] oil changes but never when DH brought it in.