Dave Ramsey Car/Boat/Motorcycle Buying Advice

[bruceb58]

Re: Dave Ramsey Car/Boat/Motorcycle Buying Advice

Playing devil's advocate...

I suppose it comes down to if someone lives their life to save money or if they live to enjoy themselves. The old "Live to work or work to live" argument. I mena heck, if saving money was the only goal I could live in a cave and eat any animal I can mange to club to death to save the cost of bullets. I choose to enjoy my time on this old earth and gladly spend dollars to do it. Myself, I just try to strike a happy medium and then take it as it comes. So far, its worked out pretty good.

There is a huge difference between living for the moment and spending responsibly. For example, I guess I never felt that I wasn't enjoying myself by not driving a new car every 3 years. My happiness comes with doing the things I enjoy rather than what I think other people think of me when I drive a brand new car or what type of car I drive. On the other hand, accumulation of wealth is also sad if that is the reason for ones happpiness. There are a lot of rich men that die unhappy.

At least for me, I see the benefit of spending wisely over my earning years allows me to retire in my 50's rather than my 60s...and comfortably!

The rumor is that Warren Buffett, third richest man in the world, still drives around in an old pickup and lives in a 30 year old house.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Dave Ramsey Car/Boat/Motorcycle Buying Advice

I like most of what DR says ... when I first heard him my reaction was, "WOW! Someone else teaching the same thing I have been teaching!" That said, the principles are great, but each person will paint them with a slightly different brush, and that is okay.

Addressing Bubba's Devil's advocate comment, I hear what you are saying, but personally I can enjoy myself a whole lot more when I know I don't have loan payments coming due every 30 days! Living debt free is much cheaper, and carries much less stress than living on borrowed money. The only difference is one way I can get what I want immediately, but pay more for it over time; the other way I can wait for it and make payments to myself, saving the total cost of the item, and allowing me to enjoy it more.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Dave Ramsey Car/Boat/Motorcycle Buying Advice

You guys rock! I've noticed I just moved into a neighborhood where my neighbors are all about 8-10 years older than me with young kids. I managed to hold onto the home I just moved from so now I have 2...yay me! Although I don't really want to be a landlord but it's better than letting it foreclose (afterall I can still remember the day I agreed to pay what I agreed to pay, and my word is my word).

I completely agree that high school kids need to be taught REAL fiscal responsibility beyond balancing a checkbook. Although if they did that the high-schoolers would start running numbers and the ones who were paying attention in Fiscal Responsibility 101 would stop and say "hey wait, if I go to college I will be 150k in debt by the time I graduate, living with my parents until I am 35 with my fiance and not a job in sight for as far as the eye can see".

 

[jkust]

Re: Dave Ramsey Car/Boat/Motorcycle Buying Advice

You guys rock! I've noticed I just moved into a neighborhood where my neighbors are all about 8-10 years older than me with young kids. I managed to hold onto the home I just moved from so now I have 2...yay me!

I see you are also in MN. Where did you move from and where did you move to? As bad as it is here, now imagine living in one of the states with real employment problems.