Oct 15, 2008
The Daily Poverty Party
When last we saw Bossy she was contemplating her grand mal seizure total = $62,518 debt.
Bossy decided she not only wanted to know her exact debt numbers, but she wanted to know where they lived so she could show up at their doors occasionally and yell at them.
Bossy’s first stop was the website attached to her Honda loan, which totals $3,215. Bossy and her husband bought their 2001 Honda CRV used in 2004. Bossy has always purchased used cars due to the fact that a new car loses its full value the minute it’s driven off the car lot.
To recap: on the car lot, full value. But drive it off the lot, park it on the street in front of the dealership, and put that car up for sale? You’ll never get the price you just paid.
On the other hand Bossy has always believed that safety and reliability are prudent, and when you read the word prudent, Bossy hopes you do so with a George Bush, Sr. accent.
So, yes, Bossy purchased a used car, but it’s a very good used car. One year later, Bossy’s husband purchased an even more used 1999 Honda CRV for an excellent price. He bought this Honda because the car he was driving was becoming unreliable, and Bossy’s husband has a wicked commute associated with a job that doesn’t allow for unreliable cars or lateness or vacations longer than nine days, but that’s a different post.
At the time Bossy’s husband purchased his Honda, Bossy was working every day and driving, at times, many miles from home with lots of painting accoutrement in her car. It was easy to rationalize the fact that they were a two-car family—something Bossy and her husband will have to strongly consider at this point, where this point equals poised at the top of a very
long drop.
And that, readers reader, is the bedtime story of Bossy & Her Fleet of Hondas.
Bossy’s point is that she went online and found her Honda loan amount and other information, such as the Payoff Calendar—and Bossy created a password and bookmarked this site so she could return at will, and she placed it in a new folder she will keep on her computer’s desktop: Debt Watch.
Tune in tomorrow for the exciting narrative of Bossy’s encounter with Mastercards 1 and 2!
Check below for the list of blogs already participating in the Poverty Party. And don’t forget to comb the comment section for links to entertaining Poverty posts across the web.
Ohhhh, I like that: Debt Watch. It either sounds like a thriller movie or a Dateline special. This whole Poverty Party has been cathartic and extremely helpful!
My husband insisted that we get a second car when we moved away from the bus stop. I did not think it was necessary. We bought a used 5-speed Subaru Forester. It’s a good car that gets good gas mileage (31 highway!), but it’s 5-speed. And I thought I could learn how to drive it, but I freak out and let the car die. In the turn lane. *sigh* So now we’re a two-car family, and it’s sort of necessary, because I am too dumb to learn how to drive one of them. Ridiculous.
i haven’t owned a car since … um … 1995. wow. but, i did write a Poverty Party Post this morning: http://vuboq.blogspot.com/2008/10/bossys-having-poverty-party.html
*smooches*
Bossy, I am 105,000 calories in debt. I regularly spend more calories than I am allowed. Your poverty party is inspiring me to figure out a way to get out of this debt. I find that my money and my food are spent without thought more often than they should be. I’m just wearing my debt on my ass.
I’m so happy to be able to say that my Honda is paid off… BUT. My husband’s car (a Mercedes no less!) (but a used Mercedes, at least) is very quickly becoming unreliable. So we’re thinking of buying a new Honda. Maybe if I nag him enough, I can convince him to at least buy a used Honda. As long as it’s a Honda.
We’re kinda fonda Honda at my house – SUV, sedan and lawn mower along with a daydream of someday owner a Honda generator since our power goes out whenever clouds appear. The 1985 Civic I bought used in 1988 ran trouble free for the nine years I had it, but then someone bashed into it while it was parked at the grocery store. My current car is a 2001 Accord, purchased new. The goal is to keep it running perfectly for a minimum of fifteen years. That will likely end up being much longer since I don’t drive much. It’s still a new car to me because we bought it new, and is treated like one. My husband recently commented on how I park it like it’s a new Corvette. Won’t that be a sight in ten years, an old Accord parked in the far reaches of the lot next to all the shiny new sports cars.
I am sad that I did the math on this, but wow. It is apparent that I suck:
http://caleal.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/this-may-make-you-throw-up/
I brought a little hors d’oeuvre to the party. Check it out at http://amycates.blogspot.com. I’m working on a few main dishes that will stun — maybe even offend — some readers.
Bossy, this is great that you are doing this. Have you thought of consolidating it all into one debt? We did on a LOC on the house. Minimum payment is interest only but we always pay over the minimum payment. The benefit too is that it is a tax write off come tax time. This is what we used to remodel our house. It didn’t change our payments and we did not have the refinance the house.
Just a thought. And I do like your debt watch.
My own attempts at lessening the effects of the downfall of our finances.
http://hollygeegoeswest.typepad.com/hollygee_goes_west/2008/10/the-great-ought-eight-poverty-party.html
Has Bossy thought of returning to painting? Or of making Stella earn her keep by moonlighting as a pony ride at the local petting zoo? Or putting Little Miss Sunshine out at the street, selling lemonade for $50 a glass? Those construction workers would have bought it all up while they ate lunch on your lawn!
Bossy, I did it! I called my student loan people and they’re sending me the balance and “deferring” me for all the time I’ve been absent, so my credit won’t go down the drain anymore than it already has.
I’ve been putting this off for months and now I feel better.
Soon, I will have a grand debt total and a debt watch folder of my own. Here’s to taking back control of our lives!
Does Bossy’s desk/work area/table always have fresh flowers, fresh fruit, and a coffee mug on it? It/they always look so nice and cozy.
I just want to say yay to #12 commenter Liz! I think it’s great you called the student loan people and that they are working with you. I think sometimes finances and financial problems aren’t as scary as we make them. Only sometimes, they are, and that stinketh greatly.
Consolidation. Role it all into a new 1st mortgage. All interest is deductable.
My grand economic plan is to try to get hit by a car — a Lincoln Town Car or a Mercedes, probably. I can still blog from a hospital bed with voice recognition software, right?
Hey! Thanks, Bossy!
Any chance you have XM Radio? Jean Chatzky from the Today show is one of Oprah’s “friends” on 156. During her show, she takes listener calls and gives great advice. (I’ve even called her.) You can listen online, too.
Happy day! I just made my final payment on my divorce! That debt is done! Now on to the credit cards….
I FINALLY called about those damn student loans. It actually felt good. I’m shocked.
Used car, definitely the way to go, as is Honda. My current ride is a 2003 VW, and it pretty much sux. My husband proclaims that all cars in our future will be Hondas or Toyotas.
I can’t imagine becoming a one-car family. It would never work around here since my commute is 60 miles away with no easy train access, and the kids have to be picked up from school in the opposite direction with no easy train access.
So this seems weird probably..but I prepaid (overpaid) some (by mistake because my finances were not in order) on the credit card. I say “THE” credit card as we are down to ONE.
So…I paid extra and have been BLESSED to be able to “charge” something KNOWING it is already paid for. Just a thought for others. Tonight..My 8 year old wanted snow pants (so UNLIKE her mother with all that preplanning stuff) and I was able to get her snowpants, on sale jeans and a top and “charge” it. YEAH me. Please don’t make fun of me for overpaying on my credit card. believe me..the car insurance is screaming to be paid with no relief in sight.
There is no real debt for me.No grand total. Just some nagging bills that not having heath insurance can produce very quickly.
I just can’t seem to avoid living hand to mouth at every turn. Tonight I was proud of myself. I work two jobs and am not seeing a ton of return from my waitressing job just yet and I decided NOT to go out tonight. Being 23 that isn’t always easy.
I did my own PPP (povertypartypost) over at
http://brookiebrooke2.blogspot.com/2008/10/eco-friendly.html
So check it out! And keep it up! You are inspiring a lot of people to do a lot of good! (granted it’s for themselves (ourselves) and it should already be well in progress, but hey it’s a start)
I built a budget spreadsheet with all of our bills on it for the whole stinking year, including the outstanding balance of each debt with a formula to decrease it each month. This way I can see exactly when each debt will be paid off. Watching those numbers march into the future and get smaller and smaller…so satisfying.
I finally got around to my intro Poverty Party post:
http://aliasmother.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/and-now-for-something-completely-different-the-poverty-party/
I’m ready to kick some poverty butt.
First real Thrifty Thursday post! http://wherearethebears.blogspot.com/2008/10/wanna-see-something-scary.html
Complete with spreadsheets and car problems.
Our first Poverty Party post:
http://3giraffes.blogspot.com/2008/10/poverty-party-post.html
My SUV is finally paid off!!!!
It’s falling apart, but it’s PAID OFF, thank you very much.
Now ask me, “Will you ever buy a new car again?”
No, effing way.
We live in a small village where I can walk to work, the grocery and health food store and the elementary school. Thank you sweet baby Jesus.
hi bossy!
here’s the lastest edition of “Poverty Thursday” over on Pumpkin Juice:
http://mypumpkinjuice.blogspot.com/2008/10/poverty-thursday.html
Go Po’!
Thank you Bossy, for the Poverty Party.
I’m not as brave as you about publicly announcing my Magic Number, but I now KNOW what that number is, which in and of itself, has reduced my Debt Shame.
Thrift Rich Thursdays over at SSG today! Thanks Bossy for leading the charge. Today–expect the unexpected. Alternate title? I Swear I’m Not a Spinster.
http://confessionsofaserendipitousgirl.blogspot.com/2008/10/thrift-rich-wants-needs-postponed.html
Hi, everyone! I think this site could help everyone out:
http://www.simplythrifty.com/
[...] them. The above is an invoice from the latest yearly car inspection. As some of you may remember, Bossy and her husband have a His and Hers situation. This receipt belongs to [...]
I love-love-love your blog! I’m addicted- and only a few posts in. I’m sure I should comment on a post from the last week or so, but I had to interrupt my reading (I’m at this point in my own debt walk- credit card tallying) to let you know you’re doing a service here.
Look forward to grabbing my tea and Nilla wafers and continuing to follow your journey! Please add my blog, if it’s not too late, and I’ll post something relevant. Like how I’m going to plant those garden seeds this week- THIS WEEK- to save $$$ this summer! Thanks~