Sweet Sixteen

Oh to be young again

     My darling daughter is turning 16 in two short months.  It is hard to believe and it has been a hell of a ride.  She is an amazing girl.  I am not just saying this because I am mom.  We have definitely had our moments and went through a really rough spell just recently.  She is smart, funny, artistic, and most important in this family, she is witty. I really do love everything about her!  Her most endearing quality however is her most major flaw.  My daughter never has had any concept of what things really cost.  She really and truly does not understand money.  The current topic of conversation is of course about a car.  She knows somewhere deep down that a car cost money, insurance cost money, gas cost money.  I am thinking first car should be around 3-5 thousand.  It should be safe and well maintained.  After all my darling daughter does NOT HAVE A JOB!!!

    Today, while at school she is car shopping on her phone, my tax dollars going to good use. I get a slew of text messages saying how she has found the one, she is in love, lots of little hearts and such.  At first I think she is talking about her boyfriend, then I worry she is not talking about her boyfriend.  Then I get it, the picture, the object of her desire.

I almost burst out laughing.  I mean it is a sweet jeep and I want it too!  Only 40,000 miles, I mean who owns a jeep and keeps it locked up.  That is a sin Jeeps are meant to live rough and live well! I almost burst out laughing because of the comment " and it's only $24,000".  This is a good deal in her mind.  She does not think that I currently work 2 jobs just to keep us going now.  She does not realize that this is absolutely not something I can afford.  To her it is no different then a day of shopping.  I have some work to do!

     My first car was a 1985 Ford Escort with no engine.  Seriously the car was my dads and when the engine blew up he said if you can fix it you can have it.  So I did just that, put in an engine, ( I had been working since 13 so this was doable) and off I went.  The freedom was amazing.  I can not remember a time in my life when freedom meant so much.  I drove everywhere just to drive.  Gas was 86 cents a gallon back then so we all drove just for fun.  I maintained that car like a baby.  She never missed an oil change or tune up and in return she took me all over the east coast for 11 years of my life.  

     Since that first car it should be noted that I have never owned a new car.  This is by choice not by circumstance.  I have to drive a lot for a living and I can put up to 30 thousand miles a year on a car.  Do the math on that gas and you know why I have a second job!  I drive my cars into the ground then after 5 years I get another.  I have never paid more then 12 thousand and always get my money out of them.  They are always nice newer midsize cars like a Malibu or Impala.  I look for cars that are young with high miles.  A salesman drove it and usually highway miles so they really are not in bad condition.  This has never steered me wrong.  I hope to pass this philosophy on to my daughter and that it will benefit her well.  But for now I will let her dream.  After all that is what being 15 is all about.  The dream to drive, the dream of freedom, the dream of a cool car.  Who knows maybe I will win the lottery before then!  Guess I would get my dream jeep as well if that happens!

 Old school.....