I was going to write a screed about how the debt is the emergency, but then I re-read that it's from school. If it's a student loan at a very low interest rate, it's not as big of a deal, but my move would still be to pay it off as quickly as possible. (Unless Uncle Sam cancels it - ha.) If you borrowed at a high rate, over 8 per cent maybe, definitely eliminate the debt as it's costing you a lot annually that could otherwise be saved. (I've always looked at it like if I have 12k saved and 10k in debt, I really have 2k saved - if I pay the debt today.)
For me if I needed the car for work that's one thing but otherwise I'd wait or buy very cheap. Yes life is to be lived but you're already doing fine without a car (didn't you just almost bang two in one night?).
Also yeah I think you could find a cheaper one. My parents' Honda from 20 years ago still runs great and has only needed a new battery once - no other repairs. I'm guessing it'd be worth 5k at most. Not the sexiest option but something you can rely on not breaking down in the middle of Tennessee at night.
Definitely. After I get this living/logistics situation sorted and I have a financial base to stand on, this debt has gots to go. It will literally hold me back and impair my dreams lol.
The main reason I wanted to get a car ASAP is so that I can reduce my costs associated with gaming. It’s true that these costs are completely covered by my side hustle. But if I were to have a car of my own, then instead of giving those $500 or so each month to Hertz, I could have that money work for me. It could go to my savings to build a financial base so I’m in a good position to shoot at debt once I move. Or, it could even go directly towards paying down those debts. Or even better, I could afford to go out and game more, which lets me meet more women while prepping for the big move.
Thanks for reminding me of that. Tbh, I think I’m doing fine overall too. And yeah, that was a crazy night haha.
That is one advantage of where I’m at. I’m able to function and do fine for myself without a car. For groceries, I do InstaCart once a week. If I need something suddenly, there’s a grocery store within walking distance, about a mile away. (I could use the extra steps anyways.) I work remote, and the office is literally 2/3 of a mile away if I wanted to go in. I can walk to my side hustle. Worst case, I can Uber if I need to be somewhere. Additionally, I’m renting the cars occasionally for game or if I need to be somewhere far. Worst case, I’ve even ridden the bus or taken Uber to Nashville when I fvcked up and forgot to book the rental in advance. I’d rather not if possible though. Long story short, I’m still able to get around.
The fact that I could get a cheap reliable car in the neighborhood of 5K is a game changer. That’s all I need. With my recently boosted income(and the fact that I’m highly considering picking up some extra shifts on the weekends that I’m not gaming) having a financial base to stand on and having this move completed seems very realistic.
After that, shooting at debt would be easy. Even if I were kind of balling out, I think I could get rid of my student debt within two years.