At laaassssttttt........
...a car has come along....A week ago, Katy purchased a 96 Saturn, 4-door manual, white with black trim. It's her baby--paid for lock, stock and barrel with part-time job and babysitting funds. She's been so disciplined not touching her "car account" for 3 years! And so, with $2000 in hand, she took another step into adulthood.
I certainly felt the role reversal going to the tax collector's to register, tag, and title the car in her name--remembering when I had my mother go with me to purchase my first car! Oh, the circle of life....She is doing a great job learning a 5-speed! I think the best life lesson is her hard work paying off. She earned each penny herself, and even has $500 left to cover gas, repairs, etc....!
She got the bug for this car at our cottage while talking with my cousin Stacy. Stacy told her how she bought her own car with babysitting money in high school, and Katy decided then she wanted to do the same. Thanks, Stac!
Hillary's right about this--it does take a village!
posted by Mrs. M. at 1:31 PM
4 Comments:
awesome. i think everyone should tell their "first car" story. i'll begin:
i was 15. searching the classifieds incessantly, etc. i saw a forest green 1982 Volvo DL sedan for something like $1200, which was below the blue book value. something must be wrong with it. maybe i'll call anyway. turns out the father was selling his daughter's car as a punishment for a little "pot brownie" party she threw while there were on vacation. oops.
my dad and i showed up on a sunday evening (2 months before my 16th birthday). this guy really wanted to get rid of the car--that night. i could see his daughter sitting, head between her knees, on the front stoop, crying.
my sales-savvy dad assessed the situation and asked, "how about $850."
bam. done. the car was mine! paid for with money i had earned washing dishes at the local diner and washing motorhomes at the local dealership.
two years later it was totalled in the high school parking lot by some hot-shot in a new Acura, and i got an insurance check for about twice what i had paid for it. i figure, at gas prices back then (my first tank, i remember, was $.88/gallon), the profit i made covered all my expenses while i owned the thing.
I've owned 8 cars since then, but i haven't loved a single one as much as that old Volvo.
Congrats, Katy. Enjoy it!
What a great story, Shari/Katy and Nathan. I'm so proud of kids who can save money and take responsibility, proving their desire to become adults. I'm sure this is just the beginning of many more such wonderful stories. Congratulations.
Katy --
This afternoon as I was coming home from an appt., I was thinking of you and your new car, and being so proud of your dilligence in saving every penny you could for your "someday car." I was reflecting on your focus, your proven responsibility, your patience, etc., etc., and the pride you must be feeling, too -- and realizing that you had accomplished something that not every young adult experiences. I am exceedingly proud of you, and was going to let you know that in a later e-mail.
Then.....I read this blog of your mom's, and decided to write to you here and now. Enjoy (!) your well-earned acquisition, and "enjoy the ride!" Love you, Grandma
Enjoy the well-earned beautiful car! Way to go, Katy!
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