Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Two part WWYD
So I'm sure I've complained enough that the past two years has been tough on us, with my husband laid of for much of it, and working in a lower-paying job when he wasn't. During this time we really wanted to sell his truck (payments of $580/month until next October, at which point his payments will end but he'll still owe $7000- don't even get me started on that, he bought the truck when I wasn't there and I've already reamed him out for agreeing to payments based on 6 year plan but only 5 years of payments...). However, we could not sell it because we owed more than it was worth due to the recession and falling US dollar- his truck cost as much brand new during this time as what he owed on it.
So my husband is finally back in his real job, making decent money again, and I'll be done school before too long and able to work. He is starting to relax more about money issues but I'm not. We dug a bit of a hole during this time and I want to get out of it ASAP. I've been looking on the Buy and Sell and it looks like we can FINALLY sell his truck for what we owe on it, and then get a cheaper car. He says this is a bad idea because it's finally worth what we owe, therefore it's not "really" costing us because if we sell it and get an older, cheaper car, in the long run that car will cost more because it'll die sooner. I think he just wants to keep his big truck.
So, should I try harder to convince him to sell it, or keep it?
Part two:
in better financial times we signed up to donate $25/month to Greenpeace and $30/month to SOS Children's Villages. Believe it or not, I more or less forgot about these donations during the past year or so. However, between the two of them it adds up to $660 per year. I want to cancel both but I feel bad about cutting donations to charity. Should I cut them or continue to pay it?
Re: Two part WWYD
If you want to get out of debt, then you must cut all discretionary spending...including charitable donations. Once you are in a more stable place with your finances, you can look at donating again. If it were me, I would list the truck for sale. But then again, I sent my DH to get a practical, low cost, and fuel efficient vehicle and he came home with a F150 super crew with 4x4 and a chrome package! Lol
The drastic depreciation of vehicles is why I am unlikely to buy another brand new car ever again. I got much luckier with a car that was a few years old. Now DH's truck doesn't even fit in the garage it's so big! Ugh, I keep telling him to get rid of it, he won't. I feel your pain. You know, we ended up in a tight spot when we sold our condo/took possession of the new place...we were kinda nervous, but it all worked out in the end. Hard work, that'll do it.
Well the truck probably also costs more in gas and insurance. So in addition to the payment you'll save that so it is costing you. And no payment (or smaller payment) would be saving. If he doesn't need the truck I think I'd tell him we sell it or his money pays the difference (we budget fun money)
I disagree with how Greenpeace operates, I personally think they're more show then actual results so I'd have no problem cutting their donation. I don't know anything about SOS Children's Villages. And giving is personal. I'd probably look for a time donation opportuny that's local.
With regards to the truck, I'd say maybe give it more time and see how you're getting by financially. If things continue to be too tight for comfort, maybe bring it up again.?
With regard to charity donations, if you have to cut them out don't feel too bad. DH and I used to give regularly to 2 or 3 charities every month, but when things got tight we had to cut one of them out. I wasnt happy doing it, but we have to take care of our family first, ya know? On the other hand, b/c it sounds like you managed to maintain the donations while DH was unemployed, I maybe wouldn't cancel them now that he's back at work. ?
?I remember a few years back I was in a yacht off the coast of Van and we saw a Greenpeace boat nearby. I saw a guy on deck smoking, and when he finished, he tossed the butt overboard, into the ocean. I don't know much about Greenpeace, but this seemed rather un-greenpeace-y to me!
Cut the charities. Do not feel guilty over this. If they attempt to guilt you, tell them you cannot support a charity who does not respect someone having financial problems and find a new charity that does, when you are in a better place.
Also- get rid of the truck. They get terrible gas mileage, and I'm sure you can find a sensible vehicle that not only costs less to run, but likely has lower insurance rates too.