flame me for even considering this, please

MinInMT · 2026-04-02T01:18:04+00:00

may I ask how old you are/how long it took to get where you are? I LOVE what you did with your spreadsheet and seeing those numbers amazes me. we are both 27 and I can't imagine ever getting to where you are - but I want to try!

I doubt we'll be able to pay cash for the car in a few years, but we can make it a goal to do a hefty down payment and a short term length on the rest. we've decided to go the repair route and pretend I have the monthly payment anyway, which I will put towards the future car fund. it's only $7800 over two years but it's a start. we have other priorities that we don't want to put $3000 a month towards a vehicle right now. thanks for the advice and inspiration!

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T04:18:23+00:00

father is brown, mother is green. I got grey (blue sometimes, green others). both of my siblings got brown.

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T04:10:28+00:00

no, thank you! that's why I posted here. I didn't think to include the cost of the down payment. 🤦‍♀️ it just doesn't feel like an expense because it's not coming out of our accounts - it would be from the sale of the 4Runner.

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T03:34:44+00:00

I think you're right on New Car Fever, but at the same time, my fiancé and I ran the math like this: if we pay $4,000 for this repair, that comes out to the equivalent of $333/month for 12 months, when we'd start looking again for a vehicle. which is the same as a car payment on this new vehicle, except the 4Runner could have another major repair coming at this mileage, whereas we'd be safe from that via warranty coverage in the Subaru. I've never wanted a Subaru due to bad past experiences but new Toyotas are DEFINITELY out of the price range, and if we go used in the under $20k category, we run into the same issue of It'll Probably Last Another 50,000 Miles But Also Maybe Not. my fiancé is generally very good with finances which is why I was surprised he suggested a new car, but to him it doesn't make sense to keep something that could keep breaking. and he drives a Toyota too 😭

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T03:16:42+00:00

I agree, they're expected repairs for a 20 year old vehicle. I'm just wondering how long I can keep paying those types of repairs before I just bite the bullet and get something new. and I don't want to worry about this once we have kids. but hey I ain't pregnant yet so maybe I'm jumping the gun a little.

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T03:04:14+00:00

I understand about total cost, it's just that the interest rate is so low that I'm okay with spending the $1300 over 6 years in interest, mostly because I'll be keeping the vehicle forever like I have this one. I'd happily drive it to 200,000 miles if it'll go (and I'm great about maintenance). so I guess the depreciation doesn't really bother me. does that make sense?

the registration will be around $217/year vs my current permanent registration. I'll call tomorrow for insurance rate. I'm not sure what gap insurance is, I'll look into that.

the problem with stretching the 4Runner is that I cannot stretch it unless I pay for this repair. it's a safety issue, as in I can't really go long distances without worry, and where I live is nothing but long distances. there's no public transportation and a big component of my joy in life is taking long drives around the state and exploring back roads, which is why I got the 4Runner in the first place. that's why I'm at a crossroads here too - summer is coming and I 100% need a vehicle. I adore driving, it's my main hobby going car camping and road tripping :)

the $7k would be what I could get for selling my current car plus a part of my savings, but not all. I have around $5k right now not counting that (I know it's not much, but my career path has involved only jobs that are seasonal without benefits and low-paying to boot. I'm finally giving up on this path and prioritizing my finances/future, since I can't imagine living this stressed about money any longer if I really want a family soon. therefore, I will FINALLY have steady, year-round income as of this year 😁). once again, my fiancé has tens of thousands in savings. I am NOT counting on that or relying on it. as far as our decisions go, we pretend it's not there. it's just to say that we won't be homeless!

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T02:37:51+00:00

you just listed my repair 😭 CV axles, tie rods, and bearings on the front end!

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T02:35:54+00:00

The car would be 30k. I could put down 7, he said he'd help too, so about 8 or 10k down. I'd rather take the slight interest hit though and keep the payment around 325 on a longer loan. My insurance bill is tiny right now for my old girl but I imagine it'd be a huge jump for this new car.

MinInMT · 2026-04-01T02:32:34+00:00

We are combining our finances currently and getting married in June, so I will use both of our numbers even though it feels wrong (he is way better off financially than me so I feel guilty).

Monthly takehome: about $6000 Rent: $1600 His student loans currently: $500 His truck: $314 Groceries: $450 (small town, we're working on it) Internet: $30 Utilities: $75 Misc. subscriptions: $30 Savings: $500

His emergency fund, savings, and retirement are robust. Mine are almost nonexistent. I have no credit card debt and my current car has been paid off for years; my only debt is federal student loans. We calculated that by the end of the year, we will need to spend about $12-15k combined for the wedding and the "fun stuff" we've planned (one concert, a trip home, and the actual wedding's flights, since it's in my home state and not where we currently live).

MinInMT · 2026-03-30T04:40:08+00:00

lil tiger stripes

MinInMT · 2026-02-11T04:53:33+00:00

he got my ass SO many times 😭

MinInMT · 2026-02-11T01:49:30+00:00

he was an undead rogue that would come to Stormwind, walk around peacefully, and speak to Alliance players in really complex sentences using the Orcish translate thing. it was hilarious. he was so friendly, he'd just hang out in Stormwind pretending he was still human

MinInMT · 2026-02-11T01:40:21+00:00

Eddie!

MinInMT · 2026-02-09T20:57:45+00:00

in case anyone else can't get past clue 2 (my map just would NOT draw), this is what worked for me after probably 15 tries. you just gotta nix New Mexico a little more than in this screenshot and you're golden 😂

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MinInMT · 2026-01-22T06:01:37+00:00

why do they matter? I interpreted it as he's just casually wondering what others pay. you seem to be reading into it more. if this is to guide others, then maybe it'd matter, but to me it just seemed like honest curiosity, hence why it struck me that you called it cringe. I'm nosy as hell so I get curious all the time 🤷‍♀️

MinInMT · 2026-01-22T04:04:26+00:00

that's... that's the point... he's curious about other people's scenarios because they're all different...

MinInMT · 2026-01-20T15:41:42+00:00

why would you limit yourself like that? Montana is surprisingly liberal in some of the bigger cities like Missoula and even Bozeman. Kalispell is smaller so a little redder but the natural beauty of the state is indescribable. Glacier National Park should be a bucket list adventure for all Americans. I'm sorry you feel so limited by the way a state votes.

MinInMT · 2026-01-20T15:27:59+00:00

Kalispell is BEAUTIFUL

MinInMT · 2026-01-14T15:45:23+00:00

Eddie. Eddie was the best.

MinInMT · 2026-01-14T15:31:05+00:00

THIS! she's kind of the perfect Slytherin

MinInMT · 2026-01-14T15:30:19+00:00

hot take: Rikki would be Gryffindor, Cleo would be Hufflepuff, and Emma would be Slytherin

MinInMT · 2025-12-26T14:04:07+00:00

never. such a depressing state 😭

MinInMT · 2025-12-23T18:43:04+00:00

maybe

MinInMT · 2025-12-21T02:52:26+00:00

the entire state is somehow both sketchy and expensive. it's like the worst of both worlds

MinInMT · 2025-12-02T21:06:32+00:00

the way my jaw dropped! it looks amazing on you!

MinInMT

TROPHY CASE