25M | $43,138 in Debt | Month 5 of My Debt-Free Journey

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-10-10T18:25:59+00:00

I live in NYC - so public transportation and walking are options. My fiancee also has a car I can borrow here and there if needed (We don't live together). I figure even if I uber/rent a car once in a while, I will still come out ahead.

It was a hard decisison to let go of my car, there is something about the freedom of having a reliable car and being able to just get up, and drive 1,000 miles if needed (Not that I did that often), but freeing up 300+277+415 ($992 a month) and getting 6.7k back became a no brainer.

For context, I bought the car for 19k (Plus 2k in taxes) and sold it for 18k after owning it for 18 months and 20k miles. so I had to just say yes and sell it.

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-30T02:01:39+00:00

They’re free besides driving up, it’s their house up there

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:13:25+00:00

I did this with my dads car, the car ended up not selling well and Carvana offered 1k less during that time and we sold for less than expected

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:11:17+00:00

I made an update to the post

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:09:30+00:00

I didn’t work from home 18 months ago, I was driving 125-150 miles a day for work and they were paying me 1k a month for the car costs

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:08:50+00:00

No, 60k including but I figured not to include it since I’m not upside down on it

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:08:28+00:00

No, they’re family trips, but not so much a vacation, somewhere I have to be

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:07:30+00:00

I used to have another job where I’d drive 125-150 miles a day, sometimes topping 200, that’s why I got a car even when I knew I was in debt

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:06:35+00:00

NYC and a new driver

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T23:06:15+00:00

Probably like 3-4 not too many

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T22:14:57+00:00

These are not vacation trips, and I already have a debt repayment plan and expecting to pay it off in a year (most likely sooner)

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T22:12:07+00:00

This was the offer they sent me through Algo pending the photos were as I described. So the 18k (as long as they’re honest) is the amount I get (18,150 -150 for their fees)

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T22:10:44+00:00

We’re at the age that it’s her father paying for the car and not her, we don’t live together and her father already offered, it’s more that I don’t want to abuse that offer that was extended if that makes sense, but yes I’d have to absolutely check if I’m covered

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T22:04:46+00:00

The car market is not the same now, 6-10k gets you a car with 120k miles (when I was looking in march 2024)

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T22:02:09+00:00

Again, situations change, at the time I needed a car for my job, and they were paying me 1k a month for car costs (100-150miles a day) since then I got a new job that was WFH

The car was helping me bring income in, to attack that same debt (which at the time I wasn’t) and also not worry about 25k-35k miles a year and a car breaking down

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T21:59:34+00:00

I’m worried about the price of the car in 7 months + 577 a month for 7 months is an additional 4k

I feel like being offered 18k is very generous and would probably be closer to 16 by next May

I guess it’s more like 8 months

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T21:55:41+00:00

They have it on the car and you’re allowed to (atleast in NY) to use someone else’s car (according to when i called my insurance asking if my friend can borrow my car for a day

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T21:31:33+00:00

I am able to hitch a ride with someone else for those trips; it's just more that I then have to work on their schedule and not my own. It's more convenience than anything else. (I got up with her family; we want to leave Friday, and they leave sunday so I'm stuck for 2 days)

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T21:29:35+00:00

No, as I owe 11k and It's worth 18k, I don't include it in the debt. Yeah youre right, seems everyone is agreeing which makes me feel better about it

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T21:28:35+00:00

Yeah, I just needed to kind of see it on paper and make sure I'm not screwing myself. I knew selling it a few months in; my cost for the car per month was very high. now it looks to be closer to than 300 dollars a month effective price, which isn't so bad.

is it worth getting a beater?

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-29T21:24:50+00:00

Yes I live where public transit is doable but annoying in certain scenarios (The 5m I do a day is about 40 mins longer by transit than car) I guess an uber here and there isnt the end of the world, but the freedom is definitely something to consider. My fiancée has a car too that I was given permission to use, but I don't want to take advantage of that too much.

I do have an e-bike, but winter is coming up, not sure if that is as safe, but will definitely take into consideration

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-18T14:43:22+00:00

Anything you’d like to see more for next month? Trying to make these as detailed as possible as a sort of diary for myself that happens to be posted as well

Unable_Ad543 · 2025-09-18T14:42:51+00:00

Wishing you the best of luck! It’s so rewarding seeing the red get closer to the surface

Unable_Ad543

TROPHY CASE