My preparation Plans and Goals continue!!

For the remainder of this Fall and throughout the winter, my plans and goals are:

1) Get through the holidays on a cash basis as much as possible.

2) Complete planning of backyard garden and be ready to start working on the Garden in March.

3) Complete research and planning, for a Hen House and Rabbit Hutch, gather materials needed, and be ready to construct during the Spring 2009.

4) Finish outfitting one of my bikes in the Stable.

5) Get my garage cleaned out and reorganized (bookshelves, etc). Get garage in condition to be converted to a shelter within 6 hours (again)!!

6) Update my Home Emergency Binder information.

1. Overhaul my gear and trade off or give excess away.

2. Increase my emergency food stores to reach the desired 1 year plus unrefrigerated supply.

3. Increase my Ammo supply.

4. Buy wooded land for a cabin

5. Start planning said cabin

6 come spring - Replace my beloved Yukon with another full size 4x4.

1: get shoulder healed.

2: buy honda 2000 generator

3: head to sunny az then ok for the rest of the winter/spring/summer. then maybe fl...

If affordable, NOW is the time to replace the Yukon. The big three can't give the darn things away due to recent high fuel prices. I pass the Arlington, TX GM plant 3 times a week and they have plenty of extras. (Yukon and Suburban are made there)

Won't have the $$ until April. I don't do car loans.

1.) Finish closing my company and getting a REAL (as DW calls it) job.

2.) Reduce all debt to car payments (2 of 4 cars), mortgage (1) and 5th wheel payment plus "normal" bills.
Son (17) pays his, I pay DW's

3.) Finish BOB storage to increase room in above ground storm shelter.

4.) Improve home emergency binder / portable documents.

5.) Continue "training" kids/wife. Each camping trip includes training on some aspects of the BOB/PSK.

6.) Clean my garage.

7.) Teach my 90 lb German Shepherd that my lap is not her preferred resting place. She is in my lap now and my laptop is on top of her.

8.) Restructure my truck tool box to hold my FAK and GHB or get better bags to fit behind back seat.

9.) LEARN LEARN and LEARN more!

Can't say I blame ya' there. Heck, by then the big three may be the big one or two. Or the SUV's may be RREEAALLYY cheap.

Amen. My DW and I took the "no new cars" pledge years ago. At 25K miles/year, it made no sense for me. I pay cash for something nice but used, drive it until it dies or needs a costly repair, and go pick out another, whatever strikes my fancy, or looks like a good deal. It doesn't matter much, since I can easily get something different if I don't like it.

I donate the old one to charity or some needy person who can do repairs, or knows someone who can do repairs for them. I can do the basics and follow a Chilton's, but I don't like doing repairs. My mechanic is probably the most expensive around, and is known for his nationally syndicated radio program, but his work is always right and I trust him implicitly. I'm willing to pay for that, and for the certainty that my wife is driving a safe car.

Not only do I save on car payments and interest, I save on insurance, too, since I carry liability only (albeit with very high policy limits). The secret to this is to put a little aside every month in lieu of car payments.

As a general rule for new cars, I was taught that if you can't put at least 20% down, NOT including any trade-in, and pay it off in 3 years, you are buying too much car, and you'll certainly end up owing more than the car is worth.

Jeff

You are dead on with that one!

I wish I could get down to 25K miles per year. Currently I am in the high 60K's per year.

I do buy new, but only finance for 3 years max. Then drive it for at least 5 years. During the "non-payment" years the previous payment amount is stocked back for the next down payment. I do follow ALL maintenance in the books from the factory. The vehicles would probably last longer, but I really don't want to risk it.

Whats new? We finally got to where we could buy something about a year old. If you buy something decent it will last longer than 5 years, wife's Impala is a 2001 and is still good for many more.