Nothing Beats Driving a Paid Off Car
Sure, there are newer, faster, more fuel-efficient (not to mention fully electric), more luxurious cars out there. But nothing beats driving a paid-off car.
You think you love your car when it's brand new? You'll love it even more when it's paid off.
Did your car just get dinged? Oh no worries, it's already paid off. 😉
Does this mean that after paying off your car, you won't get tempted into buying a new one? Absolutely not 😄
So then what's the point of this post? Stay with me for a bit.
As a car guy, I struggle with this since I'm always enamored by cool new cars. However, the experience of not having a car payment, will make you think twice about signing up for another car loan. At least, it does for me.
Going on a short tangent here...
What's the average monthly car payment nowadays? Over $650 a month in the US? Imagine the kind of things you can do with an extra $650 a month.
- A road trip or vacation every few months?
- Dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse every weekend?
- A new video game console every month (if you can find one in stock 😀)?
- A new pair of Adidas Ultraboost every month? How about two pairs of Ultraboosts every month? Or how about two pairs of Ultraboosts plus a pair of Onitsuka Tiger Serranos?
On a more serious note, you can do so many good things with an extra $650 a month. Build up your retirement savings, get out of debt, help out people in need, etc...
So anyway, the past few months I've found myself looking at new cars every once in awhile. When I find one I really like — a Mazda3 Hatchback Turbo AWD or a Dodge Charger Scat Pack — I usually end up on a car payment calculator. And every time that happens, the fact that I don't have car payments right now just hits me in the face.
Imagine a hand extending out of my monitor, then slapping me silly while a dismembered voice says, “You do not have car payments right now, why would you want to have one again?”
While I would love a brand new car, I absolutely do not want a monthly car payment right now.
So, go out and drive your paid-off car and have fun with it. Nothing beats driving a paid-off car.
Tags: #Cars #PersonalFinance