I'm not positive but I heard that when Ron was 35 history hadn't even been invented yet.**)

:D

Fred,

Frightening as it is I agree with both you and Warren about finances. I have never bought anything on payment since I bought a car in 1965 and paid it off in one year just to establish a credit line. I paid cash for everything I have, and I paid cash when I got my Cobra. Of course I saved a lot of money by not having to buy Frog and Turtle feed. :LOL: :LOL:

As for the age thing, I was not in my teens when I got my Cobra. As for history, they are having to change so many things they taught in previous years that I think we should have chiseled more things into stone. This trying to keep up with all of you kids is hard to do. You will be sorry when I go back to my home planet. :LOL:

Ron :p

Fred and Ron
The loan I had in 1970 for the 442 was the first (and last) loan of any type in my life. Of course it is better to pay cash for a toy or car or house, or even a frog.

But Joe wants to speed up the process. Therefore he has a few choices:
1) Save more and get loan and buy it immediately.
2) Get loan and buy it (longer time period)
3) Marry a rich wife
4) Have a rich relative die and leave you a lot of money
5) Hit the lottery
6) Rob a bank
7) Steal the Cobra you want
8) Get a higher paying job
9) Get a second job

A job is work and that's a four letter word. :LOL::LOL::LOL:

10. Pimp out Ho Frogs

I think Joe wants it before the next century starts. :JEKYLHYDE:JEKYLHYDE

Thanks guys, I know I could take out a loan and get it now, but I did not want that option. I screwed up when it came to credit when I was 18-22. It caused me to get behind on a lot of stuff and almost forced me to declare bankruptcy. I somehow paid everything off, and the credit I have now is the ends of rebuilding my credit. It still is not where I want to be, but I am getting there. I want to be able to pay cash for the car, and really wanted to speed up the process. I think I may just continue what I am doing, and anything I make from an odd job here or there, goes directly to the fund.

Thanks for your input guys.

Joe, If your really serious....pay yourself first is good advice. Make a list of all things you spend money on and then identify the things you can live without. Cable TV, cell phones, too much insurance coverage, excessive spending on fuel (wasted trips to the store), too many vehicles, RV's and boats sitting around resulting in expense, Credit cards..killing you, and Starbucks and what can I sell or get rid of.

Anyway you get the picture, Just list these things, how much your spending per month, and list them in priority and value and then come up with your plan to delete, delete ,delete, and save. It will be tough and take some time to get use to but you'll find it easy after you get into it.

I can tell you from personal experience this is just how I came up with the money to buy my Cobra, it took me two years but I was able to build it for cash.
Best of luck, Bill

That is what I did to pay off my debt 8 years ago, so I understand how to do it. I have stayed trimmed, with the exception of my 2 cars. I got tired of the older "crappy" cars, so I did foolishly buy new cars that I am paying on. That is just over $1000 per month. The Mustang is 1/2 paid off now, and I am paying extra each month to pay it off faster and avoid some interest. Once it is done, I am going to continue paying that payment to a savings account. I bought a truck last year just before I bought my house and it has come in handy quite often this past year, so I don't regret getting it, just wish I would have bought one a couple of years old instead of new. I would have saved a lot of money. Credit cards have been locked in the safe at home, I owe less than 2K in credit debt, but I did let the wife get new furniture on credit when we bought the new house. I am not bad off in any way. I can easily see myself having enough to buy the kit within 3-4 years without changing anything I am doing currently. I would like to buy within 1-2 years if I could, and that was the only reason for this thread. Ideas of how to get the money faster.

My way way not easy either
 

Joe Wicked Joe I worked 2 jobs, paided off my house in 15 years. I got married and divorced in 13 months because I was also bailing out my wifes debt of $8,000.00 on credit cards. I save silver in a 5 gallon water jug and filled it almost to the top. This started in 75. I had a bad car accident and had never sued to this point but the other person was on the cell phone and eating when this happened I was out of work for 2 weeks, with whiplash. 18 months of pull and twist from the doctor to get back 80% on my turning ability. I still get a little pain when cold outside. Anyway. I had nothing to write off on taxes and got a home equity loan for the car to paid off over 10 years. The rate is 4.55. I received $26,000.00 from the accident which went into IRA. I have money maken money and something to write off on the taxes at the end of the year. The change money paided for the buying of the base compontents and chassic for my ERA. The bottom line is maken sure you have the money in HAND before you buy anything on credit cards. I pay mine off at the end of each month. I have earned over $800.00 credit on Discover card and over $1,200.00 on GM card toward a new car or truck. I will never get rich, but live well within my means. Small house and no kids also made this alot easier. A am hoping for the Mega millions at 175Millions. :rolleyes: Rick Lake My cobra took over 25 years from wanting to owning. Not easy but well worth the trip along the way. Yes I would do it again. :)

Joe, you are acquiring a pretty good reputation around the Dallas group as an electrician, or at least working on cars' electrical. Could you do some 'contract' electrical at a shop.... not a dealership exactly, but just with a local shop that could use an extra pair of hands one or two weekends a month??
I see you need a lot of flexibility with your REAL job, family, but take one of your talents and slowly turn it into a little money maker. My dad was great at wood working, etc. He had a shop in his garage, where he made things; fixed furniture etc. Well during the crash of the stock market in the 70's (he was a stockbroker/trader) he would spend a night or two and the odd weekend making dollhouses that he sold to craft stores, etc. He'd make a half dozen or so a week, (assembly line in the garage, you know) and sell them for $30 bucks or so apiece. It wasn't much, but it was his 'mad money' that he used to float his habit, (smoking, etc.). Mom would squeeze $$ out of a turnip, so to speak, and things were quite tight then. She worked about 20 hours a week at a hardware store, while we were at school. Many many of dads peers lost their homes, etc by being over extended, and while we did 'without' a good bit, they were never in huge distress because of not living on credit and being able to turn hobbies into a small cash maker.
Just an idea. Also... you seem pretty computer savvy, and folks like me are ALWAYS looking for regular folks to come fix their computers, electronics, etc. I need a wireless thing setup for my kids xbox.... I'm gonna have to figure it out sometime.....
Slap a sign on your truck (deductible as a work expense, too) and spend an evening or two or Sunday afternoon fixing people's computers!!
None of these things are permanent part time jobs, but give you some flexibility.
Take something you know a bit about and pursue it! :D
kristen

Joe,

You could start a lawn mowing service. It's not too hard to clear about $20+ an hour out of such and it would make even more use of your pick-up when working out of the neighborhood. You could also add other fix-it service if you are handy or want to become so. If you go full legit, instead of cash only, you can write your pick-up (and mower) off as a business expense.

It has the additional benefit of being good exercise. After a while you will lose that weight you mentioned ...and be greatly admired by lonely housewives whose chubby husbands have weaseled out of the chore. And always remember it is counterproductive to dip your pen in company ink ...unless you handle it professionally as an Escort Service as previously mentioned. Beware of free cold beer. :rolleyes:

Since you mentioned baldness, you might as well shave it all off and promote that xxx look like Yul Brynner, Vin Diesel, Telly Savalas etc. In business, image is everything. :MECOOL:
It isn't like your bald spot isn't going to get sunburned anyway with all that yardwork. You can write off vast quantities of sunblocker and it will add shine. :)

After you have a lot of sultry sounding women customers calling your house, your marriage problem will likely take care of itself. :eek:


...

I would love to do that, but there doesn't seem to be a huge need, or maybe I am just missing it.

What exactly do you need for the wireless on the X-Box? Those things are pretty simple setups. Do you already have wireless internet at your house?

I thought about it, but we have huge teams of Mexicans that do pretty large yards for $20 and are done in just 30 min since there are 4-5 of them mowing. A friend tried to do that last year and now he is back at work. As far as the baldness I agree, but the wife wants me to leave as much as I have on my head. :JEKYLHYDE She likes it.