Help - Im sick of being skint!!!

Mrs_Ryan

Thats a really good idea, thank you!

Will try to remember that. Mum's pressies are all bought and wrapped now.... but maybe I can do a little something different as well.

thanks every1 xx

Mrs_Ryan

Hi everyone,

need some more advice!

OH and I have been talking about me learning to drive and getting myself a car. This has become necessary due to the fact OH has been told that Royal Mail are looking to restructure in the East Midlands and the upshot is that Leicester and Nottingham Mail Centres will be moved to a new building in Grantham :eek:

At the minute, OH drives me to work and usually picks me up. Now if he had to go to Grantham every day he wouldnt be able to do that any more. Public transport is out of the question as I often start early in the morning, before the first bus, and if Im on a late I would have to walk a mile on my own along some dark roads and wait an hour for a bus which I wouldnt feel safe doing. So learning to drive is my only option.

Driving lessons arent a problem cost wise - we have loads of driving schools round here that are really reasonable and some offer special discounts for nurses which I will more than likely utilise. And OH says he is happy to give me extra lessons in his car.
But the cost of the car is worrying me a little.
OH and I have had an argument already over this, as he said I should be looking to pay 1500 minimum!! :eek: I said I only want a little old banger to use as a runaround and theres no way Im going to be able to spend that sort of money. He is insisting the car should be bought from a dealer and that it shouldnt be any older than about an R reg!! I really want one a bit older, maybe an L reg or so, as long is it has been well looked after I wouldnt see a problem, and I dont necessarily want to buy from a dealer.

I was thinking of more about 1000 - as I know I could get 750 together and I have asked my mum if she could give me a cheque for 250 instead of a present next Christmas and she has said she thinks so (once she got over the shock ha ha!!!)

What does everyone think is sensible? And does anyone have any suggestions as to the best way to save for this? I could probably spare about £75 a month. (I know it doesnt seem much, but Im thinking by the time I'm ready for my test and actually take it, it will have mounted up nicely - and hopefully a bit extra for tax, insurance etc)

I will be looking to pay by 'cash' (even though it will be cheque or debit card)
finance of any description is totally out the question.
Your advice would be much appreciated - thanks!

whatatwit

Hi Mrs Ryan, have you had a look to see how much insuring a car will be, then along with tax and mot/repairs and petrol, you can see roughly how much it will cost you to run.

If you and OH let it be known to workmates etc that you are looking for a runaround car, then you might find someone whose mum/granny is selling one

Also, if there is a Boots nearby, top up your phone there using an advantage card for the points, you also then get any vouchers that are going....have a look at the Boots board on here for the best ways to utilise them...you might be able to gather bits and pieces that will do for gifts.

Jesthar

Hi Mrs Ryan, good to hear from you!

How's the finances going - did you manage to ditch the Payday loan like you hoped?

About cars - it really depends on the car, not the date/cost. You can get an old runabout for a few hundred which turns out to be reliable and economical, or equally a more modern car for over a grand which turns out to be an unreliable liability.

Do you have any mechanic friends you would trust to give you advice? You should always have a mechanic check over any car you buy privately before parting with cash. Dealers should theoretically have checked their cars, but be on the safe side.

Whatever you do, you have the right idea about paying for it up front - car finance can be horribly expensive in interest.

Just to encourage you, my first car was an F reg Ford Escort Popular Estate, cost me £550 with 52,800 on the clock. She was an absolute dream - reliable, economical, cheap to insure, definitely capacious! She went round the clock and then a bit more before I finally had to part with her to the scrap man after about 6 years (accident damage, unfortunately).

Hope to see you around again soon!

~Jes

terri72

Hello Mrs Ryan

If your OH is unable to take you to work, should his job change, have you thought about car share for getting to and from work? Could you put a notice up where you work to see if you could share a lift or look on the internet for local car share schemes?

Mrs_Ryan

Hey everyone!

Terri - car share out of the question due to my shifts. Most people live in the vicinity of the hospital where I work, and the ones who dont tend to be on opposing shifts... good idea, and if I worked fixed hours one I would definitely look into - thanks for the suggestion!

Hey Jes! Nice to hear from you too. I havent managed to ditch it yet as there's a massive muddle going off with my tax code, but it will be gone in December! Thanks for the advice - dont know any mechanics unfortunately... could be a problem there! But either way, I will get it checked out somehow, definitely. Will ask my OH - he knows lots of useful people and I would run my own HPI check (I know it costs but Im sure it would be worth it)
OH is looking at buying a new car himself - he's going to buy a brand new one as he can afford it (grrrrr!) and we looked at the finance just out of interest, and it was shocking for him with a perfect credit rating, so god knows what it would be for me with a rubbish one!! However, we have discussed if OH cant sell his own car he will sell it to me (its a Y-reg Yaris, 1 litre, full Toyota service history, beautiful runner, hes been the only owner and it still has original exhaust, etc) so maybe I wont need to worry. (i trust him lol) its a bit basic but it will be perfect for me as a first car. Plus the advantage is that he's going to give me extra lessons etc in it so I will know my way round it... so that would be good. But we have to wait and see!
P.S Mobile is going well - £35 this month!!! Arent i good???
Hi wat - I've looked into the cost of insurance etc, and thankfully it isnt too bad, it's definitely do-able. The Boots thing is a really good idea - both me and OH top our phones up there, although I only do it occasionally due to my shifts, I usually top-up by debit card over the phone. Thanks for replying!

Mrs_Ryan

Good news everyone - OH has agreed to sell me his car!! :j

He's looking to order new January 2010, so Im going to start in February paying him £75 a month for it!

Insurance is gonna be £33 per month... TPFT for first year with OH as second driver... (OH full no claims bonus, he passed his test age 18 in 1989 - so good insurance risk) Im gonna renew my licence next month, then lessons start January. Wish me luck!

Debts looking good as well.... Have been rota'd to work Xmas Day (groan) so in February am going to pay off 2 debts - probably 2 of my payday loans....
Its all going well! xx