Wants vs. Needs... a car

[caresforthebirds]

I am in semi-bad shape, but my husband goes to an average of 2-3 doctors visits a week. I have a driver's license, but can't afford a car. We rely on curb to curb buses in this small town to try to get to all the appointments and they are not always reliable. We are talking to different people in the church and my uncle to see how feasible a car would be, but is this really a want vs. a need? We get to the majority of the appointments on time and we have my aunt to take us shopping, but a vehicle would make it so I can get him to his appointments at the right time always and we wouldn't rely on someone to take us shopping. But a major problem arises on the weekends or evenings when everyone is busy and the buses are not running and we need something. Also with a car we could go more places for the fun of it. But anyway we are praying but I know God listens to Needs more than Wants?

 

[Odetta]

Transportation is considered a need like food and shelter. Finding the option that makes the most sense to fill that need is reasonable. If you can find a good reliable car that is affordable to you to purchase and maintain - and can drive it safely - I can see the legitimate benefit of that in your life. I don't think it's crazy to want to fill that need in that way.

 

[akmom]

There was one time in my life when NOT having a car was perfect, and that was when I was in college. I could walk anywhere I needed to go on campus: to classes, the cafeteria, the gym, library, health clinic, and even a small convenience store for basic needs like laundry soap, tooth paste or a late snack. It was all within walking distance, and there was a campus shuttle if I needed an actual ride for some reason. Honestly, it would have taken longer to find a parking spot than to walk, so there was truly no need. I could always bum a ride for those rare occasions I needed to go off campus.

So I can imagine a life where having your own transportation is truly not a need. But for most people, I think having a car is pretty important. I guess it just depends on just how inconvenient your current transportation is. Would arriving at the bus stop 5-10 minutes earlier solve the problem of missing appointments? Or do you actually find yourself waiting 30 minutes or more for the bus, or taking huge detours that add 20 minutes or more to your trip? Because personally, that would be too much time spent hassling over rides. I guess that's how I'd determine whether it was worth it for ME to get a car. You may be more or less tolerant of waiting on buses.

Figure out how much room you have in your budget for a car. Consider not just how much the car costs (or the payments for it), but also the miles you typically drive in a week times the average cost of fuel, the cost of having auto insurance, the cost of registering a vehicle in your community, and the cost of both regular maintenance and unexpected repairs. Give yourself some wiggle room on all counts. Personally I would not get a fixer-upper unless you are mechanically inclined, because the cost of major repairs can easily add up to as much as you'd spend on a certified used vehicle, and they're usually unexpected and not easy to budget for. My husband fixes up old clunkers as a hobby, and I swear it costs more than the payments on our newer car some years. Good luck!

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

I think everything has a cost-benefit analysis. It's a matter of which makes sense in the long run. Would a car eventually pay for itself in the amount of time it frees up for you to maybe work more hours?

The definition of "want" and "need" can vary according to the individual situation too. For example, to most of us, having a musical instrument in the house is a luxury. To someone who makes a living playing that instrument, owning one would be a necessity.

 

[caresforthebirds]

The busses in this small town are curb to curb, which means you tell them where you are, they come get you, and take you to where you want to go. Busses take an average of 30 minutes to pick you up. I don't have a job and one of the reasons is I don't have a car, but then my husband's needs need to be met too, he doesn't drive.

 

[98cwitr]

How much does a bus ride cost?

 

[caresforthebirds]

How much does a bus ride cost?

1 a person, for us about 45 dollars a month

 

[citizenthom]

1 a person, for us about 45 dollars a month

Do you live in an area where bus travel is actually feasible? Let me tell you why I ask:

The actual ownership cost of a car is not in the car itself but in gas and maintenance. The IRS allows businesses to claim about 56 cents/mile driven on business vehicles because that is demonstrably the cost of owning a vehicle, OVER AND ABOVE the purchase price.

If you are able to travel by bus for $45/month, that is equivalent to the real cost of maintaining a vehicle for about 100-150 miles of travel per month. The average consumer travels more than 1,000 miles per month in a car. That includes work commutes you may not have, but it also includes urban driving you are currently accomplishing by bus.

If I may ask, why does your husband visit doctors 2-3 times per week? What health problems does he have? If they are things that could be helped with diet and exercise and the like, your money may be better spent helping him get healthy.

 

[caresforthebirds]

We don't live in an urban area, this is a town barely big enough that it has its own little busses. This town cant be more thsn three miles long. Husband has diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, an eye injury caused by an infection that required surgery, a bad knee that required 3 surgeries that prevents him from walking to the doctor, a foot doctor, and a few other doctors.

 

[citizenthom]

We don't live in an urban area, this is a town barely big enough that it has its own little busses. This town cant be more thsn three miles long. Husband has diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, an eye injury caused by an infection that required surgery, a bad knee that required 3 surgeries that prevents him from walking to the doctor, a foot doctor, and a few other doctors.

As a pre-diabetic with a scary genetic history I would seriously suggest a dietitian. I have had to rehab my own pancreas to deal with crippling weight gain including knee and foot problems. An MD can only do so much: the root is at our diets. People with diabetes predispositions simply have to eat differently. It's tough but the results can be great.

 

[joshua 1 9]

I am in semi-bad shape, but my husband goes to an average of 2-3 doctors visits a week. I have a driver's license, but can't afford a car. We rely on curb to curb buses in this small town to try to get to all the appointments and they are not always reliable. We are talking to different people in the church and my uncle to see how feasible a car would be, but is this really a want vs. a need? We get to the majority of the appointments on time and we have my aunt to take us shopping, but a vehicle would make it so I can get him to his appointments at the right time always and we wouldn't rely on someone to take us shopping. But a major problem arises on the weekends or evenings when everyone is busy and the buses are not running and we need something. Also with a car we could go more places for the fun of it. But anyway we are praying but I know God listens to Needs more than Wants?

A car can cost 2 to $300 a month and another $100 per month for gasoline and insurance. Some people buy an older car thinking they will save money and in some cases it can cost more for repairs then what you would pay to be driving a new car.

 

[Angeldove97]

Hubby and I need to have 2 cars - our jobs are in two very different locations and we work 2 different schedules. I will let him take my car - better gas mileage - on days I'm not working to help save money.

The want came in when we bought a new car. I always wanted a new red, sporty car. I know we could have bought a cheaper car to get me to work, but we agreed that I would get a new car. It has put a huge dent into our budget, but we're paying it every month. And I love it - it is a very nice reward after 4.5 years of college and working in my profession for 8 years. Smarter me would have said no to a new car, but we are forsaking other things to make it work.