Lately, I've been looking at getting a new car. Not just new to me, I want actual new. I've been looking into the Kia Soul and I want one. I've test driven two at different dealers. One wasn't brand new, but really close as it had 33,000 miles. It had the options I wanted like fog lights, moon roof, and the better sound system and in addition, it had leather seats. I'm not a big fan of leather seats, but it was still really nice.
Now for the downside... There is no way I can afford the payment as well as the insurance payment. The law requires that I have both or neither, so I ended up with neither. I even priced out a lease plan for it, and it was just out of reach. This makes me very sad. I feel like I've worked so hard, and I can't have anything nice for myself.
So, on to the plan. Remember that one of my New Year Resolutions was to pay off my high-interest credit card bill? I'm doing well on that one. So I came up with a plan. Now I will have an incentive, but for a huge incentive, I have to have an equally huge goal.
< drumroll, please >
If I pay off ALL of my credit card debt, I can have a new car.
*Whew!*
I have a total of three credit cards and all of them have a balance. Total balance for all three combined is a whopping $8,200. I feel like if I can pay that off by the end of 2013, I've earned a new car.
I have been working hard for a very long time, and I will continue to do so. Now I have set a goal for myself and I plan on reaching it. I have been at my new job for six months already and I still work a couple days a week at the Zone, so I will just keep my nose to the grindstone for a couple more years, pay off my stupid youth, and then I will have earned such an adult thing as a new car.
Wish me luck and lots of overtime!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Pay commensurate with workload
So the topic has come up twice with two different examples over the past few days of how some people get paid so much, while others barely get paid.
The first example I came across was professional athletes (football, in particular was noted) who complain when they don't get paid more than a couple million dollars. I understand that this career is hard on the body and is generally short-lived, but what they make in one year many people can make last the rest of their life. Why squabble over a million dollars when we are still very obviously in a recession? That money could be better spent elsewhere. Examples include schools, homeless shelters, charities that benefit the homeless, and employing displaced workers.
The second example was politicians (named were the salaries of those in the Senate and House.) How can these people, in good conscience, make more than twice the AVERAGE salary? I think their pay should be commensurate to their constituents. Again, I understand that this may be a short-lived career, but there are career politicians. I would imagine that this job includes a lot of problem solving skills, but so does a law enforcement job. And law enforcement professionals have to make life and death decisions in a split second while politicians take years to pass a law.
I wish I had any of these people's salary for just one year. I would have my bills paid off and most likely have a reasonable savings. Instead I will continue to sit here in my office making split second decisions regarding deliveries and whether a plant will have to close because I can't get their parts to them in time, while they lose millions of dollars every minute they are not running. Too bad I don't make the low end of the national average salary scale.
The first example I came across was professional athletes (football, in particular was noted) who complain when they don't get paid more than a couple million dollars. I understand that this career is hard on the body and is generally short-lived, but what they make in one year many people can make last the rest of their life. Why squabble over a million dollars when we are still very obviously in a recession? That money could be better spent elsewhere. Examples include schools, homeless shelters, charities that benefit the homeless, and employing displaced workers.
The second example was politicians (named were the salaries of those in the Senate and House.) How can these people, in good conscience, make more than twice the AVERAGE salary? I think their pay should be commensurate to their constituents. Again, I understand that this may be a short-lived career, but there are career politicians. I would imagine that this job includes a lot of problem solving skills, but so does a law enforcement job. And law enforcement professionals have to make life and death decisions in a split second while politicians take years to pass a law.
I wish I had any of these people's salary for just one year. I would have my bills paid off and most likely have a reasonable savings. Instead I will continue to sit here in my office making split second decisions regarding deliveries and whether a plant will have to close because I can't get their parts to them in time, while they lose millions of dollars every minute they are not running. Too bad I don't make the low end of the national average salary scale.
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Irony
This morning, Dale and I went to breakfast and the news was on the TV. One of the stories was about a church group protesting at a military funeral. Really?
First off, this is a CHURCH group. I would think that they might have the tact to leave the dead in peace to rest. How ticked would they be if someone picketed the funeral of someone close to them and the picketing was because of the job of the deceased?
This person most likely died in service to this country. He died for your right to free speech. Do him or her a favor and stay silent for a moment to appreciate this. I hope this moment is long enough to allow the family and friends attending the funeral to properly say their goodbyes to someone who was taken from them way too early.
Just, RAR!
First off, this is a CHURCH group. I would think that they might have the tact to leave the dead in peace to rest. How ticked would they be if someone picketed the funeral of someone close to them and the picketing was because of the job of the deceased?
This person most likely died in service to this country. He died for your right to free speech. Do him or her a favor and stay silent for a moment to appreciate this. I hope this moment is long enough to allow the family and friends attending the funeral to properly say their goodbyes to someone who was taken from them way too early.
Just, RAR!
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