These days are different from earlier ones. These days I question who I am and where I’m headed. I look back for clues, but none are there. The passage of time is the culprit of all this. Used to be I imagined what I wanted to do and made it happen, maybe not all of it, but some. As I age, I have come to realize that limits exist. Mostly it is time, but physical abilities are a limit, too, money for sure.
I love houses. Architecture. Interior décor. Many styles and
moods have an allure. Very few of them have materialized for me. I never lived
in a starkly modern home with appropriate furnishings. The cost was prohibitive
for one, timing bad for another, and let’s face it, it takes a lot of agreement
in coupledom to get what you want when yours is not the only opinion or yearning
in contention.
Cars are another love of mine. I have owned several that
were very special to me. I have yearned for more and made some of it happen. Not
all, but some. Aches are present to be soothed, but money and time are in short
supply. Practicality is a harsh master.
Travel is another love but like most people, travel equals
time and money. Both of those are intimately related. Years ago, I traveled
annually to Arizona and New Mexico to visit my parents. I loved those trips –
the topography, vistas, weather, and open road freedom. At that time, though, I
was in business for myself. If I was working, I had plenty of cash flow but no
time; vacations used time and money but produced no income. The tradeoffs were
stark. I chose to work and travel less to ensure cash was adequate for year
round living.
The other day I bought out the lease for my car. It was due
on February 1, 2022, but I was anxious to get the lease behind me. Besides,
used car prices are ridiculously high right now, and I knew I couldn’t afford
to buy the car off the lease for long, nor would I be pleased with the used car
or its price I would have to pay to replace it. Nothing but disappointment lay
ahead.
So, I chose to buy out the lease for roughly $16,000. The
car’s value is $23k low to $27k high per market analysis resources. That should
net a cash difference of $7000 to 11,000. If I sell my car myself, I might
capture an average stash of $8000, maybe $9000. My thought is to buy a used car
with that money that would meet our minimum needs.
Those needs are ease of entry for Rocky with his medical
issues, room to easily load and carry both of our walkers in the trunk (need a
large trunk), and the car should be large enough to protect us if it crashes or
someone hits us. That requires a well built auto like a Mercedes or Cadillac.
Both have models on the used market at the prices I mentioned above. But all
such cars have 70,000 to 110,000 miles on their odometer. Both models, however,
are well made and should last many thousands of miles more if we don’t push
them. All we need is local transportation to doctors, drug stores, food markets
and the occasional Target for clothing. E-commerce has simplified much of our
shopping needs, and we don’t travel anymore so, the car should last until I can
no longer drive. Of course, we have lingering doubts about reliability. I have
owned older cars with more than 100,000 miles on their odometers. They were
reliable but not our only means of transportation.
Of course, I worry about the perception of others toward us
having a fancy but old car. I can’t control what others think, however, so I’ll
leave that topic alone. The issue mulled over above really has much to do with
the limits imposed by finances and age. I am trying to manage toward a soft
landing out of consideration for both age and finances. It pays to be realistic.
It also helps to know yourself well and live well for all the right reasons. Things
don’t matter. But money doesn’t matter either; I simply cannot take anything
with me where I’m going at the end of life. None of us can.
The issue is to do the best you can with what is available. Knowing
all the facts is tougher than making reasonable decisions, however. You all
will know what I mean when this special time arrives in your lives.
Wish us well.
October 13, 2021
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