Should this woman still be allowed to collect state aid?

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Exactly what I was thinking! I just bought a brand new Honda Civic last year and it was about $18,000. That's all you need.

And another question... Where the hell are you buying a completely remodeled house for $100,000?! This DEFINITELY is dependent upon where you live.

I dunno, my 2009 Saturn Vue was $21K with my GM discount but by the time you added all the fees, extended warranty, taxes, destination charges, blah, blah, it was $28K so I rounded up to $30K. It was one of the cheapest cars I could find at the time, that I could stomach the appearance of and fit two teenagers in, anyway. Starting MSRP for a Ford Focus is $18, 600 or something like that. Add the basics like an automatic transmission, air conditioning, etc. and you get up there pretty fast.

In the area where this woman lives, you can get a house for that and I was basing it on that. She can get a foreclosure for probably $40K and have the remodeling done herself for probably $25K and get it even cheaper. Housing has tanked here, seriously tanked. My house is worth less than half of what I bought it for 11 years ago. This is the reality in Michigan.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

First things first...spending $30k on a car is modest to you? If I'm spending that kind of money on a car it better be an BMW or an Audi. All of the automakers are making pretty decent vehicles these days that are in the $15k-$20k range (that's modest).

Another thing to consider; She's young, seems to be attractive, and loaded. I'm sure she'll find a spouse who will most likely contribute to the household finances.

I'm also sure she'll be dead broke in 6 years...

When was the last time you bought a car? The Escape I want is about $25,000 and to lease with $1500 is $360/month. WITH a job I can't afford that.

And she's not attractive. She is complete white trash. She'll find a "thug" who sells pills for a living who will eat all her money.

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Exactly what I was thinking! I just bought a brand new Honda Civic last year and it was about $18,000. That's all you need.

And another question... Where the hell are you buying a completely remodeled house for $100,000?! This DEFINITELY is dependent upon where you live.

In Michigan. The houses in my sub are about 3000sq.ft. The house 2 doors down, foreclosed, sold for $142,000. Yep. Good ol Detroit area.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

When was the last time you bought a car? The Escape I want is about $25,000 and to lease with $1500 is $360/month. WITH a job I can't afford that.

I've bought 3 in the last 5 years. One being a 2 year old Escape Limited with under 20,000 miles and all the bells and whistles for just under $18k, a brand new VW GTI for $23k, and a used Land Rover for $25k. I prefer to buy used...much better value for the money.

I really wish I was still in MI. It's frustrating to look at 1500 sq ft houses that need major updating here selling for $200k+. I'd probably own at least three houses right now if I was still living in metro Detroit.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I've bought 3 in the last 5 years. One being a 2 year old Escape Limited with under 20,000 miles and all the bells and whistles for just under $18k, a brand new VW GTI for $23k, and a used Land Rover for $25k. I prefer to buy used...much better value for the money.

I really wish I was still in MI. It's frustrating to look at 1500 sq ft houses that need major updating here selling for $200k+. I'd probably own at least three houses right now if I was still living in metro Detroit.

Wow seriously? My house is almost 3000 and my neighbors is about the same. It was probably work about 300,000 and went for half.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I've bought 3 in the last 5 years. One being a 2 year old Escape Limited with under 20,000 miles and all the bells and whistles for just under $18k, a brand new VW GTI for $23k, and a used Land Rover for $25k. I prefer to buy used...much better value for the money.

I really wish I was still in MI. It's frustrating to look at 1500 sq ft houses that need major updating here selling for $200k+. I'd probably own at least three houses right now if I was still living in metro Detroit.

I've had awful experiences with used cars. They end up in the shop constantly, on my dime. My used Chevy ended up needing a new engine after I'd had it for two years, at only 60,000 miles. Ugh, what a hassle. And I'm certain the used mini-van I had was once in an accident because odd things happened with it shortly after I got it and the rack of the rack & pinion steering cracked 3 times @ $950 a shot. I want to buy a car, take supreme care of it and drive it for 160,000 miles myself. Then I get 8 years out of it.

You don't know that you'd want to own that many houses here because the values are still dropping dramatically. If it ever bottoms out, then its time to buy. In the meantime, you'd probably have 3 houses that are under water. I cannot pay on my mortgage as fast as the value is dropping and it stinks big time. I am so stuck here for at least 10 or 15 more years and my original plan was to sell in 2014 and get a condo (after kids are in college). Instead, I am totally stuck with the maintenance, yard care and snow removal til I'm almost 60 and that really stinks.