Happy Monday! I sure hope everyone is trying to get back into their groove for their new week!
I thought today’s blog post would be a personal post and write it in hope that it will motivate someone. I mean, it is “Motivational Monday” 😉
With yesterday marking it a month since I got my first car, yeah, you heard it right.. My first car and with this weekend making it a priority to make the first payment, I thought I would write about it.
I am the last sibling in my large family and while growing up, I’ve had to watch each of my brothers and sisters grow and become adults in their own way and at their own times. Each one of them has had to purchase their own car, me being the last child, that did not change. Our parents have not helped us, maybe with their advice, but financially we have had to get it ourselves. At times I have felt frustrated that my parents couldn’t help us financially. I mean, in high school and the beginning of college, I just wanted my own car and be able to have freedom, if that makes sense. But as I am growing up, I am happy my parents haven’t helped us with our cars. Why? Because we value our own purchases SO much more. We have worked hard for our cars and it makes it that much sweeter knowing it was purchased with our own money, with out anyone’s help.
At the end of the year, last year, I finally made the decision to get a credit card. I would have to build my credit if I wasn’t going to purchase my car with just cash, right? The best part of getting this credit card, it was 0% interest rate for the first year! YAY! That is the perfect amount of time. Â At the bank, I was told by 6 months, which would be June 2015, I would be able to get a car. So, I used that credit card to help with business needs. Such as a new camera body, lenses, random/unexpected business expenses, etc. With paying more than my monthly bill needed + on time, I continued to have a great credit score.
With the mindset of getting a car in July, it had to change. In March, I made the decision to go across the country to attend Hope Taylor’s Senior Photography workshop in August. You can visit that blog post HERE. I also took more time off to visit family there in Virginia. So, my goal of having a car in July was on hold because I had to save money for my trip. I continued to save, but a good chunk went to the trip. So, my mindset of when to purchase my car would take place around the holidays or early next year. Well, that quickly changed after some thought + some research.
 Only a few weeks after arriving back home from Virginia, I was at the gym working out and listening to Pandora. On Pandora, there was an ad for Toyota. I stopped for a minute to listen. They were trying to get rid of all their 2015 cars.. Which would mean I would most likely get a great deal because they are trying to push those cars out of their lot. This was perfect because I was wanting a Toyota! I came home from the gym to talk to my dad about it. David was with my that evening too and with his help + advice, I decided I really want to see what I can do if we can get the deal low enough. We then decided we would go check out what they had on a Friday. I still had the thought of JUST looking, but according to my dad, who knows me pretty darn well, “I knew you would get a car!”
When I was at the dealership, of course the dealer was trying to get the car sold, but I knew I would be strong enough to say, “No,” if I really was not ready to have a car. But it wasn’t him that made me say yes. It was my own mind and heart. When I was there and test drove the 2015 Sport Edition of the Toyota Camry, that was also a demo at the Special Olympics (So it was considered “used” even though it had less than 20 miles), and only $800 more compared to a used car.. I knew that 1. I wanted that NEW car, 2. I would want to lease it so it would be more affordable and better choice for my business, and 3. that I can take this JUMP and HAVE this car!
I was scared. I really was. I was scared and nervous for plenty of reasons. I am only 20 and I am going to be dropping a lot of money on this car and then I will have a big bill each month to take car of. Was I really ready for it? Between the battle of still sharing a car with my dad (which was not bad at all… until we both had business appointments to take of and had miscommunicated or wrote something wrong on the calendar) and having that bill each month, I ended up just going for it! I took the LEAP! I took the JUMP! I did it!! I made the decision to have the car. I left that dealership PROUD! I put money down, I got a great deal and made the monthly car payment in my budget, and what made me even more proud of myself is that I had NO co-signer! My dad and boyfriend were right by my side and the dealer kept trying to have them help me out, but I was strong and kept denying the help. I wanted to get this car myself and I did it!
This past month has been amazing! I have been able to go to shoots, appointments, etc. with out having to worry about if I was taking the car when my dad needed it. When I am driving, I feel happy! I just want to continue to drive and drive some more!
Of course, I’ve had to be cautious of my money. Not going out to eat as much or spending too much here and there, has been a bit of a struggle, but I am getting use to it. I also have to keep in mind that some months business is busy and some aren’t. With the months ahead that might be slow, I will still have that money to pay for my bills, because I am learning to save my money even more than I did before.
Taking these leaps have been adventurous and such a learning experience. Just as the photo above says, “If you don’t try, you’ll never know!” If I never went and tried to get a car, I would not be here happy with my purchase and happy to know that I am learning more on how to save, to make sure I can make these car payments monthly, on top of my other monthly bills. 🙂
I hope plenty of my friends + followers take a leap, big or small, this week or this month to better their future! 🙂
XOXO,
Shelby Danielle
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