Car Drama

So Tuesday I go to get into my car to go to work and... it doesn't start. WTF? It was working fine yesterday. I try over and over and over... but no dice. I called my work to tell them I was going to be late. I then called my coworker, whom I'm going to call The Director from now on, to see if he could come and get me. He said "absolutely!" What a great guy. Here is a rundown of my day...

Called the place where I get my oil changed.

He recommenced at place to take my car.

Went to work for two hours.

Called the tow truck guy.

Got my car towed. :-(

Had to WALK home from the car place... took me like a half an hour. Not too bad but I had to walk on a busy street. No sidewalks... a little scary.

The Director picked me up on his lunch break so I could go back to work for a bit.

Got a phone call at work from the mechanic. Here is our conversation.

Mechanic: It's not good news.
Me: Ok.
Mechanic: I didn't even want to call you at work, I felt so bad for you.
Me: Getting really scared now. Just tell me. I'm ready.
Mechanic: Well where do I start. My eyes get really big. Well first of all...

Then she begins to tell me everything that is wrong with my poor little Honda. Now it's not a new car by any means. It is a 91 Honda Accord. But you know those cars. They run forever and a day. It was my Mom's before it was mine. I remember I was seven when she bought it brand new. So it has seen its share of ups and downs.

Anyway, I digress. She told me with parts and labor it would be $900 to fix it!!! Oh sh*t! Thats not cool. I can't afford that at all! I can't even afford $400 let alone $900. So I said I'll be over there tomorrow to pay you for the tow and the service charge for looking at it.

So, now I need a new car. My good friend from work said I could borrow her car while she is out of town this weekend and then borrow it next week as well because her fiance will be in Japan, so she was going to drive his car anyway. What a good friend! I am going to wash it for her and vacuum it out before I give it back to her next week. That is the least I can do.

As for a new car. I can't as of now afford a lot. I figured I could afford $200 a month a most. And that is really pushing it. I applied for a loan today at a credit union here in town and look at me I have a credit rating of 766!!! Wow, I'm awesome! Who knew. And I was approved for a 10k loan at 5.4% interest. I was super excited. That is really low. For a 60 month loan at 5.4% interest my payments would come out to be $201.00 a month. Not too bad but still I'm cutting my expenses really thin. I'm hoping to get a better job within the next couple of months. Or else I will be totally screwed.

As for a new car... well a new used car... I'm not sure what I'm going to get. I'm having a hard time finding exactly what I want and more importantly something I can afford. I would only like to spend 8k so I have money for TTL and put the rest into my savings. But that is proving difficult. Because everything I find for that price either is 5 or more years old or has over 80k miles on it. So that's no good.

Urggg... I'm going car shopping tomorrow with Steph! Thank God for best friends! Where would I be without them.

Ok, after a long conversation with my Mom I'm off to do my budget. Lets see what I can afford. Top 5 worst things ever....