It's funny. I have owned quite a few cars in my life, and have NEVER bought new. Always figured I would let some other sucker take the "showroom floor" hit, and buy it (n)used a year later for way less. However, I bought both my 05 and current 07 Tige's new. The deal I got on both was just too good. We paid cash for both, but my wife and I are both pretty good about saving our $ for the fun things in life.
A ton of our friends went and bought McMansions when the real estate market was booming, thinking they would make a fortune on them in 5-10 years. We decided to stay in our townhouse since we really didn't need the room, and didn't want to be house poor. 8 years later, and unfortunately, many of my friends are struggling just to make their mortgage payments, and we are still living comfortably within our means.
It all comes down to priorities as most have already stated. My 14 year old would rather be on the lake then anywhere else, as would my wife and I. There is no way I could ever be without a boat of some kind. I have owned boats since I was in my teens (13ft Whaler, haha) and have had them in my family since birth. Boating is in my blood, and always will be. I will sacrifice in other areas to get my boat fix!
A ton of our friends went and bought McMansions when the real estate market was booming, thinking they would make a fortune on them in 5-10 years. We decided to stay in our townhouse since we really didn't need the room, and didn't want to be house poor. 8 years later, and unfortunately, many of my friends are struggling just to make their mortgage payments, and we are still living comfortably within our means.
It all comes down to priorities as most have already stated. My 14 year old would rather be on the lake then anywhere else, as would my wife and I. There is no way I could ever be without a boat of some kind. I have owned boats since I was in my teens (13ft Whaler, haha) and have had them in my family since birth. Boating is in my blood, and always will be. I will sacrifice in other areas to get my boat fix!
The housing market out here in Reno Nevada is really BAD! Nevada is, or at least was, the #1 state in the US for foreclosures. There was so much predatory lending going on out here. My wife and I waited until we thought the market had hit ROCK bottom before we bought our first house. The neighborhood we live in is only 4 years old, and about half of the houses in here are for sale / being foreclosed on, and there are more about to go up for sale because their 5 year ARMs are about to hit.
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