tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38606399.post5534027838448443716..comments2023-09-23T00:38:53.296-07:00Comments on Money and Such: Keeping Up with Mr. JonesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38606399.post-45700660232536846512007-09-27T17:19:00.000-07:002007-09-27T17:19:00.000-07:00I'm not saying to give in or anything, but I wonde...I'm not saying to give in or anything, but I wonder if you could take a different tactic to acheive "status." I live in the same area as you and it seems to me there are lots of Prius' and Mini Coopers on the road. I never thought of these people as driving a cheap car, but looking up to them for thinking of the environment. If your Geo starts needing replacement, maybe you can get a price efficient car that brings a little status in a different way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38606399.post-91893395565024488662007-09-27T10:53:00.000-07:002007-09-27T10:53:00.000-07:00I'm with the top two posts. Though I drive a few y...I'm with the top two posts. Though I drive a few year old Taurus (2002) I'm planning on keeping it until around 2012 if it will keep going. <BR/><BR/>Unless your a real estate agent and you need a 'real estate car' then I would really avoid the urges. <BR/><BR/>I would be willing to bet your son will grow up in a much better person if you just spend more time with him and teach him how to respect other people.Traciatimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07939921958167371917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38606399.post-70610906023785745312007-09-27T10:08:00.000-07:002007-09-27T10:08:00.000-07:00Don't give in. It's better for him in the long run...Don't give in. It's better for him in the long run. I grew up in Saratoga, and everyone's parents had nice cars and kids always had nice clothes, but I came from a military family and my parents were really thrifty and they drove, guess what? A geo prism (they still have it too). I never felt inferior to my classmates because of this. If anything it taught me that material things don't really matter, and that people like me for who I am, not what kind of car my parents have. Don't teach your kid that material things are important, teach him that value is. I'm so glad my parents taught me how to be thrifty and not to worry about material status. I'm a much happier person for it, I truly believe that. That said, you don't want to drive around in a completely unkept car, as people will start to wonder if it safe, and they will start to wonder what conditions are like at home. There's definitely a difference between a thrifty car, and a neglected car. You don't want to give the impression that other things in your life are neglected too. So I think that $300 spent was a good idea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38606399.post-66736145521692407862007-09-27T08:57:00.000-07:002007-09-27T08:57:00.000-07:00My dad's former employer (owner of a small compute...My dad's former employer (owner of a small computer company) *loved* picking up his high school son driving his old GEO Metro. The car was very old and rusty (this is Minnesota where salt to melt snow rusts cars fairly quickly). The son would plead with his father, "Can't you drive Mom's car?" It was a computer company in the late 90s/early 2000s, so all employees were paid well, and most of them drove old, rusty vehicles and were proud of it. Make it a point of pride: "Wow! Our car has 150,000 miles on it and it still runs. We're awesome! I wonder if we can make it to 200,000!"<BR/><BR/>Your son will be okay as long as you don't forbid all the pleasures in school life (i.e., allow him to play a sport/join an activity--maybe not all he wants, but at least a few; let him take school trips that you think are pointless). <BR/><BR/>(Keeping the car looking nice, even if it is older/cheaper is important, too.)thisisbethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08764018111806835434noreply@blogger.com