First a little background on me.
I'm 36 years old and have been working in the electronics industry for about 15 years with the last two years of those as an Engineer. About 15 years ago I went to tech school for my associates degree in EE but never finished (only had about 4 core classes left). Fast forward to about 5 years ago I started working for a software company as a technician troubleshooting electronics and helping with the design of them. As part of my job I work closely with software engineers and took an interest in embedded programming/engineering. So I started taking online classes on edx and amassed a pretty good collection of certificates. I managed to learn several programming languages such as Python C C++ and Java. My employer saw all the hard work I was putting in and promoted me to an Associate Engineer about 2 years ago! I was ecstatic about it! My whole career I wanted to be an engineer and now I finally am one. Although it comes with quite the added responsibility.
Now to the reason for this post.
Back in 2017 I bought the car I wanted so bad. A 2016 Dodge Charger. Although not the trim level I wanted it in I was still overjoyed to be able to get it. Most of my vehicles before this one were just beaters that I paid less than or around $1000 cash for. This beauty was only a year old at the time. Even though I had listened to The Millionaire Fastlane by then I still went against the advice and bought this car on a loan. I wanted it so bad I didn't care and I can afford the payments so I figured why not.
Now the last month or so I have been searching day and night for an "upgrade" to my car. I have been wanting to get an R/T model in a particular color. Well last week I finally found it! Fully loaded and in one of the colors I wanted and at a pretty good price! Today was going to be the day I got it. I had everything all set. I just had to go over to the bank and sign the paperwork for the new loan (another 6 years of debt slavery). On the way there I had so many thoughts running through my head about if I was doing the right thing or being foolish/selfish because I just wanted a faster "cooler" car. Thinking about how even though I know what The Fast Lane preaches I was going to sign up for a new loan anyways ( I should easily be able to finish paying off my existing car in the next 2 years or less if I really stick to it). Many other thoughts too about the economy and wanting to buy a house in the near future and stop renting. Would I be potentially setting myself and my girlfriend up for an unnecessarily rough time financially if something bad were to happen?
Anyways I get all the way to the bank and decide to say F*ck it and call it off. I couldn't deal with the stress of starting over on a 6 year loan again even for as bad as I want that new car. I called up the lady at the bank and told her I changed my mind. Same thing with the car salesman who was equally surprised. I drove home sad that I wasn't going to get my new dream car but proud that I made a more responsible decision. And thinking to myself maybe I just had to go through that mentally stressful time to "grow up" and make the wiser decision.
I just got off the phone with my girlfriend (of 5 years) on her way home from work and she was just as surprised as the salesman that I didn't get it lol. But at the same time glad I thought it through.
No I am making it a point to myself to really focus on getting my fast lane plan going. Back when I bought the car I have now I also bought a few domain names and started a website. A website that I worked on for about a month before I got the car and then...There it sat. Nothing done to it in 3 years! It should be making me good money by now or at the minimum bringing in customers! I lost sight of the plan because I got distracted with the car. I don't totally know what my fastlane path is yet but I am now dedicated to making some sort of progress. I welcome any thoughts and feedback from the forum. I can still change my mind and go get the car. And man is it hard not to!
I'm 36 years old and have been working in the electronics industry for about 15 years with the last two years of those as an Engineer. About 15 years ago I went to tech school for my associates degree in EE but never finished (only had about 4 core classes left). Fast forward to about 5 years ago I started working for a software company as a technician troubleshooting electronics and helping with the design of them. As part of my job I work closely with software engineers and took an interest in embedded programming/engineering. So I started taking online classes on edx and amassed a pretty good collection of certificates. I managed to learn several programming languages such as Python C C++ and Java. My employer saw all the hard work I was putting in and promoted me to an Associate Engineer about 2 years ago! I was ecstatic about it! My whole career I wanted to be an engineer and now I finally am one. Although it comes with quite the added responsibility.
Now to the reason for this post.
Back in 2017 I bought the car I wanted so bad. A 2016 Dodge Charger. Although not the trim level I wanted it in I was still overjoyed to be able to get it. Most of my vehicles before this one were just beaters that I paid less than or around $1000 cash for. This beauty was only a year old at the time. Even though I had listened to The Millionaire Fastlane by then I still went against the advice and bought this car on a loan. I wanted it so bad I didn't care and I can afford the payments so I figured why not.
Now the last month or so I have been searching day and night for an "upgrade" to my car. I have been wanting to get an R/T model in a particular color. Well last week I finally found it! Fully loaded and in one of the colors I wanted and at a pretty good price! Today was going to be the day I got it. I had everything all set. I just had to go over to the bank and sign the paperwork for the new loan (another 6 years of debt slavery). On the way there I had so many thoughts running through my head about if I was doing the right thing or being foolish/selfish because I just wanted a faster "cooler" car. Thinking about how even though I know what The Fast Lane preaches I was going to sign up for a new loan anyways ( I should easily be able to finish paying off my existing car in the next 2 years or less if I really stick to it). Many other thoughts too about the economy and wanting to buy a house in the near future and stop renting. Would I be potentially setting myself and my girlfriend up for an unnecessarily rough time financially if something bad were to happen?
Anyways I get all the way to the bank and decide to say F*ck it and call it off. I couldn't deal with the stress of starting over on a 6 year loan again even for as bad as I want that new car. I called up the lady at the bank and told her I changed my mind. Same thing with the car salesman who was equally surprised. I drove home sad that I wasn't going to get my new dream car but proud that I made a more responsible decision. And thinking to myself maybe I just had to go through that mentally stressful time to "grow up" and make the wiser decision.
I just got off the phone with my girlfriend (of 5 years) on her way home from work and she was just as surprised as the salesman that I didn't get it lol. But at the same time glad I thought it through.
No I am making it a point to myself to really focus on getting my fast lane plan going. Back when I bought the car I have now I also bought a few domain names and started a website. A website that I worked on for about a month before I got the car and then...There it sat. Nothing done to it in 3 years! It should be making me good money by now or at the minimum bringing in customers! I lost sight of the plan because I got distracted with the car. I don't totally know what my fastlane path is yet but I am now dedicated to making some sort of progress. I welcome any thoughts and feedback from the forum. I can still change my mind and go get the car. And man is it hard not to!
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