That is the big question floating around in my brain lately!
I am looking to get a new car. I currently drive a 2004 Toyota Corolla. Those things are built to last it feels like. While mine is not breaking apart week by week (trust me...I have had my fair share of HUGE repairs), I drive a lengthy commute to work. It's at least 25 miles there & 25 miles back home. So 50 miles a day times 5 days a week = 250 miles I am putting on my car a week...JUST driving to work! I know some other people drive far for work. But with the amount of snow we had last year in NY and the prediction for this winter, I want something a little bigger.
I have had my heart set on a CR-V. So I went and looked last weekend with my mom. I have done my research for months and it is a highly rated car. Super safe! Love that it comes with the back up camera feature. So we went and looked on Sunday last week and I sat in one. My mom for some reason thought with me being tall it wouldn't be comfortable to drive. Negative! But since I am the type of person that likes to shop around, I knew I wouldn't walk in and buy it. Apparently it is now cheaper to lease the car then to buy it out right at first. You can lease and the monthly payments are pretty cheap. The first dealership I went to was $229 a month for a 3 year lease. I didn't think that was terrible. If I bought it, it would be $399 a month. Again, not terrible but with my student loans I am trying to pay off, I would rather not have something that high. Plus they had a dark blue CR-V which I loved!
So I went to another dealership on Friday night and looked. It was the one my aunt & uncle buy all their Hondas from. Apparently I would only have to pay $299 a month with a .96% interest. The monthly payments to buy it would be $469. The lower payments of leasing are really appealing to me because it is something I can afford.
So I am kinda stuck. I am not sure to lease or to buy. If I lease I have the option to buy it out in the end. My brother asked his friend who does car auctions about it and he said that they almost "push" leashes on you because if you trade it back in, they can make more $$ off it. He is going to see if he can get me a CR-V at an auction with low mileage on it (like 3000). I am not opposed to having a certified pre-owned car...my current car came off a 2 year least with 25,000 on it which is not terrible. (All the pre-owned certified ones at the dealerships have like 50,000+ miles on them ALREADY!). I almost feel like leasing and buying out in the end would be a better option. Yes, I might have to pay more then I would want to in the end but I am looking to make this my first big adult purchase. And its a big one!
I hope to have it figured out soon and in my car by the time the winter is really here!
Monday, October 26, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
Life's musings
We are finally into the second month of school. It's hard to believe that summer flew by in some regards and in other regards, it dragged on. I still need to blog about my Disney vacation [because who does not love Disney?!]!
The first month of school was a bit discombobulated. Teachers started 9/1 with professional development day, kids came the next day. Then we had a 3 day weekend because of labor day. Then it was a 4 day weekend because we had off for the Jewish Holidays. The week after that, we had Wednesday off for Yom Kippur. So it wasn't until September 28th that we had the FIRST full week of school. Crazy!
My schedule changed a bit the first month of school but it should be going back to my original schedule on Wednesday. Getting to know my one class of my French kiddies has been interesting. I only have 24 kids (15 girls and 9 boys) with 2 sets of twins in the class! Last year I had one set of twins. The boys are probably going to give me a run for my money because they still have elementary school behavior ("He took my pencil!"). Overall, it has been an interesting start.
I didn't pass my French CST test the second time I took it and I need to retake it. I could have taken it this month but did not feel prepared. So I decided to wait until February to take it. Give myself more time to study (which, let's face it, I need to start doing!!!). I can take it February, April, and July if necessary before they change the format for the 2016-2017 year. It is one of my goals to get it because once my friend Ronny, the other French teacher, retires, I would love to remain in the middle school and just teach the 6,7,8 French classes AND then some Spanish classes. I don't want to give up my primary love of Spanish!
I am super excited though to be chaperoning the trip with Ronny to Quebec in February. Originally, she wanted to go the first weekend in March (because we would be gone Monday & Tuesday which is Foreign Language Week) but that is the weekend April is getting married. And I am the maid of honor in her wedding. So Ronny was gracious enough to change it to the weekend before! So, we leave on a Saturday morning and come back Tuesday night. I am super excited because I have always wanted to go. It should definitely be an interesting trip.
I went to get fitted for my dress for April's wedding but the one she wanted is no longer available to order which would've been nice for David's Bridal to have told me when I WALKED INTO THE STORE as opposed to AFTER I tried on a dress somewhat similar to it. They didn't even have it in the store "yet" as they said so I had to try on the strapless version. Oh well. As long as I get one soon, it'll all be okay!
The first month of school was a bit discombobulated. Teachers started 9/1 with professional development day, kids came the next day. Then we had a 3 day weekend because of labor day. Then it was a 4 day weekend because we had off for the Jewish Holidays. The week after that, we had Wednesday off for Yom Kippur. So it wasn't until September 28th that we had the FIRST full week of school. Crazy!
My schedule changed a bit the first month of school but it should be going back to my original schedule on Wednesday. Getting to know my one class of my French kiddies has been interesting. I only have 24 kids (15 girls and 9 boys) with 2 sets of twins in the class! Last year I had one set of twins. The boys are probably going to give me a run for my money because they still have elementary school behavior ("He took my pencil!"). Overall, it has been an interesting start.
I didn't pass my French CST test the second time I took it and I need to retake it. I could have taken it this month but did not feel prepared. So I decided to wait until February to take it. Give myself more time to study (which, let's face it, I need to start doing!!!). I can take it February, April, and July if necessary before they change the format for the 2016-2017 year. It is one of my goals to get it because once my friend Ronny, the other French teacher, retires, I would love to remain in the middle school and just teach the 6,7,8 French classes AND then some Spanish classes. I don't want to give up my primary love of Spanish!
I am super excited though to be chaperoning the trip with Ronny to Quebec in February. Originally, she wanted to go the first weekend in March (because we would be gone Monday & Tuesday which is Foreign Language Week) but that is the weekend April is getting married. And I am the maid of honor in her wedding. So Ronny was gracious enough to change it to the weekend before! So, we leave on a Saturday morning and come back Tuesday night. I am super excited because I have always wanted to go. It should definitely be an interesting trip.
I went to get fitted for my dress for April's wedding but the one she wanted is no longer available to order which would've been nice for David's Bridal to have told me when I WALKED INTO THE STORE as opposed to AFTER I tried on a dress somewhat similar to it. They didn't even have it in the store "yet" as they said so I had to try on the strapless version. Oh well. As long as I get one soon, it'll all be okay!
Billy Joel Concert!
I apparently never blog anymore. No worries....I am still alive!
On September 25th, I took my mom to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden in NYC! It was her combined birthday/Mother's Day/retirement gift. She has always wanted to see him as I have wanted to see him too. I would have tried to get tickets to his show at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island (he played the LAST concert EVER there) but the tickets were too expensive.
I got floor seats and they were pretty good! No, they were not right in front of the stage but that's okay! I used my iPhone to take pictures but sometimes they don't come out the best. Maybe its because I need to update my software! [Or get a new phone since it says I cannot update the software!]
What's really cool about Billy Joel is he has SO MUCH material that his set list is never the same every month at MSG. One of the employees was telling us that for the first three shows when he started playing there, he didn't play "We Didn't Start the Fire" (a classic!). Then the fourth show, he played it.
He definitely played my favorites, "We Didn't Start the Fire", "Uptown Girl", "Piano Man", and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." There were some songs I would have liked to hear but it was a FANTASTIC show! Well worth the money and the best part was my mom had a blast. She deserved it!
On September 25th, I took my mom to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden in NYC! It was her combined birthday/Mother's Day/retirement gift. She has always wanted to see him as I have wanted to see him too. I would have tried to get tickets to his show at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island (he played the LAST concert EVER there) but the tickets were too expensive.
I got floor seats and they were pretty good! No, they were not right in front of the stage but that's okay! I used my iPhone to take pictures but sometimes they don't come out the best. Maybe its because I need to update my software! [Or get a new phone since it says I cannot update the software!]
What's really cool about Billy Joel is he has SO MUCH material that his set list is never the same every month at MSG. One of the employees was telling us that for the first three shows when he started playing there, he didn't play "We Didn't Start the Fire" (a classic!). Then the fourth show, he played it.
He definitely played my favorites, "We Didn't Start the Fire", "Uptown Girl", "Piano Man", and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." There were some songs I would have liked to hear but it was a FANTASTIC show! Well worth the money and the best part was my mom had a blast. She deserved it!
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