Happy Birthday....To Me!

Yes, it's my birthday and I've already received birthday greetings from my other reader. Thank you!

My husband was going to take me out to dinner last night, but I ended up spending the afternoon at Midas having my van worked on...to the tune of over $750.00. Well, it's better than a sock in the eye, I guess. I've got a good vehicle, and with proper maintenance will do well for several more years to come. And after only a few more months of car payments, the monthly payment can be banked toward future repairs. And I always like banking money instead of paying it out.

As my heroine Maxine says, "Take every birthday with a grain of salt. This works much better if the salt accompanies a Margarita."

Salute!

To Buy or To Lease, That is the Question

While my van was being worked on yesterday, I took a short walk to the local Nissan dealer. I really wasn't wanting to buy (and didn't); just wanted to take a walk and also to see what they had for sale.

As I was wandering through the vehicles, a salesman came up. He introduced himself as Tom and asked if he could help. I explained that I was just looking at the moment, just getting a feel for what Nissan had to offer.

After talking about my vehicle needs, he showed me a Nissan Quest. I'm not sure whether it was a 2006 or 2007, but it was nice (I didn't like the colors, but that's another story). It had more than we needed (such as a DVD system), but I did like that the seats folded flat and the rear seat actually folded down into a well making the cargo area just about as flat as a passenger vehicle could be.

Anyway, back to the original premise of this post, he asked if I were interested in a lease. In the past, I would have run screaming from a lease, I have never believed it was smart to lease if you could buy. Well, after seeing some of the lease options being offered, it might be a viable way to go, depending, of course, on your financial situation and on the conditions of the lease.

But there's the trouble: I haven't looked further into the question than what I've seen in the ads. I have to admit, I do like that the lease payments for a new vehicle can be less than I am currently paying on a used vehicle. Since so many people don't keep a car much longer than what a lease term would be (36-39 months is what I've seen), it might make sense for them. Cars are fairly disposable, after all, or so it seems. I personally keep cars until it's cheaper to trade than repair. Is that the smart way to go?

But what happens at the end of the lease? I know (or think I know) that you have the option to purchase the vehicle, but if you choose to turn it in for another, newer model, can it be used as a down payment? If you compare it to the rental of an apartment or house, you have no equity in the dwelling to use (aside from perhaps a deposit refund). So, if that's the case, you're on the short end if you don't have a down payment to buy it or another vehicle. Can the lease be extended if you really, really like that vehicle?

Okay, my very intelligent readers, can you give me insight into the buy or lease options?

It's An Animal's Life

SOMETIMES YOUR BED JUST FEELS SOOO GOOD!

from email

Interesting that this one appears on my birthday :D It's how I intend to spend a vast part of the day :D

The time has come to end IRS tyranny and oppression by demanding leadership scrap our present tax system in favor of the Fair Tax.

I just signed a national Grassfire petition supporting this move, and I'm urging you to join me by clicking below:

http://www.grassfire.org/84/petition.asp?PID=11559380&NID=1

and here

http://db.fairtaxvolunteer.org/petition.php

Say Thanks and Send A Card

If you go to this web site, Let's Say Thanks you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these?

Whether you are for or against the war, our guys and gals over there need to know we are behind them.

I have done this, please take a few seconds and do like wise!

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

- Robert A. Heinlein

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

Wrinkled was not one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up.

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.

- Mark Twain

These People Vote

Some guy bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: "Free to good home. You want it, you take it".

For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it. He eventually decided that people were too untrusting of this deal. It looked to good to be true, so he changed the sign to read: "Fridge for sale $50".

The next day someone stole it.

These people vote

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

- Roger Caras

God is like ...

the U.S. POST OFFICE ... Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.

Happy Birthday, Judi!

Today is my sister (in-law)'s birthday. You might remember that my brother's birthday was the 4th. Well, as summer is Hurricane Season in Florida, August is birthday season in our family.

I love you sis! I congratulate John for having the good sense to ask you to marry him! And I thank you for accepting him. I, for one, am glad you overcame your personal objections (I should tell my other reader that Judi's objections were not to John in particular) and decided to marry him.

Mom, Dad, and I accepted you because of John, but we came to love you because of you. Thank you for loving us in return.

I knocked at heavens door this morning.

God asked me...My child what can I do for you?

And I said, Father, please protect and bless the person reading this message.

God smiled and answered.........Request granted.