Betsy, I don't even count my mortgage as my debt. I mean, I know it is. But I try to think of it as a really long lease, with no landlord problems.

I do count other loans (including equity loans, if they were for purposes beyond financing the purchase), and credit cards, and car loans, etc. Right now, I don't think we have any of those save a few thousand on the equity (but it paid for our patio), and maybe $150.00 on our credit card.

Debtwanking the only way I can sleep nights.

Debtwanking the only way I can sleep nights.

I suppose it does relieve tension...

I'm going to go cuddle my smallish, 15 year fixed rate (5.5%) mortgage. No credit card debt. Just one car payment. I'm happy at the moment that I've no need for debt wanking.

Note that's at the moment. This will probably change.

Yeah. We're screwed once we need a new car. We spend too much on housing costs, which would be okay, if we hadn't developed really bad money habits (spilling it like water, basically) when our housing costs were really low. I'm even afraid to type about it, because our good car is the '98. *sigh*

After a eulogistic paragraph on each of the good and decent offspring who stayed in the area, there was a final cryptic sentence: "The (Lastnames) also have one other son, who no longer lives in Minnesota."

You're the Jaye Tyler of your family!

Cindy, our only car is the '98.

It's not allowed to break down. Damn it.

After a eulogistic paragraph on each of the good and decent offspring who stayed in the area, there was a final cryptic sentence: "The (Lastnames) also have one other son, who no longer lives in Minnesota."

So Minnesota=Brigadoon?

I would KILL for a '98, although I am fond of our good car, a '91 Infiniti.

I think we're waiting until this summer to start test-driving minivans. Depending on what DH's raise actually comes through as bring-home, we may also consider buying used.

The Honda's a '97--and the truck is only a two-seater.

Cindy, our only car is the '98.

As is our only truck.

So Minnesota=Brigadoon?

Yup. It's why I never make it to F2Fs. :)

It's not allowed to break down. Damn it.

I hear ya, Plei. Our other car is a '91. It fills up with water. Dh has not done anything about this (like just take it somewhere, to see if we can get that to stop before the bottom rusts out). It is a car, in that we have to pay to insure it, feed it gas and oil, and it still makes it to the train station, and back. Dh better start building his stamina to walk the entire mile+ up hill from the train to our house.

Assuming Chris gets into kindergarten, I will have one brief, blissful year, with all three kids in the same school, and the school is only about 3 blocks away. Of course, they won't all be going at the same times, but...