I agree with this philosophy for the most part. I also understand that not everybody can do this.

The only time I would want to finance would be a “zero interest, zero down” offer. That is, if you TRULY do invest that payment amount in an interest building account or an historically appreciating tangible asset. Most folks will use that logic but won’t actually do it. That cash quickly gets earmarked for something else. Talking about it doesn’t count.

The idea is to save up for years ahead of time for that toy and then go write the check. If you can bite the bullet like that just ONE TIME, you can do it from now on. But it takes discipline and your wife has to be on board with the planning and mindset or it won’t work.

It’s not an issue of being rich or well off, it’s just a mindset for financial planning even if you mop floors for a living, and not listening to advice from people that don’t practice what they preach. I’ll bet that everybody can point to a person that has nice things because they learned how to sacrifice and not keep up with the Joneses.

You will also notice that the zero down/zero interest deals won’t ever be offered for fast sellers with all the goodies on it.

I didn’t post that to start a fight, just to make a point. I had NOBODY in mind by saying that.

Y’all worry a lot about what other people spend their money on. Js.

Also, complaining about $100,000 trucks being available is like complaining that there are $5,000,000 houses on the lake

If you don’t want one, don’t buy one.

We’ll f’k me running I agree. Ol JBC Laying down some common sense!

There’s also a value in actually having what you want when you want it. Not necessarily for toys, but if you want your kids to grow up with a lake house/beach house/hunting camp etc,.... saving for 20 years and paying cash doesn’t do a damn thing to help with them growing up doing that

As others have said, it’s all about not exceeding your own personal limits

I can’t think of anything worse than laying on my death bed wishing I had lived a little while I was alive

I absolutely agree. I also believe that the lake house used as an example is a tangible, historically appreciating asset. That was an excellent post.

I hate to sidetrack ya'lls sidetrack, but anyone finding any good deals on new trucks?

Outback has a gently used one for sale

Apologies, Acorn.

I don't disagree. Sometimes I just have to say (candidly about myself) "I know it's not mathematically justifiable, it doesn't make prudent financial sense, but dammit I wanted it." I can give very good financial advice that I don't follow myself.....much of this comes down to our own arbitrary views. There's no way in frozen Hell I'd buy an $80,000 crew cab diesel 4x4, but I paid $50K for a bass boat, and probably most of the guys driving those $80K trucks would say "there's no way in frozen Hell I'd buy a $50K boat."

It's just our own arbitrary limitations, perhaps formed by our raising, or whatever. For me, I prefer "short term" financing, and I have a "mental comfort zone" for the payment. And it's not even based on a budget, but moreso just an opinion of worth..."is this item worth (insert payment amount and length of term) to me?" Am I going to be sick of it well before the loan pays off? That kind of stuff.

I tend to shop in the $20K range for vehicles because I can do 36 months for $550-ish a month. But for example, there's no way on earth I'd do $500 for 60 months, not even 48 months, on a truck. It's not worth it to me, I guess I don't "want" it bad enough, or my image isn't wrapped up in it (isn't that really why we buy these things?). I financed my bass boat for 8 years, and had the worst consumers remorse ever!!!!!!! But then again, I know that 90% of them out there are financed for nearly twice that long. I'm paying $500/mo for that Ranger boat, and I've had it 3 years (I still owe 5 years on the dumb thing). But I could sell it for a profit today. If I had done the usual 12-15 years, I'd be BURIED in negative equity.

The great part about paying cash for something is not asking permission from someone to buy. And also not having to wonder if you can afford it. The money is sitting right there in your account. Human needs are finite. Human wants are never satisfied.