How to convince wife that you need to keep your tractor

[asylum575]

My wife and I went through our wants and needs list. She feels the tractor is a want. I explained to her that to maintain our property a landscaper would probably charge $2-300 just for cuts a month plus the treatments. After that, I'm looking at probably $400 a month. That pays my BX bill. We normally live frugally. No credit card debt. Three cars, I may be a little heavy here. My truck would kill me with gas prices, if I had to get rid of my commuter car. I think we're safe. We both have recession proof jobs. I'm in local law enforcement and my wife is a public school teacher. You'll always need cops and teachers. Even with that. we're planning on tightening up a few things. Thankfully most of the major work on our home is done and that will free up some income.
I hope keeping my BX doesn't become an issue later. I'll probably sell my Bandit chipper soon to show a good faith effort to the wife.

[crashz]

My tractor is 20 years old or so, so its not really a topic for debate. I'm not selling it. But I have been considering an upgrade, and since its more toy than tool, I can't justify the upgrade now.

We recently purchased our house a year and a half ago and we realized it needed work. But as of late, everything has been giving us trouble. As of August, I had no credit card debt. right now its about $2000 and hopefully it stops there.

And even though I make a decent salary and my job is fairly secure, this holiday season will be the leanest of all. Luckily we don't have kids to disappoint (yet).

I wish everyone the best in this time. With any luck, the worst time is now and it gets better from here.

[Soundguy]

Originally Posted by Gator6x4

I agree Soundguy. A news article on television the other night stated over fifty million American owed over $17,000.00 on credit cards and were only making the monthly minimum payment to lower the balance. They can't purchase a tank of gas each month on the card, pay the monthly minimum and ever see a reduction in the amount owed. I have a retired friend who lives in the Ocala area in Florida and was/is involved in real estate. He has for approximately one year has been setting on two large homes in gated communities. The payments are eating away at his profits from previous years.

Yep.. lots of people here got stuck flipping houses that no longer sell, and are now worth less than the paper holding them..

soundguy

[Soundguy]

Originally Posted by KeithInSpace

As long as we get to the other side without losing our house, I'll consider it a victory. Crossing my fingers.

Amen to that!

soundguy