First Big Purchase

I got hooked on credit cards pretty early. (Stupid, I know.) It's hard to remember feeling like I ever paid a lot of money for anything, because I pretty much bought what I wanted on credit and paid it off over time. I've always had the feeling that things cost money, and if I don't have enough money now I will later. (Stupid, I know.)

My most vivid memory of a big purchase was my first car. Since I was a baby, I put half of my birthday and other gift money into the bank for the future car. It seemed like a very long time until I turned 16 and we used that money towards a down payment. We found a black 1990 Ford Escort. I loved the car. It had a stick shift, hatchback and tape player, and I stuck a diving sticker on it right away. The hatchback came in handy moving back and forth to college in Illinois, and the car never broke down on me.

Mom made me fill out a contract when we purchased the car. I constantly remember it as good parenting, mostly because I know that Mom would have held me to it if she needed to. I was responsible for making $50 a month payments on the car, had to keep up my grades, couldn't drink and drive, had to drive responsibly (I think there was something in there about tickets), and couldn't let friends drive it.

I am grateful that I had to put my own money into the purchase, and that so much responsibility accompanied the car. It was a big deal.