Impetus

I had to part with nearly $1300 yesterday for the first round of car maintenance. While I was expecting it (granted, for only about a week and a half), the act was still not a particularly pleasant one. Quite the opposite, actually, and thus the impetus for my goal of fiscal responsibility. Certainly the greatest amount of money I have ever spent at one time, and one that is more than I receive in a single paycheck. So now I am left with half my rent for the month and about $36 in cash.

Perhaps the most frustrating part is that there is nothing visibly changed about my car! When I bought it last year with 90,000 miles there was no major maintenance done to it- which I didn't know until about 2 weeks ago- and, as I was buying my first car on my own, didn't know to ask. Fortunately there is nothing majorly wrong with it, just time to replace the timing belt, drive belts, brake pads, brake rotors, flush the brake fluid. Fortunate, but frustrating that I have spent all this money and can't see or feel a difference!

I have until March or so to save up an equal amount to replace the exhaust manifold, flush the transmission fluid, the power steering fluid, 120K service......yikes! Too much car detail that I never really cared to know!