Car Shopping . . . but no car payments. . . .

I absolutely detest shopping for a car.  The last two vehicles we purchased were from a car rental company that sells their cars after they are no longer renting them.  Very pleased with our purchases from a quality and a cost standpoint.  You guys know how much I love Dave Ramsey and these vehicles fall into the DR category. 
Sprat is going to need a car this next year at school, Big T gets his car in August. Sprat's new school is a little further out of the city than that first school and the new school allows sophomores to have cars on campus. No, he does not get to pick out what he wants, he will take what we pick out and be happy.  We are now shopping reliable used cars and I have gone back to the rental place.  I have been hawking this website and the lot since it is close to us.  They used to carry a lot of the vehicle I am looking for for Sprat and now they do not have any from this manufacturer. I  am a little bummed and so I have ventured out to the local car lots.  Big mistake, car lots are awful, they want to sell you more car than you want or can afford.  In my case they are trying to sell me more than I want to afford.  I have a dollar amount I am going to spend and I am not going over that for any reason.  I am sticking to my DR plan.  I am not borrowing money to buy this car, we did not borrow to buy the other two and I am not going to for this one either.  Whewww!! It feels good too say that, I will not go into debt for this. 
I will share a little secret too, I am having a little mid - life crisis around this car shopping.  I have found a car that I want and again I have been hawking car websites and such looking for the best deal.  I have had to put that on the back burner till we can get Sprat something to drive but I am still shopping for me.  This will put my mid - life crisis on hold for just a bit because I will not go into debt for my mid-life crisis.  NO more debt for this family!!
Stay tuned for my car shopping adventure.

Used Cars. . .

We have been looking for an inexpensive used car for me to drive when I start work, since Sprat is driving mine to school.  I have looked on every internet auto list there is, or at least it feels that way.   I found something interesting along my journey to a car.  Did you know that the car rental companies sell their cars for a really good price when they can no longer rent them out?  These are the Enterprise and Hertz rentals places.  On a whim last week I drove by one of their used car lots and walked around.  They have some really great deals and the real plus is that you can be pretty sure that these vehicles have been properly maintained with oil changes and tire rotation and things like that.  This would be the ideal place to look for your kid a vehicle when they get ready to drive.  If we did not already have something for Sprat to drive I would most definitely go here over a dealership.
I am taking the car I am looking at to my mechanic today for a once over and if it passes my guys inspection I will have another car.   I am sticking to Dave Ramsey's plan, we are paying cash for this car, I refuse to go into debt with our job situation and we had to have another car so I have a reliable means to get to  work.
I start work on Monday and I am really excited and really nervous.  I am going to have six weeks or so of training so my schedule will be all over the place.  I do not think this position will ever get monotonous and since I will be part time I will be able to still be around for my kiddos.
A lot of things going on at our house this week.  Stay tuned still waiting for feedback on a couple phone interviews for my dear sweet hubby.  I told him to keep the faith that God's plan may be to keep him home till we have made this transition of me going back to work.   It is all happening in His time not ours.