[rwfromkansas]

Interesting. I guess I will be able to manage. It just is a bit mind-boggling, since I won't exactly be raking in the dough as a teacher. But, I will manage even though I will be scrimping for some time.

I agree with you about the car. I am just driving my parent's truck right now. I will have to get a car sooner or later, so I am planning on that next year. But, virtually all money is going into college, so I figure I better wait. And once I get a car, get one that is cheap enough the payments won't be exhausting since I will have to worry about student loans anyway. I may have to get an off-campus job next year though...the campus job doesn't pay very much.

Oh well. Thanks for the input.

[Phantom Lord]

I do mortgages for a living and I can not tell you how many times I have had people come to me looking to purchase a home but are unable to get as much money as they would like because they went out and bought a big fancy car with a $500 to $600+ a month payment that just blows their debt-to-income ratio all to hell.

So they keep on renting. If they had only but a $300 a month car instead they would be buying that house they wanted.

Until maintanence costs become a car payment every month or driving the car is unsafe, a beater is the way to go.