Tag Archives: dmv

Buying a New Car

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Just when I was getting to thinking that buying a new car would be easy, I was hit with a sharp burst of reality.

I went around 4 used car dealers on Monday, and got good prices on several vehicles that would meet our needs. Today, I went to the bank and got information on our loan options. Next, I need to talk to Kelly and confirm the vehicle selection and have her speak to the bank officer handling our loan with regards to income confirmation. This is where it goes pear-shaped, because the next steps are all specific in what needs to be done when. I need to see the dealer and actually make the purchase, I need the bank to write a money order for the loan, I need to see the DMV with regards to title and registration, and I need to see the insurance company about taking out a policy for the vehicle.

The good news is that we will easily be able to afford the vehicle we want/need. The bad news is that we may need to stretch a little for the up front costs, as well as questions looming over the new tires that the vehicle needs. We also need to deal with proof of income as today was Kelly’s first day of full-time work at her new job.

Hopefully this all works out and we’ll have a new car this week..

Hopeful

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Yesterday afternoon I had a phone interview with 3 members of Rackspace staff based in Herndon, VA. It went very well, I was pleased with how I answered the questions and they seemed to like me as well. I was invited to an onsite interview, and it has been scheduled for Monday morning at 10am.

Basically the job involves building servers from specified parts, testing and installing operating systems using automated processes, and some diagnostic work on running systems.

We’re planning on going to the DMV tomorrow so I can sit for a full drivers license, and I need to read up and make sure I know what to expect. We’ve been working on a small list of things that we can pay for or start saving for already, including paying off the smaller loans and the well over-limit credit card, as well as cell phones and looking for a second vehicle. As summer begins to come to a close we’ll begin looking at houses, and it would be really nice to look into some additional furniture in the not-too-distant future.

We’ll also be able to save a huge amount (expecting in the vicinity of $5-10,000) to start a savings account to use for moving costs and such. So I’m fairly hopeful that I will get the position, though I haven’t made any purchases or done anything silly as yet..

In other slightly worse news, I had to tell a client this morning that her computer was irreparable. I feel particularly bad for her because it is her primary source of income (she uses it to scan and print her artwork for selling in multiples) and has small income also. I agreed to waive all my fees (I’d quoted $30) and that if she could afford $45 for a new computer I’d install all the software as well as restoring the backup I’d taken of her PC. I found a P4 1.8 for $50 on eBay and have bought it, it’s much faster than her P3 800, and has an XP Pro license (vs. the Millennium license she had, with XP Home installed). Hopefully I can have it to her by the end of next week. I’ll also get to scalp her old PC for useful parts (not much. Hard disk goes to the new PC, as will at least the CD-RW. I’ll get memory, video card, 10/100 ethernet and a sound card, and a PSU..?)

Here’s hoping things get better for her in that respect, and that everything else works out for me!