"Financial" problems

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Giancarlo

Giancarlo

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I need ideas for a way to make a quick buck. About 4,000 of them.

My family isn't trouble or anything, and i don't need a kidney transplant, i just want a first car. A 1974 fully restored Volkswagen Beetle. Red with white sides, lowered, VW Bus engine (moving it from the stock 35hp to 65hp), and no A/C.

My brother says he might help me pay for it, but i still need to make some cash. I'm 15 and turn 16 in May, but time is kind of a factor here. The seller's not going to wait a year. Considering what a good deal this is, i don't think i can turn it down.

Any ideas of what i can do to make that kind of money? What would you do in the situation? Any advice is greatly appreciated...
 
$4,000? Working would be a start, but that depends on how long it'll take to get you started. If you can play an instrument or something, try getting a permit and busking on the street. Getting a job would be the best way.

You could even get your parents to pay what you can't, get a job, and eventually pay the rest back to them. You're 15, so that's a good bargain for your parents to show them that you can be trustworthy and reliable in paying off debts.

I can't think of anything else, but good luck with it. 👍
 
Yeah that does sound best, and it was what i was thinking. But i really hate being in debt to people.

Thanks all the same, Jimmy.
 
If you could get a job, $100 a month would pay for a $4000 loan for 3.9 years at 8.25%. Of course that's a long time, but you could get it paid off even quicker. Are you paying for gas, insurance, mechanical problems?

*edit* Also, where do you live? Is the Beetle a practical car year round?
 
I don't think i'll be paying full. It's obviously impossible to do it in a short enough time. I'm not sure about gas, but i know insurance would be very cheap. It only has 200 miles, so hopefully mechanical problems won't be an issue.

I live in Florida, so a Beetle with no air conditioning isn't exactly practical. But it only costs about $300 to install it.
 
I'm in a similar bind... I'm going to need $1500 by the time my school year ends. I've officially pulled all my stuff off my desktop due to all the arguements I've gotten in with my parents and sister and getting everything needed for my next pc will be bloody expensive (monitor, desk, speakers, etc.). I've got a job already, it's paying a good $10/hour cash so I get $100/week but I don't think my boss can afford to keep me for much longer :(. What's both good and bad is that my credit card only has a $500 limit. It keeps me from spending too much and if I do max it out, I won't have as much debt to pay off
 
Giancarlo
I need ideas for a way to make a quick buck. About 4,000 of them.
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Photocopy? ;) (Kidding!, for those of you who'd scorn me.)

Anyway, that's a toughie, because many employers hate hiring 15-year-olds… I can't find any place here that'll hire anybody under 17.

Do your parents not have a car for you to use when you get your license?
 
new drivers are at 75% risk of getting in to an accident. poof, your insurance rates go sky high. I wouldn't do it.
 
PS
new drivers are at 75% risk of getting in to an accident. poof, your insurance rates go sky high. I wouldn't do it.
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Agreed. Insurnace rates are the only thing separating me from a 240SX (I'd be looking at at least $4,000 a year). But, maybe insurance is cheaper in Florida, as opposed to the absolutely criminal rates being charged in Ontario.
 
i think no matter where you live its criminal rates for young drivers.

Well id go with jimmy 👍, his idea is your best bet
 
If you can get a loan from a bank that is the route I would go. Have your parents co-sign and prove to them you can pay them back.
$4,000! Not only are you going to need a job, but you will need a reliable, steady job and thats not easy to find at your age since your hopefully still in school. You will have to keep a steady job to pay for insurance every month, gas, and dont forget the most important thing. Repairs on the car because they do break down. Dont forget the oil changes. If its a manual tranny you will probably need a clutch pack after a year since your a beginner driver. Tires. Dont forget brakes, radiator hoses and all the other goodies since you live in hot Florida.
Conclusion- JOB
 
I hate to give adivice to an eager young driver who is excited about getting that first car, but the absolute best course of action for you as you start your lifelong driving career is to be put on as a secondary user on your parents' insurance and use one of their cars until you get a little older and have a better job that pays enough so you can cover the cost of everything associated with getting a car.

Most teenagers don't realize that the additional expenses are usually more than the initial cost of a used car. Seeing as this Beetle has had an engine transplant and that it's an INCREDIBLY old car to begin with, I don't think it's a wise choice. You're buying it for style and prestige more than for practicality. I was the same way when I bought my first car, a 1988 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Fleetwood with a 5.0 litre engine. I was 19, and it was an old car not associated with young drivers, so the insurance was only about CAD $110 a month, and the repairs were virtually nil because it was a big old piece of Detroit rolling thunder, but the gas was ATTROCIOUS! The thing had a 90 litre tank and it would cost between $70-$80 to fill it, and even then I could only go for about 300 km on that (not sure how this translates to American $ and gallons and miles, but trust me, it sucks no matter which side of the border you live on).

Anyway, I know it's incredibly hard for you to see it from an older person's perspective, but I've been in your shoes and I know how you're feeling about getting that first car. My advice is to let it go, because you'll be sorry. Taking the time to get a job and put more than enough money aside to buy something is ALWAYS preferable to scrambling around to beg, borrow or steal just enough to buy the thing.
 
Anderton Prime pretty much summed up everything I didnt say in my reply.
Its true, straight up, and painful but thats how its is.
I would say this topic is over. Nice summary Anderton. 👍
 
Watch goen in 60 seconds like 10 times, take notes...then, go steal it with the knowledge that you've gained. not only did you not have to pay a dime to have it, ( unless you rented gone in 60 seconds ) but if you did have any $$ saved up, it can go right to licensing and insurance...

OR

Wait till you can actually afford it, get a job save your money, go to college, reach your full potential, and finaly, when that sweet day comes when you have an extra 4 g's laying around ( which will be when your about 45-50 years old, after paying off school loans, paying your wives money from your first and second divorce, then you can go an get your sweet ryde, the 1974 beetle, which will be approx. 50 years old. ( if still running it will be worth much more than that though, so you are pretty much outa luck )
 
I was thinking of being a secondary under my parents on the insurance anyway. That most likely will happen. A car with 4 gears that's made for cruising at 30 isn't going to have very high insurance.

I'll have to see what happens. But to be honest i don't think this really is going to happen.
 
How about selling some stuff on eBay? I mean stuff you don't want, need or you no longer use, of course. That, combined with a job, could help. I'm friends with people who basically earn all of their money off eBay ... it's like their own little business.

Still, try to get a job. It helps immensely.
Sage
Anyway, that's a toughie, because many employers hate hiring 15-year-olds… I can't find any place here that'll hire anybody under 17.
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Depends. Where I'm from, most kids start working at 15. I started at 14, although it was only a holiday job in a warehouse. Still, I was earning $300 a week.
 
Anderton Prime
I hate to give adivice to an eager young driver who is excited about getting that first car, but the absolute best course of action for you as you start your lifelong driving career is to be put on as a secondary user on your parents' insurance and use one of their cars until you get a little older and have a better job that pays enough so you can cover the cost of everything associated with getting a car.

Most teenagers don't realize that the additional expenses are usually more than the initial cost of a used car.

[snip]

Anyway, I know it's incredibly hard for you to see it from an older person's perspective, but I've been in your shoes and I know how you're feeling about getting that first car. My advice is to let it go, because you'll be sorry. Taking the time to get a job and put more than enough money aside to buy something is ALWAYS preferable to scrambling around to beg, borrow or steal just enough to buy the thing.
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That's great advice. My first car was a 10 year old Ford Fiesta with a 957cc engine. It cost more to insure than it did to buy.
 
i'd help you also, but I have no ideas.

The last time I wanted something, I think it was GTA: San Andreas, anyways, I saved up my dinner money for a few weeks that my Nan (who I live with) kept giving me everyday.

£3 every day out of my Nan's pension I suppose...Yes, it is probably as bad as stealing but who cares, I was desperate!
 
So how do you feel about your body? How olds you neighbour hood (mid 50s perhaps)?

Ok I'll stop there, I think you know what I'm getting at but don't, not that I think you would.

Man, too much thinking.
 
ExigeExcel
So how do you feel about your body? How olds you neighbour hood (mid 50s perhaps)?

Ok I'll stop there, I think you know what I'm getting at but don't, not that I think you would.

Man, too much thinking.
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Sadly, everyone in the Neighbourhood is about 50yrs old. I only live with my Nan cos my Dad is always working and my Mum has divorced my Dad, and she lives elsewhere, so my Nan looks after me, y'know, kind of a replacement parent now my Mum has gone...

Eat this...I did have £2500 in my Halifax Building Society when I was 7yrs old.

But, cos my Mum had control of the account, when she went to court to divorce my Dad, she nicked my money in the account to pay for court costs...

Women + Money = DISASTER!
 
ExigeExcel
Man that sucks, I'd slap you mother silly.
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:lol:

I know, I still want to...

But, my Dad (god bless him) has been gradually paying it back in hope that it will atleast be at the £2500-£3000 mark again to help me if I go to University.

Has anyone else been screwed over like this?
 
I'm also looking to buy my first car but with my current job anything seems way out of reach. i currently get about £40 each week cash in hand. Although i do have an interview at Pizza Hut this wednesday so if i get the job thinbgs should be slightly better.

I too would like an Air cooled Vee Dubbut they seem too expensive and not really suitable as a first car. My dad has a red 72 bug and a tatty 73 green and white bay. Neither has a working heating system so are pretty bad for winter driving. Another thing which puts me off buying a VW as firstg car is that they are soo damn slow, not that i'd drive particularly fast but Beetle has a top speed of 60 and Van about 50Mph. :( stock engines :(

If i bought one as a new driver any performance mods would make insurance go up even higher (My brother is payin 3 times the value of his car already and that's just a stock 1.2 Ford Fiesta)

One the other hand aircolded VW's are coolness on wheels Good look
 

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