I think I did it

Thursday, September 08, 2011

I spent the afternoon with my son looking at cars. I was basically told that I was crazy to think that I could get a car under 200,000 miles for under $6,000. Finally, we ended up at a Honda dealer that had a 2001 Saturn L300 with 111,000 miles. After I talked to him about my thoughts on his price, he wondered off for no more than 3 minutes. I was thinking the car was worth $4500 which is less than Kelly Blue Book. He came back and said the same amount.

It was a great riding car and believe me we drove a ton of them. My problem is I am extremely anal about reviews of things I am going to buy and the Saturn has very mixed reviews. My husband says they all do which is very true. I talked to a friend of mine who had a Saturn and absolutely loved it. Of course, now I will drive myself crazy all night worrying about it. I already contacted my insurance company to see how much the insurance would be. I also contacted a company to do a pre-purchase inspection. But, I will keep wondering if I searched enough. I have looked at almost every dealer in my area. They just don't keep that cheap inventory anymore. Wow, they wanted over $7,000 for a 1998 Honda Civic with 225,000 miles. Unbelievable. I could make money on my car lol. I have a 2005 Honda Accord Ex with only 53,000 miles on it.

DH is going to take off work early tomorrow so we can go back and look at the car together. I will say my son got a lot of experience driving all the different cars. Wow, some were really bad. This was the only one that didn't pull to one side or the other or make a horrible noise.
We'll see.

I did get my workout in and I did stick to my diet today :)

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MRS.PRINCIPAL 9/9/2011 6:35PM

I have owned 2 saturns, LOVED them all! They are work horses, and will last forever if you take care of them. Good luck making a decision. Report Inappropriate Comment

EJOY-EVELYN 9/9/2011 6:10PM

Yes! I've noticed with good buys, they can be gone within hours. Hope it's still there for you. Report Inappropriate Comment

LOPEYP 9/9/2011 2:21PM

You are doing a very thorough search and have a sound approach. I'm sure that you'll make a good purchase in the end! Report Inappropriate Comment

TXGRANDMA 9/9/2011 1:47PM

Good luck with the car buying experience! I am like you, I study the reviews before buying. I would definitely recommend either a Honda or Toyota, just like you are looking for! For the price of that Civic, that is just crazy considering the number of miles! You definitely could make money on yours. I have driven Toyotas since 1989, mostly Camrys. I currently have a 2007 Camry that I bought in 2008 for just over 13,000. It had over 33,000 miles which was too much, but right now, it has over 107,000 and is running perfectly, air is cold! Good luck with finding a car. Maybe they would be more reasonable from a private party? Report Inappropriate Comment

KELLEEH 9/9/2011 11:55AM

Good luck with the car! You are very thorough. I never spend a lot of time making decisions... sometime I pay the price! Report Inappropriate Comment

IMIN2GENES 9/9/2011 9:15AM

You sound so much like me. It's kind of funny! The idea of the pre-purchase inspection is fabulous. EVERY car model has mixed reviews. If this one is riding well and running with over 100,000 miles it's probably going to be fine. My parents had a Saturn and loved it! The used car market is pretty tough right now. In some cases, the used cars are priced over new ones. It sounds a lot like this one has good potential. If it gets a clean bill of health from the inspection, I think you found a pretty good deal. Good luck! Chris PS - Does this mean DS got his license? I may have missed that post... sorry. Congrats to him! Report Inappropriate Comment

SARALEIGHM 9/9/2011 7:43AM

Good for you for exhausting all possibilities. It could be that there are no cheap used cars because of the economy. People are keeping their cars if they're decent, and other people are buying used who might have bought new before. More demand, higher prices, and the best ones don't sit around the lot. Good luck! Report Inappropriate Comment

KNITTABLES 9/9/2011 2:24AM

I am sure you and your hubby will find the right car for your son. You are after all looking after his welfare and well being and your peace of mind. Great job on staying on track and getting in your workout. Report Inappropriate Comment

THETURTLEBEAR 9/8/2011 9:51PM

Always a tough decision! I can tell you that used Civics are notoriously overpriced because of popularity. You can find problem reviews on any car I believe. Each car is unique and needs to be judged on its own merits. Report Inappropriate Comment

Busy Day!

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

DS passed his driver's test wohoo! So, we took the money out of his Mutual fund to be able to buy him a car. What happened to the days when $5,000 could buy you a decent car. We spent the entire day at dealerships driving $6,000+ pieces of junk that could barely run.

Tried to do Craigslist. Every time something decent comes on, it is gone in an hour. If they are actually real.

I ate good at breakfast, had McDonald's for lunch, but was still well below my calories for that time of day and had a Turkey Sandwich with no mayo on whole wheat for dinner so I stayed within my calorie range. Haven't checked Sodium yet, but turkey always goes down as a lot of sodium.

Didn't get in formal exercise today, but got a lot of walking in at those car dealerships. Well, we will keep on looking. I just can't get myself to let him drive my car alone. I prefer he has one of his own that isn't worth so much! Don't these dealerships realize that the economy sucks and they should be dealing on these used cars? UGH!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

IMIN2GENES 9/9/2011 9:17AM

Ahhh.. here's the post I missed! Congratulations to your son! That's awesome! And, congrats to you for staying in range and making the day work! Chris Report Inappropriate Comment

STEPHIEKNITS 9/8/2011 6:33PM

Woohoo! He passed, and you stayed within your calorie range! Report Inappropriate Comment

4-1HEALTHYCYNDI 9/8/2011 12:46PM

WOOHOO! Glad he passed this time! I know that looking for a decent used car for little $$ is tough. Keep searching and I know you'll find something. Report Inappropriate Comment

SARALEIGHM 9/8/2011 8:15AM

Yahoo! I remember trying to find a cheap but decent car for my DD when she got her license. Around here, I had to pay around $8000, and that was 9 years ago. I know what you mean about not wanting him to be driving your car. I was lucky. Mine was a manual transmission (still is), and she didn't know (or want to know) how to drive it. Hahahaha. Report Inappropriate Comment

EJOY-EVELYN 9/8/2011 1:06AM

C-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-i-o-n T-i-m-e . . . but not behind the wheel, please. 8-)) May your son find just that right car that you all approve of nicely that happens to fit within your financial budgets. These days, it’s nearly impossible to find that car the little ole lady drove and then stored for years. Cash for Clunkers took a lot of used cars off the market totally and ended up hurting many parts, used car and repair shops. Patience is a virtue! Comment edited on: 9/8/2011 1:07:04 AM Report Inappropriate Comment

THETURTLEBEAR 9/7/2011 11:17PM

Hip Hip Hurray! He passed! I'm so glad for him!! Report Inappropriate Comment

CRAZYDOGLADYBO 9/7/2011 10:35PM

Yeah on son passing test, boo on car dealers! Report Inappropriate Comment

JEANUT 9/7/2011 10:19PM

Congrats for your son Now make up a driving agreement about no texting or talking while driving... not to mention other things. Report Inappropriate Comment

KNITTABLES 9/7/2011 10:18PM

Congrats to your son getting his license and I hope you can find a decent car for him to drive. Well done on staying within you calorie range. Report Inappropriate Comment

DARINGR8LY 9/7/2011 10:09PM

Congrats to your son! For sure if you keep looking you'll find a great car. Have you thought of looking at a Kia? You might be surprised what you can get. I have a Sorento and it runs like a dream. I bought it used (practically brand new). I still got the 100,000 warranty and everything. Comment edited on: 9/7/2011 10:12:14 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

5% challenge ...on a roll

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Did well today. Didn't exercise as much as I normally would have because I thought I was going to the barn, but that didn't happen. My son is doing his 4th attempt at his driver's license and we are going to practice.

I have stayed within my calories today. My sodium is only at 488. I did get in 50 minutes of exercise this morning. We are going to happy hour at a restaurant by us where everything is half off until 6 and I think I will stick with the oysters. Not many calories in those.

I am low on calories today so I may get the po boy sandwich with oysters, but I will look up the calories before I go.

All around good day!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TXGRANDMA 9/7/2011 5:54PM

Glad that you had a good day! Hope this attempt goes better for your son! Report Inappropriate Comment

CANDOK1260 9/7/2011 4:19PM

happy yo hear your son got his license. Probably more freedom for you. Report Inappropriate Comment

SARALEIGHM 9/7/2011 9:05AM

Sounds like fun! Good luck for your son on his driver's test. Report Inappropriate Comment

NEWMAC2011 9/6/2011 11:51PM

Sounds like fun & very yummy (I love oysters!) Good luck to your son on getting his license. My DD got her permit in March and we've been doing a lot of driving so I can relate! Report Inappropriate Comment

CRAZYDOGLADYBO 9/6/2011 11:41PM

Enjoy your night out! Report Inappropriate Comment

SVELTEWARRIOR 9/6/2011 11:04PM

I hope you had a good night out. I am glad you had a good day. Report Inappropriate Comment

KNITTABLES 9/6/2011 9:28PM

Enjoy your night out and I sure hope your son pass this time. Report Inappropriate Comment

IMIN2GENES 9/6/2011 8:57PM

Enjoy your night out... sounds delish! Definite fingers crossed for your son! Chris Report Inappropriate Comment

MARTHAWILL 9/6/2011 8:14PM

good planning ahead - you sound very motivated-keep up the good work! Report Inappropriate Comment

THETURTLEBEAR 9/6/2011 6:56PM

WAY TO GO!! Report Inappropriate Comment

STEPHIEKNITS 9/6/2011 6:52PM

Good Luck to your son! Report Inappropriate Comment

WELLNESSME09 9/6/2011 6:03PM

Wishing you a great night out! Fingers crossed for your son on this attempt. Report Inappropriate Comment

4-1HEALTHYCYNDI 9/6/2011 4:50PM

Fingers crossed for your son! Practice can help build the confidence. Good luck to your son on this next try. Hope you have fun and stay within calories. Looking them up before going is a great plan to stay on track. Good luck and enjoy your night out. Report Inappropriate Comment

LOPEYP 9/6/2011 4:30PM

Good luck to your son! Report Inappropriate Comment

Making Good Choices Today

Monday, September 05, 2011

So far today, I have made good choices and I want to keep it that way.

I didn't want to exercise, but I said, "just 10 minutes". Then I turned on WIO and decided to get on the treadmill. For what the thing cost...it is a great incentive to get on it. So I did the treadmill for 20 minutes. I am now up to about 3.0 mph.

Then, I thought I would just cool down with Walk It Out, but I wanted to get some strength and interval training in so I did Leslie Sansone's 2 mile Walk/Jog. The first mile was jogging and the second mile was using the walk belt and strengthening. After that, I decided to do her 1 mile Walk in the Park. So, that was another 45 minutes. I also had the time in there running up and down the stairs from the basement to the Wii. All told, I got in 85 minutes.

As for food, I have made good choices so far. Breakfast was a David's Deli Bagel..they are small. Like half the size of a regular bagel with 1oz of lox (which has like no calories, but it does have sodium) and 2 tbs of low fat cream cheese. I also had orange juice.

My husband brought home corned beef last night for lunch today, but I did not eat it. I had 3 oz of tuna made with low fat mayo and I put olives and lettuce in there. I also had some grapes. I sat and watched dh eat that fattening corned beef. My one splurge was one miniature kit kat bar.

I am working on keeping my sodium within range this week. May not be real easy to do with lox in the house, but I am working on it. I will just stay away from processed foods :)

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TX.PATRICIA 9/6/2011 10:08AM

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1MANKNEY 9/6/2011 1:55AM

Good for you! Can't say my choices were the best today, but I did exercise and didn't eat as bad as I could have at the buffet! Report Inappropriate Comment

SVELTEWARRIOR 9/5/2011 9:35PM

That definately was a great day!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

IMIN2GENES 9/5/2011 9:12PM

Great day! Chris Report Inappropriate Comment

KELLEEH 9/5/2011 8:53PM

Great job on the exercise and on your food choices! Report Inappropriate Comment

GRAMMAMARY 9/5/2011 8:49PM

WTG what a great day. I love now that when I exercise it usually always turns into more time than I planned to do. Report Inappropriate Comment

EJOY-EVELYN 9/5/2011 8:01PM

Love these great days! Report Inappropriate Comment

DARINGR8LY 9/5/2011 7:47PM

Good job so far. You can do this. Report Inappropriate Comment

THETURTLEBEAR 9/5/2011 7:33PM

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MARTHAWILL 9/5/2011 6:46PM

congratulations on making better choices- it will definitely pay off Report Inappropriate Comment

SARALEIGHM 9/5/2011 5:29PM

Stick with avoiding processed foods as much as possible. It makes a big difference. Report Inappropriate Comment

4-1HEALTHYCYNDI 9/5/2011 5:08PM

WOOHOO! Sounds like a great day with food and exercise. Doing great! Report Inappropriate Comment

VICD25 9/5/2011 4:54PM

wow such restraint! I LOVE lox and LOVE corned beef. you showed real maturity! Report Inappropriate Comment

CRAZYDOGLADYBO 9/5/2011 4:38PM

What a great day! I love that the price is motivating you to get on the treadmill. Report Inappropriate Comment

LOPEYP 9/5/2011 4:19PM

Great day! I wonder if you could rinse the lox to remove *some* of the sodium. Report Inappropriate Comment

WELLNESSME09 9/5/2011 4:14PM

You should be proud, what a great day you had. Report Inappropriate Comment

DAWNDMOORE40 9/5/2011 3:56PM

Wow! Once you decided to exercise, you were on a roll! It makes me feel like I am slacking. I did get in an hour walk today which isn't too bad for not feeling well. I did my cardio and strength training yesterday. I sometimes have to do two workouts to get my 45 minutes in I do every day. It sounds like you are making great food choices! You are definitely on the road to maintaining success! Report Inappropriate Comment

KNITTABLES 9/5/2011 3:47PM

WOW, I'm impressed with all the exercising you have done to day and WTG on eating. Sounds Yummy. Enjoy the rest of your day. Report Inappropriate Comment

Lessons Learned 5% challenge

Sunday, September 04, 2011

I learned that there are fantastic and supportive people on Sparkpeople. I feel like I know some of you better than I know people I've met face to face. Also, I learned yesterday that no matter how you try to "hide" the fact that something is fast food...it will still make you sick all night.


I really wanted a fast food burger last night. It had been forever. At about 7:00, my DH went and got us Burger King. He got me a Whopper with no mayo. I had that and 3 onion rings and 3 french fries. I was still up bloated at 2:00 this morning. My body was not fooled by it, anyway you slice it it was fast food. ICK!

I also learned that no exercise is worse on my body than exercising for over an hour. I had worked really hard this week and already had in over 470 minutes of exercise so I decided to take yesterday off. I watched the tennis matches, read my book, took a nap. By this morning, I was so sore from sitting and laying that I had to do something. I did 65 minutes of Walk it Out to build 5,000 pts for another challenge.

I am going to the barn this afternoon to ride JC as it is beautiful out. Only in the 60's with dew points in the 40's. Wohoo...

I can't wait for the fall challenge to begin! Here is to my fellow Thank you for always pushing me. Not to mention so many people on my other teams and my other spark friends for always pushing me. I wouldn't be able to do this without you!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SARALEIGHM 9/5/2011 5:28PM

Yeah, no matter how you try to disguise it, it's still fast food. Make your own burger at home. It'll taste better and be better for you. I've been finding at least 10-15 minutes of exercise is better than nothing on those days when I haven't got time or motivation. Report Inappropriate Comment

KELLEEH 9/5/2011 11:10AM

Nice lessons learned on the fast food and on the exercise! Have a great ride! Report Inappropriate Comment

JEANUT 9/5/2011 9:50AM

Sounds like the same lesson I learned My fast food mistake was also a Burger King Whopper and fies Report Inappropriate Comment

EJOY-EVELYN 9/4/2011 11:58PM

What a very interesting lesson learned regarding fast food. I've heard this type of reaction in other areas, but have yet to knowingly experience this. Sounds like a blessing in disguise for heathy eating! Here's to good eats -- Cheers! Report Inappropriate Comment

4-1HEALTHYCYNDI 9/4/2011 11:20PM

Sorry the burger and extras didn't agree with you. However, lesson learned and now you may not be as tempted in the future. Rest when your body/mind needs it or do a little less than normal. Have fun as always! Report Inappropriate Comment

NEWMAC2011 9/4/2011 11:20PM

Have had fast food once in 8 months. Now I won't buy it because of what fast food has done to the food industry. These Challenges are so helpful & I'm looking forward to the Fall one too! Report Inappropriate Comment

KNITTABLES 9/4/2011 9:42PM

I hope your visit with JC went great. I had a cheese burger and fries today and it was very heavy on my stomach, so I need to watch how much I eat of it too. I wish you good luck with your new challenges this fall. Hope your weekend is still going smoothly for you. Report Inappropriate Comment

IMIN2GENES 9/4/2011 9:08PM

Hope you had an awesome time with JC. It sounds gorgeous... We've got a little bit of humidity here right now. Yuck! Glad you're going to be on the Fall challenge too! It's going to be great! Chris PS - I'm with you on the fast food. DH and I had some yesterday and I was sick for hours after. Report Inappropriate Comment

CRAZYDOGLADYBO 9/4/2011 4:18PM

I did the same darn thing about a month ago, I took a full rest day. I did not like how I felt the next day! Have a good time with JC! Report Inappropriate Comment

SNOWFLAKELILYM9 9/4/2011 3:45PM

Great blog about what you have learned. I too feel stiff and sore if I don't get up and move it!! Report Inappropriate Comment

LOPEYP 9/4/2011 2:41PM

Good luck with the new challenge. I looked at it this morning but then decided that I didn't want to overextend myself. Have fun with it! Report Inappropriate Comment

RAYLINSTEPHENS 9/4/2011 2:34PM

WTG on your lessons learned!! Report Inappropriate Comment

SPBETTERWAY 9/4/2011 2:01PM

I have lost my Burger King habit this summer. Last summer I told myself that if I walked a mile each way, I earned it. Naturally, I did not lose any weight walking to Burger King even if I bought the smallest calorie item. Report Inappropriate Comment

GRAMMAMARY 9/4/2011 1:05PM

it is difficult finding that in between ground of not doing enough and doing too much. Report Inappropriate Comment