Bah. I’m going to have to stifle myself.

See, I’ll sign an offer sheet later today–one that should have me making a bit above $50,000. For a just-out-of-college 23-year-old, that seems like all the money in the world, even though I know that it’s not.

So what are the things that I could buy? I could replace Darlene, my ever-so-dependable 1995 Nissan pickup. I could try to find a house here in Huntsville so my roommates and I don’t have to deal with our lurvely upstairs neighbors anymore. I could combine the two ideas and buy a recreational vehicle, so I have a vehicle and a place to live all in one package.

You may laugh, but when Dad moved to the South after he retired from the Air Force [Doug was a senior in high school, and he wanted to finish in Ohio--and we all agreed that this was a good idea], he lived in a motorhome for about ten months. And my family is the motorhome type–pack up the kids, some cereal, some canned goods, get the dog, and go. Some of my best family memories are of our trip to Yellowstone when I was about 10.
Unfortunately, I recognize the economic realities of my situation.

Car: cars depreciate in value. [Amazing to me, the Blue Book value on my truck is $3350. Considering that my mom and my grandmother bought it for about $12,500 almost six years ago, I'm impressed.] If I got a car, I’m pretty sure what I’d get: either the newest model of Nissan truck, or a Subaru WRX wagon. I want something with some zip, that can go off-road a bit, and can haul stuff. That’s it.

House: I won’t be in Huntsville long enough to get equity out of the house. I’ve always said I’d buy a house and rent it out, but the areas where I want to buy a house [either on Monte Sano or down in SE Huntsville close to church] aren’t conducive to renting. Plus I don’t want to deal with a long-distance renting situation, and it seems silly to hire someone to rent my place out for me. Cuts into my profits, eh?

RV: Compromise situations always suck. Plus, I’d want a diesel, and all the used RV’s that burn diesel that I’ve seen are around $60,000. That’s more than I want to pay.

If I do anything, it’ll be to buy a car. But I love Darlene so much, I think I’ll just have someone rip out all the carpet, put in new seats, and maybe a new set of stereo speakers, a CB player, and that Blaupunkt in-dash CD changer I’ve wanted … and be happy.

The rest I’ll just stick in savings. Lord knows I’ll need it. Given my vocational path, this is the most I’ll make again until I’m 45 or so…