Blow That Dough 2025

[joesxm3]

I am really having a behavior change. I just traded in my 2 year old Tesla for a new one and even before picking it up I am thinking of calling the tree guy to cut down eight or ten big trees.

April is not even over and I have already hit $50,000 spent so far this year. My history has been $60,000 or $70,000 per year total.

 

[Pointby2]

I want to BTD on a new Honda Passport. But I just realized how much I hate buying new cars. I made a call back to the local Honda dealer we visited to ask about ordering a vehicle to my exact spec. Simple question right? Apparently not as he had never done it, didn't think it was possible, so he had to ask his manager. I told him that's fine, if you guys don't do that, then just don't bother and that's when it blew up.

 

[Texas Proud]

I want to BTD on a new Honda Passport. But I just realized how much I hate buying new cars. I made a call back to the local Honda dealer we visited to ask about ordering a vehicle to my exact spec. Simple question right? Apparently not as he had never done it, didn't think it was possible, so he had to ask his manager. I told him that's fine, if you guys don't do that, then just don't bother and that's when it blew up.

From everything I have heard you cannot order a Honda... they come 'as is'... you get whatever is on which trim level you buy... you can add on dealer installed options if you wish..

So, if you want leather you have to buy something like an EX-L... but you get all other things on the EX over the LX..

Have you thought of the Toyota hybrids? The Highlander seemed to me to be better than the Honda... but that is a personal choice...

 

[COcheesehead]

I want to BTD on a new Honda Passport. But I just realized how much I hate buying new cars. I made a call back to the local Honda dealer we visited to ask about ordering a vehicle to my exact spec. Simple question right? Apparently not as he had never done it, didn't think it was possible, so he had to ask his manager. I told him that's fine, if you guys don't do that, then just don't bother and that's when it blew up.

That’s weird. I have ordered several cars spec’d as desired. You wait and you have less bargaining room, but you get exactly what you want.

 

[pjigar]

I bought adjacent land. There’s peace of mind in controlling it.

I wish we would have done that! We thought we don't this much land at the time. But then the new owner put an RV park on it

 

[pjigar]

Our BTD day was yesterday. We have had 2 episodes of leaks in water main line ever since we bought this property. Old lines were about 40 years old with thin-walled PVC pipes. Another leak sprung last month so this time I bit the bullet. Ran all new 1" PEX-B water main lines (1200 feet) and moved the water meter away from the tree line. Total cost $7700.

 

[COcheesehead]

I wish we would have done that! We thought we don't this much land at the time. But then the new owner put an RV park on it

That was our thought process. Own it and do what we want or not. Have someone else own it and wonder every day what they were going to do with it.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I want to BTD on a new Honda Passport. But I just realized how much I hate buying new cars. I made a call back to the local Honda dealer we visited to ask about ordering a vehicle to my exact spec. Simple question right? Apparently not as he had never done it, didn't think it was possible, so he had to ask his manager. I told him that's fine, if you guys don't do that, then just don't bother and that's when it blew up.

The last 8 cars I have bought were all bought over the internet. No need to talk to a human unless you want to. No salesmen, no waiting around the finance department...

 

[street]

The last 8 cars I have bought were all bought over the internet. No need to talk to a human unless you want to. No salesmen, no waiting around the finance department...

Who has been the best online dealer you have done business with?

 

[imjustawarrior]

I want to BTD on a new Honda Passport. But I just realized how much I hate buying new cars. I made a call back to the local Honda dealer we visited to ask about ordering a vehicle to my exact spec. Simple question right? Apparently not as he had never done it, didn't think it was possible, so he had to ask his manager. I told him that's fine, if you guys don't do that, then just don't bother and that's when it blew up.

I have been using cars.com to see what is available. I'm willing to travel anywhere in the country.

I found a 4Runner in Missouri I wanted. The dealer said he would not sell it to me because they want to sell it to someone local. I said I would go in person cash in hand. Didn't matter.

I am also looking for a Honda CRV. My DW only wants a particular color. That makes it more challenging.

If it was easier to buy cars, I would have already blown some serious dough this year ($110k+).

 

[Errollyn]

We just got home from a 5-day road trip to Colorado, and only managed to spend about $1,200 bucks total.

 

[curtstrader]

We have had the same set of cherry veneer bookcases for decades. They look decent and hold the books up just fine. We are also big fans of Amish furniture. We have accumulated maybe a dozen pieces around the house over 26 years. 2024 was a big BTD year. Still, I wondered if we might like to have new, solid cherry bookcases made. We went to the store last week to get a quote - $2665. Absolutely don't need them, but we are at a record NW. Placed the order on Friday.

Good for you. The great thing about Amish furniture is that it is typically heirloom quality!

 

[pacergal]

Yes it is.
We have three beautiful pieces, a large bookcase, a rocker, and an entire bedroom set. Gorgeous. All special ordered and hand made.

 

[imjustawarrior]

We just got home from a 5-day road trip to Colorado, and only managed to spend about $1,200 bucks total.
View attachment 55358

Nice picture. Where is that?

It looks like you had good weather. It can be so iffy here in the Spring, but I'm in northern Colorado.

 

[Ronstar]

Yes Amish furniture is usually heirloom quality. I've been to an Amish shop and was impressed - even more impressed by the Amish guy making some awesome oak flooring without electricity.

 

[Texas Proud]

Well... got a call this morning that the RX450h+ plug in hybrid became available because the person who put the deposit down decided not to buy!!

It was not our first choice color but was DW's 2nd choice... our first choice is rare down here for some reason so we decided getting one now is better than waiting and maybe not getting one...

 

[Errollyn]

Nice picture. Where is that?

It looks like you had good weather. It can be so iffy here in the Spring, but I'm in northern Colorado.

In Ouray, here:
Switzerland of America Lookout Point
Google Search

Telluride and the surrounding areas were the focus of the trip.

 

[COcheesehead]

In Ouray, here:
Switzerland of America Lookout Point
Google Search

Telluride and the surrounding areas were the focus of the trip.

The San Juan’s are the prettiest part of the state. My avatar is Blue Lakes, just outside Ridgway.

 

[rkser]

We just came back after a visit to Australia & New Zealand, around $11+k.

Alaska Land + Cruise with Princess Cruises in July

Cancun Mexico in October with whole family, paying for our children, their spouses & grand children, 9 in all

BTD

 

[CO-guy]

3- 4x4, 2-4x6, 2 3x3 2 -4x8 with 2x4 on either ends. Nothing fancy. The 3x3's I can buy at lowes or Home Depot for about $320 ea. 4x4 around $500. I suspect most of their price is labor. In 2019 I had 2 3x4's installed for $1300 and was not happy as 1/2 of that was labor and it took about 4 hours including travel time.

Okay, that's next level outrageous. Even if they were custom handmade wooden windows, their quote is multiples of anything reasonable.

The window package on our most recent build was close to $1000/window, and several of the windows were large dimensions (e.g., 5'x5', 4'x8').

Sometimes contractors toss out an outrageous number just to see if someone is clueless/desperate enough to bite. A friend in the Chicago area got bids to replace some rotted porch wood (spindles, railings and column). She's blonde, mid-40s, lives in a very upscale neighborhood and both bids came in at over $80k. Her dad and FIL teamed up and got it done in 3 weekends.

 

[Errollyn]

The San Juan’s are the prettiest part of the state. My avatar is Blue Lakes, just outside Ridgway.

We spent time in Ridgeway... the city park there is great.

 

[Koolau]

Okay, that's next level outrageous. Even if they were custom handmade wooden windows, their quote is multiples of anything reasonable.

The window package on our most recent build was close to $1000/window, and several of the windows were large dimensions (e.g., 5'x5', 4'x8').

Sometimes contractors toss out an outrageous number just to see if someone is clueless/desperate enough to bite. A friend in the Chicago area got bids to replace some rotted porch wood (spindles, railings and column). She's blonde, mid-40s, lives in a very upscale neighborhood and both bids came in at over $80k. Her dad and FIL teamed up and got it done in 3 weekends.

We went through that when we bought windows. Some "company" (I think it was actually a "broker") came to the house and showed us examples of these "amazing" e-windows or whatever and said they'd do our house for $21K (or whatever - back in '99). We balked and they said well how about $18K? Then finally $12K. (all IIRC).

We hired a local company that does lots of custom build w*rk for $9K as best I recall for 14 windows installed.

 

[COcheesehead]

We spent time in Ridgeway... the city park there is great.

Good restaurants in Ridgway. If you go back, drive east out of town to Owl Creek. Especially in fall. Amazing. They filmed much of True Grit there.

 

[imjustawarrior]

In Ouray, here:
Switzerland of America Lookout Point
Google Search

Telluride and the surrounding areas were the focus of the trip.

Thanks. I hope you enjoyed the hot springs in Ouray.

Ouray is my DW's favorite city in Colorado. 20 years ago we were leaving Mesa Verde and just kind of wondering. We ended up in Ouray. We didn't know anything about it, but our motel happened to have its own hot springs pool. We fell in love with Ouray. Such a beautiful place. The Million Dollar Hwy is pretty special.

 

[CO-guy]

We went through that when we bought windows. Some "company" (I think it was actually a "broker") came to the house and showed us examples of these "amazing" e-windows or whatever and said they'd do our house for $21K (or whatever - back in '99). We balked and they said well how about $18K? Then finally $12K. (all IIRC).

We hired a local company that does lots of custom build w*rk for $9K as best I recall for 14 windows installed.

Exactly! Low-e glass, triple paned, argon gas..... still multiples of what custom sized high-end windows should cost.