One not-frugal thing: I bought my dream car!
You guys, I did it! I bought my Honda Civic. 🙂
I can hardly believe I finally own one.
I haven't bought a vehicle for myself since 2012. And I haven't driven anything other than a minivan since 2003.
Sooooo, this car feels pretty dang fancy to me!
I have a sunroof.
And heated seats. And a thermostat.
I have a big ol' screen.
And look, my car even shows me the graphic for the currently playing song here:
My car is so zippy! My van, bless her heart, worked great, but she was definitely a little on the slow side for merging or going up hills.
The first time I merged in the Civic, I was so surprised and delighted at how fast I went, I literally did this:
Also, it is so easy to make u-turns! Our neighborhood is situated so that we almost always have to make a u-turn on the highway, so this feature is going to be very nice for me. 🙂
My van felt sort of like driving a marshmallow around; comfy and soft, but not very tight or stable on turns. So I have been very accustomed to taking corners and u-turns slowwwwly. Now I am a little more speedy. 😉
Every time I go somewhere, park the car, do my business, and walk back to the car, I am freshly amazed to see my Civic. Like...what? This is mine?? Are you kidding me??
I did buy a brand new one, largely because used Civic prices at the dealers were not that good, and I did not feel like dealing with the headache of buying a used one.
However, I did apply a few money-saving tweaks. So, I'll list them here as a pseudo-Five Frugal Things, with the understanding that buying a new car is not at all frugal. 😉
1. I got a new grad discount
Toward the end of my test drive day, after I'd already gotten a price on the car, I noticed a sign about a new grad offer. I inquired, and they said it's a $500 rebate if you've graduated within the last two years.
They weren't sure if a two-year nursing degree counted, but the sales guy looked up the policy and sure enough, it was listed there. Yay!
I'm still out here working the student discounts. 😉
2. I paid for $3000 of the car with my Southwest credit card
The dealership allows you to put up to $3000 on a credit card, so I said, "Oh yes, please." and handed over my Southwest credit card.
I will pay it off immediately, of course, but I will cheerfully pocket the airline miles.
3. I waited 24 hours and got an extra $500
On the day I did my test drive, they included a $500 brand loyalty bonus in my quote. Of course, they wanted me to buy that very day, but I said I'd like 24 hours to sleep on it (to decide between trim levels).
Well, the next day, Honda corporate adjusted the loyalty bonuses, and mine went up by $500.
Sooo, that was a very worthwhile 24-hour wait. 🙂
(I know that this was not some shady sales tactic because it came up after I already had my out-the-door quotes in hand for both trim levels.)
4. I financed part of the purchase, temporarily
There was another bonus offered if you used Honda financing. I wasn't planning to finance any of the purchase, but I will not turn down a bonus.
So, I financed the minimum amount, which I will pay off as soon as my account is set up.
5. I refused every single extra offer
You know how they have a whole laundry list of extra services you can add on? I said no to all of them.
I was particularly sure I didn't want the extended warranty and service agreement. I said...ummm, this is why I'm buying a Honda: so that I don't have to worry about things breaking!!
What a silly thing to try to sell to a Honda buyer. 😉
Your turn! What frugal things have you been up to?
(Although if you also bought a car this week, feel free to tell us about it!)
In the words of Christmas Vacation, "What a beaut" (maybe paraphrased a little!) Congratulations!
How lovely having the thing you’ve dreamed of for so long. Heated seats!
I need a new car but I’m scared by all the options. I’ve paid for cars before from relatives but never gone out and searched and bought one myself so I’m a little overwhelmed, especially as we’re looking for an electric car, which is an extra level of newness.
@Victoria, Re: electric cars, make sure you've the proper outlet set up to charge it at home. A friend bought an electric car, but the dealer didn't mention she'd need to upgrade the outlet to handle the draw; she ended up hiring an electrician to install a new one. It's the difference between taking twelve hours for the car to charge vs. two!
@N, I just charge my EV overnight with my existing outlet, no upgrade needed. So it’s not always necessary depending on your driving habits.
@Victoria,
I have zero experience or knowledge about electric cars, but I have noticed there are a lot more charging stations around, including in public parking garages.
@Sophie, we do the same for our older Nissan Leaf. It's possible to work it either way! We also charge it when the electricity rates are the lowest.
You have made us all so happy!
WooHoo ♥️♥️
Congratulations Kristen!!! So glad to know your dream came true (through hard work and next level frugality, of course).
I am grinning EAR TO EAR right now, Kristen. I'm so, so happy for you on so many levels.
It's beautiful. Love the colour.
Heated seats are a gamechanger. My current vehicle has a heated steering wheel (the first time I've ever had that perk). It was -20C with windchill this week, and we do not have a garage, so you better believe I am in love with my heated steering wheel! Give me ALL THE HEAT, please.
And I love all the frugal bonuses you got along the way!
@Elisabeth, I can’t figure out what color it is. It looks like mine, which is gray, except when it looks blue-ish.
It's listed as a dark gray but yes there are definitely some blue tones in there!
Congratulations!
We are solidly Honda people for years, no complaints. Reliable, comfy, and zippy! From my truck, to hubby's car, hubby's motorcycle, and even to the lawnmower!
Enjoy and Merry Christmas! ? ?
@DebW, DH was the same way: "Hey, it's a Honda. It'll run." And Nellybelle the Element and I are cheering for Kristen and the new Civic!
@A. Marie, That reminds of a line from Gilmore Girls: 'Rory's totally low-maintenance, she's like a Honda!
@DebW, A gift to the world from Japan—and Ohio. I think most of the Hondas sold in the US are made in my state, Ohio. Honda is a good citizen, too!
Merry Christmas to you!!! That is so awesome--and hard-earned! Have you decided on a name for your ride yet (assuming you name your cars)?
@N, teeheehee, I named my “new” one “Momscar”. (Still missing Fernando something fierce.)
Congrats! I hope you enjoy your Civic issue free for many years. I have driven Hondas since 2002.
When DH bought a small Mazda ten years ago they offered additional money off for having a credit card issued by a particular bank. We financed a couple thousand dollars and paid it off in four months (the sales person requested we take that long to pay it off).
1. I continue to list items on Freecycle including items people might want to use for the holidays. I have been pleasantly surprised at the number of takers. It's frugal for them and landfill saving for the world. A neighbor gave me some small cardboard boxes I can use for giving away jars.
2. We arrived home at lunchtime yesterday and I considered my favorite kabob place but we threw together lunch.
3. There were some good deals on yogurt, GF frozen pizza, and RX Bars at Grocery Outlet the other day. After vetting those items I will stop in today to see if they have any remaining.
4. Despite the cold weather we are watering the two maples we had planted last month. We are to water 2x/week until the ground freezes. It was not frugal to buy large trees and pay to have them delivered and planted but we will do what we can to help them survive.
5. I am listening to The End of Your Life Book Club, borrowed from the library. It has interesting and has provided titles to look into.
@K D, I expected to like your #5 book but didn’t, and don’t remember why not.
Yay Kristen! You are living your best life and I'm so happy you got your dream car!
My frugals:
1. I went to yoga with a friend last week and she treated me to breakfast beforehand.
2. I went to another friend's house for dinner and she and her husband got takeout, and wouldn't take any money from me.
3. I wrapped most of my Christmas presents before getting back with a new roll of wrapping paper, but there were a few things I couldn't get until I was home, and I wrapped those with previous paper my parents kept.
4. I gave my friend a Christmas card from a pack I already had.
5. I'm watching My So-Called Life with my mum which I have on DVD, so we don't have to stream it anywhere.
6. I cancelled some subscriptions.
7. I'm saving money on food and transport by being back for Christmas. I still seem to be spending money on gifts (both for others and myself!) so perhaps this isn't such a frugal win 😉
@Sophie in Denmark, One more; I found a copy of the film Constantine on DVD for 50p! I've seen it on streaming a few times but I like having physical copies of films and TV that I want to keep, hence having a boxset of My So-Called Life. @Kristen, you and your girls might like that show!
@Sophie in Denmark, "My Son Called Life" was one of my favorite shows from the 90's! I had record the entire series on VHS back in the day but my VHS player quit working, unfortunately. I may have to look for the DVD box set.
@Beth B., It's so good! I remember it being on TV and my sister liked it, but I was a little young for it at the time. I always wanted to watch it and one day I found the DVDs in a charity shop. It really holds up! What's weird is relating to the adults in it as well as the teenagers.
@Sophie in Denmark,
Love the Constantine movie, have you seen the series?
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, I haven't! I'll have to check it out.
Congratulations on your new purchase. It has been inspiring to watch you achieve your goals and make your dreams come true. Here is my Christmas 2025 edition of FFTs.
I have been combining and stacking seasonal offers to get fantastic deals on stocking stuffers NB and other things that I've needed. For example, I combined gift cards that I received with Fetch points with a 20% coupon offer from Ulta to buy the products that I needed for my hair and face. My overall saving was 85%.
My younger son had asked for AirTags for his wallet and keys. He is always misplacing them when he is stressed. I noticed that Staples had $29 AirTags on sale for $11 off. I downloaded the Staples App last month and received a $20 off coupon. I also had enough points banked for another $14 off my purchases. I then combined all these offers to get these stocking stuffers for $0.
DH and I were invited to a little social at a local restaurant. The entrées there are huge, so we shared a dinner. It was more than enough to eat and money-saving!
I used my library Hoopla account to download a 7-day pass to the Hallmark channel. Lots and lots of sappy Christmas movies are in my future.
I accepted an offer on an item that I had listed on eBay 1144 days ago. I felt that it was time just to let it go. (LOL) I packaged it in a previously used Amazon envelope and wrapped it in bubble wrap. Fortunately, this item was nearly free, so I am now $9.47 richer
I took out the Christmas gift bags that I stored carefully away after the last season, and I have used them once again. Year after year, these gift bags make an appearance under our tree. Sometimes I am distracted by the pretty wrapping paper in the store, but I know that my stash of "vintage" gift bags can be used again and again.
I have been batching errands to save time and energy. Traffic is terrible this time of year near retail centers. I am avoiding these areas as much as I can. I am brewing my own coffee at home, bringing water and snacks along on my trips out, and enjoying a few free Christmas activities.
May all of you enjoy the blessings of the season and may your lives be filled with peace, love, and joy.
@Bee, totally the same with Christmas gift bags! All of our family lives away, so when they send gifts for the kids they’re often in bags. We rarely ever have to buy bags for any occasion. In fact, the kids can tell who gifts are from now because of the bags they’re used to seeing! lol it’s all a part of the memories. Merry Christmas!
@Bee,
I never buy gift bags. I just re-gift the gift bags, LOL! I even trash-picked some bags from a curbside pile. They were in a box and some came from ritzy dept. stores such as Niemann-Marcus.
But....
Before there were gift bags, my family reused Cox's boxes. There was a dept. store called Cox's, and they would give (sell? not sure) you a sturdy white textured cardboard box when you made a purchase, such as a shirt or gift item. The box was unadorned except for a round circle in the middle of the lid that had the Cox's logo on it. Well, my dad would just stick a bow over the Cox's circle and call it done. You'd have a nice white box with a colored bow, and it looked fine. Mom would wrap it with the wrapping paper of the year. Grandma would use old Christmas cards and some ribbon and bows to do hers; she'd just cut out where the card senders wrote their names/messages and then write "To Sister From Mother" or whatever on it. She usually gave a shirt to each man, and she'd use the same box with the same card, ribbon and bow, on it every year. If she wanted to be fancier, she'd wrap the lid, so you could lift the lid without tearing the wrapping paper.
Long after the Cox's store closed, we kept re-using their boxes. We saved those Cox's boxes up in the attic in a big moving carton. My parents moved out to the country and someone broke into their garage and attic and stole a bunch of things. Including that moving carton; I'm just as furious about losing that as I am losing some of the more valuable things, such as their Samsonite luggage set or Dad's World War II footlocker (c0ntaining his old uniform, etc.) It just doesn't seem Christmas-y without the Cox's boxes.
These days, you can get "gift boxes," but in most cases they are very flimsy, thin poster board, easily bent, and IMHO not worth a darn. If I could find some Cox's boxes again, I'd be very happy.
Because of that, I've switched to (re)using gift bags. It's like re-gifting presents: you have to remember where and from whom you got the bag (or gift), so that you pass it on to someone else at some other gathering. That way, the original giver need never know.
Oh, and if you get a plain gift bag, just tape the front of an old greeting card on it and have a proper Christmas (or birthday or graduation, etc.) bag.
@Fru-gal Lisa, as I think I've noted in the past, the Bestest Neighbors and I have been passing a Chico's box back and forth across the street for at least the last decade. The more graffiti it collects, the more fun it is.
@Fru-gal Lisa, isn't funny how the humblest things have the most precious memories attached to them like a Cox Box!
O, this is good to read Kristen! Yesterday when you pre-announced Big News, I mentally went down all the good things I have been fervently wishing for you over time, and in the section related to frugals/mindful spending, up popped your dream car.
I wish you many safe miles, traveling to happy places with, and to, people you love!
Yay! The perfect Christmas present to yourself. I still love my Honda Pilot that I bought a couple of years ago so much. Wishing you similar happiness with your Civic.?
Well. It is only fitting that you and I both drive Hondas now. 😉
Congratulations on your new civic! In 2005, I bought a new civic. I originally thought I would go with used. BUT, civics last for so long, I couldn't find one with less than 150,000 miles on it. I had that baby for 17 years! Nice work on all the savings during your purchase.
Yes, Hondas and Toyotas do tend to hold their value really well, which makes the used market a little bit expensive!
Buying a new car by yourself, as a woman, is a nerve-wracking and very exciting thing! What a great Christmas gift to yourself. (:
This is not a frugal week for me, but I am being mindful of what I spend - does that count? Ha ha.
Merry Christmas!
Interestingly (and I wrote a Patreon post about this), for me, doing it on my own was much, much easier. My mind was blown by the experience!
But in general, yes, I agree that it would be nice to have a helpful partner there with you for a big purchase.
Congratulations on your dream car! We are Honda Civic fans here, too; two of our kids have them and they are great.
YAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!! SO happy for you!!
Kristen, I admire your success getting deals purchasing your car. I bought a new car last fall and did not manage to get any savings at all. Why is buying a new car so different from buying other things? I dreaded the process and put it off for several months before finally heading to the dealership. I have no regrets though—I love my car, a Toyota Corolla Cross.
Frugal:
1. We shopped Dollar stores this weekend for stocking stuffers.
2. We returned home for lunch rather than eating out while running errands.
3. I waited for Louise Penny’s new book at the library rather than pay for a copy (I am not always patient enough to wait for a new book, especially when I am #328 on the hold list.)
4. I have not bought a new wallet despite the zipper on mine breaking. I don’t know how long I can use it this way, though, so I’ll start looking for a good deal on a new one.
5. Like many others, I’ve been eating from the freezer this week. I actually love doing this! It’s so easy to have some of my favorites this way!
I am so happy for you! Hooray! We have also bought new Toyotas but the difference in cost between new and used for Toyotas and Hondas is so minimal that it hasn’t felt worth it for us. I did quite well on my last Toyota purchase. I bought an accord for 18k back on 2016 and then we sold it 2 years ago when we got a RAV4 and we sold it for 16k because the used car market was bonkers in 2023! Used is not always the answer. We also take advantage of those financing specials since there is a time value of money aspect and then we pay it off when the interest free period ends.
Yay yay yay! I so so happy for you!! Enjoy zipping around in your sporty car!!
Yay, Kristen! I knew you were looking extra happy about something! Congratsies! I also drive a civic. Mine is a 2004 hybrid and I love it. I may never give it up!
Mine is a hybrid too!
@Kristen,
We’re civic hybrid twinsies! <3
Congratulations!! I love the color.
I bought a certified pre-owned Acura MDX back in July of 2009. I finally sold it in March of 2025. We paid that one off in 6 months, after a large down payment. She was a fabulous car and a Honda under her skin for those who don't know. She had 180k miles but plenty of life left for her new owner. We then bought a demo model Honda Pilot which is so much like my old Acura. And yes, heated seats! After a good down-payment, we paid her off in 9 months. I love being payment free! Congrats on the civic, you've worked hard for it, making it so much sweeter. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
So happy for you!! Enjoy! I like JNL's comment about wishing you many safe miles traveling with & to people you love 🙂
I'm thinking you'll notice ongoing savings with fuel costs now. I drive both a Honda van (about 12 yrs old) and a 2004 Honda Civic (teen driver vehicle) depending on schedule logistics. The civic is significantly more fuel efficient! Ours has very few "perks". I usually don't care about fancy features in general- but our van has heated seats, and they are SO nice in the winter!
And this one is a hybrid so I definitely will not spend as much on gas!
Congratulations on getting your new dream car. You deserve it!
Congrats, enjoy !!
Oh, well done you! So happy for you
Wonderful! Do you plan to name her/him/them? Maybe you can ask us all for suggestions to help you land on something, if that's something you'd like to do...
Hehe yes I do need to name her and I want a name with the same starting sound. So….something like Sybil is a contender. Feel free to throw ideas my way!
@Kristen, How about Seraphina? It means burning or fiery one, and I like the idea of your car having having a fierce spirit!
@Sophie in Denmark, So much I accidentally wrote 'having' twice! Haha!
@Kristen, some first thoughts, after googling around:
Siobhan (Irish. Meaning: God is gracious)
Saira (Arabic. Wanderer, traveler, wildly, freely)
Serenity or Serena (French/Latin. Peaceful, calm, tranquil)
Sanae (Japanese. Symbolizes growth, new beginnings, and prosperity.)
@Kristen,
My daughter is 1/2 Japanese, when she read your post, she said your car is Saya meaning sheltering shadow...also a girl's name.
Oh, I love that meaning!
@Sophie in Denmark, or maybe Xena, Warrior Princess!
@A. Marie, Yes! I loved that show as a kid!
Ok I admit i may have squealed a little when I saw your new car!!! Sooo happy for you. I drove my last Honda civic for 19 years and it was wonderful. Congratulations and Merry Christmas!!
YAY YAY YAY!!! LOVE this! Merry Christmas to you, Kristen! You deserve that beautiful car. I have a Honda Ridgeline that we got just a few years ago and I LOVE my Honda. It has a sunroof too 🙂 Enjoy it!
Congrats on your new Car!!! safe driving!!!
Yay, Kristen! I am so pleased for you. You've worked so hard for this. May it bring you pleasure, safety, utility and convenience for many years. ?
CONGRATULATIONS! I am very excited for you. When I was growing up, we could not afford new cars. We drove used cars that my dad fixed up. Good think he knew how to fix them because they were constantly breaking down. And he fixed them right back up.
The first time I bought a brand new car -- with a WARRANTY! -- I felt like a million and a half bucks. Cheers to you!
I'm so happy for you!! That's a great car!!
Yay!! Congratulations on your dream car!! What a happy post to read. Merry Christmas!!
Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!!
Awesome! So happy for you. Living large now! LOL
And I have an iPad for my car screen. Only reason I bought the extended warranty is because of the electronics in the car. I've read too many things happening to the screen so I want to make sure I'm covered. And now I'm covered for a ton of other things too!
Nothing really frugal going on here, but I am working on bills and stuff for next year since I will be retiring.
And the days are getting longer now. Colder, but longer. LOL
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Funny thing: all those pseudo-frugal things are the same ones I did when I bought a car 8 years ago, including the reasons I bought new.
I know you'll be happy with it.
@WilliamB, frugal minds tend to run along the same tracks. Makes sense to me!
Congratulations!
Yay! Heated seats! Wonderful! Congratulations!
I bought a brand new Civic fresh out of college because my old Buick (given to me by my grandmother because she didn't drive and my grandpa had died 6 years before) constantly broke down. I was not living near family, and I had a teaching job to get to on time, every time.
As a young, single woman who had never bought a new car, I got a bad deal. I was thrilled. Later, I was less than thrilled with the interest rate. But it lasted for me for more than 20 years.
And let me say again--- Yay! Heated seats!
@Jody S., the first time I became aware of heated seats was going somewhere with Mom in her car (I was driving), and I said, “Um, Mom, why is my butt hot?"
Congrats! May you have many happy, safe, and adventurous miles of fun adventures! I’m a long-time reader, and I’m in awe of how you’ve blossomed the last few years! You are truly an inspiration! Happy holidays! And I hope 2026 is very good to you!
I am so so soooo happy for you! I actually squealed OUT LOUD when I saw the title of your post today. I know you will enjoy your dream car wholeheartedly! May it bring you many miles of Snoopy smiles 🙂
Oh! Kristin! If I were the jumping type, I would have jumped for joy. As it is, I yelped and almost cried. I am so excited for you! I'm sure the dealership is excited to meet a savvy buyer and just before Christmas, no less!
As far as car maintenance, I finally got the tires aired after a couple of weeks of looking at the low tire symbol on the dash. Better gas mileage, frugal. I hadn't done it earlier simply because I no longer do it myself and timing was never right, plus I wouldn't do it in the bitter cold.
I actually filled up the gas tank with $2.55gal gas. It was during a bitterly cold wind. I miss full service!
My niece and I really like Brighton silver and I have bought her several pieces, including a couple of lanyards for her work badge. This year, I found a necklace dedicated to heart care which is appropriate as office manager of cardiology department at the local hospital. eBay purchase for the win!
I don't have to purchase many Christmas gifts. Even so, I reuse gift bags and wrap and can't remember when I've bought any. Ribbon, too.
The usual: chai latte from concentrate bought wholesale w no shipping, distill my own drinking water, temp set at 68', bunch errands...
Merry Christmas All!
Wow, congrats! There's a fabulous metaphor somewhere in there about leaving behind a familiar-but-slow minivan for something smaller, but new, exciting, and zippy. Enjoy!
My five are pretty ho-hum, which is fine by me.
1. Started some boring financial end-of-year tasks; Mr. B and I made sure we maxed out yearly contributions for our daughter's RRSP and our FHSAs (these are Canadian savings accounts--I think an RRSP is like a 529, and a FHSA is a specialized account for saving for your first house.) Next up, tackling our insurance benefits and making sure they've given us every penny we can get. Bleh.
2. We've continued to cook dinner at home, other than the occasional pizza. Honestly, the last two times we got takeout, I got food poisoning, so it's really put me off.
3. I did not participate in a work gift-exchange. It was for a large clinic that I was just rotating through briefly, and I'd already done one with my closer colleagues. It was fun to watch them enjoy it, but it was a lot of gifting bottles of wine, and I don't drink. So it saved me money and being disappointed!
4. I realized recently that I feel like I have a right-sized pregnancy wardrobe. I'm in second trimester now and I have a combination of a modest number of garments from last time, plus a few years of being thoughtful about buying clothes that fit across multiple sizes (e.g. cardigans instead of pullovers, swingy tops instead of fitted ones, etc.) It feels really easy to get dressed, and I like most of what I have. It's a nice way to feel! One less thing to worry about.
5. Um. I didn't buy more fabric, even thought I kind of wanted to 🙂 Hopefully once I'm actually on vacation I'll make some stuff with the MOUNTAINS of fabric I already own.
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), you're expecting? How wonderful. Congratulations!
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), buying fabric and using fabric are two different hobbies!
@Victoria, This is so true! I love textiles and have many, many pieces of unused fabrics. I have made a decision to go through it at thr beginning of the year.
Enjoy!! I bought myself a brand new car 2 years ago and I STILL feel giddy with happiness every time I drive it.
Congrats!!!! It is a great car!
I am so happy for you! Congratulations!
Did you keep your van to still be able to transport furniture and such?
My Honda CR-V is a 2010 and though I would really like a new or newer car, I don't need one so I'm just plugging along in my quite old SUV that takes an actual key to operate.
Love this post. Congratulations!
5 FFT Christmas edition
1. Did not buy any new packaging or gift wrap supplies.
2. Bought $1 lights for the porch at my little village thrift store. $4 total
3. Dad was trimming his ginormous backyard evergreen tree. I used the branches to make 2 gorgeous wreaths, gifted one to mom and dad.
4. Made cookies for husbands employees.
5. Found $20 brand new snow boots on Facebook marketplace. I realized all of kids snow overalls were purchased second hand too.
Oh-- frugal things! (Or maybe not frugal things.)
1. We attempted to hang clothes outside to dry. We tried, but they didn't dry much. So the laundromat it is. I can't wait until the dryer is fixed because the laundromat is most definitely not frugal. It's also inconvenient.
2. We are spending money now to buy some things to organize the new kitchen. This is not a money frugality, but it is a time/sanity frugality.
3. I mended something, but I don't remember what.
4. We went thrifting for fun as a family. But we drove a couple hours away and ate out (all 9 of us!) at a restaurant twice in one day. Not frugal, but it could very well be the last time all the kids will go on an outing with us in the van. The nest will soon begin to empty. So, it was something fun with my family, and it wasn't Disney World.
5. I helped my son make bread for his boss(es?) as Christmas gifts. You know what? He landed a lovely high school job. He gets paid Maryland minimum wage, and he has time (most of his hours) to sit and do school. The job requires minimal effort. AND he gets paid for holidays!!! (He also got a $300 bonus!) How many jobs for high school students are this wonderful?! Also frugal-- he's saving this money for college.
Kristen!!! This post made me smile. I'm thrilled for you and immediately imagined the Commentariat having the same reaction.
If you haven't named your lovely new ride yet, Christmas themed ones came to mind such as:
*Holly
*Ivy
*Merry
*Chris or Kris
You probably have it all figured out. Enjoy that new car smell and the vehicle that comes with that.
You deserve it!
Congratulations! How wonderful. I’m so happy for you.
I do have an extended warranty story. My husband and I were buying a brand new 2002 Honda Odyssey, having just had our third child, and we had agreed on almost everything until the salesman brought up the extended warranty for a mere $1000. My husband wanted to get it; I did not, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. We had one of those tense conversations which ended up with us getting the $1000 extended warranty and me telling my husband that I thought we had just flushed $1000 down the toilet.
Several years later, just a month before the extended warranty would have expired, we needed a new transmission which would have been $5000, but we got it at no cost under the warranty. Eating crow is not my favorite thing, but I told my husband that I had still been right, he was just lucky. (he agreed and for what it’s worth, we have never bought another extended warranty on a car nor have we ever wished we did.)
Huzzah! Three cheers! All the joy!
Well, I see we are suggesting names. I suggest Sadie.
I possess a Sadie human, so I can't name a car Sadie, but oh man, it's so easy to say. My mom used to call our family pickup Sadie, especially if the carburetor was being stubborn: "C'mon, Sadie."
But also, Sadie is a diminutive of Sarah, and Sarah in the Bible has the lovely respelling of her name to signal a new phase of her life, and so.
@Karen., I had a cat called Sadie when I was growing up! Such a good name for such a good cat!
I've returned with "s" names.
Stella-means star. Very appropriate for Christmas!
Serena-because being serene, having peace-also great for December.
?
Ooh, I do like Stella a lot!
@Kristen, Same, love Stella. It’s our granddaughter’s name. And she is every inch a star!
Congrats!! How exciting!
This time last year I bought a gently used car (only one prior owner, immaculate CarFax, low mileage) for cash. My mechanic checked it out and gave it an A+. I've always paid cash for my cars.
@JDinNM, And just back from a jaunt to CVS where I somehow got a $26.73 purchase for ... $8.79. No matter how hard I try, I still haven't managed to get them to actually pay me to buy stuff. But I'm working on it!
Gah! I go for weeks without posting and then on the day I get excited, I post three times. I only meant to do two. Thought my folllow-up comment didn't go thru so I posted again.
Sheesh.
@Molly F.C., it's always fun to read your comments!
This is so exciting! I, like many readers I am sure, have listened to you talk about this dream for years! I'm so proud of you and thrilled that it has come true!
Congratulations! I'm so happy for you. The car is beautiful. And new cars come with so many new safety features. It sounds like you did everything possible to get a good deal. We are in the market for a new car next fall and are leaning toward new instead of used simply because used prices are so high it hardly seems worth it.
Congratulations, Kristen! What a beautiful car! I'm really happy for you.
This is amazing! Congratulations. I'm so happy for you.
Congratulations on the new car!
1. My mom dropped off a whole bunch of food (bread, bagels, eggs, chicken, produce, etc.) We used the bread, chicken, brussel sprouts, and sweet potatoes to make chicken paninis for dinners this week. We are also using the peppers, onions, and sub rolls, along with shaved steak we got 50% off at Aldi to make steak sandwiches.
2. I have been wanting to read the last 2 books of the Hunger Game series. I found them at my local library.
3. I walk and work out quite a bit so really needed some new athletic sneakers. Dicks has a discount store in our city, where I found a pair of Brooks sneakers for about half of what they sell for in the store.
4. I picked up a big bag of mason jar tops and rings off Buy Nothing.
5. I found some toys for $.25 at Family Dollar that my daughter loves. They will go in her Easter basket.
It's always fun to hear about someone's dream coming true. Congrats & Enjoy your new ride!
Wow! So happy for you! Your frugality paid off. I know the dealers and salesmen are always very antsy toward the end of the month -- and esp. toward the end of the year -- to move inventory and reach their sales quotas. So I imagine you got a steal of a deal on the price. And how you financed it with the discounts and credit card/miles points and everything, that is pure frugal genius! I suppose the car/credit card points paid for a flight to Hawaii for you, am I right?
You have worked so, so hard that it is high time you rewarded yourself. Have fun driving your cute little car! I'm sure you'll be driving (and enjoying) it for years to come!
Once you have heated seats, you can never go back!! Congrats!
So happy for you! Congratulations and Merry Christmas!
Kristen! I’m so thrilled for you! What a great way to end 2025!!
Val
Congratulations on getting your new car! 🙂 Put your purchase paperwork in your taxes so that you remember the new vehicle write off/credit.
Frugal things---
● I did not buy a new car.
● used Meijer Reward points for 2 Free Slushies
● Gas station register did not show my reward but was removed from my rewards after entering my info So clark gave me cash $ refund for cost of Reward that was taken but not applied
● Meijer had spend $100 get $10, I bought everything on sale we needed to get to $100, nothing extra
● eating all meals at home, eating down pantry & freezer
● turned off heat when 40+* during day time.
OUTSTANDING!!! I have the same feelings when I look at my “new” 2004 Accord. 😎
As a proud owner of nothing but Accords since 1981, I don’t understand why a Civic was your choice. Yeah, I’m an Accord snob. So silly! (But it is one of 2 cars mentioned in the Bible.)
Welll, I wanted something SMALLER after driving vans for 23 years. 😉
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I'm with you Jana. I got a 2-year-old Accord in 2017 & have been in love with it ever since. The only new car I ever purchased was a Toyota Corolla. I enjoyed the Corolla but the Accord's larger body commands better control on ice & snow - important in my northern state, as well as extreme comfort in additional roominess for travel while still being extremely fuel efficient. I am a HUGE Accord fan!
Congrats! I love the color! Are you keeping the van also to schlep around furniture and stuff, or did you trade it in?
Not much frugal this week, but I did buy a pair of brand new Altra's at goodwill for $6.50! I couldn't believe it!
One big frugal thing:
I got billed $719 for 2 years of website hosting, because the company upgraded my plan. I called, learned about the upgrade, determined it wasn’t necessary, and got a lower plan, $450 for 3 years.
Those phone calls are so awful. . . phone trees that don’t offer the right options, long waits, people who are hard to understand explaining things that are incomprehensible and attempting to sell you more incomprehensible things. . . more long waits, and then they expect you to take a survey at the end.
But, I did it and saved $269, and actually more if you figure in the extra year. Gold star for me!
Yay! I used to think heated seats were a silly luxury, and maybe they are , but I love them so much. It takes a while for the cars heater to kick out warm air but that heated seat is ready to go right away.
Congratulations
1. I am currently watching Sisters on Tubi. I had forgotten how rough the first season was. But it is a nice change of pace.
2. I used up most of my leftover wrapping paper.
3. I needed additional cards and found a package at the bottom of my wrapping paper storage.
4. We are staying home for Christmas and didn't buy anything more for dinner. We have everything alredy.
5. I am making a pecan pie today with stuff on hand.
6. Last night we wanted to watch a movie and 3 of 4 of us had not watched "The Holdovers. After alot of encouragment from my daughter we found out it is a great film.
7. Popcorn was provided by my son.
Lastly 42 years ago my mom married my step dad and made us a family. She was 47 and he was 61. They got me through so much including a tornado, teenage bullheadedness, learning to drive, college and then marriage and motherhold. They used to say today was my anniversary too. I miss them everyday.
Merry Christmas!
A curious mind here. . . remembering that the name “Civic” came from CVCC, I looked up those letters. Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion. Hunh? Here’s what else it said: “… a name that was invented before the technology that is describes—Mr. Honda’s way of lighting a (metaphorical) fire under his engineer’s butts to come up with a solution to the emissions issue.”
Maybe Lisey can understand this.
How terrific! Now what comes next: the horror of that first scratch! We will be here to cry with you.
@Lindsey, She just might wrap it in cotton batting....
Oh yes, I thought about how painful that's going to be. Right now I am being rather cautious and parking in the back of parking lots, but that probably won't last forever.
@Kristen, I'm three months in with my new Toyota Rav4 hybrid and STILL parking it very, very carefully. Someone termed it 'New car exercise.' 🙂
@Tamara / My Retirement Project,
Kristen- WITH a sun roof- a must-have for me as well. I love it!
I am off work this week and way late on commenting so very few will see this but:
Yay for the car!!! My daughter loved her Civic but it got old and they ended up with four kids so…
I don’t name things for some weird reason. Not my car, my sourdough starter, nothing inanimate. But if you are looking for S names, my husband used to know a woman named Sada (say-da) and I thought it was an interesting name.
This week I am trying to stay frugal. I’ve hit some bumps in the road with a couple of presents that I refuse to throw money at to solve it. I will work it out!
I saved my daughter some money by repairing the ripped out hanging loop on two Christmas stockings that might have been handled a little roughly by small children, not pointing fingers of course.
I’m reusing my homemade cloth bags and tags for gift wrapping.
I saved 50 cents a pound by buying whole chickens from a farm and cutting them up myself.
We will have a cooperative Christmas lunch again, at my house this time. I will use my cloth tables linens , my china and silverware and the crystal glasses I bought years ago and that my daughter just recently found more of at a thrift store so I have enough for all of us.
Aww yay! Congratulations, Kristen!!
I had a Honda Civic from 2010-2023 and I loved that car! It had great gas milage, could fit into alll the parking spaces, and was fun to drive (despite not being a sport car!) Now, I drive a Honda Odyssey, womp womp. I always thought I’d never get a minivan, but it’s perfect for this stage of our lives with a family of 4 and two boys that play a lot of sports. I love being able offer to carpool (people always return the favor!) and dump everything in the back for a big trip.
Enjoy!!
Oh yes, a minivan cannot be beat for raw utility when you have a houseful of kids. It is hands down the most sensible option!
Make sure there are no early payoff penalties. Some have them. It can be 6 months.
Yay! Pretty! In our family, we take a New car/truck road trip to the beach... Only not this week...high winds, big trees.
You did an awesome job of extracting every last incentive. My SIL who works for a large auto seller (many brands), Honda has the best incentive pkgs. As does Subaru.
When you hinted at news...I hoped it was your dream car!
Today are delivering all of our Christmas baskets, brewing coffee for the thermos and peppermint cocoa. Cousin gave me my Christmas early which is discounted diesel fill up at his workplace private fill station...worth $80! Love his heart!
Made the dough for cinnamon rolls, it is slow raising in the fridge. I make orange rolls, cinnamon rolls and pizza and ham rolls. I'll make veggie sticks and ranch plus dirty martini blue cheese dip, pickle plate, meat plate and cheese fruit and nuts for all of the drop ins.
Oh, I felt left out on the ridiculous injury stories (kidding, NOT kidding). Monday afternoon my friend brought her Newfoundland pups for a playdate along with my pup, they were playing in the pond, chasing sticks and I had a stick in my hand and one of the dogs jumped up and jammed my middle finger, swelling of metacarpals 2,3 & 4, fracture of middle finger #3 and capitate.
Bestie is an orthopedic surgeon, last night he x-rayed and splinted. Says it is a common boxing injury...so I need a good story...akin to taking a roundhouse kick from Kristin @ going country.... ROTFL. The Diclofenac gel is keeping the swelling to a minimum.
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, Next time, throw the stick when you see 'em coming.
I'm so happy for you! And I know exactly how you feel! This past summer, I finally got my BLUE Toyota Highlander. I have driven used vans (4 kids!) and, most recently, a 2011 brown Toyota Venza (which my children lovingly called "the rolling turd"), which was a GREAT car, but oh I hated the color. I am still amazed when I see the Highlander and realize it's mine. And the Apple carplay amazes me every single time! Your Civic is hard earned and well deserved! Merry Christmas to you!
Ohhh, I agree so much about the brown! Yay for an upgrade to blue!!
Yay, Kristen! I'm thrilled for you!
Kristen,
It has a thermostat!! So fancy!! 🙂
Seriously, in your post yesterday, as soon as you mentioned you'd "done a thing", I thought "SHE BOUGHT HER CIVIC!!". Yes, I was happily shouting it in my head!
Well done taking advantage of all the bonuses and frugal work-arounds. My family is a solid Toyota family, for the same reason - you can drive them forever!
Nice wheels!
1. Hand-sewed a hole that developed on my winter coat.
2. Gave away packing supplies on Buy Nothing.
3. Friend gave me olive oil, but not just any olive oil - Brightland Olive Oil which retails for about $40!
4. Went to a movie with my sister and we saved money by being old (senior discount) and going to the matinee (20% off).
5. While out running errands, I treated myself to a $4 peppermint bark Mini Blizzard at Dairy Queen. I accepted their offer of a pup cup for my dog who was in her kennel in the backseat. Bonus: Although the nutritional value of the Blizzard wasn't great, I got quite a freeze headache from it which made my other headache disappear!
Congrats on the new car! You have been making so many of your dreams come true these past couple years. Do you still have your mini-van or did you sell it and put the money towards the new car?
I do still have it; I am undecided on what I will do with it. I might keep it for a little while and see how often I need the space, and then decide!
Oh it's so wonderful to see years of saving turn into the item you've been hoping for! Winter is the perfect time to enjoy a car with heated seats 🙂
@FJB, and also my frugal things:
- This is tiny, but I cut up little pieces of fully-written-on paper for "gum paper", which is important when you live in a country with extremely rare public trash cans.
- Previously, that paper had been one-sided printed paper, which I binder clipped together to make writing pads.
- I packed my lunch and snacks for hiking last weekend.
- I still have my Libby logged into the previous move's library...maybe some librarians would be upset with me for this, but I don't use Libby all that often and am planning to change it once I get back to the states. Anyway, I've found lots of books to read that I would have otherwise had to buy for lack of English options around.
- I completed a stove replacement saga, which, to be fair, was not too much effort on my part being a renter. This is frugal for me because the stove no longer ruins pots and pans getting too hot.
Exciting! I am so happy for you.
your grin says it all - I'm so happy for you and I can only imagine how good it feels to have accomplishedthis goal! I've had a civic -fabulous car and hondas are so great - wishingyou many safe and happy miles!
Congrats!
Did they have it in stock or did you have to order it and wait?
We have a Toyota Sienna with 155k miles and every few months I look at the dealer website near our house to see how much a new one is. They only have 1-2 in stock at a time and it's a couple months to order a new one. Maybe cars are less likely to have this problem?
I hope we don't have to replace it for a few more years, but I am keeping an eye on the market. I'll have a kid old enough to drive in a couple years! Wow!
Amazingly, I didn't even have to wait! They had one in stock in the color I wanted, and it had 12 miles on it. Ha.
YYAYY You!!!! congratuhondalations!!
Congratulations on realizing one of your dreams! Beautiful color, too! woo-hoo!
So happy for you!
Five Frugal Things (recent, not necessarily this week):
We:
1) purchased one roll of novelty wrapping paper but otherwise did not purchase any wrapping supplies or Christmas cards this year. We used what we had, which was plenty.
2) used some gift cards to pay for part of a birthday meal out.
3) have mostly eaten at home of late and will probably continue to do so until we begin traveling for the holidays.
4) purchased a hot water heater and associated parts from Lowe's and paid only to have everything installed. This saved us about $800, even with delivery from Lowe's. Seriously.
5) have more or less stayed within our Christmas budget thus far.
Congrats on the new car! Dreams turn into reality with hard work and determination!
I only just found out the surprise and love it wholeheartedly! It is a stunner in that shade and makes you smile your biggest, happiest smile. You even found a few discounts and the biggest deal is how long and how far this car will take you to happy places. Soo glad you shared!
Congratulations!! Merry Christmas!
Congratulations! They are great cars! I drove my Honda Civic for about 12 years (and my youngest daughter is currently driving my 24 year old Toyota Corolla!). I buy new, but get our money's worth out of cars.
My older daughter was driving a beat up old used car she had to buy to replace a great but older car that got totaled in an accident (so not much insured value) all through medical school and residency. She bought a new car earlier this year, (right before all the tariff craziness) after starting her job as a newly-minted pediatrician. She loves it. She got a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. The only thing she is disappointed about is that these cars--when sold in the US--do not have heated steering wheels. But we live in California! No snow, and she parks in a garage at her home and at her office. So not even frost touches her car. She even uses the heated seats sometimes in the summer on cool foggy days. LOL!!!!
Drive safely and in good health. What a great reward for all your hard work.
The new Corollas are VERY nice! I was surprised at how sporty they look now.
Woot! Congratulations! I hope you love it for decades to come.
My brother and I used to compare credit scores all the time. Now we're both FIRE and don't care any longer. However, his was always slightly higher, because he always bought cars using [small-ish] auto loans, even though my net worth was more. During those years, I had a company car, so I never had installment payments on my credit report. Since you might be buying a house in the future, keeping this loan for a bit longer could pay huge dividends come mortgage application time. It might be an excellent strategy to keep it for about twelve months.*
After a certain point there's not a lot you can do to boost your credit score. This is a unique opportunity.
My FFT: I grocery shopped at Costco today. It was bedlam! I bought nothing that wasn't on my list. That's about four thousand frugal things, right?
A friend needed to go there tomorrow, so I had her text me her list and I grabbed her items while I was there. More frugality!
Hilariously, her list was shorter, but it came to more than mine, so I left feeling just a tiny bit virtuous.
*I recently charged a $7,400 planned expense on my Southwest card. This added utilization made my credit score go down by 23 points. The next month, my score went up by 23 points. Ridiculous! I had plenty in the checking account to pay cash, but I wanted the points and I don't care about my credit score.
Enjoy your new wheels! You certainly worked hard for them.
Congratulations on your purchase! We followers knew this was a dream/goal of yours and you've certainly done your due diligence in researching out your purchase. So very happy for you!
Congratulations!!!!! We have been a Honda Civic family for many, many years. 300K+ miles on every one of them. Our sons, when buying their first time cars, chose the Civic.
This is a well-deserved gift for you! Hooray!!!!
omg i am so proud of you and happy for you. drive in safety and good health. how exciting. whoo hoo.
So happy for you Kristen!!
Good for you! I've been driving Hondas for 35 plus years and won't own anything else. I had two used civics and then graduated to a new CRV in 2012. Honda's last forever. You'll be thrilled with it. And you know what? You deserve it!
I am so excited for you. You have worked so, so hard, and now - your dream car. Merry Christmas!
Congratulations! And yet another thing one doesn't need whiskers to do. I have bought our last four cars on my own. Key is the research I do ahead of time, so that I can enter the dealership with a firm but fair price that I am willing to pay.
Congrats on your new car, Kristen! So happy for you!
You know what dealerships have a hard time dealing with - a female with her partner (spouse/better half) who is just there. And a female paying cash no less - who doesn't let it be known some colors are a non-starter (spouse/better half non-starter colors) and has limited needs for "extras". Kudos - I think you did a good job as lone female buyers are like shark bait to the dealership (and kudos to them for not being a-holes).
Happy holidays to you and as A. Marie calls it, the commentariat.
Congratulations! I was very surprised to see a brand new car but as a non-car person (who never had a driving license) I feel I’ve gotten a real education reading the comments and with all the good deals you made so I next time I hear «you loose money buying a new car the moment you drive out the lot» I can join the conversation and say «well, that depends on the car don’t it? For example a Honda..» 😉
Congratulations again!
Congratulations and Merry Christmas!
So happy for you!! I’m still in the minivan life stage but it’s a Honda with heated leather seats and I love those seats with all the love!
Merry Merry Christmas! Very nice maxing out all of the opportunities to save $$$ !
Congratulations! So happy for you! Happy holidays everyone, I don’t post much, but very much appreciate this blog, and its readers!
SOOOO danged excited for you! I love the Civic also.. my son had one for years..peppy car!!
Good luck with your new vehicle.. and congrats on all the different savings you found to apply!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
THanks for sharing with us all year long even when you are uber busy!!
Yay for you buying your civic! We’ve been a Honda family for years! You won’t be disappointed!!
Congrats on getting a Honda. We love ours. My husband worked for Honda R and D and we got massive employee discounts, so I have had two Civics and a FIT (which is now 15 years old). Also, depending on the dealership you CAN put a whole car on a credit card.
Thanks for sharing your life. Your new dream car is awesome. Merry Christmas Kristen.
WOW - the stars were in alignment for you. I wish I could get a new car and not finance it.
1. Wrapped gifts (my kids) with brown paper from packages received in mail.
Wrapped their friends gifts in wrapping paper I purchased I think 10 years ago for ¢25 per roll at Giant Eagle the day after Christmas. We have 1 more unopened roll and 2 partial.
2 Ate out and brought home leftovers that will be lunch today and Friday
3 Regifted a body scrub that I won't us
Regifted a yarn bowl I've never used
4 Made 15 quarts of apple sauce from $20 of seconds that are annual gifts to family for Christmas
5. Sold a jam maker for $50 - used $35 to eat out
Congratulations Kristen!!! Well earned, well deserved & what YOU wanted!!! Yay!! ???????
Yay you!!! She's a beauty! What's her name?
Congratulations! Dreams come true with a bit of sweat! The best feeling in the world!
Congratulations!!!
You deserve a brand new car !
Merry Christmas
Congratulations! What a great feeling! I hope you continue to feel joy each time you are behind the wheel!
I didn't buy a car this week and had a less than frugal week with out of town guests staying with us (I'm sure there were some frugal things but I can reflect next week). I did get a great deal on my current car though! I traded in my old car in 2020 because it was the one I got in the divorce and I wasn't happy that it didn't have AWD. As a Minnesotan I feel AWD is important. It was early enough in 2020 that car dealerships were desperate to sell their cars so I walked away with $0 down (I did put some down to get the monthly payment I wanted), a hefty amount for my trade in (even without AWD it was a good car), no payments for 6 months, $5000 off the asking price, and 0% financing - all for a brand new car. I feel thankful every time I think of what a deal it was and that it will be paid off by the time my son start to drive it.
How exciting! I am so happy for you. If you do want a warranty, most credit unions offer car warranties at a lower cost than dealerships- it's called mechanical breakdown protection. Just thought I would share in case others didn't know about that. 🙂 hurray for driving your dream car! I am driving my dream car and every time I get in, Sadie the Subaru makes me happy!
I just bought a new Honda Civic Hatchback Sport in July and I am still in awe and in love with it!! My last car was a Honda Fit and I put 265,000 miles on it so I definitely think Honda is the best thing for me. Happy Hondaing!!
I am sure this is the furthest from frugal but we bought a three-wheeler motorcycle. The only thing even nearly considered frugal would be the safety of my husband driving this versus his two-wheeler. The bike was getting a bit heavy for him and after having dropped it a couple times (only in a parking lot while parking, slowly thank god) he just decided it was too risky to keep riding it. He did trade in his two-wheeler; we put part of the cost on two different credit cards to gain the rewards but didn't do the financing since the bonus went to the seller not the buyer.
So excited for you! My first car was a two door Honda Civic that I bought used from Carmax-that was decidedly NOT frugal as it seems that Carmax has inflated prices most of the time, but my 19 year old self didn’t know any better. My second car was a new two door Honda Accord and man did I love that car. I had it for a few years and then got pregnant with my daughter and figured that a two door car was not the most convenient option to get a baby in and out of. Since then I’ve owned various cars, all that I didn’t have to pay a car payment on and were given to us (so lucky!!!). If I ever get to pick out my own car again in the future, it’s most likely going to be a Honda again. I’ve driven various types in the last 18 years and Honda is still my favorite, by far. Congratulations!!
Congrats!!! Enjoy your new wheels.
Congratulations!!!!
Congratulations on your new car!! Isn't it great?? Dh and I bought a new Honda CRV last week and got hit with hard sale on warrenties. Ours is a "sport" model so he wanted to sell us a plan for our "sport" tires. What? Then the guy called dh and was sniffing around for us to come in and complete our paperwork for a $250 rebate. Well, it's Christmas Eve and I'm not fitting that into my schedule.
I have heated seats and love it.
P.S. when we were buying our car there was a Civic in the show room that was brown. Like poop. Eeewww who would buy that?
Love that you now have your dream car! I loved "Nellie", my mid-1980s Honda Civic Wagon with a standard transmission. She was so much fun to drive. Used, great price, purchased from a graduating college student who was moving to NYC. My dream car was/is the car I am still driving, a 2012 Toyota Camry SE, the only new car I have ever owned. I did a big down payment and had a very low interest rate because of my excellent credit rating. This one doesn't have a name, but I still love driving her. Enjoy your Honda Civic, and may she have a long life.
So very happy for you!!! It’s a beautiful car. Enjoy it - but don’t get any speeding tickets! LOL
Congratulations on your new car! I have an 09 Civic sedan myself. It is good to know they have hybrid Civics.
Kristen, I'm so happy you finally got your dream car. Truly happy holidays to you.
And, I'm really proud that you cut the deal you did, that is amazing. To this day, salesman still tend to approach women as an easy target. Good for you!!
My frugal week was basically staying home, using no gas and, eating leftovers.
While I truly love my Jeep Wrangler, I can honestly say, you look good where your going but, the amount of gas it takes to get there, is not worth the purchase of the vehicle.
I'm thinking a Prius hybrid. I would love to go full electric but I do not have a garage in order plug it in and I live in a town house so wouldn't have a connection enough to plug it in. So that's my challenge for 2026
Thank you so much for all your advice this year, I truly appreciate the little nuggets of wisdom.
Look forward to hearing about your first Honda Civic road trip.
Blessings for the Holidays.
Congratulations ??!
Happy for you
Congratulations!!! How wonderful!
Congratulations on buying your dream car! So happy for you!
Congratulations! She's a beauty! I love Hondas!! They drive so well and are so so comfy and they look great! Well deserved! Enjoy your new whip, as the kids say!
I love Honda! I’m on my third Honda Pilot. My first one I had for 18 years! They have the room of an SUV but are easy to drive as they are built on a car body.
What a BEAUTIFUL car!!! And you can never go wrong with a Honda! Well deserved for sure. So glad for you.