tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15145059.post6002978346743274521..comments2024-02-20T03:26:29.516-05:00Comments on predelusional: Mortgage basicsStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934169832326108710noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15145059.post-43099219797185342762008-06-26T16:05:00.000-04:002008-06-26T16:05:00.000-04:00Yes, do the math. Get the gas hog if it makes sen...Yes, do the math. Get the gas hog if it makes sense. This is good for the environment. Save even more by renting it out to your neighbors from time to time. Talk to your insurance company. It can work.<BR/><BR/>If you do alot of miles, two things make sense to me. Get a pickup truck as an extra car. Use it when you must. Or. Put a trailer hitch on the car, and pull a cheap trailer when you must.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03934169832326108710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15145059.post-52253309462371187312008-06-25T11:08:00.000-04:002008-06-25T11:08:00.000-04:00On mortgages: I've got a good one. I originally bo...On mortgages: I've got a good one. I originally bought the house under one of those "first time buyer" programs, so got a rate that was below market for the time, plus got some other goodies. An important part of that was that there was a second mortgage that paid down monthly payments for the first few years. I'm just about done paying off that -- not that I'm in a rush, since that's at zero percent. I refinanced the primary mortgage in 2002 or 03, at a really nice rate (lower than current market level). <BR/><BR/>I had 18 years left on a 30 year fixed when I refinanced to a 15 year fixed, so that cut 3 years off the payoff right there. Plus, the rate was good enough that the monthly payment went down. I kept the payment about the same as I had before, with the difference going straight to principal, so I'll be finished even quicker.<BR/><BR/>I'll be finished with mortgage payments just about the time I'll be starting my daughter's college payments. sigh.DQKennardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03394502797619929472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15145059.post-77153590744972453212008-06-25T10:57:00.000-04:002008-06-25T10:57:00.000-04:00It's actually occurred to me that now would be the...It's actually occurred to me that now would be the time for me to buy a gas hog, since the dealers are so desperate to unload them. I drive so little that mpg doesn't really make all that much difference. I could drive a huge pickup and the daily cost wouldn't be all that much worse, plus I'd have the cargo capacity if I needed it. <BR/><BR/>Maybe I could get a Hummer (H2, not that wimpy little H3), or an F350 (I *laugh* at puny F150!). Maybe it should have the license place "COMPNS8".<BR/><BR/>OK, I wouldn't get a Hummer. My objection to the Hummer isn't that it's big; if you need big, you need big. The problem with the Hummer is that it's badly designed, in the sense that it makes inefficient use of its bigness.DQKennardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03394502797619929472noreply@blogger.com