Pardon my ranting, but I need to let it out before I go postal on someone. I will put it on here, because no one locally will be on here.

Last year, business was crappy. But everyone's business was. We were paying the bills so we were happy. At the end of the year a buddy of mine needed a ride so I gave him one to town. He noticed a bunch of stuff wrong with my old brown truck, and it bothered him. I was putting 25,000 miles a year on a lifted truck with 300K on it. I walked into his office one day to help him with his computer, and he handed me a blank check. He told me to go get another truck. He said no strings attached, pay me back when you can. I took the check and thought hard about it for a week. I decided to cash the check for $4,000 and go truck shopping. I ended up with my blue suburban for $2,000. I took it to the body shop and spent $900 on paint. I then put new tires on it, on a set of $100 titan wheels. I then did some horse trading on some upgrade parts, and bought some new parts. the truck was going great until we changed the oil and the motor started knocking. I decided to make the best of it and keep going.

All summer long, I busted my tail. I bought and sold many vehicles and managed to save $3,500 cash with $1,500 due in business related investments.

My wife is driving down the interstate and something hits her car and damages it. Some might remember the whole Geico fiasco I posted on here. Any way, I ended up buying her another Suburban for $1,500 and selling her old car damaged for $1,000. Geico shelled up another $1,100 in the end. So, all is well. Another $300 put away after tax and titling.

About this time, we get some fantastic news. Our landlord has decided that despite continuing to collect rent from us, she didn't need to pay the mortgage on the house. We are notified we have 6 days to be out of the house. When they found out we had kid's thy gave us 30 days.

Now, for most people this wouldn't be hard, but my Dad is handicap, so he and Mom live with us. It takes a certain size house for 4 adults and 2 kids to live in.

Fortunately, we find a house. It is a lease purchase. They want $5,000 down. $2,500 at the signing, and $2,500 in 90 days. My buddy told me to use the money I had put up and put a roof over my kid's head so I do it. After move in, the money is pretty well all gone. Utility down payments, moving expenses, blah blah blah. Well, the mortgage company from the old house says they will give us $1,500 for leaving the rented house in such great shape. So, from broke to $1,500 to put up towards that $2,500 due in 90 days. Seems perfectly do able. Black Friday hits, and I splurge and spend $200 on a new grille since wind carried our old one away. We grille out year round about 3 to 4 times a week.

Now here comes the really crappy part, after Thanksgiving the business basically STOPPED. No money coming in at all. We are struggling to keep things paid, so money starts getting pulled from the $1,700 I then had in the savings account. We get down to $300. We are within just weeks of the 90 days being up. My wife frantically starts selling everything that isn't strapped down. We are now back up to $1,500 inside of a weeks time. The problem is, I am still $1,000 short, and the motor is giving up on my suburban after 20,000 miles of knocking. My wife found a job finally last week, but it is to little to late it seems. Also, this week was another dud-week. No money coming into the office, no money at all. My checking account is sitting slap on $0 for the first time in years.

As much as I love my little S-10, and as much as I want to finish it and drive it, I think I am going to have to sell it. I am pretty heart broke about it. I have worked so hard this year in order to get a leg up. I had money saved up for the first time since the economy crapped out 3 years ago. I finally have the exact project vehicle I have been looking for, and I am going to have to abandon it. Motor mounts and headers, and I could have been putting the thing together.

Frustrated BIG TIME. I have an ad on craigslist looking for small auto repairs, but not a single response on it. I haven't been able to find a cheap vehicle to buy and resale real quick. It isn't like I am lazy and not trying. I am going down kicking and screaming.

Pardon me a moment - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhh

Well, I am about to hit the road. A customer want's me to add WI-FI to their office, so I am going to install a router for them. It will be a little money, but not enough to do much of anything at this point.


I know my business will pickup after the first of the year. It does every year. This is just that annoying stuck in the middle point.

 

Keep your head up man. Providing for your family is far, far more important than a project vehicle. Things will turn around and you will be able to enjoy your project, but now is not that time.

 

Thanks for the encouragement.

I always put my family first, and never use money out of my regular job for my projects. I might buy something to resale and then use the profit for project stuff, but the initial money goes back to my family. Often, that money is back within 2 days.

I will be SO glad when the credit problem my ex-wife caused is all gone away.

 

I never bothered to scan that barcode in your avatar until now, and your story makes a lot more sense now

 

Yeah, the computer industry has 2 pausing points every year. Right around Christmas, and right around school letting out in spring. Makes sense, Christmas present money and vacation money.

 

There are two people in this world I would really love to hurt. If I didn't have kids to think of, I would probably be sitting in jail.

1 - the ex-wife that stole my identity, created 4 alias's and utterly destroyed my credit

2 - the landlord that lied, cheated, and stole and put my family in a incredibly bad spot. $1200 a month rent on a house that the mortgage was $800 a month. No excuse, no excuse at all. She hadn't paid the mortgage in over a year. She lied straight to my face.

NO, I am not going to go doing anything stupid. But I am going to sit here and dream about it.

 

I've been almost in your same shoes. No ex wife to deal with. Back in 2008 the drilling company I was working for went from 5 rigs running to 0 in like two months. Yeah the oilfield always does this. So we kinda always keep a backup plan. Lucky for me I've got buddy's & family that own their own business and always willing to put me to work. I don't wish hard times on anyone. I take hard times better then my wife, my family was always poor, but I never did without. 3 years later I'm still going strong. Keep your head up man. Sometimes when it rains it pours.

 

not sure what kind of person you are, but i believe good things happen to good people, and if you put your family first a stick with it, something good will always come of it.

 

I will let people make their own call on that.

I always try to help everyone I can. I live more by the thought that no good deed goes unpunished. The harder I try to help someone, the more I get kicked back. I get kicked a lot.

 

never give up, ive been i your situation, and it took me six years, but i made it now where my family has more than they could wish for. Praying never hurts either, its always helped me, in the long run.