marques1

iTrader: (5)

^^^^ +1... you should be setting yourself up with a career not a steep car payment. Save up your money and if anything don't put it into a car that depreciates. I skipped out on having real nice cars i bought myself a brand new house by the age of 21. I had to make sacrifices though. When my friends were rolling around in expensive cars i was rolling around in my old *** accord at the time. Guess what though i got the last laugh at the end of the day. I own a house a 350z and continuing my education to become a nurse ansthesiologist and where are my friends the same place they were years ago. oh and no jokes about guys and nursing, lol. I hear it enough from everyone else but hey when they pay 225,000 + a year you can just laugh to the bank.

Boba

iTrader: (21)

You're too naive. The real world isn't what you think it is...

Winchman pretty much said it. You're still climbing the ladder, and it only gets narrower the more you climb. And the narrower you climb, the more competition there is going to be. You will be filtered out faster than you can blink because those with a college degree AND job experience will be in front of the line.

Take our advice and go to school and get a degree. I used to think school is a waste of time because it doesn't teach us the essentials we need in the real working world. I was wrong. If acquiring college funds is the problem why you aren't going to college, then it's out of my scope.

Like I said, if you most certainly still want a Z, talk to your parents, they'll understand. Make a deal with them in return for a Z because I can understand that if you don't get a Z now, the next time you can fully afford a Z is probably when it reaches like 530Z.

Haha I'm going to stop right here.. Don't want to turn a car enthusiast forum into a place for counseling/advice.

Boba

iTrader: (21)

CRNA... Big money but very hard! I was contemplating on whether to go the nurse route too but decided otherwise because I just can't see myself being stuck at home studying, and then having to work long shifts at a hospital. But big money no doubt and props to you for being able to stay with it!

Evansblue787

Well thank you everyone for the advice. I really appreciate it. I'm gonna reconsider everything over the next few days and see where I end up.

Evansblue787

Ok well I cruised around and thought about it a lot. Thats how I think and get my mind off things lol is drive around. But anyways, I think I'm gonna wait to get a 350z. You guys are right at this age I don't want to be tied down by a car payment and I need to think about moving out and such. I'm gonna sell my 88 Turbo and use the money from that and make my 90 300z nice. I love that car and would love it and appreciate it just as much as a 350z. I'll use the extra money I would be putting towards a car payment to fix it up. She needs some body work and engine work. But thanks all for the advice. =)

Swimminggerman

^^^ close but still not right. sell the turbo, take summer classes and finish earlier. F the car man. Trust me. Im debating on buying another one too (240z or supra) Not that I have the money lay around but I know i could make it and school payments as well. However sh*t happens and can always get worse. So if i ended up getting another car and no more money coming in. how do i keep the car and go to school. well i could always put school on hold (i would never do this) and pay for the car so that i dont totally loose. but you do loose because you still have no degree, its put on hold and further from the sights now and your car is still deprecating in value. plus if the money issue gets very tight you might have to sell the car and youve skipped out on a year of school which just prolongs it. LOOSE LOOSE LOOSE. Focus on one goal at a time. If you really want your goal to be a cool car to cruise around in or go from gas station job to gas station job (not saying you are, or its a bad thing. I worked at a gas station before) but it gets old after you cruise around and think, wow I dont have anything but this stupid car that aint worth sh*t. Take the 88 turbo money and bank it. Enjoy your car the way it is.

marques1< -- I hate you(j/k) I'm teaching your children and only making 40k. I put off everything and went to school, no car, no fun, no going out and spending any money. Do you have college loans? (This will make me feel a little better if you do). Im debt free from everything, even my masters. but still, i dont make jack squat for working with everyone's little "precious".

marques1

iTrader: (5)

You need to listen to swimmingerman i wish i had someone give me the knowledge he is giving you at your age. I do well but i would be so much better off than i am even now. Cars come and go but you will never lose your education or degree unless you do something really crazy, lol. You can always get a 350z once you have money stacked in the bank account. Like he said get your degree man. Also, if i could give you some advice get into a field that you know you will have a job in once you graduate. I never understood ppl that go to these universities and choose the most retarded degree plan ever. I have an associate that loved dancing so she decided to go to the University of Texas. She, owes so much money for school and makes almost no money in her career. What i'm telling you in a nutshell is be smart and plan and you will end up on top. If you don't you can't blame me or swimmingerman, lol.

No, college loans at all thus far. I was lucky enough to get my school paid for in cash. My girlfriend is a teacher also....she hates me, lol. She has a masters in administration so she is inline to become a principal soon enough. She hates me to because i was making just as much as her without a degree at the time, of course in the medical field. She, goes damn i picked the wrong field..haa. I believe teachers should get paid more they deal with alot of BS and stress. Man if you had a equivalent of a masters in the medical field...you don't even want to know the damage you could do. While your in nursing school you can't really work to much since it is so demanding. In conclusion my funds aren't like they use to. Of course this is all temporary because soon i will be back in the game, lol.

Swimminggerman

^ Nice. Yeah sometimes I think "F this, teach your own D*mn kids" all this work, 'verbal appreciation' and what, like 70cents an hour per child. Seriously that is what it breaks down to. Babysitters, you know the 13 year old ones. make 10 bucks an hour per kid. I understand i have benefits ie medical, union, semi-job security, vacations. but seriously? I hate when people say "the children are our future" BS. your future is in your hands, and currently so is your childs. If Education were so important there would not be issues that we have.
Ok back to the issue at hand. get a degree. I say medical or education (you choose your level of difficulty) for both are almost always in demand and need. Plus for me, someone who loves to travel and move a lot. I can always rest assured that I can assist the community as well survive with an income no matter where I go. I believe that medical field is near similar.

marques1<< Since you have a house, I'm moving in to save money. no worries, ill take a closet in the basement or what not. And we can park our Z's next to each other and roll around together. it'll be so cute. hahaha j/k.

marques1

iTrader: (5)

LOL, houses in Texas don't have basements. Since, im in school i do rent the rest of my rooms out though. I pay nearly nothing for my own house it works out well.

MaelstrØm

Hold up here - I don't buy it. Their stress is trivial compared to many jobs. No, they should not be paid more. I have two friends who are middle and high school teachers, and they get seasonal off time, limited work hours, government benefits and their big complaint is "I hate my principal" or "My kids are such brats". They take field trips to Mexico City, France, etc. with their kids, and have mandatory holidays. If you don't like that kind of job, get out of it.

I willingly chose my career, and the pay sometimes makes up for the stress so I tolerate it. I do not complain. If I don't like it, I can quit and take an easier job.

Zara33

Ok first off kidm we are the EXACT same. I am a 2a that works in the Dallas division and I am only 19 years old. I make a LOT of money for my age with no degree and have only been with the company for 1yr and 5 months and about to have my 1A interview (that would be my 3rd promotion). First off to let everyone on here know that says get a college degree because if you dont have one you wont move up, this is not true with the company we work for. We promote from within and %80 of supervisors or above (130k+ salary) started out as a part-time clerk, or Night Assistant, and this supervisor position does NOT require a college degree. I own an 88Z non turbo and just bought my 350z with no credit history and a perfect driving record, I still have to pay $360 a month for both cars to be insured, $200 a month is not too bad for people our age who are on their own, along with payments. You can find a nice Z with your income as an RA or NA ~11k and do a 4year plan on it and be able to live comfortably. Im not saying dont give up on school (I still do part-time) and I am not saying go ahead and buy yourself a new Z. Just dont let other people make that descision for you.

I conclusion......

1. Do what you want to do.
2. If you can budget well, you can easily aquire a 350z with your job, while continuing an education if you want to.
3. QT is the JAM and an awsome company to work for (forbes fortune 100 best companies to work for 7 years running, that's saying something)
4. If you continue with QT, move to a Arizona or Texas division to get promoted faster. We had a 19 year old manager here in Dallas division, youngest I have ever heard of. She went TM at like 22 or something.

Evansblue787

OH MY GOD THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I have been waiting for someone to get on here that worked at Quik Trip also. Yeah, I'm shooting for a division manager position eventually. I love my job and just don't see why get a degree and work somewhere else that I hate for more money? Not worth it to me. I hate it when people say " oh its just a gas station, your gonna work from gas station to gas station" that is ridiculous when your talking about Quik Trip. Its been ranked high on forbes 100 best companies to work for for awhile now. Everyone I talk to and tell them I work at Quik Trip says " Oh, wow you work for Quik Trip? Thats a damn good company to work for" And it is!

temoku

Computer engineering? Is that ABET accredited?

Orange County

sell both of your cars PRIVATELY (IF you own them both) and that will be your budget for the 350Z

laxplaya1385

iTrader: (6)

Not to be a jackass, but the words in bold are supposed to be "LOSE", not "LOOSE."

Outside of that small mistake, great advice!

Btw, OP, what is Quik Trip? Is it like Wawa? I don't think we have any in Jersey...

Shizzmaster2k

iTrader: (7)

Hhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!! A car over my own apartment at the age of 18?!?!?!?!?

This guy is in for a rude awakening. How are you so sure your going to be living with your parents until your car is paid off? Whats stopping them from kicking your *** out right now? Your 19 years old. You are an adult and maybe you should think ahead and plan for the future instead of focusing on the here and now.

colin8868

School over a car anyday, you need to set yourself up for life so you can enjoy all the toys a bit later in life... would you rather spend the 10-15 grand on a Z now and enjoy it for a few years but after that realize that you have no education to get a real job and make real money and have to continue living off 1500/month in your mid twenties? I bought my Z at 18 only because I knew I had enough money for the car and to finish my schooling. I have now started a career in real estate making really good money and also finished a college firefighting program in case real estate goes to **** I have something I can fall back on. If you have the money to pay for your education and the car by all means do it and don't look back, but in your situation it seems like you don't so focus on starting a business or going back to school. Hope everything works out well for you.

MaelstrØm

Yes, that can be right. I would offer this: if all you want your education for is pay or job advancement, then you are correct in that there are some opportunities where hard work and the right timing will move you up that ladder. You don't absolutely need a degree.

The flip side is that an undergraduate or graduate degree teaches you a great deal about how to learn, how to think critically, and how a particular study area works. For example, you cannot obtain the skills and knowledge of a computer engineering degree by hacking it out in the IT field. You might be able to get a job doing testing or operations, or eventually work your way up, but you don't have the perspective or understanding of someone who was formally trained. Some people are able to self-teach similar material, but these are extremely rare.

Thus, it is arguable that degrees make for wiser and better society - but you have to decide for yourself what you want out of life. Many professions are completely closed off to people without degrees. It all depends what you want - if a job that pays well is your aspiration, then you're good either way.

marine in a Z

How long have you been at your job?

Reason I ask is you might not like it a couple years down the road. Maybe you will, in fact I hope you do. Doing something you like is a hard find these days. I'm just throwing this out there for you to think about.
Get yourself an 8 month "Suzy Orman" emergency fund first and do what you want. Just know what the possible outcomes are and learn from your mistakes.

Take all these suggestions and make your own choice. Do what you want and be smart about it. Look at things carefully and think things through. Have a plan and stick to it. Make changes where necessary.

Good luck man.

Swimminggerman

Ohhhh GOD. LOL. I do that all the time when I get typing. My cousin and GF make fun of me for typing in LOOSER instead of LOSER.

I am such a LOOSER! The bolts in my head are LOSE. j/k. thanks for pointing out im a Dumb a**. haha.