Some Things to Consider when Buying a Vehicle

This post should take three minutes to five minutes to read from start to finish. This post is similar to Some Things to Consider When Buying a House post. This post focuses on our experiences (my experience and Jacob''s experience) when we were considering about purchasing our current family vehicle and prior to making the full commitment of buying our family vehicle. Also the process it took for us to legally claim for us to legally own the vehicles from our parents. After sharing our experience with you, let me share with you some questions for you to ask yourself either as you read this post or in your own time.

Jacob's parents has purchased a truck during Jacob's full-time mission. Prior to meeting Jacob and into the first year of our marriage; he was paying off his truck to his parents. Once he finished paying off the truck to his parents, he was able to get his name transferred to the truck as new ownership. By then he can legally claimed that the truck once his parents to him. 

To my surprise; Jacob still owns the truck to this day. Jacob does a great job for taking care of his vehicle by doing oil change all by himself, changing the batteries all by himself, and other important things. However he seems to only go to the mechanics for getting new tyres (tires), balancing and rotating tyres (tires) for his truck. 

Prior to meeting Jacob online; I've gone through almost three different vehicles but I did go through three vehicles prior to meeting each other in person. First vehicle was originally what my parents (I think it was mostly claimed by my Dad) owned, and I gone ahead of going to mechanics to pay for the repairs to get the vehicle roadworthy. After that, I went ahead and paid for either six months registration or yearly registration to the vehicle. I also had to fill out the paperwork for transferring ownerships of the vehicle. By then, I was able to legally claim the vehicle is mine. 

The second vehicle, I honestly didn't think about any considerations. I was nineteen years old at the time when I've purchased a second vehicle. I just saw a cheap car that was on for sale on Facebook Marketplace. I kept wishing that I've thought about some considerations prior to purchasing that vehicle. That vehicle has lasted me most of my temporarily stay in Perth. 

The third vehicle, I didn't think about too many considerations. I've always looked around for a vehicle that I can afford and buy it upfront. I was hoping that I didn't experience any issues after purchasing the vehicle. I've considered about how many seats does the car have, for the car to be cheap to run on fuel (gas) - less than $75 a week preferably depending on how much driving that I do, does the air con/heater works in the car, and would I be able to have friends or relatives in the car with me to feel comfortable in sitting in the car. 

Let me share with you some things for you to consider when buying a car. Follow by, let me share with you some questions to ask yourself either now or in your own time. 

Think about the current condition of the car (inside the car and outside the car). Think about the car smell. he current condition of the car. The age of the car. The number of times of the car to be regular serviced. Any owners of the vehicle prior to you buying the car and owning it. The number of seats and rows does the car have. The car have any mechanical issues. 

Do I see myself driving in that car for short-term?

Do I see myself driving in that car for long-term?

What’s the purpose of having that car?

What specifications do I like that car have?

Do I know how many seats does the car have?

Do I know how many rows does the car have?

Does the car include a spare tire? 

Does the car include a spare key? 

When Jacob and I was car hunting for a family vehicle, we've considered a lot of things. Let me share with some things that we've considered prior to making a commitment and do a down payment of the car.

We've considered about the condition of the car. We've considered the age of the car (how old is it?)  We've considered about how many seats does the car have including how many rows does the car have. We've considered about how many mileage has the car been driven prior to us. We've considered and we both done a test drive. We've checked if the car has been regular serviced and maintained when the car was under the previous owner/s before us. We've considered about what are several top specifications do we like about the car have. 

Stay Tuned. 

Some Things to Consider When Buying a House

This post should take three minutes to five minutes from start to finish. This post focuses on sharing our experience (my experience and Jacob's experience) when we've considered some things prior to making the commitment of buying our current house. After sharing our experience with you, let me share with you some questions for you to ask yourself either as you read this post or in your own time.

If I remember correctly, it has taken several months when Jacob and I went house hunting while we were still living in our apartment (less than 1,000 square footage, two bedrooms, and one bathroom) back in 2021. We mostly did house hunting online. We knew that we wanted to move into a house that's bigger than 1.000 square footage and hoping the cost of paying house mortgage monthly is cheaper than paying month to month rental property. 

We've considered the hidden costs that can be involved with when to buy a house. We've thought about the travel time to commit of driving to get to places where we go to (such as Jacob's work, church, groceries stores, medical appointments, church, and more places). We've considered about it's a good idea of having neighbours. Although we definitely know that our next house, we prefer to be living not so close to neighbours in the future. 

We've checked out two houses. One house that Jacob and I've looked at, we really liked it and knew straight away that we would've make several major changes to it but the cost of the house is outside of our price range for how much we were willing to spend on. Then we've looked at a different house, we really like it and that house was in our price range of how much we were willing to spend on. 

Jacob and I do care about the current condition of the house (indoors and outdoors) prior to buying. Jacob and I do care about the current condition of the roofing for the house and the shed prior to buying. Jacob and I do care about the age of the house. We seemed to get a great deal because the previous house owners with their house insurance was able to get brand new condition the main house roof prior to closing the house to us.  

Jacob and I do care about the number of bedrooms that the house have. Jacob and I do care about we would be pre approved for the house mortgage loan. Jacob and I do care the location of the house and surroundings. Jacob and I do care about the number of bathrooms does that the house have. We ended up spending approximately of $15,000 US dollars/less than $22,000 Australian dollars towards the appliances to have installed in the house and also including the cost of renovations.  

"Buying a house won't bring you

happiness, but turning it into a home

certainly will." 

Ask the following questions;

Is the house in my price range of what I would be willing to spend? Do I see yourself or/and other people who I currently live with to move into that house? Am I aware of the current condition of the roofing of the house? 

Am I aware of the current condition of the house? Am I aware of knowing the age of the house? Am I aware of the location where the house is located and its surroundings? Has the mortgage that I’ve applied for has been pre approved for the house/s that I've looked at? 

Can I afford of paying month to month house mortgage along with other bills of living? Will I be doing any renovations or some projects here and there to the house? Do I know how many bedrooms does the house have? 

Do I know how many bathrooms does the house have? Does the house come with a spare key? Does the house comes with somewhere where to park the vehicle/vehicles? Does the house comes with a swimming pool? Does the house comes with a pond? 

Am I aware the cost of maintaining the swimming pool if the house have a swimming pool? Am I aware how many acres does the house comes with? Do I know my credit score?

I thought about some other questions but I would like you to do your best to think about and ask yourself the different questions. 

Stay Tuned. 

Saving Tips

This post should take no more than three minutes to read from start to finish. Do you have any saving tips top share with me that works in your household? 

Jacob and I often do our best to always be on top of paying tithing whenever we make earnings. As I’ve mentioned on a different day (about sharing some things to consider budgeting one person and raising family) that I would make another post about savings tips. Well here it is. I like to spend some items in bulk because those items last longer and is cheaper than buying certain items frequently. 

Here’s a list that I like to get things in bulk. 

Essentials: 

* Laundry detergent 

* Dishwasher detergent including dish soap

* Paper towels 

* Toilet papers

* Hand soaps 

* Pads

* Garage bags for my bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom

* Toothpastes 

* Toothbrushes 

* Mouthwashes 

* Body washes 

* Soaps 

Pantry: 

* Gatorades 

* Peanut butter 

* Jam spreads/jellies (doesn't need to be in the fridge until once opened)

* Honey

* Mayonnaise (doesn’t need to be in the fridge until once opened)

* Chicken broths

* Beef broths

* Rice 

* Gluten-free Pastas 

* Gluten Pastas

* Prego (spaghetti) sauces 

* Other American sauces 

* Australian sauces including recipe mixes 

* Condensed Milk 

* Evaporated milk 

* Boxes of Gluten-free bake goods (cookies, and sweets)

* Juices (certain juices don’t need to be in fridge until once opened) 

* Gluten pancake mixes 

* Gluten-free pancake mixes 

* Maple syrup (Gluten-free one doesn’t need to be in the fridge until once opened)

* Gluten-free Cereals including Oatmeals

* Gluten Cereals including Oatmeals 

* Gluten-free snacks (including children’s approved and aged snacks) 

* Gluten snacks (including children’s approved and aged snacks) 

Freezer: 

* Burritos (gluten)

* Meats 

* Pizzas (gluten) 

Items for two children who aren’t yet currently toilet trained. 

* Diapers (Nappies)

* Baby Wipes

* Diaper (Nappy) Rash Cream

Depending on the item; in my household if we’re down to the last ten days to fourteen days left of supply, we will then get more of that supply. Depending on the item; in my household if we’re down to the last four weeks of supply, we will then get more of that supply. Depending on the item; in household if we’re down to the last five days left of supply, we will then get more supply. 

A addition to having some items in bulk; the in my household, we also has food storage (more than one month of supply for non-cool items) and have enough food for emergencies (Jacob and I need to redo our emergency seventy-two hour packs sometime). 

Thankfully we do have own a generator now instead of us having the experience of borrowing one. 

"All of us can afford to pay
TITHING. In reality, none of us can
afford NOT to pay TITHING."
- Thomas S. Monson.

In our household; we’ve been blessed by having WIC (Women’s, Infants, and Children) benefits month to month which gives our household to save money and the benefits is funded by US government. I still budget weekly (to include and not include the WIC benefits). 

Whatever we use up after using WIC benefits covers for the month; we have to pay out of pocket and WIC benefits doesn’t cover every item that we need and want for groceries. Not sharing exactly the amount of what WIC benefits covers for my household but we’ve been able to save not having to pay for the following; 

* Milk

* Eggs 

* Loaves of Gluten Bread 

* Frozen and fresh Fruits 

* Frozen and fresh Veggies (vegetables)

* Cereals (both gluten and gluten free)

* Juices 

* Yogurt 

* Whole grains 

Some examples on how long estimably items last. 

Bulk of Diapers (Nappies), Pull ups, Condensed Milk, and Evaporated milk are purchased once every 6 weeks. Bulk of Baby wipes are purchased once every 12 weeks. Bulk of Gluten-free Pastas, Gluten Pastas, Prego (spaghetti) sauces, and Other American sauces are purchased once every three months. 

Laundry detergent, Dishwasher detergent including dish soap, Paper towels, Toilet papers, Hand soaps, Pads, Garage bags for my bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom lasts for six months for one round of supply. 

Stay Tuned.