On a personal note…this day in 1999 was my last as a full-time employee of a major league baseball team. I didn’t know that at the time. In normal baseball seasons July 31 was the trading deadline, the day after which it is more difficult, although not impossible, to trade players. I confess I don’t even know if this date is still the trading deadline and, if it is, if it is still possible to trade players after July 31.
I tendered my resignation in May, but offered to stay through the trade deadline. Two of my colleagues, apparently, had a bet as to whether or not I was really leaving the organization. The one who won the bet is now baseball’s “Wonder Boy.”
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Another personal “note”…
I have been waxing nostalgic for this car, my 2007 Corvette that I purchased new in February of 2007 and then sold in a panic in October, 2010 when I basically lost my baseball business. Earlier this week while running errands in my Z06, I saw a good-looking C6 convertible (a 2007 Corvette is a C6) with the top down. I am usually the first to make the “Corvette Wave,” but on this occasion the C6 driver beat me to the punch.
Although I wrote a Frugal Friday post about C6 Corvettes last September, I am compelled to do so again today. This is not the least expensive C6 I found on AutoTrader, but it was the least expensive convertible and this 2005 model allegedly has only 16,000-ish miles.
Maybe it’s inappropriate to write about buying cars as “toys” in light of current conditions including the largest quarterly GDP decline in US history. The opportunist in me thinks that this might actually be the best time to indulge oneself in such a purchase, if one is in a position to do so. The seller is asking $23,495, a price that AutoTrader calls a “Great Price” because it is in the lower half of the Kelley Blue Book® value range for this car. (A car with an asking price below that range is also called a “Great Price.”)
What do you think of this car? Is it inappropriate to buy expensive “toys” at this time? During the Great Depression many people of means refrained from buying expensive cars because they didn’t want to draw attention to themselves, not because they couldn’t afford it. Of course, at about $23,000 this Corvette is not expensive, as long as you’re still working and/or have a decent-sized nest egg.
#FrugalFriday
#C6Corvette
#somanycarsjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
Considering that the cost for a new Honda Civic starts at $20K (and good luck finding one at that price), that C6 would be a bargain comparably.
Is it a good idea to buy it at the current time? Why not? As long as you’re not taking food from the mouth of someone, of course you should buy it if you want it. There are those that will always resent what someone has, if it’s more than what they have. I, for one, refuse to live based on what someone else thinks I should do. If I had listened to others about how I should live my life, or spend my money, I would not be in the position I’m in today. Beyond my business partner and our employees, I’m under no obligation to support anyone else, so I indulge my “wants” when I feel like it. Prime example would be the truck I’m about done building. When all is said and done I’ll have approximately $40K in a nearly 20 year old truck. It will be what I, and I alone, want and I really don’t care what anyone else thinks about it.
However; It’s still good to help out others that have drawn a short straw when you can. For many years now, I’ve made a monthly donation of groceries to a church based food pantry where I live. It’s not a large amount of money, $200-$250 per month of groceries, but I’m sure it makes a nice addition to what they receive in donations. I’m on a first name basis with some of the volunteers there now, and they let me know if there are specific needs they have at the moment. A couple years ago they wanted to recognize some of the folks/organizations who help support their efforts and they asked me to come and receive an award at their Sunday service. I respectfully declined, explaining that I wished to remain anonymous. It’s just a good thing to do being as I can afford it, and I don’t need an award for helping folks who might need a bit of help. Besides, there but for the grace of God go I.
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I basically agree with your position. Charity and philanthropy are great; coercion is not.
The acquirer should have first dibs on assets legally acquired, not any government.
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https://www.epsilontheory.com/the-grifters-chapter-1-kodak/
You may have heard of the Kodak “deal”. As Jeremy Iron said in the movie Margin Call, “There will always be sad sacks and happy f*cks; fat cats and hungry dogs. Life sucks and then you get shingles.”
Hell no it’s not wrong to buy toys now. New to me speakers, new to me integrated amp, new to my wife Volvo convertible. People who work hard/smart should enjoy the fruits of their labor/intellect. Bezos has made $7 billion dollars already this morning as I await a pack of Tootsie Rolls since NO GROCERY STORY NEAR ME sells them.
Of course my BIL is struggling mightily and we help him, but life as a lounge singer when you have four kids is going to be no bueno.
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Again, I basically agree with what you have written, but probably 45% of the population disagrees. I would opine that 45% agree and for the other 10% their view is it depends.
I don’t work for the government and they are not entitled to 70% or 80% of my marginal income, no matter how much the amount. One of my pet beliefs is that no one should ever have a marginal income tax rate higher than 49% for all such taxes combined, federal/state/local.
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I completely agree with DDMcG. I too am spending large dollars on a project truck which no one else will necessarily like to have. That is my indulgence. Maybe one of my grandsons will want it as they both enjoy working on it with me. And then there is the Ferrari-loving grand daughter…..
I applaud his efforts to help the local food pantry, especially wanting to remain anonymous. Our own charitable donations are only to church-based organizations as well. God’s grace is sufficient and He works through good people nowadays.
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Thanks for sharing, Philip.
I think that for non-famous people, anonymous charity is usually the best kind. Famous people, though, have the ability to bring attention and donations to causes. Of course, I suspect many of them make donations to bring attention to themselves and not to the charity.
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No reason to hold off non-essential purchases as long as they don’t deprive their family of basic necessities.
It’s not a bad idea to contribute to a food bank and it’s something my wife and I should consider. We’ve been extra generous with restaurant tips, even when we pick up and carry out as I know many of those employees are struggling given lower sales (though certainly less so than those who aren’t working at all.)
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Thanks for the comment, sir.
Again, I’m all for charity and philanthropy, not for coercion.
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