Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with buying

Cross/elliptical trainer buying advice

thelost — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:34:46 -0800

Help me find a Cross/Elliptical trainer for a budget of £250-£300 I am looking to buy my first cross/elliptical trainer for home use. Researching on the web isn't very useful, as there seems to be no useful information on the web (unless someone can point me to it) giving reviews of home gear, so I was wondering if you could give me some advice.

As noted above I have up to £300 at a push to spend. I don't really mind about the size or portability, but anything that makes the machine easier to move would be welcome.

I've been looking at york and reebok machines, but if anyone can recommend other good makes, and/or good places to buy them as I'd prefer to order over the web if the best deal is to be had there.

Remotely buying a computer in the UK from Canada

krunk — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:40:49 -0800

My parents (in Canada) are trying to buy a PC for their family in the UK, but they're having trouble finding a store that will take their money. Apparently they won't accept foreign credit cards, or even money orders. He's tried Dell, PC World, Curry's, and a few others. Any ideas?

Wii might get a Wii.

BlahLaLa — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:46:06 -0800

What do I need to know, nowadays, about buying a Wii? I've seen several other threads on this topic, including this one, but it's almost six months old, and I know these things can change rapidly.

I pretty much hate video games, but my 6.5-year-old son and 50-something husband both love them. Son wants a Wii, a DS, and a Playstation, but that's never gonna happen. I'm thinking the Wii, since it doesn't leave him hunched over just focused on his own thing (DS) or staring at a TV screen moving only his thumbs (Playstation). (Forgive me if I'm being too mean about video games. I just don't get 'em.)

So Santa may be bringing a Wii this holiday. What do I need to know about buying one now? What accessories are must-haves? Are there different console versions? Game suggestions? Do I need to worry about game ratings for the Wii - - any games that are too adult for a kid, or are they all kid-centric?

We're a slightly luddite family -- no cable, no satellite -- but someone did gift us a fancy big TV. I'm thinking that's all you need to hook it to, right?

Please advise this slightly surly, anti-gaming Mama.

How much is reasonable (if anything) to pay to a lender for a mortgage application fee?

mockjovial — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:32:18 -0800

How much is reasonable (if anything) to pay to a lender for a mortgage application fee? The fiancé' and I have finally found the perfect house…a condo actually. The contract was accepted by the seller yesterday, and we are super excited! I went into the process benefitting from many of the great posts on the green that came before me. One of the things I did was get preapproved for financing of a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Now that the contract has been accepted, the mortgage company wants to meet to complete the actual application. I was surprised when the representative told me that there is a $350 application fee. In your opinion / experience, is this outrageous? Should I find a different company? I’m not sure if it matters that I have excellent credit and can qualify for the most favorable interest rate offered. I am in Chicagoland. I am of course hoping to close by 11/30 for the tax credit, so time is of the essence to secure financing. Thanks in advance!

Buying a house on a busy road

mooza — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:37:40 -0800

I have been trying to buy a house in the inner-west in Sydney, Australia for several months. Contrary to what's going on in the rest of the world, Oz houses are effing crazy high and have jumped between $20-$100k (esp in my area) in the past year. I have found a good house for a price I can do - but it's on a fairly busy road. Would you want to go to there? The suburb the house is in is great. The house itself is in excellent condition. It is just on an arterial road, which sounds bad, but the section the house is in is just like a big street, plenty of other houses surround it. It gets busy at certain times of the day, but you can park on the street and it seems fine...I think. The noise seems OK, but what about air-quality? I am a little concerned that my love for this house is partly due to my despair over long term house-hunting. If this particular house was one block away, it would easily fetch $100k over what it's likely to go for.

Do you own a house on a busy road? What's it like? Is living on a such road not a big deal, or is it a deal-breaker?

At least it's on the right side of the tracks

howrobotsaremade — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:18:52 -0800

What are the non-obvious drawbacks of buying a house near railroad tracks? I just looked at a very nice house that I really love. In fact, it has every single thing on my list of needs, plus everything on my "would be nice to have" list. It far exceeds everything else that I've seen so far. The catch? It's fairly close to the railroad tracks.

The street is actually perpendicular to the tracks. It doesn't have a crossing (so no whistling) so it dead-ends to the tracks. It is about a block and a half away from them.

You can see all this if you look directly down the street, and quite frankly, it's sort of overgrown and ugly looking. On the other hand, you can't really see it that well from the back yard or even sitting on the porch because there are other houses and trees that block it off. The neighborhood around it is nice and well-kept, so obviously this isn't a problem for quite a few other people.

Since this is my first solo home purchase, I don't want to get carried away with emotion over the decision, but I am realistically also not going to find a house nearly this nice for that price.

I can see maybe noise, dirt and structural problems because of the vibrations being an issue. If I made an offer, it would be contingent on the inspection.

I have two dogs and a school aged child. We are of the type who could basically sleep through WWIII and I am not very sensitive to ambient noise. I clean constantly because of the dogs/kid anyway, so I'm not sure how much I'd notice extra dirt. The structural issue concerns me most.

So then, aside from those things, am I missing a bunch of other obvious problems that could come from this?

WHo benefits from an over appraised house?

will wait 4 tanjents — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:51:59 -0800

Buying my first house: Who benefits from the over appraisal? I have a feeling our house was over appraised and I cannot figure out why this would be done and yes I have googled.

It was appraised for $40,000 more than the selling price.
I am in the United States.
Any information - relevant or not will be most appreciated.

Help me pick the right PC laptop.

Thin Lizzy — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:16:15 -0800

I think it's time to replace my laptop and although I love using it, I’ve never known much about specifications. I’ve read the other computer buying threads, but I’m hoping you’ll help this special snowflake out and point me towards a good machine, be it off-the-shelf or a custom build. Here’s the rundown:
My current computer is a 4 year old Dell Latitude D620. It doesn’t run unless it’s plugged in to outlet power. It’s slow and crashes about 3-4 times a day (sometimes just a Windows crash, sometimes full-tilt blue-screen-of-death). Sometimes it freezes and the screen goes berserk- all flashing colors and rolling pictures. It overheats a lot. The trackpad doesn’t respond intermittently and the sound started constantly skipping so everything sounds like the DJ remix. I’ve tried reinstalling Windows and blowing it out, but it hasn’t really helped. If you think it can be saved, let me know, but if not- read on…

I’m an entertainment designer who shockingly prefers a PC. I use AutoCAD and Vectorworks regularly (and sometimes concurrently if it doesn’t bring everything to a screeching halt). I also use Photoshop and Lightroom along with the usual suspects- iTunes, the whole Microsoft Office suite- Powerpoint, Excel, etc. I’d like this computer to run these programs quickly and allow me to store lots of photos and drawings without needing external storage since I tend to reference old files all the time. I travel and work from a lot of weird temporary set ups so lightweight is good, as is an intuitive way to access the internet. I love that my current computer is rather sensitive to wireless networks and can frequently pick up signals that other computers can’t.

What I’d love to avoid is all of the crap software that comes pre-installed on most PCs (although I’m willing to uninstall if necessary) but I’d like it to include Microsoft Office. When I bought my last computer I was surprised to find out it came with Word Perfect and a bunch of other programs I didn’t like as opposed to Word and the usual Office suite. Fortunately at that time I qualified for a student version of Office, but that’s a shock I’d like to avoid this time around. I’m a pretty casual Adobe user, so things like super-awesome monitors are probably a waste of money. I’m also not into gaming. As far as price goes, let’s say under $2000.

So to summarize: What minimum requirements should I look for in a machine? Where should I buy it? How much should it cost?

Thanks in advance!

Platonic relationships, Truth and Video Tape

Napierzaza — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:51:19 -0800

Camera Purchase: After a long while being out of film (studies) school, I've decided I want to make a documentary. Unfortunately I'm not really up on hardware these days. Can someone tell me what I can expect to pay, what features to look for, and what camera to buy? I'm pretty certain that the technology has advanced since I last checked, and I pretty much hope the prices have come down. I want to make a documentary, so it doesn't have to be an amazing camera. But a mid-range of some kind might be best in case I mortgage features for low up-front price.

I guess I would really prefer a digital camera that uses HDD, but I don't know if they're premium over miniDV digitals?

Use cash to start a business or for a down payment on a home.

mintchip — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:40:50 -0800

Use cash to start a business or for a down payment on a home. I have been interested in having my own business. I have read business magazines for years and have even had a couple of small service-based businesses that I ran part time. No big bucks there but a rewarding experience.

Recently I've been considering trying to start a business for real. I have a small sum of cash (between 10-20k) I've been slowly saving for a home down payment.

It's a tough choice. Since I need a home to live in, buying one would mean an investment in my future and security. However, chances are that I won't get rich working for a private company. In fact, it's quite hard to get ahead nowadays with most of the good middle management positions gone. Meanwhile, most of the people I've known who did quite well for themselves did it by owning their own business.

I'm not saying it's easy. I'm just thinking that owning a business seems like my best shot at getting ahead, and it also happens to be a genuine interest of mine. At the same time, starting a business is a huge risk (I think it's something like 4 out of 5 fail within 5 years) and I could lose the money as well as a lot of time and energy.

I believe I have many of the qualities that would contribute to success in business. But it's hard for me to know if I have all of them.

What's your take? How have those of you who have been in a similar position weighed the pros and cons of such a decision.

Can I get Fed Tax Cred for Energy Efficiency on a home purchase?

dpollitt — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:18:45 -0800

Can I get the Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency if I am buying the house right now, and the current homeowner is replacing the furnace for me? I am in the process of buying a home, and during the inspection we found that the furnace needs to be replaced. The homeowner has agreed to put in a basic one, but has given us the option to 'upgrade' to a more efficient model at our cost.

The question is, if we are paying for part of the furnace, who would qualify(if they met all other conditions) for the tax credit? The credit could be as much as $700, and the extra cost of a more efficient furnace is around $900, so I think it makes sense to try to get it if we can.

If the seller is the one who qualifies, is it a bad idea to try and convince them to pay the extra and claim the tax credit? Maybe even if we include the difference?

Knife catching isn't just for real estate

MrMulan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:59:04 -0800

How can I increase my chances of buying a new car below dealer cost? Would you get an additional discount if you paid cash in full? There are many articles on how to negotiate a good deal for a new car which usually involves offering slightly above dealer invoice.

I am trying to increase my chances of scoring a new car that has become a sunk cost to the dealer.

Some reasons I am choosing new over used:
-It is an apples to apples comparison once you have the configuration you want.
-It is easier to weed and screen dealers via email, as there is no reason to have to come in to the showroom
-There is a chance of getting a sunk cost car for about the same price of a used car.

I am looking for Hondas or Toyotas, preferrably top of the line Rav4s and CRV, but not opposed to sedans or other brands.
I had an offer of $27k for an Honda CRV EX-l w/Nav, and I wanted $25
I also had an offer for the above without Nav for $25k

These offers came two hours of very frustrating blah blah blah from the dealer.

I know the cash for clunkers program may have an effect.
I plan to have financing lined up with my own bank.
I plan on doing all negotiations through email.
I am in the New York area, so there are tons of dealers.

As always, thank you in advance.

Car Rebate, Part Deux

Elsie — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:51:58 -0800

What Next on Not Receiving Customer Cash-Back Car Rebate? To recap a bit. A car salesman drew up a Bill of Sale with no reference to a customer cash-back rebate running the month I bought my new car. He did not give me any other paperwork regarding any rebate. The word "rebate" never came up in the negotiations for buying the car for cash. I signed the Bill of Sale, drove the car away, registered it using that Bill of Sale, and put on 1000 miles on the car. Two weeks later, got an unexpected cell call from the sales guy saying I needed to sign new paperwork "that wouldn't affect me in any way."

A backdated Bill of Sale arrived showing the same bottom line as the first Bill of Sale. However, the backdated one now showed the rebate and a rejiggering of figures to account for the rebate. Also included was a document they want me to sign with a highlight next to a signature line saying I would turn over the rebate to the dealer. I sent the backdated unsigned second Bill of Sale to the manufacturer. I signed the rebate document asking that the rebated come to me and X-ed out the yellow highlighted other signature line. In a cover letter, I explained what I explained here.

Today I get an e-mail from the manufacturer trying to convince me the rebate was "accounted for" in the original Bill of Sale (the no-rebate-mentioned version) that I had signed the day I bought the car. The Customer Relations person tried to tell me that the second Bill of Sale was essentially "the same." (even though that version clearly shows the rebate).

Am I correct in assuming my original, signed Bill of Sale is legally binding and that I am entitled to this Customer Cash-back Rebate? And, if so, how do I get it?

Time vs money - buy in Canada?

dorgla — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:46:00 -0800

Seattle resident (US Citizen) wants to buy a $900 keyboard amp of Canadian manufacture from Vancouver B.C. music store. How much it would REALLY cost after taxes and customs duties? Store couldn't tell me; getting busy signal from Border Information Service 800 number. GST - about 5%? Additional provincial tax for BC, and if so, how much? Additional customs duties? Would drive up from Seattle and buy in person. Is this insane, or should I just special-order via Seattle music store and save money (but not time?)

Buying a new Mountain Bike

edmz — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:57:39 -0800

[bikefilter] I'm buying a new mountain bike in the near future. Possible candidates are the Santa Cruz Blur LT, Yeti 575 and the Ibis Mojo. Other bikes have the same features and can be had for almost $1k less. Are these bikes worth the difference in price to other less costly bikes? Will I be buying brand? Sadly I can't test ride any of these bikes. Where I live the shops mostly sell Specialized bikes.

I don't care much about brand, my interest in said bikes is because people seem to love them and they fit my riding style.

My current ride is a '98 Specialized FSR, so anything that currently sells has the potential of being significantly better/lighter.

How to buy a car from a person

exceptinsects — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:26:59 -0800

I am looking to buy a used car for cash from a local (CA) private party, not a dealer. What do I need to know? I am mainly looking on Craigslist, but other suggestions are welcome. I'm looking for a Toyota Echo, if it matters.

So...what should I look out for in terms of scams? (I am already aware of things like shipping cars from far away, etc.) I will of course get it checked by a mechanic but what else should I be aware of?

How should I actually pay for it? Certified check? Giant wad of cash? Goats? I'm expecting it to be in the $5k range.

I am also going to be selling my old car, which is a 1997 Corolla in "fair" condition. Is it better to try to sell it myself, or should I go to Carmax? If I do sell it myself, how should I ask for payment?

How to make a housing decision?

AnnaRat — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:45:15 -0800

I feel like I am constantly swinging back and forth in how I feel about buying a house in different locations. How can I make a decision? I am looking for advice about how you weighed up where to live (and how it worked out!). I will give the details of the options I think we have, in case you have specific advice.

We seem to keep swapping roles – first one thinks that one option is the best, then goes cool on it, while the other then takes it up as the solution!

A) In the area where we currently rent or nearby, which we like – but where it will be difficult and I think impossible to find a property of the right type at the right price. Choosing to live here could delay our property purchase for a few years, or involve taking on more debt than I think we should. Neither of those are particularly conducive to starting a family (I think rent + baby is ok, but partner disagrees), or choosing to work part time, or having as much money for other things (like international travel). There are some other areas that would require various trade-offs (which we don't agree on), but for only a small discount on price.

B) In a less well off area of the city which is a similar distance from the centre of the city to where we live now – we would save 20-25% on the property, we could keep our current jobs, we would be further away from friends. It is closer to my sister and my partner’s family, but further from my parents. I have concerns about schools, public facilities (eg I use the public library a lot where we are, the ones I have visited in this area have lesser facilities and collections), general amenities, living in a more industrial area, living in a lesser socioeconomic area. It would be a longer commute for me, no difference for my partner. I feel no particular connection to living here, but recognise that in terms of price and accessibility to the city, it is worth considering. It probably will gentrify over time.

C) In a smaller regional city – we could save 25-30% on an equivalent property (actually, we would get something better for less money). This is close to my partner’s family and where he grew up. My sister has also moved to that city and I am keen to see her more often now that I have a nephew. Further from friends and my parents, but a number of our close friends have family there and visit the city often. I would need to change jobs – it would be at least a 1.5 hour commute each way for my current job. My partner would have a lesser commute to his current job, though probably still an hour+; he could find similar work in the small city, maybe a bit lower paid. There are no jobs in my industry in that city, but I think I would be able to find something (however, the job market is naturally smaller). It would offer many of the advantages of where we live now.

Renting might be a good way to try before we buy and discover we made the wrong choice. I have three concerns about it. The first is having to move a couple of times within a year (just the hassle!). Another is that the house we are in really suits us, and we would find it difficult to get another so good if we decided to move back. The last is that without changing jobs, I am not sure whether I would be able to really assess the regional city option.

Do you have any insights to the decision making process, or did you make a choice between similar options that I can learn from? Is there a practical way to assess these options, or do we just take a best guess at some point?

Give me your awesome laptop finding powers!

tumples — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:18:12 -0800

The hivemind is usually great at this - please help me find or recommend me the perfect laptop replacement for my much loved but dying Acer. I have been using my great Acer Aspire 5920 for about two years now. I use my laptop a lot, and finally the wear and tear means that the laptop is generally breaking and slowing down, and the time has come for it to be reluctantly replaced.

I have been looking through the usual laptop sites these past few days but am overwhelmed by the sheer number of them out there, many of them seemingly the same. Also, it has been a while since I have kept track of the latest tech releases, so what is the hot lingo that I should be looking out for?

I don't want the replacement to be a downgrade in any area from my Acer, which currently has:

* Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 @ 2GHz (many new laptops seem to contain inferior T models, which is surprising given that it has been two years since I bought this)
* 2 GB RAM
* 120 GB HDD (definitely need more here, perhaps 160gb-220gb would be sensible)
* nVidea geForce 8600m (A dedicated graphics card that matches this would be great, I don't need huge gaming power but I want some)

I really need some decent battery life as this battery konked out months ago, and would prefer it not to be the heaviest laptop but would take battery life everytime over the two choices. I would also prefer a 15" screen as that seems to be the right size for me, but this isn't a main priority.

What laptops are you using currently, or what laptops do you know of that would fit this finnicky criteria? Alternatively, do you know of any good sites I can use to review/buy from, for the UK if possible. Ebuyer and Laptopsdirect drive me insane with their listings and there are no good reviews or recommendations. Would definitely love a better designed site to peruse.

Thanks for all your help guys and gals, really appreciate it!

Best small car.

simplesharps — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:37:43 -0800

Best second hand small car under AUD$20,000? Fuel efficient. Reliable. Low maintenance. 4 doors. No older than 4 years. Automatic. Suit young couple in Australia. My parents have been so kind to lend their EF Ford Fairmont for a couple years to use when I needed something other than my motorbike. The ford chews through the fuel (12 liters per 100kms) and the bike isn't so good for picking up groceries. It's time for something new.

We've (male 25, female 20) been looking at:
# VW Golf - Recommendation from my brother. He's got one and is very impressed with it's fuel efficiency, driveability and engineering.
# Toyota Corolla
# Hyundai Getz
# Ford Focus

We can't decide if we should spend under AUD$10,000 or take the next step and get something more luxurious under $20,000. She's just got her licence so it might be worth getting something cheap.

The commute is through a fun windy rural area into the city. We'll probably keep it for four years.

# How many kilometers should be the max?
# Should we buy something expensive that holds it's value, or get something cheap that depreciates quickly?
# Should we buy privately or through a dealer?

We're in no rush at the moment so we have plenty of time to research. Any thoughts appreciated!

Didn't Get Car Rebate

Elsie — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:10:30 -0800

Can I Still Get a Cash-Back Car Rebate After Buying a Car? I negotiated and purchased a car for cash without knowing the car company was offering $750 rebate to customers who paid cash for that model. The sales guy never mentioned any rebates in all our negotiations. Two weeks after getting the car, registering it, driving, etc. I just got a confused call from salesperson yesterday saying I needed to re-sign some papers--nothing that affected me, etc. I couldn't make heads or tails of what this "accounting error" was about. It was inconvenient to talk, so I ask the guy to e-mail me the details. Herewith:

There was a small accounting error on our behalf resulting in a couple of documents needing to be resigned. Basically, there are 2 type of cash back from the manufacturer. One is dealer cash which is given to the dealer to use at their discretion and there is customer cash which is given to the customer to use at their discretion. We showed it as dealer cash when it should have been done as customer cash. There is absolutely no affect to you whatsoever. All we need is for you to sign the documents I'll be sending to you and return them to us. Please enclose the signed documents along with the plate in the return envelope we gave you. Once we receive the plate, we'll return the $50 plate deposit fee. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks.

WTF? Despite having had what I thought was a decent deal and buying experience, something bothered me about this request. So I went to Cars101.com and discovered the manufacturer's rebate offer for cash buyers for my model. (Yes, I should've done more homework, but I'm in the middle of an overseas move and couldn't. Shouldn't I have gotten this manufacturer's rebate anyway?) Is there some way for me to get this money?

New laptop - help me choose!

aimeel — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:53:39 -0800

New laptop choices - Fujitsu? Sony? Dell? HP? I know what I want in a notebook, but trying to figure out which maker will best meet my needs. I'm an English and Theatre teacher soon to move to Norway and I don't think my old laptop will last much longer. Looking for a Core 2 Duo and up, a 4-500 gig hard drive, Nividia or ATI graphics, a decent amount of RAM about a 16" screen. As a teacher, I have about 60 gigs right now of documents and photos, another 60 of music, and I do a lot with music, photographs, and not a lot of gaming. (That could change she suggests unrealistically). I do a lot of work on the internet and usually don't travel around much with the laptop. If I weren't headed to Norway I'd probably get a desktop, but there it is. It would be nice to be able to help my students with editing short films on my laptop, but not vital. And oh yes, can it be a dependable machine?

Big note- I am an old school typist. I like to feel definable keys under my fingertips. And I hate the whale-snot, smear magnet surfaces of most of the laptops I saw when I went to Frys. I did like the texture of the keyboards/touchpad on Sony and Fujitsu. I know it's cosmetic, but I like a clean deck. Suggestions? And am I better off buying through Frys, Best Buy, online through ?? or manufacturer? I'll have to live with it for a long time so I want to make a good choice. And I thank the hive mind in advance - you guys are the best.

What's the best way to negotiate for a car through email?

mpls2 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:49:13 -0800

What's the best way to negotiate for a new car using email? Note: I've never negotiated to buy a car before.

I've recently begun emailing local Honda dealers for quotes on the model I want, and the responses have been uneven. My basic email is:

"Could you please give me a quote on X car?"

or

"I have a quote from another dealer for $X; can you go lower than that?"

A couple of dealers have flat out not responded, or have responded without actually giving a quote. This surprises me, given how aggressive the auto sales market is, and especially considering that this is a buyer's market. Are these guys just idiots?

Any advice on how I could improve my chances of getting the best deal?

Thank you

Briefcase regret avoidance

FuManchu — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:39:02 -0800

What are the pitfalls, annoyances, and deal breakers of different briefcase types? Help me not regret a purchase! I'm considering throwing down some real money on a nice briefcase / messenger bag / computer bag. I'd like to hear your bad experiences with them so I know what to look out for. I haven't owned a lot of bags, let alone high-end ones, so don't know much about evaluating them.

My examples, with my cheap flip-top briefcase, are (1) the gaps that form on the side when using a shoulder strap, (2) the tendency for it to go horizontal when the handle is picked up and the latch not closed, and (3) the lack of a pocket easily accessed while wearing it on the shoulder.

So help run me through everything that I should know about briefcases. Magnets, zippers, leather, nylon, flip-tops, portfolios, map bags, small, large, specific to yours, general to the style, etc. What are the issues that come up only after you've bought and used it for a few weeks? What are the inside scoops that you won't find in buying guides or catalogs? Whether it's just a small annoyance, or made you regret buying it, let me hear it all!

buying home - pay for unused existing fuel?

SirStan — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:37:42 -0800

First time homebuyer - "its customary to purchase the unused fuel from the seller" urf? I am 2 months into purchasing a home; jumped numerous hurdles; and finally tomorrow am hopefully signing 30 years away.

The Realtor sprung this jem on me today -- they said "it is customary for the buyer to purchase the fuel oil that is present from the seller".

I am buying from the same Realtor that is selling the place -- but my purchase and sale does not mention the fuel oil.

So my friends -- what gives?

do we buy a wedding or a house?

thinkingwoman — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 07:59:43 -0800

how important was your wedding to you? (not the marriage, the wedding) if you had a big affair, did you regret not spending the money on something more practical? if you had a small affair, did you regret not including more people? if you eloped or had a microwedding, did you wish you had done more to mark the occasion? my parents have generously offered my future husband and i a tidy sum of money (about $15K, give or take whatever the market is doing that day) that we can use for our wedding, honeymoon, and/or down payment on a house. (we currently own a very cheap, tiny, run-down house in a neighborhood neither one of us likes very much. even without the extra cash, we could afford a new, better house in a neighborhood we like better, but we recently had to run down our savings to make some necessary repairs to the house, so the cash would help us recoup those two years of savings)

so, we could:

a) blow most of it on a big wedding, including everyone we'd ever want to invite (about 200 people)
-pro: we'd get to see all our friends and family (we have large families and we actually like most of them), and it would be fun.
-con: i just can't wrap my head around spending $7-$10K on a single night.

b) somehow pare down our guest list to something more modest
-pro: would allow us to mark the event with a sense of occasion
-con: we'd have to deal with the politics of guest lists and very well may have to leave off people we really love for the sake of family harmony. for these reasons, the least desirable option.

c) have a tiny wedding with just immediate family, thereby avoiding the guest list issue altogether, go out with our local friends later, and use the bulk of the cash to upgrade our living situation.
-pro: we'd have something nicer and more comfortable to come home to every single day
-con: we wouldn't get to share the day with people we like and love and enjoy being with.

i realize that this is one of those decisions only we can make. but, i would be interested in hearing the experiences of others for extra insight as we think through it.