It is coming up on the two year anniversary of receiving?a huge?tax free workman’s compensation check for $46,000. If this would have been applied to my debt back then, it would have put me within $24,000 of having all of our debt paid, except our house. If I would have applied all of it to our restaurant, it may not have made it work, but it certainly would have helped.

Instead of doing either, I made a decision that we would invest $30,000 in the restaurant and borrow the rest. With no plans for the remaining $16,000, I can’t tell you today where it all went. There was the ski trip to Taos, the constant eating out, and the belief that all this was okay because our income was soon going to rise considerably. We basically did the plan backwards; we started living like we had money before we really had money.

Today as I eat bologna sandwiches in a hotel room separated from my family 24 days each month, I’m living like no one else the other way. I’m working my second job four nights most weeks, and just picked up another job on the remaining Saturdays that I am in Springfield before I deploy.

With the blessing of Amy’s wreck and her not being seriously injured, we were able to pay her seminary this semester without accepting tuition assistance from the Army Reserve. What that means is she will likely be able to get scholarships starting next semester and never have to accept tuition assistance. In order for her to go Active Army with me she would either have to pay back the tuition assistance or serve four additional years as a reserve. That means in about 3 years and 10 months Amy and I will be able to be active duty together, both as Captains. I can’t wait!

It is hard to believe that it has been five years since that day. I remember distinctively where I was when I first heard; Amy called as I was on my way to the second day of a two week course to become a drug recognition expert. She told me that her mom had just called and said she was watching the Today show and they were covering a plane crash into the World Trade Center when she saw a plane crash into the other tower. At that moment, I knew we were at war. I also knew I would be going.

At that time I was a Specialist in the Army Reserve, an E-4. For those not familiar with the military rank structure, that is a lower enlisted soldier, a worker bee if you will. My primary motivation to remain in the Army prior to that day was Student Loan Repayment. My career aspirations and focus up to that point were totally in my civilian law enforcement career.

That day changed the way I thought, and ultimately changed my career path. I had a deep desire to go to Afghanistan and do my part. Knowing that I would be spending a considerable amount of time with my military career, I decided that I wanted to further my military career and concentrate on being the best I could be in the Army. I then began my pursuit to become a commissioned officer, which I realized on 14 October 2003. With my upcoming mobilization, I will fulfill the rest of my desire.

In this same train of thought, I spent this past weekend making money from the Army to attend a marriage retreat with Amy. After getting approval from the Secretary of Defense and the Senate, Amy received her oath of office on Friday just before heading to the airport to pick me up. Her oath can be administered by any commissioned officer; guess which one she picked:) Be sure to read her story about it here.

Five years ago I could not have imagined that I was about to be accessioned into the Active Army as an officer, and that Amy would be an officer in the Army as well. One morning changed our lives forever; we will not forget!

I have some exciting posts in the works, and you would be reading them now except for the back to back 15 hour work days on Wednesday and Thursday (two jobs and all), and then flying around the midwest today. I tried to write a couple of posts while waiting for my plane at DFW; however, their wifi was not free so I closed my computer and opened a book;)

Monday morning Jeremiah and I went back out on the car shopping trail (Sarah and Amy couldn’t take any more). Sunday night I found five new possibilities on autotrader.com, and we were ready to set out on our journey.

Our first stop was at Republic Ford to take a look at a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am. This vehicle was listed without a price; however kbb showed its retail value at $3695 so I felt like I could get into the range we needed. Upon pulling onto the lot, I immediately spot the vehicle at the front part of the lot in a nice area that is slightly hidden from the porch where the salesmen were hanging out. Jeremiah and I got out of our car?and notice the flat tire and the price tag on their car; $4995. With that starting price it was extremely unlikely I could get into the price range I needed, and with the flat tire I didn’t have that much time to wait. I quickly sneaked off the lot without alarming the watch dogs and headed south to Nixa.

Four of the cars that were options were at South City Motors. Jeremiah and I did the car seat shuffle for about an hour before we decided on a car that actually ran good, and I felt like we could get a deal on, a 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix. I first asked the salesman for his best price. After consulting his book, and stepping out to talk to the owner, he comes back and tells me they can’t do any better than $2800. I of course tell him “that’s not good enough.”? After discussing one of the other vehicles (one that the transmission was about to go out on), and having the owner go to rock bottom on the price, I was ready to leave.

By this time the owner, the salesman and I are all in the same room talking. He tells me that he has too much in the car and he has to get at least $2700. He actually sounds believable when he is telling me this, and I tell him I just don’t have that much money. I am getting up and starting to walk out with Jeremiah at this point when he asks if he could float part of the $2700 for a couple of weeks if that would help. I tell him that I don’t borrow money at all, and I have no extra money in my budget. The owner asks how I couldn’t have a little extra money in my budget. I then ask him if he knows about The Lazy Susan which happens to be caddie-corner from the dealership. He tells me that he loved the chicken there. I then let him know that I owned it, and when I had to close down I didn’t file bankruptcy and I have been paying everyone back.

The owner then tells me that he will sell it to me for $2400, and that he wouldn’t let it go for that except that he really respects and understands as a fellow business owner what I am going through. It felt legitimate, not like a typical used car salesman. The big bonus was that the tires are the same size as our Bonneville which means that my $600 tires I bought a little over a year ago would fit on our new car.

After working out a settlement with the insurance company that included swapping tires we have enough money to pay off the loan on our Bonneville, buy the new car, and still pay some toward Amy’s school. Not bad for a Labor Day weekend.

There is only one thing worse than going to the mall at Christmas time for me, and that is going car shopping. I absolutely hate it; and I know the game! If you have been following along, Amy’s accident has led to the necessity to find a car. After hours of research I found the perfect car. It was a 1990 Chevy Corsica with only 43,000 miles. The listing in Cars.com of course didn’t show a price, but kbb.com showed its retail value to be $1395. I wasn’t sure how big of a deal I would be able to get, but I figured worst case scenario we pay retail for it and still have a decent bargain.

This morning the whole family got up and around and headed out for Dennis Hanks Chevy in Ozark. Upon arriving we see the car and it is as we expected, ugly. It is scratched up on the outside, the inside has a certain aroma to it, the seats are worn out, no cruise control, and generally speaking not a car I would enjoy driving; however it seemed to be mechanically sound. It is exactly what I was looking for…a bargain!

After taking it for a spin, I am ready to go put a few of my $100 bills down and walk out with the car. Then I get the asking price, $3990. I nearly fell out of my chair. They were surely smoking some really good stuff when they came up with that price, more than three times the retail value, and it is ugly! I show the lady my printout from kbb that says if the car was in perfect condition it is worth $1395 retail, and I flash my money enough that she knows I have plenty of cash to pay for it. I tell her that I need their best price, assuming they will hit me for retail to which I planned to put eleven $100 bills down; but no, she comes back and says $3200. I am now assured that they are smoking dope, and I gather the kids and Amy and leave.

Next stop is Thompson Pontiac. There are a couple of vehicles here that start at around $3500 which meant we had a chance to get them down to what we could afford. We take a look at a 1998 Buick Century with 117,000 miles. I am certain that the salesman says it is listed for $3588. We take the car out and like it and are feeling pretty good about the opportunity to get them down to what we can afford to pay cash for.

We go in and sit down and are presented with the classic four corner sales sheet (a little car salesman lingo here), the only problem is the upper left hand corner with the price says $4990. I tell him that he had told me the retail price was $3588. The salesman tells me that he was sure he had said it was $4990 and he takes out his inventory sheet and confirms it, and says that the one that was $3588 was a 94 model that had sold earlier in the day. I tell him that I don’t think he will be able to get to where I need to be with the starting price so high.

The salesman then disappears to the managers office and comes back with an incredible offer; $3,000. This really is a good price as kbb shows a private party sale of this vehicle in fair condition for $3100. They even brought in the hammer to close the deal, one of the Thompson sons (not the one that I have assisted in arresting multiple times that has the attorney who flies in from Atlanta to bail him out). The problem here is I can’t afford this car, no matter how big of a bargain it is. I needed that deal on a car that started at $3588. By this time we are worn out and it is getting late, so our car shopping experience is done for the day. We leave with the salesman telling me how much better he feels with us being in this car instead of a cheaper less reliable car. Yeah, I’m sure that is what he is really thinking of.

I think Monday we will venture out again since I actually get an extra day off. If you have a reliable car for less than $2,000 that you know about, let me know. Until then, I need a shower after spending all day car shopping.