He's bringing me home a van!

PrairieMom wrote: Last night DH and I went through our finances a little and we managed to find an extra $200. a month by re-arranging our health insurance a little, so we have $ for a van payment! it looks like I am finally getting my Mini van!

We are going to start test driving some to see what we like!

TheOaf66 replied: woo hoo, congrats on being able to afford a "loser cruiser"

we have one too

TANNER'S MOM replied: We call the grocery wagons... But I did drive one for years.. and they were handy when all the kids brought home a friend.

CantWait replied: Great Christmas present.

PrairieMom replied: I am super excited about it. I wanted one before Ally was born, and it just didn't happen. Our Jeep has 92000000 miles on it, so it is deffinately time for something new.

mom2my2cuties replied: Alright Tara!! What a great surprise!

If you want a recommendation - the Kia minivan (the fully decked out one) is super nice and got the best saftey ratings for minivans for the 07 models.

PrairieMom replied:
KIA? We were looking at one online last night, but we hadn't heard anything about one.

lisar replied: Congrats on the mini van. I hope you get one you really like.

Calimama replied: Congrats! I love car shopping.

booey2 replied: Congrats, I would love love love one but DH is really against having one plus a second car (need it for work). However, now that Matt is playing hockey his sticks won't fit in the trunk and are hard to fit in the car so maybe just maybe a van might be in out future too. A girl can wish can't she.

Have fun looking - there are all kinds out there.

mom2my2cuties replied: We are planning to get that one - We test drove it and it rode REALLY nice - Just the problem we are having is that it comes with a sun roof and I want to get it without that and add a DVD player.

Our Lil' Family replied: What a nice Christmas Gift! Hope you enjoy it!!

PrairieMom replied:
Thats about all we will be getting this year too. We haven't had a car payment in over 2 years, and it has been so NICE! I hate the thought of making payments on something until Ben learns to write in cursive.

Mommy2Isabella replied: Congrats on a new car! Car payments stink .. but it is worth it I guess!

KingMom replied: Ooooh, how exciting. I'm not sure about Kia's to much but I did hear they had a good safety rating since they have full curtain airbags all the way around.

I really really really liked the Honda Odessey.

Though I'm not looking for one quite yet, I'm sure there's one in my future too, just a few years away.

I can't remember ever not having a car payment, that's great you made out without one for 2 years.

Let me know what you find out about them and happy looking

C&K*s Mommie replied: so happy for you! We want a newer car too, but dread having the payments attached so we are sticking with what we have for now.

I am confused about the part of Ben writing in cursive & not wanting payments before then

PrairieMom replied:
Ben Will learn to write in cursive in the 3rd grade. I Hate the thought of committing myself to paying X amount of money monthly until he for that long. I would way rather just pay cash and get it over with.

C&K*s Mommie replied: I hear ya on wanting to get the payment over with in one lump.

On the upside you could teach him to start writing in cursive now, and pretend like he is in the 3rd grade and the payments are not as hefty and long as they may actually be. Christian's school is teaching the preschoolers to write in cursive now from the get-go. I myself use print and cursive in the same word so she probably gets confused.

MyBabeMaddie replied: How exciting! Congrats!

luvmykids replied: YAY Hope you find one you love!

redchief replied: I hope you all find just what you're looking for!

boyohboyohboy replied: I have a kia sedona tara which i absolutely love! and it does have the best safety ratings and also side air bags...we got ours second hand and the payments are unbelievabley cheap! and its loaded, just look around.
the vehix.com lets you compare cars side by side so its easier to see what the good and bad points are.
good luck

PrairieMom replied:
Great! thanks for the site!
I told DH that I want payments less than $200 and he was like

boyohboyohboy replied: ours are $132 a month on a 2001 van that had 32,000 miles on it

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Woohoo congrats! $200 extra a month is great! Dh and I just rearranged our insurance too, but since the premiums were going up this year anyways we only saved ourselves about $120 a month. But still it will help.

moped replied: Sweet! That is great Tara.

We have an SUV and a little beater that I drive. WHoeve rhas Jck has the better vehicle........

We have never had car payments - I can't - It would hurt too much!

My2Beauties replied: Congrats, I almost got one but DH said he wouldn't be caught dead driving one I opted for an SUV but mini-vans get way better gas mileage.

MotherForever2043 replied: I don't know anything about mini van's but I hope you find one that you guys like. I own a SUV I've had it for about 4 years now. Have fun car shopping!!!!

Cece00 replied: Awesome!!

I have a Honda Odyssey and I LOVE it. I used to be super anti minivan before I had kids but now with 4 kids, my options are a mini van or a huge SUV with crappy gas mileage. I took the van, and I ended up LOVING it.

Its also rated like the best minivan every yr...so I would recommend one to you if you are buying it used.

My husband calls my minivan "The Grocery Getter"