Regarding cars, I'm just cheap. I can either buy something new and get P/O'ed about how it's depreciating faster than I'm paying for it, or as I've been doing recently - buying a well-maintained, low mileage (kilometreage?) older car that costs about the same as one paycheque - have it for 4-5 years and sell it for half what I paid when bigger things start going wrong.

The fact the average age of my neighbours is "dead" helps, too. Hmm... 91 Pontiac 6000 with 50,000 original kilometres, all service done at the dealership with a folder full of unnecessary repairs detailing that everything's been replaced except the seats? One owner - my grandfather, and since it's being passed through my dad to me, means I don't have to pay for a safety inspection... for $3500CDN? Lemme just check my wallet!

'Course, Lisa's sister refers to them as "Ol' Lady Cars"... but I've never had a car broken into yet!

Bren R.