All Write, Already!

So, my wife and I bought a second newish car last month. Why? Because my uber-polluting dumpster of a car was getting too unbearable. (That's a different tangent altogether.) Unfortunately, for some sick, sick reason, the only interest rate we could get was 17.15%. Ouch. (No, that's not the pain that should be the theme of this post. Don't worry, we'll get there.) However, we winced a bit and figured we'd just pay more toward that loan to try to minimize the overhead. Oh well, we really need the car.

All was fine and, well, okay-ish.

Then I got a phone call last week from a credit union with which I have a long-dormant savings account. (Opening balance: $5.00. Minimum balance: $5.00.) They'd noticed my first car loan (from back in May) on my credit record (why they were looking, I'd love to know), and were willing to offer me 8.35% interest on a refinance. That wouldn't help much, as it'd actually cost us more. I was, however, certainly interested in refinancing my new loan (for which I haven't even made a payment) down to around half its rate.

There's pain here somewhere, I'm telling you.

So, after signing five pages and faxing them back, it was a done deal. We even got a GAP insurance policy rolled into the loan. Unfortunately, we'd just blown $495 on a GAP policy when we signed for the car in the first place. Fortunately, GAP insurance policies are refundable within 60 days. (It hasn't yet been 30.) So, hey, whatdya know, we have $495 burning a hole in our pockets.

Somehow, we couldn't think of anything to spend it on. It was insane.

Then we got the jolly idea of getting a new TV. So we went out a bought a spiffy 32" Trinitron knock-off. Came in under budget, even.

Unfortunately, the thing seems about as heavy as the real thing. (I guess they were going for authenticity.) So we were physically unable to carry it from the (glare-ice-covered) driveway, up the steps, and into the house. So we dragged it, through the snow, like a $400 sled. And up the stairs. And somehow managed to wrestle it out of the box, and onto the no-longer-oversized entertainment center. In the process, we both hurt our backs. Which brings us back to the theme of the day: pain.

(Incidentally, it was back pain that inspired me this morning. Who'da thunk it'd get worse?)