When I was a freshman in high school, all I wanted to do was play play play. and I think that is still true about me to this very day, except I work work work and play play play all at the same time. Took a lot of mistakes, experiencing it all on my own for me to finally realize that you can't just play without working. Without working, play just isn't as fun, working makes playing more worth it.

Well anyways, my parents knew this. My parents knew that I loved to play and never do homework. So to bribe me to finally work (as in work I mean school, and as in play I mean like go out, do whatever to have fun) they told me that once I graduate from high school, they would give me money, and once I graduate from college they would give me a new car. Well, turns out I didn't even have to finish high school (even though I did) or finish college [yet] to get a new car. They helped me put a down payment on my car of choice (which I don't know why I picked the Scion tC but I did, and to this day I truly regret it), and I would just have to make the monthly payments, pay for my monthly insurance payments, and they would help out with gas. As time went on, I eventually took on the role of paying for my own gas (which I don't mind paying for).

Well, now it is time to reward myself for the hard work I've been doing in college for the past three years. It's time I upgrade my '06 tC for a new, better, and improved car. One that can actually make it up my neighborhood hill during Minnesota's long winters.

I was so set on getting a car just yesterday afternoon, until I got home from school. I always pay all of my bills online through my bank, so when I have a new bill, I just set up the ebill and set up online statements and voila, I know what dates it has to be click click send, so I never (which I should start doing) look at my statements for credit cards, car statements, bank statements, loan statements, etc. Well, yesterday I got home and saw the car statement laying there on the kitchen table so I decided to just open it and see how many payments are left and to my very I only have a whopping 13 payments left until the tC is paid off! Whoo hoo right? Well, now I'm contemplating just keeping the junkie thing, and after a year, my car will be paid off, and just save those would-be monthly car payments for a nice down payment on my very first home.

So now I'm torn on what to do. I wish I only had 13 payments left for a different car, a nicer one. and I'd so just keep it and save up for my first home, but unfortunately, it isn't a different car, it's one that gets me tons of tickets + more, and won't even go up my hill in the winters. I'm a small girl, so I think a nice truck/suv would be fitting...

Opinions anyone? Help me out! I would much rather put money towards an investment than something that depreciates it's value...but....