Not buying a car after all

We decided several months ago to replace our 14-year-old car. We wanted something newer, less than 10 years old, with fewer miles on it.

But we realized that all we could get for $4000-5000, the amount we felt comfortable spending, was a rattletrap not much better than what we have.

So we talked it over and this morning we decided to repair a few things on our car that we've been putting off. We'll drive it for another year, and try to save money to buy something more reliable later on.

I am still worried about driving our car for another year. It is becoming more and more of a junker. If it breaks down and we are forced to buy something else quickly, we might not be able to find a good deal. But we are still trying to do some necessary house repairs, and although we have the money to do the repairs, our savings account would get very low if we finished fixing the house AND bought a car right now. We're lucky to have 3 different income streams, and our jobs are fairly secure, but it's still a scary economy and I know I'll be anxious if we don't have a cash cushion.

So, time to fix that oil leak that causes the car to smoke when the engine gets hot. Time to fix that gearshift that gets stuck in park, requiring me to keep a rubber mallet on hand to wallop the gearshift to get it into reverse. Time to shampoo the seats, and polish up the interior. I've got to live with this car for a while longer yet.

I wonder if everybody else is changing plans, too, because of the economy. Sure, people are having to delay retirement, but what about smaller stuff. Are you taking that vacation you had planned? Are you still going to buy your teenager that car? How much belt-tightening is going on these days?