How do you fund your projects? especially if married?

[5.0Droptop]

dang guys, seriously this is a real issue. my project has pretty much come to a screeching halt. I'm getting married next summer so the girlfriend is in 'let's save every penny' mode. we've had arguments over $45 for repair parts... not upgrades... repairs! but she shouldn't complain. her engagement ring cost me more than I've spent on my car total. oh well... time for a third job!

If you are arguing over REPAIR parts and your not married yet. Chances are she will be ready to sell your car right after your married, and there will never be money for mods.......

 

[281pony]

yep... pre-marriage drama will only amplify.

 

[GroverDill]

I appreicate a well thought out low buck budget build more these days then a over the top billion dollar build.

 

[5.0Droptop]

Same here Grover. That's what I have been doing the last couple mustangs I've owned. Cheap or free mods rock!

 

[Mustang5L5]

Keep it that way....don't have kids either

(ps...I wouldn't trade mine for the world. Plus, my daughter won't let me get rid of the 'Stang since it's my 'go faster' car)

My g/f cant have kids...so I'm good there. She doesn't want to get married either.

As much as I'm sure kids are great, they aren't for me. I'm much too selfish to raise kids. If I want to go to Vegas for a weekend...I'm going. I can't do softball games, or any of that stuff.

I'd go get a vasectomy if a doctor would actually have done it on an unmarried guy in his 20's

I enjoy playing with my friends kids...but love how I can go home when I've had enough

 

[bdazzgt]

i fund my projects through honest hard work i know it sounds egotistical. My girlfriend is in school and lives with me why i work full time as a nurse and pay all the bills, i wish people would see what i have to do at work to make modifications to my car. i normally pick up an extra shift(s) a week we are always short on critical care beds, but at the end of the day i dont want to do anything but chill and lay around. the car is a good escape though.

with everything i buy i ask myself...."how many asses did i have to wipe for this"

 

[strattoc]

I guess at the end of the day do I really need a 347? I can do little by little with 200 a month and get my car pretty nice, but if the engine ever goes I'll be like come on baby its only a couple hundred more to go with the stroker lol....... she'll probably tell me to sell the car then...

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Almost my whole car was built off tax refund money. Also i used to have a real job making killer money and didnt have kids..that all changed so priorities had to change so progress got a lot slower. It helps that a LOT of my car is used parts bought cheap.

 

[Chrome_Rust]

After Bills, child support, and gas money, I have -$300 a month (yes negative). I have a VERY supportive fiance that makes 3 times what I make, and funds my hot rodding activities, the only catch is I have to let her drive it to work from time to time to show off to all the guys that MY car is faster then theirs (it is... been proven more then once, and she know's how to drive a 5-speed better then most guys I know). But right now the 6th 5-speed is in the works to go in the car, and funding that one has been my responsibility, needless to say it has been slow. I picked up a Mustang related job to help with that. Should make enough from that to buy me a low mileage used trans.

 

[Boosted92LX]

I'm doing a LOT better nowadays since landing the job I've got now, so pocket money is not much of an issue anymore.

HOWEVER, I scraped and scratched and saved for ten years before this job to do anything car related. Resourcefulness is a must, budget minded builds are a must(reasonable goals), and last but not least, being able to hustle, hustle, hustle is the biggest must.

People BUY used parts. EVERYTHING that comes off of your car is worth money. Craigslist and ebay are your friend! Anything you can flip and turn a dollar on is more car parts for you. I've almost bought and sold as many things as I've bought and kept.

What's more is it doesn't have to be car parts you flip, it can be anything, lawnmowers, furniture, electronics, powertools. Anything.

Side jobs help, a buddy of mine and I used to do carpentry and that's how I paid for my '84 gt on the side.

It helps to have a don't ask don't tell fund. Not saying to be dishonest, just that when you are humpin it for extra dough the wifey needs to know that it's NOT on the table for group use, or it's gonna cause problems.

 

[93project]

Personally, I don't drink, don't go out. Bigtime home body. So as long as bills are paid and I shoot her some extra spending cash, she never asks how I paid for that 331, heads, cam, new hood, or the FR500 's . plus I managed to tile part of the house and I'm currently redoing my backyard like she wants it so I have lots of wife credit.

 

[skunk21]

good incomes + saving. The wife already knew I was huge car nut before we got married and in a way she is too. She never had a problem with me spending on my car + I have a seperate account set up for it that I put money into that way it doesn't affect anything else.

 

[srtthis]

i detail cars on the side...

 

[NIKwoaC]

good incomes + saving. The wife already knew I was huge car nut before we got married and in a way she is too. She never had a problem with me spending on my car + I have a seperate account set up for it that I put money into that way it doesn't affect anything else.

^^This.^^ My wife and I keep each other in check, but she knows I'm a car guy and I know she's a... Woman. We both have stuff we want to spend money on, and proper savings + steady income is key. You have to have your priorities straight, and if you don't have the money, you shouldn't be spending it anyway.

 

[cjrpony]

People BUY used parts. EVERYTHING that comes off of your car is worth money. Craigslist and ebay are your friend! Anything you can flip and turn a dollar on is more car parts for you. I've almost bought and sold as many things as I've bought and kept.

What's more is it doesn't have to be car parts you flip, it can be anything, lawnmowers, furniture, electronics, powertools. Anything.

Side jobs help, a buddy of mine and I used to do carpentry and that's how I paid for my '84 gt on the side.

Personally, I don't drink, don't go out. Bigtime home body. So as long as bills are paid and I shoot her some extra spending cash, she never asks how I paid for that 331, heads, cam, new hood, or the FR500 's . plus I managed to tile part of the house and I'm currently redoing my backyard like she wants it so I have lots of wife credit.

I do some of both of these. I buy a lot of my parts used and when I am ready to upgrade I can usually get my money back out or even make a little. And I am always looking for stuff to flip. Last week someone around the corner put out a stove to the street for free. I picked up and took it straight to the scrap yard. Easy 20 bucks for less than half hour of my time. Stuff like that.

And not spending tons of money on smokes and brews helps alot too Don't get me wrong, the wife and I still have our fun! And when she wants something, I usually let her get it. So she rarely hassles me when a box or two shows up on the porch.

 

[citmov]

First off, I had my mustang before I got married and she knew that I'd still be into mustangs after we got married. Whenever she questions my time/money/love for the mustang I always remind her that it's really my only hobby and it helps me get my mind off the stresses of work & life. I also remind her that I'm not out drinking/partying and getting into trouble (like I used to). I'm too old for that anyways

As of right now our budget only allows $150 a month each for anything we want. All of that goes to my mustang fund of course. It's not a lot but my mustang is a work in progress for life...I'm not in a rush. Oh, I'll also say that I buy A TON OF MY PARTS USED. Saves me a ton of cash! I'm always looking for a good deal out here and there's a lot of good mustang guys selling stuff for cheap.

 

[Stever89]

Aside from my Mustang affliction, I also am a musician. This means spending big bucks on music related gear, PA, mixers, effects, amps and guitars (I don't count them anymore, but it's somewhere around 15).

She has her job, I have mine. we agree on what percentage of our individual incomes goes towards bills. Whatever's left over is for her to spend as she wants on herself, same for me.

 

[Boss 351]

It's a struggle each time I want to get something Even if I make a pretty good living with my day job and my consulting business on the side...

 

[Mintsick]

My g/f cant have kids...so I'm good there. She doesn't want to get married either.

As much as I'm sure kids are great, they aren't for me. I'm much too selfish to raise kids. If I want to go to Vegas for a weekend...I'm going. I can't do softball games, or any of that stuff.

I'd go get a vasectomy if a doctor would actually have done it on an unmarried guy in his 20's

I enjoy playing with my friends kids...but love how I can go home when I've had enough

Werd, I was months away from getting married a few years ago...things didn't work out and I got out before I was doomed...wasn't 100% necessary for me then and is definitely not a "goal" for me now.

Kids, I'm with you there as well. My brother has a 6 month old and playing with her is great, however if she get's cranky or needs changing Uncle Mike suddenly disappears


On the funding part, I can't deal with the "my wife won't let me/I have to ask permission stuff" at all...and I don't have that problem currently so I spend within reason for myself (not draining my funds) and that is that.

 

[ill advised]

dang guys, seriously this is a real issue. my project has pretty much come to a screeching halt. I'm getting married next summer so the girlfriend is in 'let's save every penny' mode. we've had arguments over $45 for repair parts... not upgrades... repairs! but she shouldn't complain. her engagement ring cost me more than I've spent on my car total. oh well... time for a third job!

I agree with 5.0DropTop, this is not a good sign. Is the Mustang your only car? By "yours" I don't mean you two as a couple, I mean yours alone. If not I can see putting it on the back burner for a while, but if it's your only mode of transport and she's complaining about repairs then you are headed for rough seas. Regardless, you don't want to let her start controlling the money. Especially if you're the one earning it.

Like the other guys here I made it known from the start that this is what I do. When we first met I'd just bought my '90. That car was all I talked about so she knew right away what I was into. When she bought me a shifter and throttle body for my birthday I knew I had a winner. Nearly 20 years and two kids later there has never been a single negative word spoken towards that car. Even when I went and bought a second one to serve as a daily driver ('92 AOD).

I think she also understands that in the grand scheme of things these cars are incredibly cheap to own (on a monthly basis). I could always be spending $300-600 a month (+ insurance) on something newer but I haven't found a car that I feel is really worth taking on another note. It also helps that she makes VERY good money herself and doesn't need to worry about what I'm doing.