Topic: Where is all my money going?

[JeepManMarc]

Well, I was on track to getting my lift, 8.8 axle swap with locker, and 33's until.......

I got what they call a girlfriend..Which is why I havent been on here much in the last week or two....   And suddenly I have a very small budget for things like the Jeep...  I didnt even think I was spending that much until I thought about it, I dont know what to do, I want to build my Jeep pretty bad, but after a weekend of taking her out to dinner (50 bucks) then to a movie (20 bucks) gas, a couple new shirts so I look halfway decent etc, I can see this adding up fast being that I am a poor college kid.  Dont get me wrong, this girl is absolutely amazing and I thank god I had the chance to meet her, she is 19, has her own place and is going to school for nursing, she really has her life on track, more so than I do so shes a good influence on me.  The problem lies in the fact that Im not doing these things for her because its expected, I am doing them because I want to treat her like the princess she is.  The question that comes out of all of this is do I put the Jeep project on hold for a couple years and just drive it?  I dont want to screw this relationship up because who knows where it could actually go...   HELP!!!  Jeep lover in need

[GzrGlide]

Man, you got it bad!
I don't have any words of wisdom for you as my wife is the one that is off roading and I just build it according to what she tells me she wants to be able to do. Maybe thats the solution. Take her out mudding and once she has to get out into the slop once or twice and she starts to complain, then tell her that you'd have to add this and that and that it would mean fewer dinners out, movies and fresh clothes for awhile, but after that you'd be good to go! Hey man, if she sticks around after that, she's a keeper.

I will give this kernal of wisdom though...........
"If momma aint happy, nobody's happy" 

[gomi]

Don't worry about it Mark. You have what is known as the "googly eyes phase" you will soon see that after you sleep with her and a few months goes by the new ness will where off. Then you will find yourself sitting across the table from her looking at the menu and thinking to yourself damn! Sarah/Gomi was right.

[JeepManMarc]

Well, that may be, and I have been through this before, yes you are right, but this is totally different than I have been through before, kind of hard to explain really..

[gomi]

Well, that may be, and I have been through this before, yes you are right, but this is totally different than I have been through before, kind of hard to explain really..

Sorry, I was just teasing you. You just really like her that's all, hang in there. If she's as put together as you say she is, I'm sure she'll pick up the tab or go dutch with you more often. I find that most women today should learn to appreciate gestures like the guy buying dinner and holding doors for you because it makes a girl feel like gold. In return however, I think a girl should pick up the tab or at the very least split it every now and again.

[JeepManMarc]

The thing is I dont mind paying for that kind of stuff, opening doors for her, carrying things for her etc, its just that I dont make the money to treat her how I want to and still go crazy on the Jeep like  Iplanned.

[gomi]

The thing is I dont mind paying for that kind of stuff, opening doors for her, carrying things for her etc, its just that I dont make the money to treat her how I want to and still go crazy on the Jeep like  Iplanned.

You know, how you treat her isn't really about what you pay for. She's 19, if you start paying for everything all the time it gets easy for her to become acustomed to it. It's almost a subconcious reaction that we young women have. Just mention how you love your jeep and that you are going to try to save for jeeping. Just say it indirectly, so that you don't imply and she won't assume it's about her... if she's worth keeping she'll understand.

[gomi]

Well, I was on track to getting my lift, 8.8 axle swap with locker, and 33's until.......

.  The question that comes out of all of this is do I put the Jeep project on hold for a couple years and just drive it? 

Don't put your project on hold. Take care of the things you love doing first, the best part about a jeep is that you can always count on it and expect an equal reaction to the amount of time and energy you put into it.....women, not so much.

[JeepManMarc]

Thanks for the helpfull advice.  Like I said, she doesnt expect any of this and in fact she was suprised when I payed for some other things.  And you are right it isnt about the money, some of the little things I have done for her randomly have excited/ pleased her more than anything I payed for its just that money is what this particular subject is aobut.  As long as shes with me she's happy, no matter what we are doing so I cant complain.

[Chad]

well if you know if you get the lift she is gonna make you get some rocker bars or something so she can get in

[JeepManMarc]

True Chad, with the 31's she already has to "hop" up into the seat, lol  I dont think I would have ever put rocker bars on my jeep other than maybe a rock slider, but having a girlfriend I would consider it..  Funny how your perspective on life changes entirely when you have someone else close to you that shares the things you love with you... 

[TrueBlueXJ]

Just sit her down one night, preferably not over dinner, and tell her "Y'know I've been thinking about doing some stuff to my Jeep for a while now. I really like you and I like where this is going, and I like taking you out and having a good time, but the thing is... money's pretty tight right now, and my Jeep dreams are slipping away. If we could maybe split the dating costs for a while, that would be awesome." --  Or y'know, something to that effect anyway. And like GzrGlide said, get her out on a trail, show her how Jeep guys have fun. If she's really a cool chick she'll have a blast and completely understand your need for bigger and better things. Luckily for me, my girlfriend doesn't expect me to pay for things. We split everything down the middle, except for Valentine's day and anniversaries, which I can live with. So yeah, just fill her in, and gradually ween her off your wallet. Besides, as Dave Chapelle once said, "Chivalry is dead, and women killed it." 

[Mozman68]

for christ sake...would you all please grow a set??

It's your money and your Jeep...spend it on that...you're not married.

You're not obligated to pay for anything you do not want to...if I can't afford to go out, we don't go out.  If you have to take her out to dinner and a movie to get "some" then she's the wrong girl.  Spend it on the Jeep and that will help you find a nice girl.

Nothing wrong with watching a little t.v. and making out...it's free....and then the Jeep gets lifted.

[bhawkin2]

When I was younger I had money out my ears,I did'nt have any bills just my rig. I lived at home an had a full time job turning wrenches,my boss would actually have to come an tell me to cash my check your screwing up my books.

Then it all changed  found a women did everything you are doing, got my own place then had kids an now getting married at the end of the month,so the stuff I use to be able to drop $500 to $1000 on in one week an not think twice turned into me having to save for a month an then if something "Family oriented" popped up there went the money I had saved for the Jeep.

It SUCKS but I don't regret any of it cause I night when I go to sleep,I still got the Jeep the wife an the kids an it kinda all makes sense. You'll figure it out easy enough

[TrueBlueXJ]

for christ sake...would you all please grow a set??

It's your money and your Jeep...spend it on that...you're not married.

You're not obligated to pay for anything you do not want to...if I can't afford to go out, we don't go out.  If you have to take her out to dinner and a movie to get "some" then she's the wrong girl.  Spend it on the Jeep and that will help you find a nice girl.

Nothing wrong with watching a little t.v. and making out...it's free....and then the Jeep gets lifted.

x2

The way I see it, and thank god my lady agrees with me, we're not married, and it's not the 1950s. Women fought to be equals, and as such, they can pay their equal share of everything  I mean, we've lived together for over three years, and we've always split the rent, every bill, every evening out, etc. And when half of it's coming out her pocket, you'll find yourself staying in a lot more.  You gotta find a woman like that, or else she'll bleed you dry, and one of these days you might end up with no money, no girlfriend, and an embarassing stock jeep. At least if it all goes to shat for me I'll have no money, no girlfriend, but by god I'll have a Jeep I can be proud of.