I was thinking along the same lines, are you a number's geek too?

As for the basic question: heck yeah work through college, as long as your grades can afford it. Aside from the truck think of all the fun stuff there is to do & you won't want to ask mommy & daddy for money to do it would you?

rdy with

 

Cutting right to the chase. Do you really need a vehicle while in college? Or would it be great to have one? Having a pickup isn't worth it. You would only drive your friends around and haul their stuff for them. Then again, you could charge them for the favour.
In reality, when would you use it? Is there public tranport you can use? Will you have a friend with a vehicle there?
Think of it.
No payments, no maintenance, no insurance, no repairs, no gas. Would a motorcycle/scooter/bicycle work?
You can buy an under 50cc motor for a 26" bicycle and not have to licence or insure it, depending on where you live, and you can use it on public streets.
Scout around. You may find something even better.

 

When I was in college, I still lived with my parents. I had a 2000 F150. I had leased that truck and after a while, I wanted to buy my own truck and get a bigger one. So I went looking around and brought a 2002 F150 Supercab. My monthly payment on the 2000 was $381. My monthly payment on my current truck is almost $550. I ended up getting screwed and had to pay for my new truck plus the one that I had leased for almost a year because they would not take the leased truck back early. So that is almost $930 a month while attending ITT full time which was 20 hrs a week. I worked full time at one job which was 40 hrs a week plus some overtime. I still managed a 3.81 GPA. I barely slept for almost a year.

Looking back, I wish I would not have brought the second truck and just found me something much cheaper when the lease ran out. I could have paid off some debt or brought other things I needed at the time. Unfortunately, I am still feeling the consequences, almost 3 years after graduating, of me buying that second truck.

If you have the money to do it, I would sell your truck outright, take that money and buy a decent used car, which would be cheaper on gas and insurance. Depending on the type of college - Community college or a major University - You may still be able to work and go to school and be able to survive on your own. Also if you go on your own, get a roommate to share the costs.

Without knowing your situation, it is very difficult to give accurate advice. We can only tell you things that you should avoid, as in my situation.

 

i will only add this:

when applying for a job after you graduate, there are no boxes for what did you drive.

after college life get serios, no more spring breaks or 1 month off for christmas, enjoy your time, make good grades and save the 40 hr weeks and payment for latter, believe me they will be waiting for you.

if you dont work all the time,you can spend more time with school and graduate sooner, how much money will be saved over graduating in 4 years or 5, 1 more year of rent, utilites and tuition.

anyone ever wish you could go back to a simpler live when all you had to do was go to a few classes a week and read a little bit? college entertainment was cheap,

 

Yep -- a $2 cup at an off-campus kegger and a roomful of 19-year-old co-eds!

 

After much thought and consideration, I'm keeping my beast. I found out that I have less than a year until it's paid off, so why bail out ont he note now? In the long run it will be worth it because of the resale value compared to the old chebby. Thanks for the advice guys. If there were still years left on the note, I probably would have sold it, but it wouldnt make since to sell her now.

 

Basic economics that everyone in high school should but usually doesn't take. I say should because that makes decisions like this much easier. Americans on average need to understand math more than they do.

BTW, I'm an engineer. Numbers are my friends when it come to money or my profession.