k well i have set up a savings plan for this summer and by the end of july i will be able to have 1500 bucks to spend i have about 1200 bucks in an account that i can take a "loan" from for the extra $ i would need. now heres the prob what to do with it. im either gunna buy a kawasaki ninja 250 off my cuz for around 1800 bucks or i could buy the whipple. i like the idea of the bike cuz at the start its cheaper than the whipple and it will give me a good mpg commuter. i like the whipple well because ill have the fastest ranger that i know of in my area. OR i could just buy some rims n tires for my now stock height truck (work internship kinda required that driving on construction sites with a lowerd truck) so some 32/11.5's on some nice shiny 15's. what would you guys do? any money i have left over will prolly just go twards my computer or dumped back into that savings account

 

My only advice would be to strongly advocate against borrowing money on a 'toy' like that. I take it you are in school and working a summer job. I'd vote you save the cash for books and school, maybe help avoid some additional student loan debt. Don't worry about the whipple or bike now, you'll have oddles of time to get that crap after you graduate..

 

im in a 2 year program at community college that my parents handle the tuition i pay for books i work basicly full time all year long not just durring the summer but the extra hours comes in summer time.

 

Well, maybe it's time to start paying for some of your own way, start taking some of the burden off your folks and showing your own independence and self-reliance. I started paying for most of my own food on my second year. By 4th year I was paying my way for room and board..

 

First off he said he could borrow from a savings acct.. not credit card...
second thats a bit harsh ... :) you dont know anything about his living arrangements

 

i somewhat agree with what NHbubba. I'm wrapping up my second year in college, and i'm paying rent, bills (execpt cell phone, and truck is paid off), gas and food. I wish i had some extra money saved so i dont have to worry at the end of the month about making rent and getting the bills paid, all while trying to pay for basic expenses.

To do this i'm working 70+ hours a week, but it feels good to be almost completely independant from my parents. Although they do pay for tuition.

anyway... long story short, it's always good to have extra money put aside for stuff like that, but also it's good to be able to spend it on yourself once in a while.

(i voted for whipple by the way.)

 

Bike. Save you some money on gas.

 

basicly my parents are paying for my tuition because of the $ they make i cant get any financial aid and its like 800 bucks a semester. my parents havent paid for any of my extras since i was 15 they give me shelter food n sometimes clothing. if im in a pinch i can borrow money from them i work 40 hrs a week im not spoiled and that comment kinda pisses me off i would be paying for my own school my parents offered to do it so i didnt have to stress over it if you were in that situation i bet youd do the same thing.

 

Personaly I would save the $1500. It may seem like alot of money to you right now. But in the next few years you are going to go though that money like it was water. Between your first security deposit for your first apartment, and all the stuff that will go into your first home. If you are just taking a 2 year degree you don't have much time to save up some more money if possible. Also I was always told to put 3 months salary away in a liquid savings account (NOT BEER GUYS! ) for whenever I may need the money if I lost my job. Then anything over 3 months worth of salary would be play money. (assuming you already have a pretax retirement account going).

If you meet all those criteria I would say get the bike! I have had a bike for years. They are a blast to have and great on gas. Call your insurance company before you buy it and check the insurance you may be shocked! Keep in mind that a Bike is a recurring cost too.. Is is not something that is going to cost you only $1800. It is gonig to cost $1800 today and about $50 a month for as long as you own it! Just something you might want to keep in the back of your mind.

 

I know, I read that. I just wanted to strongly advocate against going into debt over such things. My philosophy is fairly simple, for the most part I try to avoid spending money I don't have, especially on 'toys' and things I don't absoloutely need. I saw a lot of friend in college who got in too deep too fast and they regret it today. One friend was recently turned down for a mortgage on a home for his wife and kid because he's up to his backside in debt from money spent on fast cars and stereos a few years back. Rough spot to be in.

Smoke'em while you've got'em.. but don't get carried away, yah know?

Sorry it sounded harsh. It wasn't intended to be. I speak from experience when I say financial independance is rewarding. In my opinion it is more rewarding than having a few extra HP from an aftermarket supercharger..

 

Personally out of all of the above.. I would save.. unless you need tires because
your old ones are trashed(or badly wore)... then i would consider a tire upgrade. (i still have stock rims with mine)
crap tires == greater chance of wrecking

 

id save it, if i had the choice to go back i would not have bought half the crap for my truck. i wish i had more money and would have saved.

 

EXACTLY the reason I'm selling all my crap now..... Save your money start investing it and when you're a little older (say 28 or so), you'll have more than enough to use on your truck hobby.

 

i am investing money i put 6% of my pre tax check in a 401k which jewel matches im not being stupid here i have other stuff set up im just lookin to finally have some fun with my money now oh yeh n if i get the ninja its $222 a year and if i get a rebel (prolly not) it will be $141 a year for just liability

 

out of those 3 i would save my money for something later on. from the choices, it doesn't seem like you REALLY REALLY want any of those, you just want to blow some cash on something (done it lots myself).

just save it until you find the thing that you REALLY want. like i finally found a set of speakers i REALLY want, so i'm saving up now. but it'll take me a few months, so if i still want them then, i know i REALLY want them, and that i won't regret spending money on them.

1. the bike- owned one of these myself. all it is going to do is make you want a bigger one, because everybody else has a bigger one. also, NOBODY makes accessories for them.

bikes are more expensive then cars upkeep wise, and it will only add to your insurance bill.

i like riding a lot, but not enough to still own a bike. unless you absolutely cannot live w/o riding (or are pretty well off financially), owning a bike is not worth it.

2. supercharger- is it worth the $2500 for a few extra hp? not in my opinion. if you are really into performance, then maybe. but again, you didn't sound super-excited about this one either.

3. wheels/tires- wait until your current tires go, and then look at upgrading. get a tire/wheel set for cheap off ebay. again, unless you HATE your stock rims, don't worry about it. i quit looking at buying new wheels when i realized i was going to spend $500 (for 15") on wheels (no tires) that to me didn't look that better than my alloys.

if you really want something, go for it. but you sound just like me when i get some money saved up, and i regret it every f-ing time that i blow all my savings.

if you don't have any savings right now, keep that as a basis. and put half your free money (after bills/food money) in it until you graduate.

life is EXPENSIVE. $250 electric deposit. $150 water deposit. $5-800 first month in advance deposit. $200 phone deposit. plus you want furniture, which is not cheap my friend. $1000 bucks for a b/r or l/r set...

not trying to lecture, just don't want someone else going thru my pain, i did the spend all my money thing for like 4 years....you honestly need about $5000 to get your own place confidently. $1200 of deposits, $1-2000 furniture, and $2000 emergency cash...

 

Save it. if it was me i would budget myself out so i have cash for a rainy day.

 

hey man save ur money up. when u get enough u can do some sweet things with a ranger. ur young and so am i, have fun with ur truck u work for money so u can make ur life better and stuff. so satisfy what u wanna do get ur toys. just dont get that ninja, ull hate it when u meet other riders i have two bikes a 03 r6 and an 05 gsxr 750 and we see people rol up on those 250 and its not worth it. i am about to drop a windsor 351 in my truck so ide go with the whipple if i were u just because i like power. also i dont know if u have already but did u think of putting a system in ur truck thats right in that price ranger to. well have fun building ur truck its fun

 

i would save it also.... the ninja 250 is a good starter bike but you will get sick of it very fast... save up and buy a harley in a few years after youre done with school

 

i'd get tires/wheels it's the most noticeable thing on your vehicle. by the way, this is "ranger-forums.com" not "how-to-live-your-life-forums.com" he wanted advice on his truck, if he wanted advice on investing and stuff he can call charles scwabb.

 

This is probly the best statement here.. You got 1500 You have along ways to go until 5k if you plan on living on your own.

I had 7,500 when I moved out. Chewed up 5k of that really fast buying stuff for the house.

 

yeah...and if he was like "i saved my money for 3 months to get some wheels, and i'm stuck between these two sets", i would not have gotten off-topic.

but it is obvious that he doesn't really want any of those things that badly (they're so unrelated)...so my advice was save the money until he finds something he really does.

i've bought something just to spend money before, and i regret it everytime. hell, i bought my exhaust just to buy an exhaust, and now i wish i would've just kept that money until i found something i really really wanted (the focals).....

 

Heard that!

 

i say get the whipple! i understand how it is, you save up money and you want to spend it! that would be sweet to have a ranger w/ that on it, that is what i would do in your situation!