A bad financial day in rural Indiana

[FarmerJamie]

Ouch, sorry guy, that hurts. I recently cheaply sold my 1997 Thunderbird "as is" with 190,00+ miles on it. My understanding is that the transmission just failed for the new owner, so we dodged a big one on that car. The van, however, is creeping up to 170,000, so we're crossing our fingers on that one. Even small cars are becoming pricey. This just stinks.

Hope it gets better for you!

 

[framing fowl]

I second the idea of seeing if you can barter with your mechanic.

Is it something you absolutely can't do yourself? Hoping a good solution comes your way.

 

[SSDreamin]

Replacement tranny for a domestic would run around $1,000. Foreign cars are more like $1,700 & up. (Did a general search online for 2007 models) A little savings, if you wanted to replace it yourself. The barter idea sounds really interesting too.

 

[Boogity]

I think I could dig into the transmission but it requires some special tools that usually only the dealers have. I really don't have the correct shop equipment to remove the engine and tear down the transmission.

Bartering is a real possibility. I always help farmers in the area with welding and general farm equipment maintenance. But I never charge or enter into a barter agreement for my efforts. I just like to stay busy and I like to help the local farmers out whenever I can. But there is a real need of some creative bartering now. I'll have to ponder on it for a while.

 

[framing fowl]

I always help farmers in the area with welding and general farm equipment maintenance. But I never charge or enter into a barter agreement for my efforts. I just like to stay busy and I like to help the local farmers out whenever I can.

I'd like to offer a gentle reprimand here Boogity. I'm all for helping other people out and giving freely of time and money to those in need, and maybe that's what you're doing here. But it sounds like you're cheating yourself or perhaps someone else who may be trying to make a living at welding in your neck of the woods. If you personally know the farmer is having a hard time, sure donate your gas to drive there, time and expertise and Lord knows farmers can use all the help they can get.

But it just sounds one sided. Do they call you or do you call them and offer your services? Maybe you should be charging a nominal fee or suggesting things like "I hear your wife makes a pretty good apple pie." Or how about a couple of steaks when you butcher that steer. Or how about if you would help me for an afternoon splitting wood... etc.

Also, when bartering, I've always found it helpful to open my mouth and ask. There is more creativity and solutions to be found when you talk to the person you're bartering with. When my DH and I try and think up a good scheme and then talk to someone, it more often than not falls flat on it's face. But when we open up the suggestion and leave part of the bartering solution to them, it usually ends up being a pretty good deal. As you know, because you do it yourself, people want to help other people out if at all possible. The asking is the hardest part .

 

[Boogity]

I suppose some neighborhoods don't help each other out. And some neighborhoods do. We don't call it bartering around here we call it being good neighbors. Just about everyone in our little neck of the woods shares abundant crops, raw milk, fat pigs, brown eggs (is there any other color?), and juicy steaks when we have them. We also share skills if we have them when there is a need.

 

[FarmerChick]

I suppose some neighborhoods don't help each other out. And some neighborhoods do. We don't call it bartering around here we call it being good neighbors. Just about everyone in our little neck of the woods shares abundant crops, raw milk, fat pigs, brown eggs (is there any other color?), and juicy steaks when we have them. We also share skills if we have them when there is a need.

yea there are truly good white eggs out there LOL but when we switched to some white egg layers for a year, the customers were, like, huh? they have to be 'worse' than the brown ones....haha....well the whites sold great. but in the end we got rid of the white layers after 2 1/2 years and decided only brown egg layers allowed on the farm. It was too hard repeating over and over to the customers that good fresh farm eggs can be white HA HA

you made me laugh on that one

 

[framing fowl]

I suppose some neighborhoods don't help each other out. And some neighborhoods do. We don't call it bartering around here we call it being good neighbors. Just about everyone in our little neck of the woods shares abundant crops, raw milk, fat pigs, brown eggs (is there any other color?), and juicy steaks when we have them. We also share skills if we have them when there is a need.

Good deal. I just hate to see when good people give give give and it's one-sided and then no one helps them out when they need help. on the vehicle repairs.

 

[Boogity]

Good deal. I just hate to see when good people give give give and it's one-sided and then no one helps them out when they need help. on the vehicle repairs.

Yeah I know what you mean. DW was that way before her accident and in her time of real need a few of her "friends" were hard to find. I think that is one of the many reasons we like our country life so much more than our old city life.

 

[SKR8PN]

Boogity.....post up the year, make and model, and engine size. I may be able to help.........