Category: Life Lessons

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Car Scams on Craigslist

As I was searching for a “new” used car through different avenues (Ebay, local trading post paper, Craigslist) I could not believe the number of Cars for sale scams on Craigslist.

It was blatantly obvious when you find cars that are way below book value and especially below what most cars of the same vintage were going for. I mean when you find a car such as a 2000 Honda Accord in near perfect condition selling for $1,000 when most are going for $2-$3K you know something is just not right.

Also, they are listed in the dealers section and not the private sellers section *Lightbulb*!  The stories have read that they are a single mom trying to sell the car and that in order to proceed I need to give over my address, phone number so they can give it to the Ebay Financial Department (Umm Ebay doesn’t have a financial department).

Another one read that they are in the midst of a divorce and need to sell the car for $950 (when the Craigslist listing says $1,000).

I found a super nice Maxima that had wheels and tires on it worth what the asking price was, minus the car. The email I got read that they were in the military and heading off to Afghanistan. He didn’t want to leave the car sitting while he was gone.

The notorious one was the VW Passat (the kind of car I was intensely looking for/at) that showed up in the Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta and NW Georgia sections of Craigslist. Really???

I would hope that people wouldn’t fall for a car for sale that is about $2-$5K less than what similar cars were selling for. I am sure there are though unfortunately.

 

I am glad I didn’t find the “perfect” car on Craigslist as most of the ones I did find and tried to contact the seller they never bothered to respond even to tell me they sold the car or not. I got lucky one time and the seller promptly responded.

Maybe Craigslist should require all potential buyers to watch a video before allowing them to view the listings or at least hire some people to go through and check to see which listings are legitimate. I mean seriously, car listings that have been on there for half a day that obvious scams are not removed?

I am sure people swear up and down on Craigslist. Personally, I am a super skeptic. I have heard and read some horrible stories about people who were scammed, particularly on cars. I have family  and friends who have found some awesome deals on Craigslist but also heard their stories about creepy people they have come across.

My best friend and his son “rescued” a Jeep Cherokee about three years ago that was listed on Craigslist (Lebanon, TN). They were extremely creeped out so badly that being in a hurry they bent the track bar trying to get it on the trailer.

I think I will continue to stick with my local trader paper and Ebay.

 

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Anxieties With Searching for a Car and Buying one…On Ebay

Recently I came to realize that it was costing me a lot of money to keep filling my Jeep Cherokee with gas, like every three to four days. In fact, the last 10 days I know I have spent around $100 in gas just to take my kids to and from school, band practices, doctors appointments, therapy appointments and having to go get medicine.

It was a heart wrenching decision to start looking for a car to drive daily and even more difficult to share the news with my three kids who absolutely adore “Princess.” I got the silent treatment from all three of them ages 14, 10 and 7. Their biggest concern was whether or not I was keeping her.

Of course I am!

I just explained to them that Princess does need to have some maintenance work done on her so we can take her off roading like they have been wanting to do. I even told them that there may be days I may drive Princess especially when there is snow in the forecast.

It has not been an easy time looking for the “right” car. Some I have found with the perfect body yet there is something seriously wrong with the engine or transmission and in one case, the brakes not working. I have been most astounded though at the prices of the cars.

I spent over a week and a half looking at cars locally, in our local trading post paper, newspaper, craigslist (from the local to places 250 miles away) and Ebay.  My original budget had been about $1,000 which when I look back at it was a joke. Rarely can you find a vehicle for that price and when you do there are bungee cords holding the doors closed, duct tape on the body, glass missing, key holes with no place to put the key just to name a few things.

Even when I bumped up the price limit to $1,500 I had a friend who visits car auctions often to be looking for certain cars. He warned me that chances are cars in that price range will look like they’ve had a rough life. I will agree!

Then it came to a point after talking with my boyfriend that if I wanted a decent car the way I wanted I would have to ask for some help. I had to break down and ask my grandfather for a little help with my car budget. As hesitant as he was, I believe he was very understanding about my situation with spending money on gas.

After a few days of looking and “watching” cars on Ebay and digging through ads on Craigslist, I finally came across one I “fell in love with.” Yes, I’ll admit I crumble when I see certain cars. I did it with my Jeep Cherokee which I immediately named Princess before the auction had ended…

The best thing about the car I found was that it was where I could get a friend to test drive it for me before making the decision to dive in and bid on it. I had missed the Buy It Now option by probably 12 hours by the time my friend test drove it. But, the most interesting thing about the car is that the guy who was selling it knows my friend from a place he worked at previously! Funny how things can be a small world.

For nearly a week I have been tormented by the whole auction ordeal. I missed the BIN by less than a day, then a potential fraudulent bidder got involved and bumped up the price right to my absolute limit, when, where and how to get the car, then trying to figure out how to get all the money together to pay for the car, just about all took me over the edge.

Actually, it was the final day that made me the craziest. I did my absolute best to keep my mind off the auction by cleaning, doing school work, washing my hair, going to do a few errands. For the most part of two days I figured the auction would end around 3 PM. That was a perfect time since that would be just before I had to go get my boys from school. Ummm, nope not so much. Try 3:50 PM. *Sigh*

Well, I had downloaded the Ebay app recently so that made it a little easier to keep up with the auction. At the same time I had a small auction going that I was selling some sandals I no longer needed. So every once in a while I would get an alert that either the bid price had gone up on the sandals or the car (I’d much rather know the bid price went up on the sandals). I remember sitting in line at my oldest son’s school and would check the final 50 minutes of the auction about every 10-15 minutes. I had estimated that it would end about the time I picked my youngest one up from school.

As it got down to 20 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes and then 5 minutes my heart was racing faster and faster. I thought I was going to pass out before the auction was finished. For a day and a half the highest bid was at $2,400. I just knew at the last minute someone would outbid me (my maximum bid was $2,401.99). Lucky for me I got stuck at the traffic light through two cycles. It was one time I just didn’t care.

I remember looking at my iPhone as it got down to 2 minutes and some odd seconds, 1 minute and then into the seconds. I could feel my heart beating intensely, my hands were shaking profusely. And just as the light changed to green the auction ended.

I won!

 

Now to go get the car, tomorrow….*Sigh* I have no patience to be waiting

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Life With An Autistic Child

Most of us have heard the expression walk in my shoes to see what it’s like (fill in the blank).  Have you ever been so frustrated you want to curl up in a ball and cry? Do you know someone who has a special needs child or a child with developmental delays?

Life with a child who has needs beyond the average person can take a toll on parent(s). Unfortunately some parents do not have a support system in place or they may have one that is mediocre.

So trying to take some time to themselves to refresh or re cooperate can be the greatest challenge, especially when it comes to child care. Actually, it is one of my greatest frustrations, disappointments, discouragements and it has been for at least the last 10 years.

People enjoy watching my now teenage daughter. Most of the time I hear about how wonderful and sweet she is when someone has been watching her. But when it comes to my oldest son Caleb, things are dramatically different. Most people don’t want to watch him. In fact, I’ve had people admit that they cannot “handle” him.

It is a struggle to find decent, reliable child care especially when people believe they cannot handle or deal with a child who is mildly different from the average child. Most days he is just a more curious, inquisitive child that will ask questions quite often.

This also leads to the problem of employment for me. If I do not have reliable child care then what good does it do for me to go out and seek employment?

I cannot imagine what other single parent families go through with a special needs child. I would hope they would have a great support system which is a challenge for many including myself. There is a true need for people to reach out to families who at times are overwhelmed, stressed and would like to have even a day to recuperate. It is a challenge to find respite care for caregivers who primarily focus on the needs of the special needs child and tend to forget about themselves.

Most of us have seen stories in the news where someone snaps and does something unimaginable. People cannot imagine what it is like for someone who is overwhelmed day in and day out with no outlet. Life with an autistic child is not an easy one. Every day there are challenges some more stressful than others. Despite the fact that many of these challenges are life lessons it often feels like the world is against them.

 

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What type of College Classes should I take?

Thinking about going to college or returning after a period of time? With most colleges you have some options when it comes to taking classes.

Traditional classes are by far the most inexpensive tuition wise. You have the opportunity to interact with other students and professors when you take on campus courses. So, if you have any questions, need study buddies, tutoring or have to work on group projects this is the best way to go. Also, if you know you have struggles in certain subject areas it is best to take courses on campus.

Video classes can be an inexpensive option though check with your college to verify that they do offer video classes and what they charge for tuition. Typically you will go to the college library and check a video out for a specific period of time to watch on your own. Some libraries may still have VHS tapes but most have converted to DVD.

Evening classes are usually the same tuition wise as a traditional day class. If you are one who is busy during the day taking an evening class can be ideal. All the evening classes I have taken usually do not go the length of  the time schedule. Most professors have been on campus all day and want to go home just as much as the students do. They may set a schedule where they will always end classes an hour or half an hour earlier. I personally have been in classes that were supposed to last three hours and get out within an hour to hour and a half after it started.

Accelerated classes / Mini-mester classes may cost the same as a regular class on campus they just last a shorter period of time aimed towards students who are in need of specific courses, usually the popularly taken ones. These classes are usually Monday through Friday for a few hours for approximately half of the time a regular semester class lasts. For example, every year the local community college where I live offers Spanish I & II classes in the Spring in what they call a “mini-mester.” The classes last two weeks each and are very intense. It is geared towards those who need to take Spanish as part of their education requirements.  This Fall there were about a dozen of the most commonly taken courses offered at an accelerated period, 10 weeks instead of 15. The courses end quicker so people who are on time constraints can complete required/needed classes towards graduation.

These type of classes should be only taken by those who know they can handle intense situations. The courses are more concentrated which means more study time in a shorter period of time. It is best if this is the only course taken, possibly another regular course if one can handle it.

Online classes are the most flexible, however, they are by far the costliest. Majority of the course is online with the exception of mid terms and finals that have to be taken at a nearby campus testing center. Now, some colleges that offer online courses may or may not give tests. College courses may give tests or quizzes online between the more important ones.

 

A student needs to recognizes their weaknesses and strengths when it comes to studying, completing assignments and whether they like to interact with other students. I have met some people who don’t do well in crowds or socializing with people so I have encouraged them to consider online classes instead. I do tell people considering online classes that they really need to be self disciplined as most of the work, studying, reading is done on your own. There are plenty of ways a person can attend college. It is just up to them to know the pros and cons of the various opportunities that lay in front of them.

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Taking Online College Courses

Have you ever considered taking your college courses online or know someone who is considering it? There are a few things that need to be taken into consideration before diving in to taking college courses online.

Are you a self disciplined person?

Online courses are moderated by instructors. They are there to answer your emails, get involved in discussions, review your work, and grade them. Many instructors will also include a syllabus and course calendar that tells you when discussions and assignments are open as well as when they close.

The one thing they won’t do is personally remind you when something is due.

 

Do you have the time to set aside for the online course(s)?

Online courses are meant for those who are unable to attend on campus classes for various reasons, however it is important to make sure before signing up for online courses that you know what your daily schedule is like. Instructors have the ability to check to see when you are logging in, how long you have been logged in and what activities you have been doing. Some instructors will go as far as telling you how much time you should put aside weekly for the course. For example, I had one social work related course that the instructor specifically stated you have to set aside a minimum of 20 hours a week . At that time I had two online courses plus three on campus courses so you can imagine what my schedule was like.

 

Consider where the mid-term, final and other tests are taken.

Depending on the course, your tests may not be taken at home. Most of my mid-terms, finals and other tests had to be proctored at the nearby community college testing center. That meant I had to call or look online for the schedule of the testing center to ensure I took my test in the allotted time. Typically the testing center has a password for that class/instructor that they have to enter after I have logged in to my course on a testing center computer. If I were traveling within the state (TN) I could go to any of the Tennessee Board of Regents colleges or Universities and take my test. Also, make sure the testing center doesn’t require making an appointment so be sure to call ahead!

 

Not all online instructors are alike

Chances are in the beginning of an online course the instructor will lay down some ground rules about the course, expectations and how things are graded.  It is important to note what the expectations are. Also, make sure you have the instructors contact info too. You never know what issues can arise. One semester I was taking Biology I online. I had a text book as well as computer software for the lab work. When I received my lab software it would not work. I even called technical support and let my instructor know the situation. Interestingly enough I found out the instructor I had for the course was the person who developed the software!  He quickly shipped out a replacement copy of the software at no charge to me.

The following semester when I was taking Biology II I fell severely ill at the very end of the course. Just before being admitted to the hospital for pneumonia I contacted my instructors to let them know what was going on and when the doctors thought I would be released after treatment. Once I was released I was able to finish up most of my course finals within the allotted time. With my Biology II course though, I was not able to find a testing center opened at the times I was able to so the instructor decided that I would just get the same grade I got for the mid term (which was ok with me).

 

Communication is Important in online courses

It should be apparent by now from reading the previous paragraphs that communication played a vital role in how I did in online courses where something came up. Instructors will tell you one of the most important things in an online course is communication. If anything comes up email or call the instructor right away. Most are understanding as long as you are not doing every time something in life happens. Don’t let what the syllabus says scare you. That information is there for general purposes. Most instructors have their own set of “rules” or guidelines to go by. I have found that when something has happened majority of the time the instructor is very understanding and willing to work with me.

 

Online courses require a lot more discipline than on campus courses. It is up to you to do the reading, complete assignments, study for tests, print out notes, assignments, study guides, note on your calendar when things are due. Online courses are made for people who can get things done on their own even with a busy schedule. If you are not sure if an online course is for you, most colleges and universities now offer a test course so you can see what it is like and it tests you to see if you are able to handle an online course. I personally tell people considering it if you are disciplined but not sure you are very well self disciplined to try one course.

Since 2006 I have taken well close to 40 online courses from lower level college courses to graduate studies. When I first learned about online courses I wasn’t sure how I would do. My first semester in college (after a 10 year absence) I tried three on campus courses and three online courses. I was  able to keep up with all six of my courses (18 hours) and make the honor roll!

The biggest reasons for why I chose to take online courses was that at the time I did not have reliable babysitting. This proved to be the case when I returned to college and was left one day without a babysitter (my mom took a half day off from work so I could go to my classes). It actually happened a second time but I was able to set up a neighbor watching my kids while I went to my classes. After those times I decided it was best I took my classes online. I didn’t have to worry about missing classes and important information or my grades suffering because I was not there.  It was a tough decision to make but I had to for the sake of my education.

 

Taking online courses is not something to take lightly. They are still college courses, but they take more self discipline and time than an on campus course does. Chances are they also cost more because they are online. Three important things to ask yourself before considering taking online classes: What are the reasons I need to consider online courses over on campus courses? Am I self disciplined?  Do I have the time to set aside?