cars Archives - Empathic Finance | Mike Pumphrey, AFC®

What are your big money moves?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on March 28, 2022 | Featured

I discuss the high-level “money moves”, the important decisions you can make that will be the most impactful in your financial life. I hope by this point you’re not under the belief that just by cutting out coffee or by … Read More … Read More

Tags: cars, credit, credit cards, debt, impact, impactful

When is it time to buy a new car?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on June 14, 2018 | Featured

Never. Okay okay, I’ll resist the easy joke. Is there a case for buying a new car? Sure there is. There just isn’t much of one. And it probably doesn’t apply to you. … Read More

Tags: buying, cars

When is it time to buy your next car?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on June 11, 2018 | Featured

Everyone seems to drive a nicer car than you. They’re all newer than yours too. Cars are such an extension of our selves in this auto-obsessed country of ours, which is unfortunate, because cars often have an inverse effect on … Read More … Read More

Tags: buying, cars

Here’s how I’m going to get a Tesla

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on August 3, 2017 | Featured

I’m not a “car guy”. I understand that there’s an aesthetic about “acceleration” and “handling”, and how a car “feels”, but I’ve always just wanted one to get me from A to B in relative comfort and without breaking down. When … Read More … Read More

Tags: cars, Tesla

How to choose a deductible

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on January 11, 2016 | Featured

WARNING: This post contains math. My car was hit the other day. We got a freak snow storm here in normally-rainy Portland, and people do not know how to handle driving in this weather. (To be fair, Oregon doesn’t salt … Read More … Read More

Tags: car insurance, cars, insurance, math

Electric cars and other answers to the wrong questions

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on January 29, 2015 | Featured

So it turns out there are lots of reasons why people would take public transit if they didn’t have to. You may have noticed that I omitted a discussion of the environmental benefits for public transit. There were a few reasons … Read More … Read More

Tags: cars, congestion, electric cars, pollution, self-driving cars

Who is responsible when a pedestrian is killed?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on January 6, 2014 | Featured

My neighbor in New York City was killed a few years ago. She was riding home on her bicycle, and was hit by someone driving an SUV. Criminal charges were never filed against the driver, though he was sued … Read More … Read More

Tags: car dependency, cars, places, planning, windshield perspective

You can determine how much things cost

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on October 7, 2013 | Featured

If I told you that you could have something you really wanted for $600, but you could also have it for $19 a month for three years, which one would you choose? If you chose the latter, I invite … Read More … Read More

Tags: cars, costs, financing, saving

Is there ever a reason to buy a new car?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on May 16, 2013 | Featured

New cars are alluring. Who can deny that? The combination of something being all new, mixed with the sense of freedom (real or imagined) creates an intoxication that is hard to resist. Notice I said “intoxication.” Like lots of … Read More … Read More

Tags: buying, cars, interest rates, loans

Ignore interest rates on debt

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on May 13, 2013 | Featured

“This card has a 12% APR.” “My student loan is fixed at 5%.” “I can get a new car with a 0% interest loan.” Interest rates are talked about quite often when it comes to financial matters. Mostly, this … Read More … Read More

Tags: cars, credit cards, interest rates, loans, math, simplification

cars