I SCREWED UP - How to Avoid Major Money Mistakes + my stupid storytime

[@sengamaclean5039]

I think in the long run, what you learned from this experience about yourself, the seller, separating your heart/emotions, far out ways the money you lost in the deal. It wasn’t meant to be but the steps you took and the knowledge you gained were worth the experience.

[@BudgetGirl]

agreed!

[@howtoadultschool]

This is such a nice comment, it's so lovely to see kind people commenting on youtube! I completely agree with you 😊

[@clairechater]

Thanks for being honest. Not everyone has the same moral compass as you, so just remember, you live and you learn! At least you broke the chain by selling it on in a fairer way, which shows that you have decency and integrity.

[@howtoadultschool]

This is SO true! It may have cost you a bit, but it's never going to come back and haunt you which is worth so much dollar value in the long run!

[@jobethk588]

So sweet you made sure the buyer knew what she was getting. You can sleep at night.

[@howtoadultschool]

Agreed, at the end of the day that's worth a lot more than a small sum of money 😊

[@stephaniejensen4596]

Integrity.

[@RachaelLyn]

I've made stupider money mistakes that cost me a lot more than $25. So glad it didn't you cost more- I think it easily could have.

[@slesseps]

Me too! And as far as emotions go, I worked in Real Estate for three years, but was still emotional as I sold and bought my last houses. Even when I reminded myself to stay logical. It happens.

[@FinancesOver50]

You are so refreshing to watch! So many of the personal finance folks on KZbin tell us about their wins and they make it look so easy. But everybody makes mistakes on their financial journey. You were lucky enough to be able to recover the money you invested. I’m so glad I just found your channel!

[@abrareads]

Female intuition is real and most of the time we make money mistakes there is a part of us that knew we should not be doing it. Thanks for showing the ups and downs of the rental world.

[@ellieperez1716]

In Spanish we say “lo barato salé caro”- meaning the “cheap comes out expensive”

[@happycamper4ever873]

I love how you turned your loss around.Instead of letting it get worse- like procrastinating and just leaving it on your driveway weathering in the Texas sun and rain, maybe add a few mice or wasps nests… then pay to have someone tow it away. Yep.👍 You figured out the reality of the time and money required and you cut your losses! Your trust in yourself is justified. You know how to fix a mistake!

[@BudgetGirl]

Very important to know when to cut your losses!

[@howtoadultschool]

Absolutely! It looked like a quick lesson learned, which is impressive to learn and turn it around that quickly!

[@nhunter6506]

You’re still awesome in my book! I’d never heard the term “canned ham” to explain a trailer shape, but it’s great! I remember our daughter ordered firewood and the guy delivering it didn’t show up until after dark! Big red flag! You can’t see the item you’re buying! Appreciate your honesty and it helps us learn also!

[@Boomshamallama]

I have always appreciated that you share the fails as well as the wins, because who hasn't failed with money at some point in the journey. The honesty is so refreshing

[@MyLolzguy]

Love your vulnerability and transparency! You keep doing you boo!

[@TheRealLydiaSenn]

I feel like I could fill the library of congress with all the stupid money decisions I"ve made in my lifetime.

[@latoyamarson2138]

Lol yes me too!!’ And every time I say I’ve learned my lesson!

[@deniseprichett2619]

Sarah thanks for being real and transparent with us!!! We all make mistakes, but the key is to learn from them - that shows your growth. I can’t wait to see what you do when IT IS the deal for you!! 👍🏾

[@BudgetGirl]

Absolutely!! thanks for watching!

[@kip_knomore]

Lessons learned from experience are the best ones!! You got lucky with that small of a loss! Thanks for sharing!! 🙏💯

[@IsisOya]

We all have made stupid emotional impulse purchases. But you, pivoted and made it work! Thanks for the lesson 👏🏾

[@trackourmoney5340]

In the end you lost $25 to learn some valuable lessons. Not too bad! Thanks for sharing this story!

[@BudgetGirl]

Thanks for watching!

[@barbarahughes6009]

Well done Sarah,it’s resilience and integrity that are important in life and you have shown these qualities in abundance.Nothing will actually stop you from achieving financially it’s just that sometimes the journey is a little slower than we want so we rush.You turned a negative into a positive!

[@timothyperkins178]

Thank you for this video. It is inspiring to see all of your progress (including the bumps along the way). This is a great learning experience and I'm sure between the experience and revenue from this post, it will prove to be invaluable. Keep it up!

[@diannelilly7590]

The smell test. When you open the door and it smells musty/ moldy. Dont buy it.

[@dhines3804]

Your honesty is so refreshing!

[@MichelleFairburn]

Love your transparency! People on the internet are weird and bold.

[@robine916]

We were selling our house after a housing crash a few years before. The realtor told us we might get less than we owe. We insisted on selling for enough to at least get out slightly ahead, and got an offer that gave us a few bucks after paying the realtor. We had wanted to go higher but she strongly discouraged us. The new owners told us at closing that they were surprised the house didn't go for more, as the "comps" in the area were higher and in very poor condition! We were so annoyed we didn't push for the price we wanted to list at!

[@BudgetGirl]

That is terrible!!! IDK if she wanted a fast sale, but she shot herself in the foot and you guys! sorry that happened!

[@robine916]

@@BudgetGirl That's what we figured!

[@terriupton7006]

Totally been in your position. I let my emotions get in the way of seeing the flashing red warning light in my head. Don't beat yourself up. We all make poor decisions and hopefully we use them as a learning experience. Sure, we feel a little dumb at the time, but I bet you'll be wiser in the future.

[@slesseps]

This is how people get into awful real estate home deals. You hopefully showed people how your emotions can get in the way. Great video, and I’m glad you found a good buyer.

[@kaymarshall5567]

I've followed you for a long time and enjoy your channel. This time I want to comment for the first time here because of the way you treated the girl and her father, who purchased your camper. You were so very nice to them and told them everything over and beyond what you needed to do. You were kind and truthful to both of them. You held nothing back and I'm sure they are grateful to you for all that information. It is just wonderful the way you handled this entire situation. God Bless you!! Kay

[@maxinefrazier9074]

Nobody's perfect don't fret

[@howbethdoesit5695]

I so appreciate your honesty. Our emotions can sometimes do us in.

[@LynnDanielleTreasure]

I've been viewing your channel for years. Your progress is inspiring. Don't feel too bad about this mistake. You made a good recovery.

[@karenbochinski]

I am so unmechanical; this would have scared me to even try this adventure. I admire you for even trying and sharing with others.

[@gartnsu1]

I love your transparency. We all make mistakes. Live and learn.

[@fitwithdiana]

Thank you for sharing. I learned a lot about them just from what you shared here and I believe this was no mistake at all. This was a perfect opportunity for you to create this exact video to help so many others that may have had a much bigger struggle than you. You also showed the silver lining showing love to the new buyer. I feel this was meant to be. You provided an incredible video, showed love and compassion to the new buyer AND it appears it ended up in the hands of someone who is meant to have it (and will have it all customized for her when it is complete). Thank you so much!

[@annalisadeaton9963]

Love the transparency!! It’s so important to be accountable to ourselves and others. If large corporations, politicians, and government entities would be so transparent we might better understand finance as a whole. Love this, keep it up.

[@Mamame4]

Thank you for being transparent and sharing that everyone can make a mistake! Thank goodness it didn’t cost you a bunch!

[@debbieboe4068]

You are young and very wise! You didn’t loose $25, you spent $25 on education. All your recommendations are good. It’s challenging to not get excited! Have a great day!

[@evelyngautier3980]

So grateful for your honesty!

[@anitaroberts5980]

Love that you are honest and share your mistakes so that others can learn from your experiences. I don't know why people think they have the right to judge you. I have certainly made bigger mistakes than this (e.g., I actually leased a new Camry once many years ago and regretted it almost immediately). I've learned so many great tips from watching your channel over the years. Going from owing $46k in credit card debt at the end of 2014 and feeling super stressed all the time to now having been debt free for a few years and having a positive net worth and investments that will serve future me. My whole perspective on life changed when I started getting right with my money and you sharing your journey was a huge help in that achievement.

[@healthyfitfun]

So proud of you and your journey! I’ve been watching you since 2015 and your progress is extremely inspiring!

[@storytime1469]

When we "waste" money but also learn something in the process we tend to call that "Lehrgeld" in German. It roughly translates to tuition Definitely paid some of that during my years

[@BudgetGirl]

I love that! And cheap tuition at that!

[@lauracurnan3255]

I had thought about doing the same thing. Fixing one up to use for thr family! Thank you for making me think twice.

[@stephaniejensen1644]

Refreshing honesty. Thanks for posting on this topic.

[@MsSilverkate]

Thank you for sharing the bad and the good.

[@BudgetGirl]

Always!

[@alwaysabob8962]

Good on you to share this! I love your channel.

[@smartypants1980]

You deffinatly bettered your life. Way to go!

[@Linda-sk9nt]

I think it was brave of you to go for it! Many people don't take chances and follow their dreams. We all have to make mistakes to learn and grow. Just another lesson in the chapter of life. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@KatyInNH]

Great video!!! I have bought a few campers and old cars. The best thing that I have learned is to find forums on the campers if possible - they usually have threads about the item and year - and often will offer to go with you to inspect. One of the biggest things is looking at the frame. I have had Airstreams The classic problems are the frame, leaks and critters that have invaded - just like others but perhaps more hidden. I love camping! I now have a campervan and love it! My biggest mistake was holding on to my older cars too long. I didn't have enough time to spend having fun with them and paid way to much to store them for the amount of use that I was getting. I also made a mistake by renting storage space instead of building a barn that would have paid for itself with the storage rental cost. Thank you for being transparent!

[@paulaglogowski6544]

Thank you for your transparency. We bought a 8 unit in a not so nice part of town and had horrible renters that would stick us for rent. We remodeled 6 of them hoping to get more qualified renters to no avail. After 6 years of this we sold it at a huge loss. So I’m glad you learned your lesson quickly

[@pollydolly9723]

Emotional decision making in EVERY aspect is what has landed me in the swamp of debt I am now in. I hear you! I still have to fight the FOMO, but its not as difficult as it once was.

[@julietraylor8645]

Girl. We all make money mistakes and get emotional about some purchases. The fact that you only lost $25 and experienced some lessons to remember for next time is a success! Gobudgetgirl! Thanks for sharing even the things that don’t go as planned. Seeing how to recoup is valuable too.

[@iyzabel]

It's called fever! ;-D Just look at it this way: you made someone happy who may not have found the trailer of her dreams without you!

[@sunsetatshabooms4558]

I've def made this mistake before lol Now I've learned.... when I'm super excited (emotional) about something, take a step back. If it's meant to be, it will be. Every time, I've made a decision because I was SOO excited lol, it's not worked out.

[@atrevino3082]

When I purchased my 1st car at 21, I walked into a used car dealership and paid full asking price for God knows what % financing because I was only focused on the payment amounts. Totally over paid for that car. Smh. Oh well, lesson learned!

[@christabellecarpenter2354]

I learned something about myself listening to you today....FOMO...Fear Of Missing Out....exactly what got me into financial hot water. Put I couldn't put my finger on it....going along and people pleasing is hard for me not to do. As far as the camper....look at it like you do your job....when your employer wants to make a change to your schedule, pay, or benefits, you probably crunch out the numbers without emotion because you understand the sweat/job equity you put into that job....and know what you will and won't endure. Just go into a property analysis like that.

[@KimGGetsFit]

What a good lesson. Thanks for sharing with us! I don’t mind at all that it was “hidden”. 🙂 you share when you’re ready or IF you want to.

[@elisaabelleira]

I have too many bad money decisions in my past to relay in these comments. Your lessons learned were totally worth $25.00 and I agree with you about the emotions aspects of, well, life. You are smart and delightful.

[@BrittanyAngeline]

Hi Sarah! So glad you got your money back! Thanks for sharing. :-)

[@lindashaw9034]

I have made a few bad money moves also. We all do. It’s normal. Just keep going with all the good moves that you do make.

[@BackroadMoney]

Don't beat yourself up over it, it happens. We got scammed over a truck once 1800, same sort of thing, all the red flags we still did it and lost 1800. And yes we were all excited about it, our son is the one who warned us but we did not listen!😅

[@kayldee1215]

I am 62 and a decent investor, being somewhat risk adverse is my biggest downfall. I watch you because you are a smart woman and have experiences to share. I will tell what I would say to either of my two 30-something year old sons.....at $25 and some drive time it was a super cheap lesson. It was an experience from which you learned, will not repeat and shared to help others. Thank you for posting and I truly appreciate all the information you provide.

[@AnitasDreams]

Thanks for sharing. you were lucky that you got your $$$$ back & learned some valuable things. I watch several channels where people live in Vans, trailers & travel. I don't do any of this but I can tell that anything over a certain age will be very costly to repair ---sometimes the parts are not even available. You Go Girl!!!!!

[@Hankandrex]

Yep!! I bought a vintage car I loved many years ago. It ran and all but it needed loads of work. It was pretty cheap and my ex was a mechanic and we had tools. But soon it became a time and money suck for us. After we broke up, I kept the car but it sat in my car port unused because it needed a new axle and I didn't want to do the work or spend money on it. I ended up selling it for more than I paid for it, but I did not keep track of all the parts and time we spent on it, not to mention the insurance I paid for it even though it wasn't being used. I know it was a loss at the end of the day BUT - it was sure fun and I learned loads - including how to drive a stick. And I always get complements on how much I actually know about cars, engines and hey - I can drive a stick! Which probably vast majority of people my age can't. The man I ended up marrying has a stick shift and if we need to switch cars, it's no problem at all! :)

[@carolwoodward6141]

You are so brave and honest to share your “missteps”. In my view mistakes are only lessons well learned and earned.

[@carableu]

Kudos for your transparency!

[@dawnf.1703]

If my biggest money mistake only cost me $25 I would be doing a happy dance. Some of mine have been buying a car that was a total lemon and a house I couldn’t afford. You’re doing great BG! Thanks for being willing to share.

[@mariawelch7994]

Thank you so much for sharing. Not everyone is transparent, especially in social media. Many Blessings to you! Please keep on posting! ❣️ as of making money mistakes I have so many, not in real estate but in rushing into things, I’ve done it with cars when I was younger. But thanks to your advice I want you to know that I needed to get a vehicle that was more reliable. I almost put myself into debt because I was going to buy one from the dealership. I decided to wait (thanks to your advice) and when I stopped looking the right vehicle opportunity appeared in my life. This vehicle was like new, very well taken care of, and I paid cash! Debt-free❣️❣️❣️❣️

[@mariawelch7994]

@Budget Giirl I’ll look it up! Thank you

[@dianemalek436]

The way to learn is to sometimes make mistakes. Don't be so hard on yourself! You've gained so much knowledge from this experience. I'm glad you didn't lose very much money on this. It really could have been so much worse.

[@ZacharyBuhler]

My sister bought a $70,000 trailer and now it sits in my backyard collecting dust and she’s got a $400 per month 30 year payment on it. Very big mistake most of the time for these things.

[@BudgetGirl]

wow! that is a $144k purchase when said and done and that trailer won't be worth much in 30 years. alas, a lot of people buy these with high hopes and don't love the lifestyle. i'd advise her to sell it for as much as she can now!

[@ZacharyBuhler]

@@BudgetGirl Yep exactly! (By the way I’m impressed that you’ve taken the time to really expand on my question and give some numbers, that’s awesome and kudos to you for actually trying to help your subscribers I think that’s pretty dope!) Yeah, it’s currently worth around $35,000 and I’m hoping she sells it now before it goes to $0. Literally the tires have rotted because it never moves.

[@JoshIsOnAMission]

mine was grad school, it could have been worse haha You're so determined that this is just a small bump on the road.

[@GoodBadBeautifulLife]

I'd call that $25 well spent for the lessons learned! I can totally relate though and I see why you wanted it, and if it were in better shape you would have done a beautiful job restoring it. I can't wait to see what you buy next and you've got me seriously thinking about investing in real estate once we're out of debt, something I would have never considered because I was too nervous about being a landlord, but watching you do it is inspirational!

[@FlaKNMB]

You said "not everyone is perfect." I'm here to tell you no one is perfect! I think it's awesome that you're willing to open yourself up and bare your soul so that others might learn. For $25, you received several amazing lessons. Your self-awareness and self-confidence are fabulous. If you know you have to be emotionally invested in a project, don't let others tell you otherwise. Just remember to make the final decision with your brain and not your heart, which should be easy to remember as you think about the leaky tin can that sat in your driveway for two months. Oh, my goodness, I have made SO MANY financial mistakes in my 64 years that I can't even remember them all. One of the worst I've made, though, was co-signing for a car that my ex-husband and his then-wife bought. Trust me when I say that lesson cost a whole lot more than $25!

[@deborahtanner354]

♥️

[@lynettegrumpelt7930]

I would have done the exact same thing if I got excited about something like that! Thank you for being honest and telling the “bads” with the “goods”.

[@BudgetGirl]

Thanks for watching!

[@charlotteechols3035]

Than you for sharing this with us. You did the right thing by recognizing it was not worth your time and selling it right off the bat. Many people make the mistake of holding onto things because they spent $X on it. FYI, biggest mistake was a $17k. My lesson was not to buy something I have not actually used.

[@sherylb4405]

Hi Sarah, I think you managed this perfectly! How many people can say they got nearly all their money back from a purchase? I am so glad that you are transparent with your challenges and your wins, it is inspirational and creates a positive and supportive community! Love your channel!

[@BudgetGirl]

Thank you so much!

[@patkuykendall-weeks2617]

What a great video… thanks for sharing. We bought a vintage Mercedes …aka money pit. Sold it for a profit after a few years of minimal enjoyment, but not fun to keep replacing parts as they wore out . sometimes maintaining investments isn’t fun.

[@janetsplanet4161]

Thank you for sharing, I suffer from FOMO sometimes and if $25.00 was your only loss (unfortunately and some stress) you came out on top. God Bless

[@nora-.-g]

Almost made a totally similar mistake! Earlier in the pandemic I nearly bought a used pop up trailer with the intent of avoiding flying and road tripping to see family. The only reason I didn’t was because the guy was honest and said there was a section of wood that was rotting. I called around to see who could repair it and no one could. I eventually learned that they often have mold and rot issues and are hard to maintain.

[@lipglossed]

Hey at least you re-sold it and learned a lot! I know so many people that talk about "buying and fixing up" things like this but have no clue what it will involve.... including myself haha

[@connierichtmyre3966]

I once purchased a used Peugeot sedan that was a stick shift that also had a sun roof. I didn't drive a stick, and the sun roof wouldn't always stay locked, so it snowed and rained in the car. Bad purchase. Did learn how to drive a stick, but I lost 2k when I sold the car. However the buyer was going to ship it over to Africa, apparently Peugeot's are the car of choice in his country, and he could sell it for a profit, even with shipping it overseas.. You are correct, never get attached to something you are considering purchasing.. P.s. Love your videos. I learn a lot, or confirm a lot, and love your delivery. Have a wonderful week!

[@BudgetGirl]

You too connie!

[@elenacala]

You know, I think it was worth the 25 dollars to help you know what is right for you, and what you can handle and what you can't while deciding how to make your investing dreams come true. Now you know for sure what you want and what you don't and while it wasn't the most fun lesson to learn at least you won't make that mistake again. We've all been there in one way or another in following our aspirations and had to learn the difference between what we're can really do and our expectations of how it looks in our heads.

[@gilliankuroiwa5190]

Thanks for sharing this! The other day I accidentally left a bag of groceries at the store and didn't realize until a few days later so I had to purchase them again. That mistake probably cost me about $25 too.

[@msdishydishful]

I convince myself that everything happens for a reason. If you wouldn't have purchased that, then the woman you sold it to would have never found it. I feel like it was meant to be and she will now have a project with her dad and they can grow closer by working on it together. Well, it makes me feel better to think that way. With all the things you do right, I certainly wouldn't beat yourself up over this one.

[@gussiegus4943]

It sounds to me like you invested in your education! You learned something that you will benefit from for the rest of your life, and it only cost you $25! My education of a similar type cost $1000’s more, so kudos to you. I’m glad it turned out as it did for you.

[@Jodi9810]

I think you should be extremely proud of yourself. A- for being so honest when selling it, B- for being so open and helpful in this video, and C- for losing so little when it could've been a LOT worse. And to help you feel better: I spent many thousands (lost track of how much) of $$ on a classic car I bought from my dad (he'd bought it new before I was even born). Completely sentimental purchase, never meant to be a profitable "deal," but I didn't anticipate how deep I'd have to reach into my pockets to just own the thing. I totally related to what you were saying about the stress of having to store, maintain, etc. I don't regret my decision exactly, but I sure was relieved to let it go a few years after I got it, and won't do something like that again.

[@rebeccasal7128]

So good girl! Thanks for sharing this! I had a major money lost with a house. NC Keeps your due dillgence which sucks )= and made me not want to move to that state and also accelerating real estate

[@7nochannel]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@debraschroyer1878]

Love your channel. Thanks for being up front with this. Totally get it, I'm looking for a travel trailer now too. And I love the vintage ones also. I've looked for cheap, found a few I liked, but I too am trying to be honest with myself and what I can do. So I've up the price limit Im looking for now.

[@lifewithsulmy7504]

You just saved me so much time ⏲️😌☺. Thank you.

[@sheryldye4259]

I had a mobile home in Florida for a short while, I loved that place. My husband told me to sell it and come back to Michigan ( in the winter) and help him take care of his mom. I did at a real loss of money, but considered I came out on top. It sold in under a month, even under a loss I didn't owe lot rent, HOA, lawnmowing, or bug spraying. Because I didn't get caught holding it for a year and paying lot rent, I feel I won. Still wish I had that home, loved it. Still have my loving hubby of 50 years. All is fine.

[@MaryPonder]

Love it. Great advice.

[@happygenerously6008]

Dont ever believe people that say "I Have Offers" its not worth your time and they are bluffing.

[@lizd.8655]

I'm glad it didn't cost you more than it did. Consider yourself very lucky. Thank you for sharing your successes and your lessons learned :-)

[@lottiedah903]

The lessons you learned from this, and the actually TINY loss you took on it probably saved you a much larger mistake down the line. So, you actually WON! Keep being awesome.

[@susanvelez6534]

Thank god you got your money back. Yes never let anyone rush you that means it’s not meant to be.

[@evelynsnow]

All the lessons you learned can also be used for dating. Thanks for sharing this.

[@sharonlefler2634]

Just one word......Timeshare big regret..... Thank you for your honesty 🙃

[@alexhodovanu]

I think you learned a valuable lesson at the end of the day which will definitely help you avoid making more costly mistakes in the future. Without mistakes we don’t learn right? I also appreciate your thoughtfulness in taking the time over the few months to be able to tell the entire story and results/learning from it. A money fail on my part was when I moved out of my NYC apt last August and put my stuff in storage- our office reopening date keeps getting pushed out so looking at October right now. Means my stuff has been in storage over a year so in that sense I feel like I should have just sold off what I could and called my losses for when I do go back. I mean $150 a month for storage is nothing in comparison to rent of an apartment but still ☺️ in the moment I think we end up making the decision we do based on the circumstances and information we are given in that moment and considering you made almost all your money back I say that was a pretty decent outcome considering!! excited to see what projects you get your hands off next!

[@lmiller9924]

everyone makes mistakes- its part of our life journey .. and experience is a good teacher- even if not pleasant at the time. im glad you were able to cut your losses and recoup almost all of your initial investment. thank you for sharing this. keep up the good work 😊

[@firstname7470]

A few months ago, my spouse and I decided we "needed" a box truck. It was almost the same scenario you just described. He showed the phone of all the people lined up to buy it and even had someone come out to pose as a buyer while we were looking at it to try and rush us into buying. We probably would have bought it if he hadn't pulled out all the rush tactics, but dodged a bullet this time.

[@pammasheppard1338]

Nothing along the lines of this but I once bought a $350 home exercise machine. I put it in my bedroom and never once used it...i mean it sat for YEARS. For at least 5 years I walked by this thing. I know there are machines that cost way more than this but I felt so angry that I wasted my money. Finally, during the great pandemic clean out, I decided I didn't want to see the thing anymore. It was heavy and metal and I dragged it down a flight of stairs by myself. Where I live you can put bulk items out at the curb and either the township will eventually pick it up or someone will take it. By the next morning it was gone. I know I could probably have sold it...but I just didn't want to see it anymore!

[@gubbie2u]

Oh, geez. Yeah, that was a big boo-boo, for sure. So glad you were able to resell it!