Another Newfoundland
My wife always wanted a Newfoundland. She was denied dogs growing up. When we got married and got a new house, a Newfoundland was the first thing we added to our family. His name was Madden,…
FAFSA For Real 2025
The time has finally come for my oldest to apply to college. The FAFSA opened on October 1st, and now I have to actually fill it out and verify my years of assumptions. They actually opened…
So I Bought a Rivian
In 2014, My 2003 Honda Accord got rear-ended. I bought my Dad's 2007 Accord from him and have been driving it for the last 11 years. I thought about getting a new vehicle last year and…
So Your Parents are Dead
There's no easy way to talk about death. I love both of my parents, Steve & Liza Szymanski. They wanted the best for my brother and I. I am now face to face with my own…
Another New Car
We ordered and obtained a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV at the start of the pandemic. I wanted to give it the license plate, "VANNA," because it was a white van… We bought it because we saved…
Surprise New Car Winner
After all my research, I realized that my oldest child would drive a car—a brand-new 2025 Toyota Camry. We started looking at affordable SUVs and realized there was no strong need for an SUV anytime soon.…
Entry-Level Electric Vehicle Driving Options
I have been a fan of electric vehicles for a while. While you shouldn't ditch your new ICE car to get one, I have a 17-year-old Accord that announces itself loudly when going in reverse. I…
Best Hybrid SUV Under $32K
$32K is an arbitrary number, but it keeps things under $35K with taxes and fees, and that's where we want to be. I previously looked at all cars under $32K. Now, we will look at "entry-level"…
2025 Entry-Level Hybrids: Civic vs. Corolla vs. Elantra
As I continue looking for a new car for my oldest, I want to compare the top companies that offer hybrids at their entry level. Kia is replacing the Forte with the K4, which does not…
Top Reviewed Vehicles under $32,000
I queried carsheet.io for all vehicles under $32,000 MSRP. Then, I aggregated the reviews for each vehicle from Car and Driver, Edmunds, Motor Trend, and Kelley Blue Book. I removed the lowest score and averaged the…