Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

Since 2007

Tag: money

  • Monopoly money: A story from my new book, A Place to Start

    How my son taught me a lesson in coping with loss. A story in my next book, A Place to Start.

  • Monopoly money

    How my son Garrett taught me a lesson in coping with loss.

  • Monopoly money

    I was feeling pretty good about my financial situation as I headed into the summer. I was paying down debt pretty powerfully and had built up some savings. But then August was unexpectedly expensive. I replaced my car’s transmission, rented a car for two weeks, bought a new refrigerator, and had some medical and veterinary bills. Bam! Within…

  • When do you give up on your car?

    I’ve had a run of bad luck with my two little cars this year. The Ford Focus has seen my mechanic three times. In February, the power-steering pump failed. In March, a check-engine light led to replacing the thermostat and its housing. And then in April, the alternator died – in 65 mph Interstate traffic at 9:30…

  • How a used Ford means freedom

    In my first post of the year I laid out my themes for 2013, one of which is freedom. Here’s one way I’m playing out that theme: I bought a 2006 Ford Focus. This car fosters freedom because I paid cash for it. (I do realize that having enough cash on hand to buy a car means…

  • Monopoly money

    I was feeling pretty good about my financial situation as I headed into the summer. I was paying down debt pretty powerfully and had built up some savings. But then August was expensive. I replaced my car’s transmission (and rented a car for two weeks while it was in the shop), needed to buy a…