How did you take that first step?

[kdms]

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally decided to take the first major active step towards financial independence.  I'm not referring to cutting back on purchases, or trimming the fat from the bills, or any other lifestyle adjustment, which are all definitely active steps, but aren't quite the super pro-active steps you can take, such as selling your house for a cheaper one.  (Definitely not there yet!)

I'm going to sell my baby -- my fun, peppy, sport motorcycle.

I'm afraid that if I don't tell someone I'm going to do it, I won't go through with it.  The emotional attachment to all the trips and the memories and the chances of doing it again when mini-kdms is big enough to sit on the back might just let me delude myself into thinking that it's not such a big deal to just keep it.  I mean, it's paid for.

Mr. kdms is against it....he's got his own bike, and rides it all the time, especially since the cost of gas has gone up and now uses it as a daily driver.  But for me?  Reality is that I can't put a carseat on it and use it to take our kidlet to daycare.  I can't get groceries.  We can't do trips anymore unless we're willing to leave mini-kdms behind with a babysitter, which we're not (and never will be...family trips are family trips.)

Reality is, I haven't ridden it since late 2009 (when I got pregnant) and haven't ridden it since.  It's collecting dust, and is dropping in value as I type this.  But the biggest factor is that the money I could get for it right now, if applied to the mortgage, might make the difference in me being able to stay home and homeschool our kidlet, or not.  The lump sum (along with other, smaller lump sums) will mean shaving 10 years off the mortgage.  When I finally crunched the numbers, it was hard to argue with that.

So as much as it's hard to let her go, she's going to have to find a new home.  I'm not going to let my emotional attachment get in the way of a better, brighter, free-er (is that a word?) future for my family.

I'd be interested in hearing tales of how others took the leap into mustachianism....it'd bolster my confidence.  While I haven't gotten any flak from friends and family when I've discussed the whole concept of frugality as a mindset, there's an awful lot of polite blank stares and not-so-subtle changes of conversation topic.....it's a little discouraging, although I'm pretty sure I'm doing the right thing.  :)

[arebelspy]

Sharing at places like this help.  I think quite a few people were able to make great steps because of things because of Maximum Mustache March.

For me personally running the numbers helps.  Looking at what a difference various changes will make on my FI goals helps me make those changes.

Also, as someone who just sold his motorcycle (maybe two weeks ago): I feel for ya.  :D

[cdttmm]

Mine was not so much a leap as a rapid succession of baby steps.  It was easiest for me to start by tracking my expenses, which showed me how much I was spending on things I didn't need (mostly books and eating out).  From there is was easy to make different choices and to use that extra cash to pay down my student loan and credit card debt.  Fortunately, I was usually buying books or meals out by myself so it wasn't noticeable to anyone else that I stopped doing these things.  The first change that would have been obvious to others was when the lease was up on our Volvo XC -- yes, we were leasing a car, I'm hanging my head in shame even now -- and instead of replacing it with another leased, luxury vehicle we bought a VW Golf TDI.  The Volvo was one of the few trappings of "wealth" that we had so once it was gone it was much easier to no longer play any part of the status game.  We've not once regretted making that change.

In your situation, kdms, you might find that you are happier once you have sold your bike.  Right now it represents a combination of good times that you've had in the past, but it also represents several years with no good times connected to it.  When the bike is gone you still have the memories of the good times, but you no longer have it around to trigger the feelings of guilt that come with owning the bike but not riding it.

Good luck!

[arebelspy]

One thing that may help you is to think of Craigslist as storage.

You sell it now, but you can always buy it back later.  (Not that exact one, but the equivalent.)

I like to tell myself when I sell something I really should sell, that's just sitting there, that I can repurchase it if I really need it.

(Assuming it's not a super-rare item.)

A motorcycle is a perfect example.  Sell yours.  If you decide later you really do need/want it, you can get another one.  No big deal.

Then I find myself not even missing it, and don't have to repurchase.

[Norman Johnson]

arebelspy is right. Assuming it is not a rare bike, you can always get another one. My story isn't about a bike, but a piano. I had not played my piano in a few years, and then I thought I would play while on maternity leave, and didn't, and then I told myself that my son would want to play some day... When I looked on kijiji (the CL of my city) there were 300 pianos listed. I can alway buy one in five or six years if he wants to play. And in the end, the lady who bought my piano was buying it as a starter instrument for her son! The added bonus is we are not moving a piano around the house while doing renovations too!

The first step is hard. I still remember how I teared up when I gave my first box to the goodwill. There was a pair of shoes in there that I bought when I was twelve after begging my mom forever for them so I could fit in. It was hard to give them up and I had not worn them for ten years as that point!

You can do it!!!

[arebelspy]

arebelspy is right. Assuming it is not a rare bike, you can always get another one. My story isn't about a bike, but a piano. I had not played my piano in a few years, and then I thought I would play while on maternity leave, and didn't, and then I told myself that my son would want to play some day... When I looked on kijiji (the CL of my city) there were 300 pianos listed. I can alway buy one in five or six years if he wants to play. And in the end, the lady who bought my piano was buying it as a starter instrument for her son! The added bonus is we are not moving a piano around the house while doing renovations too!

The first step is hard. I still remember how I teared up when I gave my first box to the goodwill. There was a pair of shoes in there that I bought when I was twelve after begging my mom forever for them so I could fit in. It was hard to give them up and I had not worn them for ten years as that point!

You can do it!!!

Great story, and a perfect case in point.  Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forums!

[kdms]

Thanks....just what I needed to hear.  I've been mumbling to myself (and to my husband) for a while that I could always get another bike...with a sidecar if need be....when everyone is old enough to start mc'ing again as a family.

I responded to a guy who buys sport bikes at established blue book rates and he's quoted me a decent price for it.  It actually is a limited production bike (Ducati Multistrada 620 Dark, only two years production), but rather than fetching a higher price, it's actually a hard bike to sell here in eastern Ontario because a) no service available, nearest place is Montreal or Toronto, and b) insurance is atrocious because it's a Ducati.  There's also zippo accessories available for it, which for a lot of buyers is a real turn-off.

Here's hoping it goes soon!  Thanks everyone! 

[velocistar237]

it's actually a hard bike to sell here in eastern Ontario

Maybe try ebay motors. They have auctions and Buy-It-Now/Best Offer, and they also have plain classified ads that reach a wider area than other listing services. If someone elsewhere really wants the bike, they might be willing to pay for the shipment.

[James]

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally decided to take the first major active step towards financial independence.

Wonderful!  I think selling the bike is a great first step, and the confidence it gives will give you energy to make other steps.  Mustachian living doesn't have to start with a dramatic overhaul of your whole life, especially if your spouse isn't on the same page.  This is a great way to step out and act on principles you want to hold, and living mustachian principles in a dozen small ways will probably have the greatest affect on your spouse over time.