What did you give up to afford a Tesla?

[abikepeddler]

Yes, I did a search for this topic prior to posting but found nothing...

This question may not apply to many of you but for me and my wife the decision to purchase a Tesla was one that required some budgeting. We still await our new Tesla which should arrive any day now but it got me thinking... what life style/budget changes have any of you made to become a Tesla owner? While our changes involved selling some of our cars (We owned way to many, some being redundant...) I also joked with my wife "Well, it's time to tighten our financial belts when the car arrives... no more Starbucks!" at which point her eyes glazed over and I think all she heard was "You're husbands a bastard, time to leave him...". Never take Starbucks away from my wife...

 

[jbcarioca]

Well, we gave up most international travel other than to the US, but that was really because I wanted to come to the US to visit Cerise, my Tesla (to my spouse "your mistress") and go places with her. Financially it was not really a stretch but it did change our lifestyle and caused us to actually reduce expenses, because now we drive around in the US and Canada rather than going to Europe or Asia. We also stopped renting cars, and shifted mostly downscale on hotels. Our annual discretionary spend has gone down 29% since Cerise, and that includes all her costs too, including her truly Ludicrous upgrade.

 

[kort677]

I gave up my MB SL550, how many $100K+ cars do I need?

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Sold 2 jet ski's and my 2012 Wrangler that I bought only a year ago...

Would I do it again? Yes. But dammit I miss my Jeep.

 

[Lloyd]

Buying Gasoline!

 

[GHammer]

Pushed retirement out one year and no longer fly on trips less than 1000 miles.

 

[skhenry81]

Gave up my addiction to gas.

 

[eye.surgeon]

probably about two months of retirement,

 

[reghoustonguy]

lunch on Tuesdays/Thursdays

 

[Az_Rael]

I chose to buy CPO instead of new. That allowed me to keep the Tesla payment the same as my previous car that it is replacing.

 

[ig_epower]

I haven't given up much yet - perhaps space on my driveway. I wish they would invent a car that could fold up and take up a lot less space to be honest. Of course if I simply sold a car (or two) that would also help.

 

[Sonny Daze]

Hmmm.... will probably let the maid go, or leave my backup mistress, not sure which the wife would be more upset by.

Just kidding... I would never fire the maid.

 

[dhcp]

My wife got a dog. That was the deal.

The dog meant the end of running away impulsively for weekend trips, not being able to stay out late after work, etc. That was the biggest lifestyle change. She knew I'd wanted a Tesla forever. We could afford it, I just didn't know if I could stomach writing that big check. She wanted a dog forever and was on the hard sell for the dog for over a year.

She got her dog and said, "now you can get your car" - and the quest began.

Damnit, I've grown to really love that dog too, but I won't tell her that.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I've been driving one of the very first Honda CR-Vs for just shy of 20 years. Many years ago, I started making a 'car payment' and saved up for whatever my next car would be. Early last year, I finally decided it would be a Tesla. I recently refinanced my mortgage and if you add up the 'car payment' I've been making for years and the savings I got from refinancing, it covers the Tesla payment.

 

[AMPd]

Buying Gasoline!

You stole my answer!

 

[habanero69]

Zero so far, but I started out conservatively and only went with the S60, albeit nearly fully loaded. This is my first dive into EV and I wanted to make sure I didn't buy way too much at the start in case I didn't like it or it didn't like me. I could have gone with whatever I wanted and still not really affected anything, but why take that chance I sold myself. SO far so good. Maybe in about 2 years I go with the MS P200DLx or whatever is the bad boy at the time...

 

[johnnyS]

I just gave up my 2012 model S (sold to private party) so I am ready for the next Tesla due late December. So for the moment I am back driving on gasoline.

 

[BluestarE3]

Hopefully nothing, which is why I opted to wait for a Model 3 instead of splurging for an S. As a retiree, I'm not taking on any new debt (so, in a sense, I guess that's what I'm giving up ).

 

[Canuck]

Part of my kids' inheritance.

 

[jelloslug]

I sold some Tesla stock and about five figures worth of old video games.