I dont know what kind it is, but I saw it on TV running full speed along the shore (I dont live near the shore) throwing up spray or maybe it was that one climbing up the steep mountain trail thru the mud, rocks and snow. Very exciting. (I dont live near the mountains either.) WOW! Just what I need.

But there are a few obstacles.

It costs about $28,000. (Thats close to the average annual wage.) I have perfect credit and theyll give it to me for no money down. All I have to do is make the monthly payments for the next 5 years of only $541. Maybe it wont be that much because Ill be trading in my car and I have it almost paid for it.

I can see me now headed for the beach or climbing that mountain in that shiny new car.

I tell my wife.

She says, So.

I say, Waddayamean so?

She elaborates that our car is almost paid for and hasnt a scratch on it. It looks like new when it is washed and waxed and runs great. She whacks me with if I want a different car we can have this one repainted and put on new slip covers. The transmission and AC have both been replaced and it has less than 100,000 miles on it. She remembers the engine is rated for 200,000 miles and the tires are good for another 50,000 miles. How does she recall those statistics? I cant win for losing with this woman.

There is a tone in her voice that I know means finality when she iterates, You might want a new car, but we dont need one. My reply is the car might break down and may cost thousands to fix. Her lightning reply, Well, it wont cost $28,000 and our insurance bill wont go up either. If you want payments you can make an extra mortgage payment each month. Better yet lets knock down that credit card debt.

I hear the air hissing out of my balloon. No beach. No mountains. Forget all that practical stuff like saving for retirement or having some extra cash put away for emergencies. Damn.

BUT - my neighbor has a new car.

Al Thomas

Albert W. Thomas has spent most of his life in the field of finance. In 1965 he founded an insurance holding company, Security Dynamics Investment Corporation, after having been an agent and General Agent for several life insurance companies. In 1970 he became cofounder and president of Real Life Estate, Inc., that marketed a unique real estate and life insurance package.

After he became interested in commodities he bought a seat for his personal trading on the Chicago Open Board of Trade, which is now known as the MidAmerica Commodity Exchange. Later he became a full time trader and also acted as a commodity broker for a few select clients. By fellow floor traders Al is considered to be an excellent technical analyst much of which is outlined in his book IF IT DOESN'T GO UP, DON'T BUY IT! It became a best seller on Amazon.

In 1981 he sold his membership on the Exchange and with his wife, Carolyn, lived full time aboard their 41' ketch, the Aumakua (which means guardian angel in Hawaiian). They sailed in Florida and the Bahamas for two years.

He founded World Trading Group in 1984 that grew to the seventh largest introducing commodity brokerage firm in the U.S. with 35 offices from coast to coast, Alaska and Canada. It was sold in 1992.

Al is a graduate of Northwestern University with a B.S. degree in Commerce and is a member of MENSA. He is now president of Williamsburg Investment Company that syndicates his weekly financial column since 1999 to more than 300 newspapers and writes a financial market letter called Over My Shoulder that is quoted in Barron’s and many other publications. A 3-month trial subscription is available on his web site. He is a regular guest on several financial radio talk shows.

His favorite pastime is fishing.

Mr. Thomas is available for speaking engagements. Please call 321-453-5300 for more information.