Bonus Email from Mom: Tuesday, February 21, 2023

From: Mom
To: Christian.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Subject: Real Life Stuff...

Hey!

I am sitting here with my calendar open, getting stuff put on dates, and have some things I needed to talk to you about that I figured might just be easier if I send a bonus email that has some 'real life' stuff in it that I need your direction on.

School...

- Are you planning on college when you get home?

- Where are you planning?

- If it is UVU, the deadline to apply is August 1 so you will have to come home and get that all done & register for your classes (Kaitlyn did this too, worked out fine)

- Are you still planning to room with other Elders you met there? Are they home and have a spot already? Do you know if they do if they have a spot saved for you?

- Rooms are starting to pop up on a couple of pages I follow and the rent is about $500 (pretty normal) plus utilities. I don't know if you want to find out and see if you have a spot somewhere already that will be open to you or if we need to look into housing to make sure you have an apartment.

Job...

- What are your plans? Working for me and Tyler isn't an option with how slow things have become. We are actually letting more people go each week. Plus you will need to find a job down near school and near your apartment. Makes the most sense. Fast food may be the best option until you get some schooling under your belt and can make some connections with friends and other peers who might be able to lead you into a different environment.

Car...

- There is still $3000 from me and Tyler there for your Graduation Gift.

- Are you planning to buy a car and have a car payment (for a car like Kaitlyns, which is probably the cheapest new car you can buy, monthly payments are just about $500) or are you planning on paying cash for a used car knowing you will be spending money to maintain someone else's use?

- Car Insurance is another thing to consider. If you have a car payment, full coverage is expensive but as a boy under 25 years old it is going to be high as well. If you pay cash for a car you can have liability only. This means if you are in accident and it is your fault, your insurance pays for the other vehicle/medical/etc but your vehicle and your medical are not covered. Could be a money saver on that.

- We will need to take care of a car as soon as you get home so you have a means to get to job interviews, etc since there isn't an additional one here for you to drive. If you go the route of a car payment, you do have some money in the bank that will help but either myself or Tyler will most likely have to co-sign with you in order for you to even qualify for a loan. (Unless you want your Dad to do that, which is fine. It is 100% up to you) You will still be responsible for the car payment and insurance but because you don't have any credit built up they may not give you a loan by yourself. But, a job will have to come into play relatively quickly too in order to get a loan on a car. You have to show that you have money coming in in order to prove you will be able to make a car payment.

Real life is going to come harder than you can imagine and I just want to help prepare you as much as I can. You have been in a protected bubble of missionary world with having everything paid for for you and when you get home, it is going to be hard. Even though you have money in the bank, that will go away quick if you don't get a job as soon as you get home. Life is expensive. Buying a pair of shoes, pants, or even bathing suits that don't cost much shouldn't even cross your mind until you are settled in your new apartment, have your job lined up, school classes paid for (I think roughly each semester is $3200), your car situation figured out, and have a good grasp on what monthly expenses look like. You have been on your own but not really when it comes to the financial side. I will always be here to help as you maneuver through these steps but like Kaitlyn, moving out and continuing to be on your own, doing your own thing is something you need to prepare for.

Last, I want to talk Alaina. I don't know if you still have conversations with her or what role she plays in life for you, but when it comes to my home, I need to remind you that she is not welcome. Not after the disrespect towards me and Tyler or the disregard for you as a missionary. If you had plans to invite her to the airport to welcome you home, we will not be there. If she shows up when we are there, we will come home and you will need to have her take you to her home or your Dad's or somewhere different than here. You deserve better than her and I will not support any part of life if she is in it. I pray that this time away from her has helped you see that too.

There won't be a ton of time when you get home to get a lot of things in order so any planning I can help get lined up from home now, the better. You are home on a Tuesday, we will be busy in the final stages of wedding stuff and getting the yard ready for that. We will have the wedding followed by a quick trip to Texas for an open house. That is all going to happen fast but there will be time in the days leading up to the weekends that will allow for a job hunt, getting moved into a new apartment, etc.

I love you. I hope you had a great game of soccer and know that I love you very much. Off to get a few things done before this massive snow storm is set to arrive!

Mom