Pay by percentage/ pick my own freight ??

I understand your thinking. Remember those deals where they say "good credit bad credit no credit you are financed!!!" What it really means is they will charge everyone like 20%, and are content with having to track down the asset and take it back. People with poor credit have poor credit for a reason. What you want to do is get yourself good credit over time, then search out the lenders who offer better rates to lower risk (high credit) customers. If you are thinking of building credit by borrowing money to show you can make payments that does work, but you don't need to finance a transport truck to do it. Google "how to improve my credit score" or "how to get a 900 credit score" and start reading.

Old trucks new trucks the fuel mileage isn't that big of a factor. For a quick example. My old freightliner classic 2000, does same work I do now it got in the mid 6 mpg. New 2016 389 gets high 5's. Do some quick math: cost of fuel per gallon ÷ mpg = cost per mile. Do different scenarios at 5,6,7,8 mpg, consider the differences, then think how much monthly payment a new truck will be. The old truck will need some repairs but the new one could also. This is the gamble part, where everyone asks what make and model and year is the magic bullet. There is no magic bullet.

 

There are companies out there with assigned units. I would look there if you are having issues of other drivers trashing the truck while you are away. @Chinatown is the resident expert around here when it comes to recommending companies based on where you live. There may be some higher paying company driver positions in your area you don't even know about. Would you still want your own truck if someone paid you 85k to drive theirs?

 

Yes exactly save money and be in a strong cash position before you buy anything. If you buy a truck and need a transmission the 2nd month in that will set you back about $10k by the time you are towing a few nights in a hotel and the repair. That's where if you don't have the cash or a credit card with a high limit to bridge the gap at least temporarily you are done like dinner. Only now you still have a truck note to pay for. End result usually bankruptcy or give truck back to lender, lost whatever you put into it + destroyed whatever credit you have. That's the risk if starting with little money and little access to money. It happens all the time. Plenty of people go out and buy a truck then get on here and ask how to make money with it. You're ahead of all of them by asking lots of questions first.

Is there a way to reduce the money needed to run your house in order to save more of what you currently earn? Either that or figure a way to earn more just don't go spending it all as you earn more. Another thing to think about is if you are unable to save at least some money for retirement now then you will be forced to work until you die. The sooner you start the easier it is when you get old. Your body won't last forever. That's just something to put on the back burner..... it's not to say don't spend anything on fun stuff but even $50 a week you put into an account and invest it and forget about it can grow into a useful amount over time. The key function being time. Another good read is Google or YouTube "compound interest".

 

That's easy. No company will lease a truck to you and allow you to do that. People keep saying simply buy your own truck, well there is more to it than that. Don't just save a downpayment and run off under your own authority. Be sure you have at minimum tire money saved. If you blow all your savings to get a truck and then blow a tire then you would be screwd . And with 1 year , your insurance on your own would be astronomical . Your best bet is get some experience . And if your in a desperate hurry . My advice is get an oil field job. They pay best so you can save your nickels and dimes much faster doing a job like that. And most are so desperate for drivers they might take you at a year.