I need some prayer about my cello situation. THe luthier who fixes my cello says "Frederick" is nearing the end of its days. It is already 160 years old so I guess everything has an end, but mostly my cello has had a lot of damage to it over the past hundred years or so and the problems are now compiling. THe Tucson weather hasn't helped it at all. I bought the cello in St. Louis eight years ago (or should I say, my parents bought it for me as a HS graduation present). At the time it was worth $3,200. Now I could probably not even sell it for $1000 because of all the issues it has.
The luthier suggested that I should try selling it or getting trade in value at a store such as THe Folk Shop before the cello gives out completely and I can't get anything for it. :( The Folk Shop hardly offered me $500 cash, but the owner said he would take it for $1,000 trade in. I was so overwhelmed, I said no and left, but now I am being advised that considering I can't really sell it to someone, I should take the Folk Shop's trade in value. At least I would be getting something for it and I could get a wooden recorder which I was going to save up for anyway.
So here is my dilemma, the options before me, and what I specifically need prayer for:
1. Should I keep waiting and using my cello and risk it falling apart however near or far down the road? It might not fall apart right away, but it has been getting worse and do I want to risk getting to that point and then not being able to trade/sell it for anything at all?
2. Trade it in now and then start saving for a new one (which will be $3,500) but not have a cello for a while until I finally save enough money, which would be a while?
3. Trade it in/sell it now and then Use my credit card to buy one outright (I hate debt, but if I have one thenI can practice more and maybe find more cello students/play for weddings to pay it off?)
THose are the options that I see so far. I am praying that God will give me wisdom in this situation, but I am having a hard time thinking straight because I am so DEPRESSED about this turn of events. I am contemplating asking the luthier if I can clean/redecorate his sad looking shop for some $ off one of his cellos. He already said he could give me some sort of discount for one of the $3,500 ones he has that are newer, in great shape, sound great and will last me a LONG time. But I am not sure how much of a discount it will be and I am not sure if he would be up for me redecorating his shop in return for more of a discount. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so discouraged...
P.S. I asked my parents to help me buy a new one as a college graduation present, but they said they are not able to bc of their current financial state... :( |