Ways to pay back parents
 

I was thinking the other day when I realized that my dad had been blabbering on and on for a few years now about eventually buying a red 1983 911 SC Targa. Figured once I'm done with college and got the loans paid off I'll start saving up.

Has anyone done or planning on doing something cool to repay their parents for their hard work?

I like this thread. I was thinking of buying my parents a new Lexus or a Corvette and definitely help them with bills.

I would love to get my dad a clean 240z, but his knees will no longer tolerate being able to get into one.

I wish I had parents worth paying back. After supporting them for years and getting kicked out for personal beliefs I think I'm good..

yes. it'd be a while coming, and i don't think he could drive it now, but an Austin Healy 300. he used to have one when he met my mom, and had to sell it, so they could get married

I'd probably pay off my parent's house. That way they don't have to worry about having a mortgage every month and the tenants staying will give them enough to chill out.

I also thought about picking up a prius for my dad and selling the Van as he drives 60miles there-and-back for work and probably sell my mom's highlander and get her the hybrid lexus.

This is all wishful thinking though. I only see myself making over six figures. I just hope I don't lose my connection with family when I'm involved with bettering myself.

I'm saving right now for a 914. My dad had one in high school until a drunk driver totaled it.

He has plenty of money to buy one himself but won't. So I'm going to drop one off in his driveway one night haha.

For all of you planning on doing something (in the near future) like @jebuwh, video tape their reaction and post it. Always love those kind of videos.

First off, great thread topic!

I'm in my last year as an undergrad, and a few years ago I made it my life purpose to repay my dad with a really nice car.

My dad has been selling Toyotas for 19 years, which is why I highly value getting him a new car. Throughout the years he always gets cars for our family (minivans, SUVs, compacts) and he never truly enjoyed a car of his own, despite him selling cars late in the "golden age" of Toyota when they still sold the Supra and MR2 Turbo. Unfortunately he was just starting out and so was our family, so he didn't even think twice about not getting such cars.

When the FR-S came out, he bought it and I was really happy for him because he finally had a car for himself that he actually wanted after all these years. But he thought about his family again, and we sold it for a car my sister could drive to school.

He is really into the Lexus RX450 F-Sport, but I'm afraid that car would be outdated when I'm working.

I'm seriously thinking about getting the upcoming sports car that's above the FR-S, formerly known as the Supra successor.

The nice thing is it's a mutual understanding with my siblings, so it's definitely doable.

Also, good luck to everyone else and their aspirations!!

my wife brought her dad a CPO infiniti EX35 paid with cash. what I did is talk to my parents everyday in the phone because we were apart when I was younger and we live in different country. we maybe only see each other few days in a year or 2 years ....they wonder how is my day everyday. I just want them to feel loved and respect.

My father's always dreamed of a 1969 yellow stingray with black leather, 4 on the floor numbers matching. While I certainly can't afford it, and he is approaching his mid fifties I thought I might get a project C3 vette and do a modern ls1 swap get it painted yellow and get the interior redone. Make the car look like a 69, and present it to him for a retirement gift. That way he gets to somewhat enjoy his dream, perhaps a little more refined. I feel like that would be an excellent personal gift to him, something he can enjoy often and more than just a number matching vehicle that he wants to keep pristine. And in the mean time I get to keep my hands busy and it's something I can take my time on, not now now now like the 86.

But this is currently a pipe dream, I might start in a couple years..

I think this is better than buying stuff.

I don't talk to my mom every day, but once a week i'll call her, or she'll call me. Besides, to pay back my mom I would have to buy her a mansion, fill it with furniture, half a dozen cars, and even then I would still have a lot of paying back to do.

My dad has a 1980 Z28 Camaro.. Not the one he has as a kid, but all the same options and color. He has the motor out and trying to fix it, but has been short on money to get it running. I am trying to get myself situated first, but soon it looks like the company I am partnered with just made a lot of big sales and I will be making good money soon. Also - I want to get a race car (325i) that my family and I can all race.

I do it in small pieces, do it small and do what they would do to make their quality of life better. My ultimate joke is that I will buy my parents a nice cottage, but that probably won't happen.

When my parents needed new car, I gave them 3k as a gift for downpayment on their Lexus CT200. My dad loves that car, he goes fishing far and loves paying little for gas while riding in a well made car.

This year they needed a new roof, so I surprised them by giving my dad a birthday gift that covered the roof.

Next year we are paying them back with grand child :).

By the time I'll have the money to be able to do so, he'll most likely left the mortal coils.

My parents are dead but I'm showing this thread to my kid so someone lie and say getting Ferrari

Love my parents, but my dad makes more than enough money, he can buy whatever he wants for himself

I can't afford to buy them cars etc.. So when ever they ask me to do things i always say yes. Like help around the house,computer help etc..

Being there as a family is the best gift i can give them and be there for them in their time of need when that time comes

Waiting on Toyota to call me when the trdpro 4runner comes in for a surprise gift for my pops..

I love that car, I hope you record your surprise.

When my dad first came to this country, he had a blue AE-86 coupe but he eventually had to sell it. I always loved how I chose a blue 86. Like father, like son I guess :) Someday I'll find one just like his and it'll be in his driveway.

Would love to get my dad an 86 Z28. It was the car that he when they had me. Or it I can't do that, Id like to take my parents and little brother on a family vacation to somewhere with a beach :)

I buy them guns and pay for their vacations

Not so much material wise for me but my Mom mostly raise me by myself from the time I was 5 until I left the house at age 19. I had father figures at the house but really, she did a lot of the work. She also has my 9 year old sister as well as 2 other kids (from her current marriage) to help take care of. The kids are fantastic and the guy she's married to is an awesome guy.

Growing up, my Mom had always said time and time again how much she wanted to swim with dolphins. I've been looking into making arrangements to send them off on a vacation for a week, covering travel and hotel fees and letting her get a chance to take a vacation and swim with some dolphins. If all goes according to plan, I'd like to surprise her with tickets and all of the info when I make a surprise visit when I get home from my deployment this year.

I swam with sea turtles on my first scuba lesson in hawaii off Maui i think, thatd be a great place to swim with dolphins im sure.

Spend time with my father, I did however get a trip for my mom and I to go to South Korea so she could see her family a couple years ago. Also helped my dad follow his dream of getting a motorhome and for him to be able to travel across the country. They don't care about cars and stuff, but unlike my brother and sister that just kept begging and taking money from my father. I'm trying to be the child that helps more than takes. Especially what they've done for me, and the support with me a place to stay and with moving back inwith them while going to college as well.

My dad has a 1987 Ford Mustang LX Hatchback. After my sister was diagnosed with autism he parked the car.

I'd love to get enough money to buy him a new 2014 Mustang 5.0 or at least fix up his old one, but I don't see myself making 6 digits in my lifetime. So helping fix other broken vehicles will have to do.

Hey sklimo's kid. I'm not going to lie to you. When you are older, your dad needs a Ferrari.

Ok @sklimo you stop reading right here.. You should only let your kid read the next part.

Alright sklimo's kid.. this is what you buy him. The worst Ferrari ever.
http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...e1409515208575

Make sure you take pictures of his face to record the disappointment when the car is delivered, and post them to the gross/clean thread. Your father will explain to you what that is.

Considering how awful so many people turn out to be, I think the best way to pay back your parents is to actually turn out the way they always hoped you would.

Not accounting for crazy over-bearing parents with unreal expectations they project onto their children to make up for their own poor life choices and inadequacies... there's nothing you can do for those parents.

This is, by far, the greatest gift of all (I speak as a Father and a Son).

This is all I want from my 3 sons (25, 21, 17). If they grow up, do no harm, and leave a legacy of good friends, good deeds and good family, I'll die a happy man.

Be there for the big and the small events, call them every once in a while, and be happy to see/talk to them, and all will be repaid.

Don't buy your parents something when you're fresh out of college. Get yourself a career. Buy yourself a house. Get married. Have grandkids for them to play with. That's what they really want. When you're older, a car is not so important. Your reflexes get worse and worse. It's harder to pay attention too. A car isn't the thing.

As a father I approve this

I was just thinking about this about 3-4 days ago. I remember when I was in elementary/middle school my dad saying that his dream car was a corvette. Obviously I can't get it for him now (I'm only 22 and transitioning out of the military) but I plan to eventually buy it for him. I'm also thinking of sending both of them to Europe for their anniversary (that's not too expensive)

I wish i could afford to buy my dad the testorosa or diablo he always wanted but as a high schooler i doubt itll happen anytime soon. My dad has wanted an ipad for so long and his birthday is coming up, I'm gonna try and get him the ipad air, but with no income it's gonna be hard but they've done so much for me i have to try my best, my mom never asks for anything and if i get her anything over 10$ she feels guilty and says you should have used that money for food. I wish i had the money to buy my parents all the shit they deserve, that's my motivation to to we'll in school and get a good job.

I quit work to help mom look after my dad who was developing dementia/getting frail. I didn't realise being a carer was so demanding. I spent nearly 2 and 1/2 years living at my parents home waking up in the middle of the night because I heard something that might have been dad related. At least he still knew who we were. He had always been there for us and it was the least I could to for him. F**k me he had trouble getting in and out of my car lol. We went for a drive that morning, he died that night. Way to go. :(

This is harder for me, my parents are quite well off financially and even when I was 32 they helped me with the downpayment on my first home. Hell, they still take my wife and I on family vacations at least once a year.

My wife and I both have good jobs, but it would be impossible to pay them back with any type of financial gesture, even a gift. They don't live an extravagent lifestyle but they have everything they want and need already.

Like @Dadhawk said, I just try to be a good son, don't skip the family get togethers, call them every once and a while, take them out to dinner every now and again, ask for advice on things. Generally just try to keep their stress about me to an absolute minimum and include them in the happy times. Me being happy and successful makes them happy.

I can't afford my parents

I'd like to get them something eventually, but as it is right now it'll take me forever to save up for something like a car or house (or as my dad has requested often, a million dollar race horse). I pay rent to live at home, so that'll have to do for now.

a million dollar race horse will cost more than it earns fwiw.

My dad had an 87' GNX back in the day. Met my mom the night he brought it home, brand new. It was stolen twice in two years. Never recovered. My brother and I are both out of college at decent jobs and we made an agreement one day to get another one for him. He's already 57, I think. I've never seen him cry, but I'm pretty sure this would do it.