Originally Posted by
colorisnt
I will be buying a very fuel efficient car, too, so the bike has to be pretty cheap to make up for the gas. For me, it will also be an exercise machine, too, so that is another thing to consider, I guess.
If it were me, I'd knock down the car budget by a few hundred dollars and get a better bike. I bet you'll use it a LOT more than the car at school, so this makes sense. If your parents are helping with the car, I bet they'd agree to this too.
By the way, entering into a PhD program when you're 22 is pretty admirable. I didn't finish my bachelor's degree until I was 28, hehehe. (was working full time) Congratulations! What's your major?