Cheaper than a Payment? Right?

Sooooo after the water heater went out and we had vet bills right before Christmas, now that Christmas is over we have a car repair. It's funny how big repairs all seem to happen at or around the same time. Today we dropped off Alex's truck to get two small (or so we thought) things fixed. Now those two things turned into 4 things costing $1,500. That won't actually fix everything, if we wanted to fix everything it would be five things costing more like $2,100 which its just too much right now. I HATE spending money of stuff like this. Anyone that knows me knows that I do my fair share of shopping, but I think I am probably one of the most thrifty spenders I know. I have been called cheap... frugal... thrifty and a ton of other names and while I used to get offended by the terms when I was a younger. :o) I was the kid who always have a ton of money in the bank and stashed all over my room. I would save and save and save and if there was some I really wanted I would get it. It's just how I've always been. I am the same way now. Yes, I have a fancy purse and a few items around my house that are spendy, but you better believe I budgeted and saved for those items for a long time. No impulse buying for me. I'm a planner.
Now that I am totally off topic....
I'm try to tell myself that a $1,500 repair bill now is cheaper than having a truck payment every month. True right? Neither Alex nor I have car payments. In fact, other than our mortgage we live completely debt free. We are good savers and defiantly do splurge from time to time on certain things, but we always live within our means. It's hard having to pay out such a large sum of money, but doing this once is cheaper than a payment every month. Sigh....
Anyway this blog is pointless to all of you, but is helping me vent.