--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a builder, I drove a blue van…" description: "\"When I was a builder, I drove a blue van. It had a hole in the floor and I couldn't afford to fix it. I put a concrete block over the hole.\" — Charlie ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/charlie-austin-28380_afford_when-i-was-a-builder-i-drove-a-blue-van_2046191.jpg" --- # When I was a builder, I drove a blue van. It had a hole in… ![“When I was a builder, I drove a blue van. It had a hole in the floor and I couldn't afford to fix it. I put a concrete block over the hole.” quote by Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/charlie-austin-28380_afford_when-i-was-a-builder-i-drove-a-blue-van_2046191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/charlie-austin-28380_afford_when-i-was-a-builder-i-drove-a-blue-van_2046191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/charlie-austin-28380_afford_when-i-was-a-builder-i-drove-a-blue-van_2046191.jpg) > “When I was a builder, I drove a blue van. It had a hole in the floor and I couldn't afford to fix it. I put a concrete block over the hole.” [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes improvising a fix for a van's floor hole using a concrete block due to limited resources. **In simple terms:** Improvised repair due to lack of money. Key Takeaway Use creative, low‑cost solutions when resources are scarce. Themes resourcefulness budget constraints DIY Mood pragmatic determined Type advice real‑life When to use this quote - vehicle maintenance - home repair - emergency fixes Key Concepts improvisation practicality Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance cost and safety? - What other low‑cost fixes are effective? A Different Perspective May not be durable long‑term; safety concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) ## Related quotes > [“A brick could be used to block a mouse hole. But something better that would not only block the hole physically, but also psychologically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-to-block-a-mouse-hole-but-something-better-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [It falls in all the cracks, from classical music to jazz,. Anywhere there's a hole in the floor, my music falls through it. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-holdsworth/it-falls-in-all-the-cracks-from-classical-music-to-jazz-anywhere/) [Allan Holdsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-holdsworth/) > [Love could never bloom in a concrete block room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/love-could-never-bloom-in-a-concrete-block-room/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I sat for a moment, figuring things out, then decided to stay there. If I was on the floor, I couldn't fall down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-sat-for-a-moment-figuring-things-out-then-decided-to-stay-there-if/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I was on the dance floor but I couldn't hear the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-rodriguez/i-was-on-the-dance-floor-but-i-couldn-t-hear-the-band/) [Chi Chi Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-rodriguez/) > [No, I got my web site going and said I have the record out. People were just falling on the floor - they couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-deshannon/no-i-got-my-web-site-going-and-said-i-have-the-record-out-people-were/) [Jackie DeShannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-deshannon/) > [If you wrote a crummy line or maybe didn't sing to the best of your ability, there's layers of 10 different instruments all working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/if-you-wrote-a-crummy-line-or-maybe-didn-t-sing-to-the-best-of-your/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [In 1999, Hoffmann-LaRoche paid a $500 million criminal fine for leading a worldwide conspiracy to fix prices for certain vitamins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-1999-hoffmann-laroche-paid-a-500-million-criminal-fine-for-leading/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [There's always something to fix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-moraes/there-s-always-something-to-fix/) [Marlon Moraes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-moraes/) > [Everest is how it is right now. We have to fix ropes up there; we have the commercial expeditions. If you don't like that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ueli-steck/everest-is-how-it-is-right-now-we-have-to-fix-ropes-up-there-we-have/) [Ueli Steck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ueli-steck/) > [No number of repairs will be able to fix Obamacare. The website is the least of Americans' worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/no-number-of-repairs-will-be-able-to-fix-obamacare-the-website-is-the/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [In a play, you only get one chance, and you have to get it perfect. In a film, you can change and fix it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-hayward/in-a-play-you-only-get-one-chance-and-you-have-to-get-it-perfect-in-a/) [Kara Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-hayward/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) ## More by Charlie Austin > [I used to get up at six and drive for an hour in my blue van from Bournemouth to Basingstoke - they were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/i-used-to-get-up-at-six-and-drive-for-an-hour-in-my-blue-van-from/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [The play-offs are the sexy way to get promoted, playing in front of 90,000 people at Wembley, but you always want to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/the-play-offs-are-the-sexy-way-to-get-promoted-playing-in-front-of-90/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [Like many professional footballers, I have the legacy of injuries picked up over my career but the effect on my day-to-day training and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/like-many-professional-footballers-i-have-the-legacy-of-injuries/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [I went for a warm-up and got called back and the fans started singing my name when I was sat on the bench. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/i-went-for-a-warm-up-and-got-called-back-and-the-fans-started-singing/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [I don't want to be a bit-part player, I want to be right in the mix with everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-bit-part-player-i-want-to-be-right-in-the-mix/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [Sometimes people say to me that I celebrate over the top, but when you score, the emotion... you just can't control it. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/sometimes-people-say-to-me-that-i-celebrate-over-the-top-but-when-you/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [It's not nice getting up at 6 am, when it's pitch black and you have to get in a van with 10 other lads,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/it-s-not-nice-getting-up-at-6-am-when-it-s-pitch-black-and-you-have/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [I'll just get my head down, work hard in training and in the games and I'm just here playing for Burnley and that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/i-ll-just-get-my-head-down-work-hard-in-training-and-in-the-games-and/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [My life had changed from being a bricklayer to a regular goalscorer in League One.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/my-life-had-changed-from-being-a-bricklayer-to-a-regular-goalscorer/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [I've still got the hunger and yeah, a point to prove. Everybody loves playing in the Premier League, don't they?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/i-ve-still-got-the-hunger-and-yeah-a-point-to-prove-everybody-loves/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [When I went to Burnley I'd only been a pro for 14 months. I wasn't even entirely sure where it was! I always lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/when-i-went-to-burnley-i-d-only-been-a-pro-for-14-months-i-wasn-t/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [I get excited about all the things in football. But when I have days when I get too carried away with myself I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/i-get-excited-about-all-the-things-in-football-but-when-i-have-days/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [My dad would let me leave work an hour early if I had a game. I'd drive back an hour to Bournemouth, get my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/my-dad-would-let-me-leave-work-an-hour-early-if-i-had-a-game-i-d/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [People ask me what it's like scoring a goal. Well, think of the best thing that could happen to you and times it by 10.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/people-ask-me-what-it-s-like-scoring-a-goal-well-think-of-the-best/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) > [I'm a big, loud character and some people don't like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-austin/i-m-a-big-loud-character-and-some-people-don-t-like-that/) [Charlie Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) [Explore all 19 Charlie Austin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-austin/) ## More Afford quotes > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/just-because-you-can-afford-it-doesn-t-mean-you-should-buy-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I am not a Ph.D. in economics or a doctorate in literature that I can afford to take my singing lightly. Even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/i-am-not-a-ph-d-in-economics-or-a-doctorate-in-literature-that-i-can/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [Now I'm having to live with sales of around 50,000 per album - but I'm pretty content with my place in the general scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/now-i-m-having-to-live-with-sales-of-around-50-000-per-album-but-i-m/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) > [I was lucky because I got so successful so early, and when you get successful early, then you can afford to be a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-was-lucky-because-i-got-so-successful-so-early-and-when-you-get/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [The most common reason new mothers return to work sooner than they'd like to is because they can't afford to go without their salaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/the-most-common-reason-new-mothers-return-to-work-sooner-than-they-d/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [This fatigue can not afford to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israa-ali/this-fatigue-can-not-afford-to-do/) [ISRAA ALI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israa-ali/) > [A good player is a good player, it's just that we cannot afford signings that do not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/a-good-player-is-a-good-player-it-s-just-that-we-cannot-afford/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [Unfortunately, some people go to a restaurant, and they aren't really there to enjoy themselves. They're there because they think they deserve to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dinicol/unfortunately-some-people-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-aren-t-really/) Joe Dinicol > [Nobody has so many friends that he can afford to lose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/nobody-has-so-many-friends-that-he-can-afford-to-lose-one/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [My earliest memories were when my mom would put me in the plays that she was in because she couldn't afford a babysitter... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-applegate/my-earliest-memories-were-when-my-mom-would-put-me-in-the-plays-that/) [Christina Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-applegate/) > [In Washington journalists can afford to live almost as well as people who work for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-washington-journalists-can-afford-to-live-almost-as-well-as-people/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm a little bit tough because I can't afford to get my heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/i-m-a-little-bit-tough-because-i-can-t-afford-to-get-my-heart-broken/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) Browse all 784 Afford quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a builder, I drove a blue van. It had a hole in the floor and I couldn't afford to fix it. 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