Life decided to bite me in the butt!!
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
March 3, 2011 1:05pm CST
You could definitely say I'm having a bad day today.
I had been so proud of us, we were doing so well with our money. This week we still had $600 in our checking account, our rent was paid on the first (it's almost always late) and all of our other bills are paid for this month already, we have about $100 in our savings (that's after I took out the rent payment).. and I was holding onto $350 of my own paychecks waiting to deposit that into my own personal savings and checking accounts.
That might not sound like much to most people.. but to us that's epic. Our checking account is normally overdrawn, our savings account usually has a zero balance, and a few months ago if I'd had my own money we would have spent every dime of it, not allowing me to save it at all.
So here I was really proud of us for not being tempted to spend all our money, and for getting our bills paid on time, and for taking the first few steps towards being financially responsible.
This morning hubby brings his car into the shop, he needs a new sway bar. We knew this, part of why we were holding onto the $600 to pay for that. So he gets to the shop and tells me he also now needs new control arms on his car.. which we can't afford right now. The estimate for that is about $500. Now we don't have this money because we just spent $400 on the sway bar.
On top of this, we've been dealing with issues with our hot water heater this week. Hubby tried various ways to fix it cheaply, and they didn't work.. so basically we just need to replace the dang thing.
So, hubby is taking the last $200 out of our checking account along with the money I've been saving to go buy a hot water heater. Basically, we're officially broke now!
I am so mad right now. We've been trying so hard to be good.. this feels like a punishment! I had plans for that money. It just ticks me off that this had to happen!
Granted it would have been worse if we didn't have that money at all.. then we'd be out of luck and not have any hot water till who knows when. So in a sense it's a blessing that it happened now (though a few weeks ago when we had a couple thousand in the bank account would have been a better time!).
Have you ever felt like life was punishing you when you were trying to make a positive change?
10 people like this
33 responses
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Just think, February is a really short month, and you got all of that done. March is a longer month, and depending on when you get paid, you may have an extra payday this month. You will turn this around. You can be proud of how well you are doing already.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Gerty.. I am proud, just disappointed in the set back. We had help in February because of our taxes. We've now spent them all so we're back to living on just paychecks. This is the true test of how well we're doing.
@2004cqui (2812)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Ha! I can laugh because we've been there, done that, twice! It got so bad the first time when my husband called me at work to say the muffler fell off our aging car on the highway no less, I laughed. We had to drive 35 miles home that night and pick the baby up from day care! The second time we accepted food hand outs. Nasty. I hate watching the financial "tips" on the morning news. They have no idea what reality is. I am not interested in their drivel about where to invest my money! I invest my money in food!
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
I'm working towards becoming one of those people those income tips are for.. but these little set backs aren't helping!
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
3 Mar 11
thats exactly how i feel when ive had a good day and try to get some of my nasty house cleaned up here and end up suffering because of not knowing i over did it. 
so yes i know. it seems sometimes fate is giving us 1 step forward and 2 steps back, even though we are trying hard. 
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Mar 11
Yes, I read your discussion about the pain in your shoulder.. sorry I did not respond, I've been rather busy and hadn't gotten to it yet. So.. here's my response to that discussion, LOL.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
3 Mar 11
I think I did some years ago. But you summed it all up beautifully when you said that you had the money to pay for this. I think you may consider opening another savings account and this one is untouchable. Whatever you put in there stays there. Better to borrow than withdraw from that accpount. Then the other savings account can be used for the unexpected expenditures. Don't beat yourself up. You are doing wonderfully
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Mar 11
I hadn't even started one savings account yet, I was just holding the money waiting to start the account. I did plan on never touching it, but when things like this happen, what else can we do, you know? I've been trying to remind myself that this is part of why I'm working.. to get us out of situations like this without hurting us that much.
1 person likes this
@Xenosthepwn (17)
• United States
3 Mar 11
I know how you feel, when I was 16 I had to support my family by getting my first job where I handed over every week's paycheck to them to pay the bills. Once my younger brother was able to work it alleviated some of the pressure on me but I was still only left with a few dollars for myself each week, which is why I was never able to buy my first car or do much of anything to help start my own life out of the house. =/
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
4 Mar 11
Hi Katsmiow
This always happens when you think you are doing so well something happens but you are looking at it the right way, it would have been worse if you did not have the money at all
Do not give up on the saving though keep doing it because this has proved one thing to you you just never know what can happen
Can you imagine if you would have spent all the money then you would not have been able to do any of the things that you managed to get repaired this time
Really this was not a punishment, just look at it that it was showing you that you do need Money behind you in case of these kind of things
I have only just started to be able to keep a bit of money aside and yes it feels good but last Month I had to pay a big Vet Bill and if I did not have this bit of Money put aside I could not have taken my little Dog to the Vet to save his Life
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Well the problem is that I had plans for that money, and now I used the money for something I didn't plan on. My plan is to build up a savings account and hopefully within the next couple years be able to save up enough for a down payment on a house. So I've just lost a good chunk of what I was going to use to start that savings.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
9 Mar 11
Gee, and here I thought I was the one with the worst luck when it comes to money! It's always seemed through the years that whenever we came into some extra money, something unexpected - and EXPENSIVE - would have to come up to take all or most of it. I know it's hard and it's VERY frustrating but I guess the only thing to do is roll with it and take solace in the fact that at least you had to money to take care of your emergencies. It could be worse - you could be without a running vehicle and without hot water, right?
Try to hang in there. When life bites you in the butt, BITE IT BACK!
Annie
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
11 Mar 11
You're right, you should be proud of yourself. Believe me, I know of people who have been in really terrible shape financially and yet have gotten a decent chunk of money, like a tax refund, and have blown the whole thing and ended up not having a thing to show for it. You certainly didn't do that.
Annie
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
10 Mar 11
The biggest draw back to this hot water heater thing is that it ate part of the money I was saving out of my paychecks. Hubby says he's going to pay me back.. but now that our tax money is gone and we're living on his paychecks alone again, I don't see how he can afford it unless I take it over the course of multiple weeks.
But it doesn't matter now because I've spent even more of that money that I was saving. I signed my kids up for camp and needed a $50 deposit per kid, so took that out of my money. I knew when I decided to sign them up that I'd probably end up paying for them.. which is fine because this is something I really want for them.
So right now I basically feel broke, but I was still able to open a savings account with $100.
I should be proud of where the money went. At least it wasn't spent on stupid things like fast food or junk, you know.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
4 Mar 11
When it rains it pours! I have had times when I thought things were going well and then something like that would happen. I have always been single so it was even harder on me. I often had to work two jobs in order to meet all my bills. Then I would fall behind on something and wind up losing my apartment or something. I guess it is one of the reasons I went to China the first time. I couldn't afford to stay where I was. I hope things start working out for you again. As far as water heater goes, it sounds like you own your house. I'm lucky that I don't have to deal with that or utilities or anything because I stay in a motel right now and all that is included. Good luck on taking care of business and getting back ahead again!
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6528)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Sounds to me like you got it good. My income with out doing extra work it around 480 a mo. My rent is 400. I have to pay electric 30-80,storage 49, cell & internet 75. I dont have a auto. I ride the city bus. I dont have a hot water heater. I heat my water on a hot plate. No furnace. I use electric heaters. My extera money for luxuries like toilet paper, bus fares and to pay all my bills comes from plasma that i try to donate 2 times a wk. I say try because sometimes i dont have enough iron in my blood. Saving??? I dont even know what that means anymore. Thank God for food stamps. I dont know how i would survive without them. In all that i still see people worse off than me.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Finding a roommate might help your finances because then you'll split the bills. Perhaps someone has a room you could rent, that should save you some money.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
3 Mar 11
Life will always bite u one way or the other. U just have to be tough & roll w/the punches. Is this swAY bar something your husband has to have or just wants. Just reading between the lines sounds like he's spoiled & likes to spend money, i may be wrong of course & if i am i apologize. I think u are really trying to do right, pay your bills etc.It's going to be hard for u to do it by yourself if that's the case.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Mar 11
He had the sway bar replaced today.. it's something like a tie rod, so definitely a necessary thing. Trust me he's not at all interested in sinking a lot of money into car repairs. What he needs now is something called control arms, also goes along with the tie rod and suspension stuff.. it's important. It's not like he's getting it all tricked out or anything. For the most part he's with me on getting the bills paid and what not.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
4 Mar 11
I'm glad it was a necessity if he had to get it. Life can be hard at times. I hope y'all can get your bills straightened out & get u a savings going. Where there is a will there is a way. GOOD LUCK.
@celticeagle (168126)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Mar 11
Yes, I have felt like life was punishing me at times. But, hey, it feels so good to have these things taken care of. When everything is working and all is paid then maybe alittle less in the savings will tide you over and make you feel good. You want to have everything working well or things will slowly fall apart and you won't have money to pay for repairs. Now that would be a sticky wicket wouldn't it?
1 person likes this
@craftyhomebody (443)
• United States
4 Mar 11
i know just what you mean i had save every tip i got for a year and i had 1500
put away to go home and see my folks well what happen my ac goes out in my car and 750 there my rent house has a leak and no one said anything until i add the extra money on there rent for the 200 water bill usally 68 and then we had a cold spell here in houston and my power bill 450 dollars so i guess it will take another year to save up again hope my folks understand
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Oh that's tough! I hope you're able to save up again really quick and visit your parents soon.
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
7 Mar 11
Oh I always feel like that! Like I am being punished for some mistake I made 9 years ago. Everytime I feel in the dumps, I could almost always trace it back to that 'big' mistake I made.
Like a couple of weeks ago, when my van broke down in the middle of the road. And I had to have it fixed which cost $750 which I didn't have. Which I still am feeling the after effects of 'borrowing' that money.
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I hope we both survive until next payday!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
8 Mar 11
I remember your car troubles.. it sucks, I've been there, kinda still am, though at least hubby's car is still drivable at the moment.
What I'm being punished for has been ongoing for the past 9 or 10 years. We've never been smart with our money until now. We've gone through little spurts where we'll decide to start paying some bills, but normally that only lasted a few months. We're usually too broke to pay all the bills that need paying, so when we got too broke to pay them all on time, we gave up and just went back to not paying the bills and spending all our money.
I'm hoping this spurt will become a habit and we won't just suddenly stop trying to pay bills and save our money! So far so good, I think this is the longest we've stuck with a plan like this.
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
4 Mar 11
I know how you feel, but you still keep reminding yourself that you are better off now than you would have been before. You will also be getting more paychecks, so you will begin to build up some savings and pay down on debt. A year ago you would have been so far in the hole. I hated it when my house ate all of my money last year, including what I earned from doing two weeks of census.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
Yeah, I feel like my plans have been derailed. I know I can get back on track.. but it still stinks to know I'm starting with less than I had previously.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Mar 11
Yes that is true.. though we probably would have either borrowed the money or overdrawn our bank account. We don't have a credit card so charging the expense would not have been an option.
@shaggin (72183)
• United States
3 Mar 11
Aww jeez what a stroke of bad luck :( Car repairs are so costly. Hot water heaters arent cheap either. Things like this happen to me to. Its never just one thing that goes wrong its a bunch of things all at once and winds up making you broke. Is it possible for your husband and you to rely on one car while you get the hot water fixed and save up more money for the car repairs?
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Mar 11
He can still use his car.. it's just that if he hits a bump the right way, his tire may fall off or something like that. So, he needs to be careful of bumps until we scrape up the money to get his car fixed.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
3 Mar 11
Hey, but at least you had the money to cover the additional expenses where you wouldn't have had before!
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
4 Mar 11
So sorry that this has happened to you. I am glad that you did have the money to cover most of the expenses that you have and I do hope that you will be able to get the car fixed all the way. It is still only the 3rd of the month and if all of the bills have been paid I think you will still be on top of things as long as you have more pay coming in. Just don't let it get discouraged and be THANKFUL that you had the $ to handle the situations that arose. Try to look at it positive. I know it is hard to do but we all have to make it through these struggles too. We had a similar situation happen with our taxes. We got caught up on some bills that had been behind and I thought that we would be able to put some into savings as well but then our SUV started having problems with the transmission. A big problem that has to be fixed sooner rather than later. Now we only have one vehicle & no $ to fix the transmission but luckily for us a guy where my Fiance works had a nice truck for $500. We went to look at it and it turned out to be a good deal. The SUV is sitting pretty in the yard until we have the $ saved to get the transmission fixed and the truck is working... The downside is that the SUV is an old Isuzu Trooper 4 cyl. and the truck is a Chevy V8.... the gas prices keep rising. LOL we will be rushing to get the Isuzu fixed. Fortunately for us we had the options to cover it all. I guess it is one of those "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" type of situations.
Good luck to you and getting your car repaired as well as getting your savings back up!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
$500 for a working vehicle is an awesome deal! Good luck, hope it continues to work out for you.
@ReViewMeMedia (3785)
• United States
4 Mar 11
That's too bad it all decided to hit you at once, Dave Ramsey says you should keep $1,000 back as an emergency fund.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Mar 11
That's what I was working on doing.. but I heard it was 3 months worth of expenses.
