I feel like giving up...

[MarleyKeezy78]

Every god damn time we even remotely get a savings account life fucking decides it's the perfect time to mess with us   Finally have $900 in savings as of yesterday and today after a nice gathering at our house I noticed it was getting chilly, turned up the heat only to discover the furnace is completely out   It's freezing tonight, wind chill will be like 2 (luckily we have four space heaters) and the heating company can't get to us till tomorrow even though the number on the furnace said 24 hour service    I have so many plans to get us ahead this year and this is always what happens, I am beyond pissed and just want to have a break down because no matter what we do to get ahead this is the outcome every damn time 

[Opti]

Sorry. Try to be grateful you have the $900 to spend to fix the furnace. Imagine how sucky it would be if you didn't.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

You have to continue believing in paying yourself first. That is saving even though the money is only there for a few weeks before you need it. 

[Jaguar]

Life throws lemons at you, make a Manhattan cocktail out if it.

[imawino]

I'm sorry this happened, and I know it is super frustrating!  I have been there.  But as others said, be happy you had something saved for an emergency.  It makes life sooooo much easier.  Otherwise it would go on a credit card and you would end up deeper and deeper in a hole.  Every bit saved is helpful, and it does get easier as time goes on.  

[MarleyKeezy78]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys   It just sucks because we have other things we need and want to do, DH wants to get a PT certification so he can do that part time instead of retail and as soon as I have $2000 in the bank I was giving him the go ahead and we would still have money in the bank. It seems like every time we put a little money away something just breaks that was just fine all the time we didn't have the cash   I am also a little burned that family who bitch, complain and do nothing to earn it get money thrown at them and I just stand over here while I help people (in my family) like uh excuse me <<waves hand>>. No one seems to give a shit other than those in no position to help. Sorry guys, feeling a little bitter tonight. Just need to vent   Also irritating that someone stole my seven year olds card with gift card inside from a family member (card was unopened, sitting on my ipad and the empty envelope was found stuffed in the board game box we were playing the next day  ), all sorts of weird crap went on this holiday season and I feel like I'm being gaslighted sometimes as well. It's a shitty start to the new year, sigh...

[Jaguar]

Geez that's horrible MarleyKeezy78, I would be really pissed too, if someone stole from my child. And mind games suck shit !

[taz157]

I'm sorry Marley.  That is really shitty of the person that stole the gift card too.   If you can't trust family...  

I really hope the year gets much better sooner for you, your DH, and kids.   

[MarleyKeezy78]

Glad to have a safe space to post here   I hate venting this kind of crap on fb. Just cross your fingers that it's another coupler that went out, that only costs like $200, not what I really want to spend, but it would be better than something major. Trying to keep positive and warm on this cold night. I have three heaters running with a fourth waiting in the wings, I have to admit my ears and nose are starting to get chilly   Might bust out a couple more wool blankets and pretend it's a survival camping situation   Maybe some hot tea and Jameson would help too 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Ugh. I'm glad you have the $900 ready to go. Remember that was the plan for it--to save you from something which turned out to be the heater breaking in the middle of winter. 

I'd not be inviting anyone back to my house or socializing with them anywhere if they stole from me. 


Here's to a better day tomorrow!

[andi9899]

I feel your pain. I have the same luck. Every. Friggin. Time.

[Gardening Grandma]

Your frustration is valid. It IS frustrating to struggle to save and then, when you get a little saved, stuff happens.

Been there. More times than I can remember. If you hadn't had anything saved, you'd be even worse off, so kudos to you for saving.

Please do  hang in there. Your future self will thank you.

[MarleyKeezy78]

Thank you, much   to you all 

[Deleted]

Eight years ago in January on one of the coldest days on record (something like 28 below without the wind chill), I came home from work to no water.  My well pump quit.  The well guy came out (on a Friday night) and was there until 5am pulling the 645 foot deep well in that awful weather.  The bill was 5K.  Oh yeah, this happened on my birthday!    I had just sold my truck the week before and was going to use the money to finish my basement.  Nope. 

Oh...I did save up more money and finished the basement a few years later and the following Spring the newly finished basement flooded.

I'm pretty sure my house is cursed.

[Jaguar]

MarleyKeezy78, we are all here for each other, this Forum is a cyber family. Vent to your heart's content and then some.

[MarleyKeezy78]

Jan 4, 2017 23:14:25 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Eight years ago in January on one of the coldest days on record (something like 28 below without the wind chill), I came home from work to no water.  My well pump quit.  The well guy came out (on a Friday night) and was there until 5am pulling the 645 foot deep well in that awful weather.  The bill was 5K.  Oh yeah, this happened on my birthday!    I had just sold my truck the week before and was going to use the money to finish my basement.  Nope. 

Oh...I did save up more money and finished the basement a few years later and the following Spring the newly finished basement flooded.

I'm pretty sure my house is cursed.

Sorry that happened. I look up to all of you and try so hard, I know someday we will hopefully get out of this pattern and get to where we would like to at least somewhat be. Life is just a buttmunch sometimes and I want to kick its ass...  <---me to life sometimes.

[MarleyKeezy78]

Jan 4, 2017 23:17:06 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

MarleyKeezy78 , we are all here for each other, this Forum is a cyber family. Vent to your heart's content and then some.

 Thanks 

[busymom]

I'm so sorry Hon. Been there.   In fact, at extended family gatherings I put everything in my purse, & keep it with me.  It's really sad when you have to be careful around family or friends.

If family is hitting you up for money, if you haven't done so already, tell them "the Bank of MarleyKeezy" is closed.  If they press, tell them you're dealing with your own problems right now.  Trust me, they'll move on to someone else. 

It DOES get better.  I can remember a few years that DH & I had that genuinely s#cked.

[whoisjohngalt]

Well this just sucks!  And  I am sorry.  And if  you want to wallow for a bit - you should do it!

But don't give up, please don't ever give up!


ETA:  and whoever stole the gift from a child - that's just pure evil!  Who does something like that

[Tiny]

If there's any cold comfort - this kind of stuff happens to everyone (well, I HOPE it does). I finally paid off a bunch of debt in early December - had the allocated amount for "debt payments" from ONE paycheck roll into my checking account AND 36 hours later my refrigerator DIED. It was 19 years old so I'm not really complaining to loudly.  So, I'm back to making "payments" on a 0% financing on a new fridge - so much for saving the $$ I had allocated to 'debt pay down".    I already have "savings" payments - so I'm not giving up saving... but I was starting to think I'd spend the money I supposedly wouldn't have to spend on debt - on something fun... 

Sometimes you just have to keep the Financial Faith and keep plugging away...  it sucks sometimes but eventually it does get better.   


In the meantime try to think of all the "good" things you have.  The idea of practicing gratitude can sometimes take some of the sting out of "life happening".  

 

[Deleted]

Jan 4, 2017 22:03:19 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

Every god damn time we even remotely get a savings account life fucking decides it's the perfect time to mess with us   Finally have $900 in savings as of yesterday and today after a nice gathering at our house I noticed it was getting chilly, turned up the heat only to discover the furnace is completely out   It's freezing tonight, wind chill will be like 2 (luckily we have four space heaters) and the heating company can't get to us till tomorrow even though the number on the furnace said 24 hour service    I have so many plans to get us ahead this year and this is always what happens, I am beyond pissed and just want to have a break down because no matter what we do to get ahead this is the outcome every damn time 

Just out of curiosity, do you have oil, natural gas or propane? If oil or propane, is the tank empty?

[giramomma]

Jan 4, 2017 23:20:06 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

Jan 4, 2017 23:14:25 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Sorry that happened. I look up to all of you and try so hard, I know someday we will hopefully get out of this pattern and get to where we would like to at least somewhat be. Life is just a buttmunch sometimes and I want to kick its ass...  <---me to life sometimes.

And, it's so hard being patient and waiting to get to that point. Especially when you are doing everything you can or are supposed t be doing..

 It really kills me, now, when people here suggest taking on an additional job for extra income. It took me 9 freaking months to find an extra job. Oh, I took interviews. Aced them, but still wouldn't get the job because I was "overqualified."

I ended up working at an after school program two days a week.

For about 2.5 months. Because the owner decided to do away the after school program this past June.

Please be gentle with yourself..

[MarleyKeezy78]

Jan 4, 2017 23:58:32 GMT -5 @empressspunkles said:

Jan 4, 2017 22:03:19 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

Every god damn time we even remotely get a savings account life fucking decides it's the perfect time to mess with us   Finally have $900 in savings as of yesterday and today after a nice gathering at our house I noticed it was getting chilly, turned up the heat only to discover the furnace is completely out   It's freezing tonight, wind chill will be like 2 (luckily we have four space heaters) and the heating company can't get to us till tomorrow even though the number on the furnace said 24 hour service    I have so many plans to get us ahead this year and this is always what happens, I am beyond pissed and just want to have a break down because no matter what we do to get ahead this is the outcome every damn time 

Just out of curiosity, do you have oil, natural gas or propane? If oil or propane, is the tank empty?

It's a gas boiler. I think it may be a coupler, but I really have no idea about these things. Just hope it's not something big.

[MarleyKeezy78]

DH just came home from work and I told him the news. He's like "everytime!!!". I feel like we are cursed sometimes because it truly is every time we get any sort of money saved. I am going to try and stay positive and hope for at most a $200 repair like every other time, fingers crossed   

[Deleted]

Jan 5, 2017 0:25:49 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

Jan 4, 2017 23:58:32 GMT -5 @empressspunkles said:

Just out of curiosity, do you have oil, natural gas or propane? If oil or propane, is the tank empty?

It's a gas boiler. I think it may be a coupler, but I really have no idea about these things. Just hope it's not something big.

All I needed to know. I work for a heating company (oil and propane) and we have to ask about the tank so I was just wondering what your fuel type was.

Sorry about the shit luck.

[Jaguar]

Jan 5, 2017 0:31:10 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

DH just came home from work and I told him the news. He's like "everytime!!!". I feel like we are cursed sometimes because it truly is every time we get any sort of money saved. I am going to try and stay positive and hope for at most a $200 repair like every other time, fingers crossed   

I'm hoping it's just an $80 fix.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Good luck with low cost repairs!

I was burning sage earlier, how my year has started.

Stay strong.

[CCL]

Sorry you are going through this. It is rough. Crossing my fingers for you that it's a relatively minor repair. Please be very careful with the space heaters.

[beergut]

On the positive side of things, you haven't given in and given up.

GF tells me all the time that the reason she has no discretionary savings is because something always comes up every time she gets ahead and takes all her savings. We did a complete renovation of the master bathroom, new bathtub, new tile, new flooring. Everyone says it is beautiful. It was mostly completed right before Christmas, just in time for everyone to admire it because we hosted Christmas this year. Renovation cost a little over $5k. Gifts for the three kids and GF ran just over $1k.

So, of course the washing machine that we had spent $250 over the course of a month to fix (two visits by repairmen) decides to completely die. A new washer will probably cost $500 or so. GF says she wants the exact same model she had before, which I see listed for $600-$800 online, depending on the source. I point out that after spending $5k for a bathroom and $1k for Christmas, I don't have the free cash on December 27th for a new washer. 

She says this is why she can never get ahead, every time she saves some money, some big item like this breaks. I tell her once she is able to pay half ($250) for the washer, I'll go in with her and we'll buy a new washer. I know she isn't happy with that deal, but I'm not backing down. 

If she can afford to go out for happy hour with her girlfriends a few times a week, if she can afford dinner at a Mexican restaurant I refuse to take her to because it is way overpriced ($13 per margarita, yeah, no thanks) for a booster club meeting, she can afford to save up $250 and pay for a washer. The washer is a need as far as she is concerned, because she doesn't want to use a public laundromat down the street, but it isn't so much a need that she wants to save up for it. 

At least you're saving, and you know what your goal is. After the issue with the heater is fixed, even if you're only putting away $10 in savings for this week, you're still gonna be pumped about saving. Every little bit helps, never forget that. 

[bean29]

Jan 5, 2017 2:54:53 GMT -5 beergut said:

On the positive side of things, you haven't given in and given up.

GF tells me all the time that the reason she has no discretionary savings is because something always comes up every time she gets ahead and takes all her savings. We did a complete renovation of the master bathroom, new bathtub, new tile, new flooring. Everyone says it is beautiful. It was mostly completed right before Christmas, just in time for everyone to admire it because we hosted Christmas this year. Renovation cost a little over $5k. Gifts for the three kids and GF ran just over $1k.

So, of course the washing machine that we had spent $250 over the course of a month to fix (two visits by repairmen) decides to completely die. A new washer will probably cost $500 or so. GF says she wants the exact same model she had before, which I see listed for $600-$800 online, depending on the source. I point out that after spending $5k for a bathroom and $1k for Christmas, I don't have the free cash on December 27th for a new washer. 

She says this is why she can never get ahead, every time she saves some money, some big item like this breaks. I tell her once she is able to pay half ($250) for the washer, I'll go in with her and we'll buy a new washer. I know she isn't happy with that deal, but I'm not backing down. 

If she can afford to go out for happy hour with her girlfriends a few times a week, if she can afford dinner at a Mexican restaurant I refuse to take her to because it is way overpriced ($13 per margarita, yeah, no thanks) for a booster club meeting, she can afford to save up $250 and pay for a washer. The washer is a need as far as she is concerned, because she doesn't want to use a public laundromat down the street, but it isn't so much a need that she wants to save up for it. 

At least you're saving, and you know what your goal is. After the issue with the heater is fixed, even if you're only putting away $10 in savings for this week, you're still gonna be pumped about saving. Every little bit helps, never forget that. 

Beer, a washing machine is a need. Using a laundromat is not cheaper than doing laundry at home, and no one wants to carry laundry baskets back & forth when it is below 0.

I agree with you about the restaurant, but I am ok with 0% financing. We have 0% at home depot for home improvement. .9 % on my car and 0% on DD's car. When we bought our appliances, we used a 0% financing offer.

In fact I put up with a washer and dryer that were at the end stages of life for too long. After I replaced them with the super large capacity front loaders from Samsung, I realized that my refusal to buy new ones earlier had caused me extra drudgery. The dryer wasn't working right, so each load was tumbled 2-3x. The washer wasn't spinning all the water out, so hence the issues with the very wet clothing taking extra long to dry.