Last week I talked about saving money and now I don't have any money to save. Instead of putting up money for the future, this week I've had to break out the credit card to pay all of the unexpected expenses.

Just when you think you've got it all figured out, something comes along to prove you wrong. My current circumstances serve as a bold underline for that statement.

It all started when I tried to open the truck door and the inside handle came off in my hand. I knew then I was in for trouble.

As I've oft quoted, "Trouble comes in threes." My Daddy told me that and I've found that difficulties do seem to pile on like football players diving for a fumble if one stumbles and falls to the ground. I don't know if that's just because it's easier to remember troubled times than it is to remember times that are just, well, normal times, but it does seem to be the case.

Now, having a door handle break loose isn't exactly trouble, but in this case it was a harbinger of things to come. For those of us who try to "drive our money out of vehicles" and keep them as long as possible, such things should be expected as routine maintenance. After all, a few repair bills are cheaper than a new car payment by far.

But right after Christmas isn't the time for making auto repairs.

So I decided to roll the window down and reach outside to open the door for awhile, but that handle cracked as well. Thankfully, a local repair shop did a good job at a reasonable price. So I wrote a check.

Then my car started leaking antifreeze. I took it to the shop and had it patched up instead of repaired. After all, sometimes the patch is the strongest link in the chain. I wrote another check. By now, I realized I was not going to be able to write more checks.

Then I was cleaning my glasses on my shirt tail—I know I shouldn't be doing that—and as a reminder of that fact, the frame broke. I was left with one intact lens and one ear piece, which altogether was more useless to me than no glasses at all. Since I have to wear my glasses to be able to read without squinting and getting a headache while doing my job, I figured buying a pair might be a good idea. And just for fun, my daughter's glasses also were bent and damaged, so I had to get another pair for her as well. How does another $267 sound to you, sir? Just fine thanks. And then it all started going on the credit card.

Thinking the worst was over, I had my teeth cleaned at the local dentist office, at the fairly reasonable cost of under $100. Then another family member's routine dentist trip ended up costing nearly $1,000 due to a damaged tooth. Did I mention that the dental insurance was cancelled back in August as a way to save money? It might be best if I didn't. Luckily the dentist agreed to take the money in three installments, but that's still money I hadn't planned on spending. So out came the credit card again.

What I had planned on spending was the money for last month's Christmas expenditures, which were already on the credit card. I did manage to pay those, but what with breaking out the card again, my only hope for paying that off in the next few weeks would be winning the lottery or getting a tax refund. I might note here that I've not purchased any lottery tickets and I haven't yet filed my taxes.

So in the meantime, I'll just have to put saving money on hold and try to pay back money that I've borrowed. I've also come up with a few budget cuts. Saving for the future? Cut. Vacation? Cut for the third straight year. Retirement? Are you kidding me?

Saving money is a worthwhile goal, as is reducing expenses. But, as the recent situation proves, we aren't always in control. Budgets are good and planning grand, but there is no way to plan for an unpredictable life.

How long will a refrigerator last? Usually about 30 days longer than the warranty.

How long will a car last? I usually look at it like this: If the repairs are more than the value of the vehicle, or if one year's repairs are likely to exceed the vehicle's value, then I replace it. Otherwise, I try to fix it and hope for the best.

When troubled times come in like angry waves on the sea, the only thing one can do is ride out the storm. And, in this case, the storm isn't big enough to sink the ship, but does make for a rough ride. I'm starting to turn a tad green and feeling a bit tossed about. By the way things are looking, that may be the only "green" I'll be seeing for a while.
 

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