How the Budget Gets Broken

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Sigh. Trying to stick to a budget. Really have to do so, to make the double college costs coming up this fall. So, of course , the gremlins are busy at work.</p>

<p>Re did our front porch which does not meet safety code, and should have been done a while back, but should have been delayed again as I also had the ruined gutters and trim replaced around the house. While the roofer was working on the gutters, he noticed some roof and chimney issues that needed to be fixed too, so had to take care of them. Wouldn’t have done the porch if I had known. Bathroom shower needs to be fixed, broken door needed to be replaced, vent for the stove top hasn’t been working, some outlet covers broke…the list goes on. I am $1200 over budget and we’re just halfway in June. </p>

<p>Tooth broke a couple of weeks ago so I had to get an emergency repair and temporary crown. Found 3 more teeth just waiting to go the same route while getting the work done. I have dental insurance, yes, I am lucky, but it pays $1500 a year. I’m going to be hit with a lot more than that. Will have to time the repairs to get $1500 this year and $1500 in January. Squeezing the dentist for a 10% case up front payment for each job. Gotta take the kids to the dentist too, so I’m holding my breath on that one. But could have been worse; I was sure I was going to loose the tooth or need a root canal. These fillings are over 40 years old so it time for them to fall apart, I’m told. I have a silver mine in my mouth, so talk about digging to the fillings.</p>

<p>Have a number of other stuff as well, two graduations and a confirmation with pictures to buy–no flash allowed during the ceremony since they provided a professional, and I was sitting so far back anyways. The youngest went to Six Flags with friends and we were looking at some specific skill camps for the summer which are so expensive. Want a good writing tutor for the college bound kid. </p>

<p>DH wants a new car this year, which isn’t happening. Our 200K mile junker is still going fine, and my college son is going to let him use his car when he leaves for school (bought and maintained by his own money), and that’ll have to do it. We’ll assume insurance costs for him–gotta work that out. He can’t really take his car to school. </p>

<p>Vacation is definitely out of the picture, I can see. So are the bushes, plants, porch stuff I had thought about getting for the front porch. I 'm going to be behind the financial 8 ball again.</p>

<p>Yes, I’m whining and complaining. Should be glad I have these things to complain about, but really, it seems like every time I try to plan out a budget, I get hit the low blows that throw it all out the window. I so don’t want to borrow for college, but I don’t think we can cover the year without it. </p>

<p>Just venting. As I look at my depleted checking account. And it’s only Tuesday.</p>

2

<p>I hear you. DH is traveling on business, and has been to several places where the concept of credit cards and receipts is non-existent. Without a receipt, a business expense does not get reimbursed. H withdrew a hefty sum out of our checking account for this trip. I guess I should just expect to write this money off as a loss, and I do not mean a “tax deduction” writeoff. :(</p>

3

<p>Regarding the bushes and plants… Think about putting in a Craigslist listing saying you’ll come take out plants people don’t want and giving them a new home. I’m always dividing plants and looking for homes for them.</p>

4

<p>I can sympathize… leak in the basement requires gutter additions and repacking of soil around the foundation, and some landscaping to improve drainage. Not in my budget (while I am unemployed this summer), either. :frowning: But it has to be done.</p>

5

<p>I am right there with you. A close relative who lives in phoenix is letting his house go into foreclosure. He and his wife paid 225k for it and he said houses in the neighborhood are now being sold for under 100k. Their septic system needs redone which would cost nearly 20k and they are over 50 years old. They both have good jobs and are college educated. It is just crazy.</p>

<p>My husband has not had a raise in years and with the economy and how his salary is structured, will make significantly less money this year. I am a Registered nurse whose wages are very stagnant. I am ready to sell my house and either get something very small and cheap or move into an apartment. Tired of working so hard and never really getting ahead. I need simplicity.</p>

<p>We have senior pics this summer, just paid $448 for two Cheerleading outfits for our daughters. Still need to pay for camp, camp clothes and shoes which is another $475! I feel like our “budget” is a joke! Thankfully, our oldest daughter who will be a senior is not doing dance competition this year which will save us about $300 a month. I have a newer car but my husbands has 170,000 miles on it! And no $ to get another one. We are 36 and 34 and ten years ago we were in much better shape. </p>

<p>Hopefully we can sell our house in the next 3 years, that will be huge. I have decided I am done with the “American” dream. Give me a decent apartment with a little bit of grass and no upkeep and I will be perfectly content. I want to save my money, travel and not be stressed! Sorry about this rant. Just frustrated.</p>

6

<p>Our old house is what is doing us in…the light fixture at our front porch doesn’t work, and there’s an scary crackling sound when we flip the switch.
The cold water lever on our ‘new’ five year old kitchen sink faucet leaks badly.
The trees all need pruning.
The ice maker in the frig is broken.
The parquet floor in our entry way is coming up bit by bit.<br>
The cracks in several plaster ceilings are very big and getting bigger.</p>

<p>Oh, and DH needs a $1250 onlay to fix a tooth.
And our 11 yr old minivan needs to be replaced.</p>

<p>Yikes. It is mind boggling how quickly the repairs on houses and people add up.</p>

7

<p>Glad to know we are not the only ones who feel we are not getting ahead. We grew up in a time when living within one’s means meant that eventually things would get easier financially. But eroding benefits, frozen pension, rising costs, no raises … it feels like we take a step forward & two back. We know how incredibly fortunate we are despite how we feel, and we try to remind each other of that fact. But it is nice to be able to commiserate once in awhile.</p>

<p>For the record, even with our challenges, we are so much better off than so many. We do know that, and we do appreciate it.</p>

8

<p>Health insurance and medical expenses are killing us. We were up to $11,000 by May 9. I haven’t added in the last month yet. We’ll get a good tax deduction this year, at least! We’ve already met the $5,000 individual deductible for our son, away at college. I keep thinking things will improve, then they don’t. BUT we’re thankful for excellent mental health providers - things could have been MUCH worse for our son.</p>

9

<p>OP…are you my husband? I hired someone to paint our balcony…and he found wood fungus. Ka blam!!! New balcony (plus painting)…his two tooth implants…we went to Paris PRIOR to the balcony…ka blam (good ka blam, but not fiscally prudent)…my medical bills…and a powder room gut…the marble went up 50 percent…and did the cabinet…and the mirror…oh well…one more year to go!!!</p>

<p>…and then another good thing: weddings.</p>

10

<p>Maine- yep, I can relate, $50k in surgery last year = over $10k out of pocket PLUS seriously reduced income from time off for medical stuff plus dealing with a death in the family. Our income was soooo low last year :frowning: Hoping for a better year in 2011</p>

11

<p>Agree @ medical expenses and health “insurance” – in quotes because it doesn’t seem to cover anything. Maybe one of these days we’ll meet our ginormous deductible – although I really hope not, because that would have to be a major medical event. Until then, it’s mostly out-of-pocket on top of the ridiculous premiums, which are going up 14% on July 1 (that’s actually very low for Blue Cross). Oh, and along with the premium increase come increased deductibles and co-pays. But of course, we don’t need insurance reform…</p>

<p>One bright spot though – I have dental insurance for the first time in my life, and it’s wonderful. I had a crown recently; total cost was $165.</p>

12

<p>ditto ditto ditto. Really, our property taxes are so very high and the utilities just went up something like 6%. But our income is not going up. AND our lovely children are not actually leaving. We are a revolving door house. AND (my fault) we are totally foodies–so grocery bill is just too high. And, yes, I know that I am so lucky to be able to even be able to post my woes.
Yet–do ya’ll remember the days when you said to your spouse, “if we just made XXX, we would be fine” and then you did and that magical number changed and then again.
Seriously, we never ever would have thought that at this income level and age that we would be watching every dollar. That said, we accept that we do have two of the best educated kids in the USA. sigh.</p>

13

<p>Two bottom lines here:</p>

<ol>
<li>It’s not what I expected.</li>
<li>We have a roof over our head, food in the fridge, health insurance to cover major catastrophes, two healthy college grads for children. I am employed and expect to be for a while yet.</li>
</ol>

<p>It’s – OK. Not what I expected, but it’s OK. When we don’t get what we expect, we can usually make do. I’m proud of what I’ve done, in spite of all the challenges.</p>

14

<p>Yes, yes, VeryHappy, well said.</p>

<p>I also just thought it would get easier at this point…we make so much more money (relatively, not in absolute terms) then 10 years ago…we have NOT expanded our lifestyle AT ALL but it seems harder to meet taxes, utilities, food , etc.</p>

15

<p>That’s 'cause we also spend $$$ on new things – cell phones, texting, wifi connections, data plans, cable TV, blah blah blah . . . . Unfortunately, these are pretty much essentials for life today.</p>

16

<p>VH, so right! Oh do I resent that expensive AT&T bill every month, and that is sans cable. I remember with fondness the days of land line only. </p>

<p>Somemom, hope your year is better. Good health is something to really value.</p>

17

<p>^^^exactly^^^… what was a luxury less then 10 years ago,has become part of everyday living…10 years ago we had 1 desktop computer for the whole family to use…now all 5 pf us have a laptop(or 2) plus IPAD…everyone not only has a cellphone but they are either a blackberry/iphone…have more tvs them family members</p>

18

<p>I can relate to the high food bill. Although when it is just h & I , it is almost reasonable - however D2 hasn’t even been home a week and I am checking under her bed to see if she has several teenage boys hidden there.</p>

19

<p>I don’t even want to think of what Cptofthehouse’s food bill is with all her kids…lol…I wonder how many fridges she has. I only have 2 boys and they can eat me out of house and home…can’t imagine what her grocery cart must look like (she probably uses a flatbed at a warehouse store). </p>

<p>Anyway…Cpt…I know that you’re frustrated. Yikes, when it rains, it pours. We had a crazy year like that…both A/Cs broke in the house, the washer/dryer had to be replaced, the roof needed replacing (leaks!!! so the ceilings needed fixing, too), a car went kapoot, and a rental property needed serious repairs after bad tenants! (and, H isn’t handy at all…I do some “handy” stuff, but not roof kind of stuff!) Ugh.</p>