One Tough Week
Recently, I was chatting about how great it feels to be on top of your finances. However, that’s not always a smooth journey – take for example one of my worst weeks a few years back.
I was still paying off my student loans, which consumed a major chunk of my paycheck. However, I had saved a bit extra for a white water rafting trip with a couple of friends. We were driving from Colorado Springs to Las Vegas for work, and the rafting trip was supposed to be a stress-busting detour.
But the troubles kicked off a few days prior to the trip. First, my car lost its hubcap, which set me back by $60. Then the following night, I ended up in the hospital due to food poisoning, a health scare which cost me an unnecessary $150 copay. Right after that, a friend of mine got engaged and I was obliged to chip in $50 for a congratulations basket.
By the time of the rafting trip, my savings for it had dwindled somewhat because of these unexpected expenses. I was a bit stressed, but I figured I could manage my finances cautiously until my next paycheck.
Even after all that, our rafting adventure was a blast… only for me to collide with a deer on my way back! That week was truly testing me. Thankfully, a good friend of mine from Las Vegas connected me with an affordable car repair service, and I got my car fixed for $300. Needless to say, paying that bill was a struggle and I ended up using my credit card. But what can you do when you’re in debt?
The goal is to create a plan for repayment and stick to it. There will be times when the plan fails, and you can’t afford to make a mistake. Back then, apart from my student debt, my bills fortunately weren’t too high – something I’m grateful for because even when you’re in debt, you still gotta eat and keep a roof over your head.
Sometimes, life throws you more curveballs than you can handle. When it does, it’s crucial to seek help, get your finances in order, and prepare yourself to face the next curveball with courage. Through it all, did you ever work with a debt management service or consolidate your loans? How did you handle difficult times when life seemed hell-bent on throwing curveballs at you?
Now that’s my disaster week story. What’s yours?