Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Unplanned Expenses

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It's always something, isn't it? A few weeks ago I was driving to a mediation a couple of hours away and my tire pressure light came on and began rapidly blinking.  This happened to me once before and so I knew that it meant that the batteries in the tire pressure sensors were dead. However, last time the blinking went away on its own and I did not have to replace the sensors.

Well, I wasn't so lucky this time.  All 5 of the sensors died (yes including the one in the spare tire).  I contemplated not replacing the them because my car is 12 years old and previously, I had driven a car for years without sensors in the tires. 

The problem, for me, became the incessant blinking of the light on the dashboard.  It drove me crazy and I could not stand to look at it for hours at a time while driving around to different cities.  It's a dumb issue, I realize, but I just couldn't take it. So I coughed up $322 at the local discounted tire shop for new sensors.  Who knew they cost that much money????!!!! I did get a free used spare tire in the deal though.  My spare tire was the original that came with the car and although I had asked for the spare to be changed when I got new tires (maybe a couple of years ago), they did not change it.  The guy felt bad and said if they had a used one on the shop that fit my car, they would just give it to me for free and they did.  (I didn't care that it was used because in the 12 years I have had my car I have never used my spare.  I figure my time with this car is short and I likely will be getting a new car within 12-24 months).

Anyways, no more blinking light on the dashboard and a free used spare tire to boot!

The downside is that the expense was not planned for and I had to use money that I had hoped to put in my taxable account (for retirement) to pay for the cost.  That was definitely disappointing, but at least I was able to pay for the cost without resorting to debt.  That, in my eyes, is always an awesome outcome!!

3 comments:

  1. I feel your pain. That would absolutely drive me crazy, too. I can't stand warning lights being on, even when I know there's nothing wrong. Glad you were able to get them fixed - sorry it was so ridiculously expensive. But yay for the free tire!

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    1. I am the exact same way! Even if I know that absolutely nothing is wrong those lights drive me crazy!

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  2. Ahhh yes, unexpected expenses. A topic I know all too well. Ugh.

    The good part is that you could avoid using your credit card all together (High five!), even if the downside is you lose that money for better things.

    With your car getting older, do you have a Car Repair/Replacement Fund? I remember you wrote that you were planning to replace it at some point.

    I think I'm going to have to budget better for next year. With my next bonus (crossed fingers) I'll put more money in my Opportunity and Health Funds.

    I'll probably add a Family Expenses fund to plan for unexpected and costly travel for sick immediate family members and at least one family event each year, etc. so these things don't slow down my debt payoff.

    Life is learning and learning is life.

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