My Family

My Family

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Pity Party

This afternoon, I hit the garage door as I was backing into the garage. 
(In my defense, it was only about an inch from all the way up, we just don't have much clearance over the van right at the door.  Once the van is inside the garage, there is lots of overhead room.)
It was knocked clear off the track...and all of my McGyvering didn't fix it.
I made the call to Precision Garage Door (great customer service, by the way!)  and waited for the garage door man to show up and hand me a nasty bill after 5 minutes of work.

I have a category for things like this in my budget--titled "stupid tax". And yes, I'm 100% serious--that's what we call it.
We got the term from Dave Ramsey when we started our own "Total Money Makeover".
The Precision service guy quoted us a couple of prices and cushioned the OUCH prices with "we take credit cards".
Our reply?
Sorry, we don't use credit cards.
The nicest part was that the service guy didn't either.
Times, they are a changing...it used to be that very few people wanted to be debt free...or they didn't care if they slapped something on their credit card. 


So, just so you know, even on days like today, I love Dave Ramsey.
On top of paying off tons of debt in the past few years ($30,000+ on one income, coupled with a house sale), we actually had a teeny tiny part of an emergency fund to draw from!
Yea!
(Never mind the fact that I reduced it by a large chunk in one afternoon...$200 is WAY too much to spend on stupid tax.)
 
Pat did stay out and watch what the service guy did so that he could fix it if there is a next time. 
Hopefully there won't be another time...but if any of you are struggling financially and would love some ideas or pointers or even just to swap been there, done that stories, I would love to give you a copy of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and see if it can make a difference in your life.
Even if it's just so you put a little money in an emergency fund for a day when you incur a stupid tax of your own...trust me, I'll be there at your pity party too.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is nothing I dislike more than "stupid tax" items on the budget!!!! I read Dave Ramsey in honor of you and LOVED it. He makes so much sense. Thanks for the reminder of his goodness! So sorry about your garage door though. Serious bummer. :) Love your brains out!
XOXO,
HC

Real said...

I'd love to read it. Listened to him a few times on the radio and been to the website. I think our situation is hopeless, but I'd love it if he could work a miracle.

Also, our van doesn't have clearance problems, but we only have about 2inches extra in the LENGTH of our garage. So if it isn't perfectly parked, either the garage door will close on it or we hit the wall to our family room. After gently hitting the wall a few times, we just leave the van in the driveway.

Tressa said...

I am such a fan of Dave Ramsey. Stupid tax is the worst kind of tax to pay EVER and we have had to pay some lately. Isn't it the most liberating feeling to not use credit cards? It was scary for us at first but it has been the best decision for us!

Chandra said...

Yes...my mother swears by that guy....and He is right...what he says does make tons of sense!!! Sorry to hear about your little oopps! I've had one or two of those myself. Hope all is well!

Wendie said...

I must confess, I once backed into the closed garage door (I'm SURE I had opened it!!). I was a little luckier - it still opened, but is on the honey-do list to be fixed (it's a little rough!!). Dave Ramsey is great - wish I had him in my younger days! Miss you!