Life Gets In The Way

 Life isn't always pretty and organized, nor are people.  

We make mistakes (hopefully learn from them) and struggle, but in the end it all works out!

Crap happens! It is life! I know this, but do I really have to accept it; all the time? I guess I do, but I sure as hell don't want to.

In the last two weeks:  My car failed inspection, I needed to pay for my personal property tax (on our cars), but until we can (over $400), my vehicle plates are dead. We found out the owner of our house is going to sell and I NEED a job. Instead of being a work at home mom, I need to find a job outside of my home this summer ( I pray someone is hiring).

I will say, we should have tried to pay gradually on the car taxes over the year but when you are having to juggle just to pay simple bills like power, rent, gas for working (hubby has to drive 2 hrs to work), etc, the personal property tax just doesn't enter your brain.

House: The owner decided to sell the house only after they found out they have A LOT of repairs because the property manager failed to do the yearly inspections that were required. We have been telling them on and off all the repairs that needed to be done (even wrote it all out so they had a list), yet nothing was done.

We are currently house hunting thanks to a contact my husband was able to make through his boss.  Use your network (family, friends, co-workers), you never know what information you may gain.

Car
My car needed rear brakes and a tie rod end, for those that know about cars. We didn't have the money at the time, so we had to bring it home, failed. The shop wanted to charge us between $300 and $400. What a rip off.

I had to ride around with a failed inspection sticker (only a few times) praying I didn't get a ticket. Although, I did tell myself; what is the worst that could happen? I would get a ticket, right? I just didn't want the hassle.

The brakes and tie rod end weren't so bad that it would cause a safety issue; yet, but I still did not want to drive it until the car was fixed (but as I said, I had to a few times, no choice).

I went this past Friday, purchased the rear brake pads and tie rod end along with renting the tool my hubby needed. Parts and tax: $75 I started in on the brakes Friday afternoon, had one side almost completely finished when hubby showed up from work.

He finished the side I started and the other side in less than 30 minutes. At most, with using manual tools (not the air/hydraulic tools the shop has), 30 minutes total for both sides to be complete. Yet, the auto shop wanted to charge almost $200 for my brake job.

Next, tie rod end. He was able to get to that Sunday morning; Saturday was crazy and he couldn't fit it in and he was finished before 11AM.

I swear, I do not even think it took him 30 minutes to complete that job and that  included taking off the front tire (manually, no impact wrench). The tie rod cost $18, renting the tool $15 (we got that money back when we turned to the tool back in) and 30 minutes at most of labor.

Was that really worth the almost $150 they were gong to charge us?

Car conclusion (warning about to type words I do not normally type): We saved a SHIT LOAD, I mean a SHIT LOAD of money taking an hour total of our time. Now I know not all vehicle repairs are that simple, but really; do they NEED to charge triple what it cost us? That is just going to far!

Still working on the personal property tax bill and job hunting!


*I did wonder as I wrote this whether anyone really wants to know such personal money issues, but you know; sometimes you just have to vent.  This isn't whining about how bad my life is, because I know I am truly blessed.  I have beautiful children, a caring, loving husband (with a good job), a roof over my head...you get my drift.  Sometimes life throws us curve balls we are not sure we can hit, much less get a home run from; so thanks for reading/listening!