Beyond frustrated

My week is not going well.

I got thrown from my horse on Sunday, stood up by the new farrier on Monday, found out that Peter's 'new' car needs a new radiator on Tuesday (and my a/c fan broke in my suburban, which I shouldn't have been driving anyway except that Peter's carpool buddy had to drive separately and he took my car). I also found out on Tuesday that the friend who had begged me to go to the Supreme Trail Challenge with her isn't going to go and I can't afford to go alone. ON Monday I also found out that Dr. Chlapek had died, and I'm still very emotional sad about that. Today I woke up an emotional mess and not feeling well (read in the bathroom and throwing up). But instead of being able to stay home and get my equilibrium I have to work anyway because state is at the nursing home. I also found out today that my car (which I have $2000 on in the last 2 months) needs a tune up. There goes another $500 on top of the $500 I'm going to have to spend on Peter's car for the new radiator. It means that in the last 3 months I have spent more on car repairs than I paid for the car. Each time it breaks down, I say I won't fix it again, but I don't have the cash for a new car (because I can't save any money to buy a newer car since I'm putting so much money into the old car and I don't believe in having a car payment on top of all the other debt we have) I'm working my tail off this summer (when I was going to spend one last summer hanging out with my kid before I really had to work FT, which makes me sad) and I can't get any traction. Next week we're supposed to get our gas lease check and I was going to pay off one of the Credit card bills...only, no, now I get to pay the mechanic for the car repairs. Maggie is getting her new horse...I will have a little left for debt reduction, but not as much as I'd planned. IT was my plan to pay one of the cards completely off so I could get some traction on my snowball...one less bill to pay and all that. It makes me so sad that I can't get ahead no matter how hard I work...And with all the car repairs it makes me wonder if I shouldn't have just bought a new car...but now I'm in the car for the repairs and can't afford to give it up.

To quote the Weepies "This is not Your Year" (or rather my year)

Car Trouble AGAIN!

I think the little escort may be done...I thought we had all the cars situated, but I was wrong. We got the Ford truck sold last weekend, Peter's car on Monday. We ended up with $2400 in pocket, so it wasn't terrible...we drive our vehicles to death.

Three weeks ago the alternator belt on my car broke sending little pieces of metal into the engine. It already needed a break job. Total cost: $1100. I coughed up the cash, wrote a check and fixed my car. Drove it to pick up Maggie at the airport the next day and the a/c made a horrible noise and quit cooling. So, it went back to the shop, where a week later, it was pronounced that the a/c compressor was going out. Total Potential cost: $625. I said "NO!" at least till I had the money saved up. I figured i could just drive it without a/c for the time being. So, I drove it one day without a/c...it wasn't horrid, but I promptly came home and locked my keys in it. The next morning I couldn't find them anywhere in the house, but saw them hanging out of the ignition. No problem: I could just drive Peter's car with the spare keys...which I did...So, the next day, with my keys newly unlocked I went to drive my car...and it wouldn't start...nothing. We theorized that I Must have left the lights or key or something on, but can't tell that I did. Then we figured the battery was dead and we tried to jump start it but got nothing (This was over the Fourth of July, so it's been dragging on awhile) So today, I bought a new battery for it. Still nothing. NO lights, no sounds, nothing. Peter has determined through trial and error (and I would have to agree) that we must have an electrical problem. Which means I'm now going to have to have the car hauled back to Milt's and see if they can fix it or if it's just time to confess that it's all over!

I'm not sure what to do from there. We have had a car each and I had the truck for hauling. Now we have traded our cars out and Peter isn't so keen on his mustang. I love the mustang and would be really happy driving it. I have contemplated getting him a car and driving the mustang, keeping the truck for hauling. We have also contemplating just having 2 vehicles and putting the savings of insurance and extra maintenance into the car fund. Peter would really like a new car and I confess, I don't' care if I drive something that's new or old. Makes me no difference at all. I just can't bare the thought of having more debt.