HELP!! Need tips

[Guest]

One thing that has driven me crazy for the last 21 years is that my income goes up and down a LOT. I can be sailing a long, paying my tithe, paying my bills and even have things paid ahead wherever possible. Then some daycare parent loses their job or gets laid off and suddenly I am missing some of my income.

Paying bills ahead helps here, but sometimes I’ll lose someone from both shifts or even 2-3 people all at the same time and no amount of planning helps me through. Not only do I lose income at that point, but I have to put ads in the paper. My debt is pretty much broken down like this…1/3rd medical related, 1/3rd job layoffs (my husbands included)and unexpected stuff that happens and 1/3rd times I’ve splurged which is my fault I know.

What so often happens is that I’ll think I’m doing good. So I’ll spend a few hundred on something I’ve been waiting for. I’ll pay cash for this item.

Then a few days later some parent I’ve been working with a year or two will suddenly get fired, quit, announce they are moving away etc. Often it’s with no notice what-so-ever. At that point I’ll whip out the credit cards and make up for any shortages with the best intentions of getting back on track when the kids are replaced.

This month is perfect example.. I have made some purchases I have wanted and thought I had money to pay for. Then my daughter got sick and we now have 4-5 bills and even an 800 dollar ambulance bill.

We do have insurance. But we have deductibles and they bill for so many differentpeople/doctors/hospital/lab/radiologist etc..for the same illness. On top of that, 2 of my daycare parents were laid off this month.

So my income is down and my bills are up.

I guess I get a little jelous sometimes when I hear people talk about budgeting down to the last inth.

Am I alone in this?

Suzi

[Author]

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