Friday, August 20, 2010

Life Keeps Getting in the Way of Plans

I want to welcome Louise from My Journey to Eliminate Debt back to my blogroll. As she sets out in her most recent post, a lot has happened since she ended her blog eleven months ago and none of it has been helpful in her quest to eliminate debt.

Quite the opposite--illness, job loss, and kids in college have all conspired to increase her debt.

Welcome to real life.

It's very easy to plan for debt reduction when all it takes is reining in one's impulse to buy the new car, big screen TV, eat out every night, etc.

But it's a whole 'nother deal when life intervenes in ways one can't predict.

Take Louise--who on earth worries about whooping cough these days? Who even knows anyone who ever got it? Well, take Louise!

I can blame lack of excerise and unhealthy eating habits as well as lousy genetics for my heart surgery a year and a half ago. But who does one blame for whooping cough?

Actually, my heart surgery barely impacted my finances. But ask me about the rental that needs a new roof.

And what about the fact that two of my daughters, ages 28 and 20, have FINALLY decided that they should rethink their decisions to forego college? And that my granddaughter, notwithstanding the birth of her first child two weeks ago, is enrolling back in her college?

Jimmy Carter had it right when he said "Life isn't fair," but I still think it ought to be.

There ought to be some justice for folks like myself and Louise who really have been trying hard and living frugally to get our debt under control.

9 comments:

Nicole said...

All you can do is keep moving forward the best you can with what circumstances you're given.

I like to think when a whole lot of things all go wrong at once that somewhere out there that's going into my karmic bank and that the world will make it up for me with happiness later.

(I don't think the same way about karma when things are going well... bad stuff just happens!)

All the best for the future for you and Louise! And at least your daughters' starting school might turn out well in the long run. Let's hope anyway!

Florence said...

Truer words were never spoken!! Life just keeps on getting in my way too!!

Anonymous said...

Your daughters should pay their own way through school if they are really serious this time. They can work part time, get loans, and go slowly. You can not afford to bankroll this at this stage in your life. Nor should you pay for anything without some evidence the degrees will be finished and lead to employment.

Same with the granddaughter. If the parents are broke, there is no reason for you to step in. If she is a good student, she should get financial aid based on her parents financial position.

MasterPo said...

Life hates unspent money.

There was a time when money was left over you could count on.

Not anymore.

Seems like everytime MasterPo pays the bills and there happens to be a few cents left over, if he dares to think about saving or investing it - POOF - some unexpected big expense comes along and it gets spent.

When did the universe get some mischievious?

Sharon said...

Grace,
Where did Morrison go?? Do you know? Gosh, I leave for a weekend and wham another one is gone....

Grace. said...

Ah, Morrison--lately her blog as been as erratic as she sometimes is. I click on her link twice a day--yesterday I got to the blog, then today nada. I figure she won't be able to stay away so I'm leaving the link up for awhile.

Anonymous said...

Hi Everyone. I'm back. Sorry for being so erratic. But how else can you be when your husband of 28 years dumps you for a 26 year old girl? I'm happy to say the worst is over. I'm a new me just a bit smarter and wiser. My blog is back. Thanks for thinking about me. BTW, the old link may not work as when I restored my blog, it took on a different address.

Anonymous said...

here's the new link:

http://alldoorsconsidered0.blogspot.com/


Somehow a '0' got placed after the name.

Louise said...

thanks for the welcome back grace :) and I'm glad morrisons back too!