MML Jasmin: My weird financial life

Written by
Jasmin Snyder
MML- Jasmin

You are a normal person, but really weird things happen to you. Pete said this to me the other day. For a split second I thought, is that true? Then I remembered how in the last month alone I almost drowned in a foot and half of creek water, my dog bit me, I didn't have hot water for a week due to flooding, the cops were called when some friends and I were being harassed by a stranger, my sunglasses shattered on my face in a very mysterious manner, and the latest of cars I've been borrowing broke down on the interstate in a very scary and dangerous way. I think weird things really do happen to me! Most of these I just have to laugh about. There is no point in getting hung up on how I seem to attract (or cause?) weird situations. The real issue is when these weird situations end up costing me money. I can hold on tight and ride this wild ride, but if I'm constantly throwing money at situations it becomes a real problem I have to deal with.

I don't think I lead a particularly risky life. Yet, when I really think about it my life is totally full of risks:

I own a home = HUGE risk. Anything could happen at any time and could cost me thousands of dollars. I just narrowly missed an $800 water heater replacement last week.

I am a person = let's be honest I'm super clumsy and could trip and need surgery at any moment (I know this because it happened two years ago).

I have a dog = at any moment he could require some pills/procedure/special food which could cost me who even knows how much.

I travel a lot = so much risk, too much to even quantify.

I don't currently own a car, but I will at some point soon = as the last six months have proven, thousands and thousands of dollars of risk.

I've been discouraged about my financial life lately. It happens. For the most part, I make smart financial decisions. I avoid debt where I can. I save as much as I can. I live a mostly frugal lifestyle. Yet, I'm not immune to financial catastrophe. No one is. No matter how many smart decisions you make, it can go down at any moment. This sucks, but, well, it's how it is. My unfortunate car situation has me all turned around. I'm caught playing catch-up, when I'd prefer to be on the prevention and preparation side. So for now, I save and I cut costs and I try not to get too frustrated as I get myself back to a healthy financial spot. Someone once told me I'll be frustrated no matter what situation I'm in because I'm a perfectionist. First of all, rude. Second of all, okay fine, they might be right. I like to think it's normal to always be a little frustrated, but what do I know? Weird things happen to me all the time.

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