Is sudden expense a big deal?

[herofan]

We've talked about money in many forms around here. I'm curious, if you suddenly had an unexpected expense of $500 to $1,000, would it be a big ouch, or no big deal? Would it at least put a damper on your savings for a time period. Would you have to borrow or just pull it out of your wallet?

I suddenly had to buy 4 new tires and lug nuts for my truck, which cost around $400, and I just hated putting that out. It's not that it hurt me badly or that I'll have to eat crackers only for a week, but I just hate unexpected expenses. I notice people are always talking about how much they had to pay for this or that expense, and they don't seem to even flinch, but I hate it.

What really gets me is that I just rolled some coins I had been collecting, and it was around that amount. So, instead of getting to see my account swell a little for a few days, I get to wrap it around my wheels. Ug!

 

[Jogeephus]

I don't like unexpected expenses but in truth they should be expected and I do expect them. Heck, when they don't come I get paranoid and anxious waiting for something bad to happen.

I just try and look at it from the standpoint of if the piece of equipment isn't working what is it costing me and in most cases a few days use will cover the unexpected cost. I guess I look at it more from the standpoint of lost opportunity than an actual loss.

 

[M5farm]

Thank the good Lord I am able to handle most sudden expenses.

 

[backhoeboogie]

There is a minimum $1,000 cushion in my personal checking and there's a $1,000 cushion in the cow's checking account. A $500 crisis should not put me below that margin. But the cushion is there just in case such a crisis occurs.

 

[branguscowgirl]

If I get a little money in the bank, (especially from selling something) I am guaranteed to have a vet bill, breakdown, or family in need, to make it disappear! However, I look at it as a blessing that at least I have animals to care for, something to break down, and family to help!! :D It could be worse, much worse.

But why are tires viewed as a "sudden" or "unexpected expense"? I also hate paying for those things, but I consider tires part of maintenance that you pretty much know your gonna need after so many miles. :(

 

[backhoeboogie]

But why are tires viewed as a "sudden" or "unexpected expense"? I also hate paying for those things, but I consider tires part of maintenance that you pretty much know your gonna need after so many miles. :(

A random city kid car load comes out and paint balls then shoot your trailer tires with a shot gun. side walls ruint. $1870 worth of load range G tires that are 6 months old. Judge lets the kids off. What are you going to do? You can put in tubes but that is risky. I had figured those tires were good for another ten years or so.

 

[backhoeboogie]

The bright side is I don't have to worry about kids doing any car tipping to my smart car; I don't own a smart car. :D

 

[Caustic Burno]

We've talked about money in many forms around here. I'm curious, if you suddenly had an unexpected expense of $500 to $1,000, would it be a big ouch, or no big deal? Would it at least put a damper on your savings for a time period. Would you have to borrow or just pull it out of your wallet?

I suddenly had to buy 4 new tires and lug nuts for my truck, which cost around $400, and I just hated putting that out. It's not that it hurt me badly or that I'll have to eat crackers only for a week, but I just hate unexpected expenses. I notice people are always talking about how much they had to pay for this or that expense, and they don't seem to even flinch, but I hate it.

What really gets me is that I just rolled some coins I had been collecting, and it was around that amount. So, instead of getting to see my account swell a little for a few days, I get to wrap it around my wheels. Ug!

I am tighter than a crabs ass and that kinda thing is just part of life and I am anal on routine maintenance.
There is no way I would have suddenly had to buy four tires unless I got off on chipped glass road.
I put two new tires on the front of my truck and cars every year and rotate the front to the back.
My view on savings is there should be at least a years salary in the bank and that is the floor to start building from.

 

[Bez__]

Sudden expense is a relative thing

If you have a bunch of money a small one is nothing

If you do not it is a big deal.

Bez__

 

[chippie]

I suddenly had to buy 4 new tires and lug nuts for my truck, which cost around $400, and I just hated putting that out.

What I would like to know is where did you find truck tires for $100 each and what type of tire?

I have to replace the tires on one truck and the cost is $189 per tire (load range E)

 

[skyhightree1]

I believe in saving as much as i can sudden expenses suck but it is what it is.

 

[TexasBred]

Things are going to happen so no need to "NOT" be ready for it. Seems this year I must have spent close to a thousand dollars on nothing but batteries....everything on the place needed a new battery and two on my truck. You just hope these things don't start happening too often. Cash is not a problem but nobody likes to see chunks of it disappear overnight.

 

[branguscowgirl]

But why are tires viewed as a "sudden" or "unexpected expense"? I also hate paying for those things, but I consider tires part of maintenance that you pretty much know your gonna need after so many miles. :(

A random city kid car load comes out and paint balls then shoot your trailer tires with a shot gun. side walls ruint. $1870 worth of load range G tires that are 6 months old. Judge lets the kids off. What are you going to do? You can put in tubes but that is risky. I had figured those tires were good for another ten years or so.

Errrrr Vandalism! :mad:
Why in the world would a "judge let them off"?

 

[Hook]

Sudden expenses are only a problem if you haven't planned on them. The truck repairs about killed me because it was supposed to only be 2500 bucks. Then the heads were cracked and the injectors toasted. Blew any budget I had and still trying to recoperate from that

 

[Nesikep]

I'm usually good for several thousand before I start to feel a pinch, I will NEVER owe to a credit card company again, they've had me by the nuts enough before! I do have a line of credit if I need it, and a bunch of cows I'm itching to cull and have them pay it off if need be.

Sometimes, when it rains, it pours.. we have a lot of equipment that doesn't see much use, so it doesn't get it's own battery, the Allis HD6 is one of them, and being 24V it needs two, so I usually have a couple around I can steal from something else.. When I have a battery that doesn't start the big stuff, sometimes it will still do for a couple years on a light duty item, perhaps even the electric fencer... When I get rid of them they are DONE. I've bought 6 tires for my truck last year, that was 1300, and 4 of them are of poor quality. I blew an engine and transmission last year too, but I had spares, I'm building a new engine now, I figure I'm into it for about 3500 or so which is better than having to shell out $10,000 for one... JUST THE GASKET KIT was $1000, and yes, I only used genuine Cummins parts. Now I found out the front end needed work, so I am putting a grand into that, but doing some big improvements to it at the same time.

St this point, serious sudden expenses that would require my line of credit would be over $10,000, and REALLY bad ones would be over $20,000. I don't have anything I can forsee that would hit me that hard except fire, and wages for someone else should I get laid up in the hospital for a long time.

I'm a darned tightwad too, so everything does get fixed with duct tape, zipties, and haywire for a while before it gets replaced...

 

[kenny thomas]

Seems everything I spend is unexpected. Like CB in some ways I an tight as can be. I drive old trucks and dont have lots of fancy clothes. Also like him I keep enough money in the bank that if I travel somewhere and see a tractor, cattle or something I want I buy it and ship it home. Big difference here is that yes I have cattle and farms but never depend on them for my living. If I didnt just enjoy them I would sell out and go fishing. There has been times in the past that I had to take fuel out of a tractor to put in a truck to haul cattle to market. Things have changed a lot since then.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Seems everything I spend is unexpected. Like CB in some ways I an tight as can be. I drive old trucks and dont have lots of fancy clothes. Also like him I keep enough money in the bank that if I travel somewhere and see a tractor, cattle or something I want I buy it and ship it home. Big difference here is that yes I have cattle and farms but never depend on them for my living. If I didnt just enjoy them I would sell out and go fishing. There has been times in the past that I had to take fuel out of a tractor to put in a truck to haul cattle to market. Things have changed a lot since then.

Kenny hard times will make a fellow tighten up.
When the Mrs. and I first got married we had to move the light bulb from room to room.
I decided I didn't like that lifestyle real quick.

 

[kenny thomas]

CB, I think that is why I have done ok. I dont miss any of the bad times but am glad I know what they are. It makes me a have a different outlook on life.

 

[Nesikep]

My worst times were when I was living in the city, only had 1 day of work a week at minimum wage.. Lived out of the back of my Chevy Blazer for 3 months. Don't miss it either!, but I'm sure it was good for me... You always see the people that really lived through hard times are more down to earth, and don't b!tch and whine about everything that ain't all that bad

 

[Caustic Burno]

CB, I think that is why I have done ok. I dont miss any of the bad times but am glad I know what they are. It makes me a have a different outlook on life.

I agree, I think a lot is a generational thing as well.
My mom would have been a 100 on April 17th, that generation I was raised by didn't waste anything I mean nothin.
I know I have heard this a million times growing up, son it is not what you make but how you manage it.
Never knew you were supposed to eat beef till I was almost grown that was to sell.
We ate out of the garden, bay and woods, yard bird was a staple as well.
Mom only bought staples at the store nothing else. I have shelled purple hull peas until I never wanted to see another one growing up.
Never did mind picking figs or berries as that girl could make some fine preserves to put on a cat head biscuit.