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Monday, October 18, 2010

I Get a Giggle When This Kind of Thing Happens

Oh peeps.  We are completely flat broke.  I mean, I have $21 in my banking account and that has to last me until Friday when Mr. R gets paid.  And I have three kids who eat like it's their job.  I know many people would say, but he owns his own business and you work full time...why don't you have money?  Well, it has a lot to do with priorities; for example, Mr. R was home for the first time in a while about two weeks ago, and we both got paid.  Instead of paying bills, we used that money to get stuff done around this house.  Was it stupid?  Perhaps.  But I'm glad chores were completed after years of putting it off (I have finished floors after THREE YEARS!) and I don't regret that we put some other stuff aside in order to accomplish this.  Except for now, when I'm flat broke and need to put fuel in my car.

I had a doctor appointment this morning.  I had to put gas in my car.  I decided, I'll put in 10 bucks and that will leave me $11 until he gets paid Friday.  That's a gallon of milk, two loaves of bread and a prayer.  It will have to do.  You see, we don't have credit cards anymore.  So if I don't have money in my bank account, then I just go without.  It can be scary.  This plan of not having credit requires one to be extremely diligent with their funds.  And we just weren't last two weeks;  we had both time and money at the same time, which is extremely rare.  So we took a chance, and we're paying for it this week.  Or, not paying for it, if you really think about it.

Anyway, I stopped at the gas station to get my $10 in fuel.  I popped open the gas tank, and pulled my wallet out of my bag.  My wallet fell, and a bunch of stuff fell out.  I was annoyed.  I bent down to pick up the cards and came across a card I had not seen in years; a Florida Hospital Credit Union debit card.  I looked at it, and it expired on 12/11.  Hmmm, I thought.  I wonder if I have any money on here?  I slid the card through the reader and it asked me for my pin.  Like I'd remember; I didn't even remember having this card!  I hit "credit" so I could avoid, the pin, and I couldn't believe it, but the card was approved!

I put $15 instead of $10 in my tank, and drove to my doctor appointment.  But when I got home, I called the credit union; I seriously didn't know what I had tapped into.  You see, I'm a member of the Christmas Club at work.  I have money deducted from my check every period in order to help me out at Christmas.  I was really hoping I hadn't tapped into my Christmas money, although $15 is not a terrible amount to take away.

Well, I hadn't.  I completely forgot I had a savings account.  I have money deducted from my check every week, and I thought it was Christmas money, but it was actually savings.  So the $1500 I thought I had for Christmas is only $482, which made me sad.  But I have $1100 in savings!  So I still actually have $1582 in the bank, which I didn't even realize I had!

I made a transfer from savings to checking to cover my $15 so I wouldn't bounce the transaction.  Found out I can take the $482 out on November 1 to go Christmas shopping (but I can take the $1100 whenever I want!)

I don't intend to spend the money in savings, since it really is Christmas money for the kids, but at least I know I can put gas in my car this week and not bounce a check.  God is SO GOOD!  Thank you, Lord, for making me forgetful so that my own planning can surprise and delight me!

4 comments:

Kelly said...

Woo Hoo!!! That is a fabulous surprise. Good thing you dropped your wallet.

Sarah R said...

And good thing I don't clean it out too often, either!

Miz said...

WOOOOOOT!!!!!

Jennifer M. said...

Wow! I love it when I find money that I thought I didn't have! ;)

Also, I totally get what you're going through w/ being flat broke. I used to have quite a credit card problem, so I now don't have ANY, which means I, too, have to live entirely with what's in my checking account. It means sometimes bouncing things (accidentally), and being creative with my purchases (like your $10 for weekly groceries). It's definitely not easy, but it has also taught me to be less frivolous with my money and more dependent on God. Not that I'm especially great at either yet, but I'm trying!