My endlessly entertaining coworker is at it again. Last winter she learned that her roof (on the house she bought by taking a hardship distribution from her 401(k) in order to put 3% down) was leaking. She got a quote for $5k to do the real fix, or something less for a temporary patch job to get her through to summer. Since she didn't have $5k, she opted for the temporary patch.
So the year moved along -- 3-5 drinks at happy hour a few times a week, restaurant dinners two or three nights a week, manicures, massages, getaway weekends at hotels or rented cabins about once a month, lavish birthday and anniversary celebrations, new patio furniture, two separate week-long trips to expensive cities a few time zones away. Just the normal, basic things that a modern gal NEEDS in order to not be depriving herself.
Well, now it's winter again. Which means it's raining. Which means last year's temporary patch is no longer working, the roof is leaking again, and it's time to pony up the $5k to actually fix the problem. Shocker, right? She's stressed out and furious about the sudden surprise expense, which she will be "forced" to put on her credit card because of course she does not have $5k just sitting around. How could she possibly? Surely there was no way to predict this, and nothing she could have done to save up money even if she had known...