Sassy Cents

I thought about what to write this week. Usually the ideas flow freely and I have several of these things written out in advance. Today, it’s more difficult.

I don’t want to beat the proverbial dead horse, but I feel I must convey to all of you the importance of getting your financial house in order.

If you are on a budget and following it, then when life throws you the curve ball – you will be ready.

I explained the ‘oh crap’ factor a couple of weeks ago. People, we are still living it four weeks later. You have no idea when an emergency is going to rise up and bite a big fat nasty chunk into you.

Be prepared. At least be financially prepared.

I am writing this sitting in the hospital. We are waiting on the THIRD surgery/procedure for my daughter in four weeks.

I can do nothing but laugh at this point thinking about the cha-ching racking up as we speak.

The last thing I want to worry about is if or how I’m going to pay for this and we still have one more scheduled surgery to go.

My daughter needs my attention, my full attention. I can’t give her that if I’m stressing over the money part of this. She needs to have me strong and supporting her during this time with all these things happening to her.

By having my budget in place I know what I’m in for. Bring it! Am I writing them a check for the whole enchilada at one time? Um, no. But I know I have the ability to pay it and I can focus on the most important thing which is my kid.

‘AND’ having an emergency fund helps gives me that peace of mind!

Get on your budget and work it- live it- breathe it. You won’t be perfect all the time, I’m not! But by my telling my money what to do I have the control. I also know when crap happens its not the end of the world.

As I talked about before, know your your insurance plan. Know it inside and out. Once you demystify the mysterious it’s no longer a weight looming over you. You are in control.

A nice lady from the hospital business office called me the other day to make ‘arrangements’. Guess what, she had me owing twice what my insurance company said I did, which is more than my catastrophic cap. So I knew it was wrong.

She kept insisting this was the amount I owed. The conversation ended with the nice lady saying she would call my insurance company.

Don’t blindly take someone’s word for what you owe. ‘Know’ what you owe.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or tell someone they are wrong.

If you are going to freak out, freak out over the things out of your control. Your budget is not one of those things..