Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge

Wednesday was a great day. I sent out a large check to my dentist. My car is clean and pretty with a new set of engine mounts. It’s in tip top shape for this weekend’s road trip. However, I certainly wasn’t expecting to replace an engine mount today since I JUST REPLACED TWO OF THEM.

Turns out the 2001 Nissan Altima has 3 engine mounts and 1 transmission mount. The yahoos at the dealer replaced the rear two engine mounts earlier this year, but not the upper mount. Why did they not tell me that I had three? I would have done preventive maintenance then and put in a new one back in the spring. Geez. Does no one do anything thinking anymore? I like to think long-term on maintenance. I realize my opal blue baby is turning 7 on November 10th, but I’m not getting rid of her anytime soon. I am annoyed that they had to charge me twice for the labor when it could have all be handled once.

The total damage was ~$1220.00. Along with the mount, the battery was low, and the left axle was leaking fluid. Because I’m road tripping with a good, but very pregnant friend, I wanted to make sure the car was 100% is great condition before we left. Her husband is a bit paranoid and I wanted to make sure he had nothing to complain about. Otherwise, I would have just done an oil change and not bothered with the full check up on 120K-mile-service. I had a coupon for 10% off parts and labor, so the damage could have been worse. The freebies were the car rental, car wash and my next oil change gratis. I also paid $30 for them to order a new part for my interior molding since it’s coming loose. They promise not to charge for the labor when they install the molding in November, when I come back for inspection. At that time, I might also do the free oil change since I am entitled to one and I’m about to put 1000 miles on the car this weekend alone.

As for the dental bill, Single Ma, I am making progress. I never did get the payment plan agreement in writing as you suggested, but I did call them today to make sure they got the first payment of $500. They said they did and that my current balance is $2366.50. I let them know a check was being sent to them today for $800.00. The balance will then be $1566.50. Just two more payments and I’ll be done with it by the end of the year.

Why is it stagnating progress? Well, I was going to make some progress on the credit card front, but because I’m throwing cash at the dental bill, the auto maintenance charges went onto my credit card. I have no spare cash right now. Zero. Zip. I am not going to abort my road trip this weekend because that would be a failure of commitment on my part to my friend showing her goats in competition and to my pregnant friend for one last yarn show before the babe arrives. I will have cash in hand though and shouldn’t come away from the road trip with much in the way of credit card charges.

I acknowledge being a crappy budgeter. But again, I’m not suffocating. It just means shifting a bit. I did pretty good this month cooking more often at home, etc. Last night I bought a can of SPAM on the way home and an orange bell pepper. I am really digging fresh homemade fried rice lately. Cheap and tasty.