We are being oh sooooooo tested!

[enginegirl]

I've been doing the same thing myself!! I fixed the Dryer a month ago myself! Saved a couple hundred $$! Proud of myself
a great site is FIXYA.com

[debtinohio]

It's important to save money where you can so start trying to tackle those home repairs yourself. A dishwasher is a pretty simple plumbing install and repairing or replacing it yourself is easy and cheap. The garage door (unless it's a broken spring) is also an easy fix. A microwave should just be replaced, if it is a wall-mount unit it can be easily replaced in an hour or two.

The problem is a lot of houses built in the last 5-10 years we're done fast and cheap so the problems will continue.

I see repair trucks at my neighbors houses all the time. Since a lot of the houses around me have the same systems (HVAC/etc.) I'm sure we are all having the same sort of issues now and my furnace has broken 3 times in the last 3 years each time I googled the problem and model# of the unit and found a forum of other owners with the same issue and found the repair and did it myself. My neighbors are instead shelling out a couple of hundred each time for the same issues. Most have already replaced the same units with new ones for 1000's more. I'm planning on replacing mine too but will make sure I get a solid 15-20 years out of my HVAC first (13 years old now).

Same can be done with any appliance issue. My dishwasher broke a couple of months ago, I googled "Maytag model XXX start button not working" and found the answer, ordered the part online and replaced the front control panel (a few screws and just plug it into the harness).

[chicagoannie]

We ran into the same scenario...but as I always state on here Chapter 13 is the best budget teacher in the world - it forces you to budget and stands up and slaps everyone in the face with what they were doing wrong previously to get their attention. What you need to do now is rally your family and start saving some money for when things break, blow up, go flat, leak, stop running, etc. It's not easy but you will learn habits you will carry with you for the rest of your lives. We basically ground to a halt for almost five years and did vacations at home, or for free with our good friends who's family luckily owned a beach house - we provided food for several days in exchange. We stayed home, had friends over and vice versa, bartered to get repairs done (i.e., if a friend/relative does car repairs and can work on your car, do something for them in exchange - watch their kids, mow their lawn, etc., etc.). It can be done - it's tough to make the switch to actually get up and do something instead of reach for the credit card.

When I read this I immediately thought...."this is how grown-ups live!"

[Flamingo]

We ran into the same scenario...but as I always state on here Chapter 13 is the best budget teacher in the world - it forces you to budget and stands up and slaps everyone in the face with what they were doing wrong previously to get their attention. What you need to do now is rally your family and start saving some money for when things break, blow up, go flat, leak, stop running, etc. It's not easy but you will learn habits you will carry with you for the rest of your lives. We basically ground to a halt for almost five years and did vacations at home, or for free with our good friends who's family luckily owned a beach house - we provided food for several days in exchange. We stayed home, had friends over and vice versa, bartered to get repairs done (i.e., if a friend/relative does car repairs and can work on your car, do something for them in exchange - watch their kids, mow their lawn, etc., etc.). It can be done - it's tough to make the switch to actually get up and do something instead of reach for the credit card.

It got to the point where I stated to my husband that I did not want to ever see another credit card again. However, now I do have a Visa, Mastercard and two Department store cards and all have zero balances and are used only now and then. You can and will get through all this and there is a light at the end of the tunnel - we are a perfect example of that. But it takes hard work, planning, working together and also understanding friends and family.

One thing we did to save for Xmas presents or other situations such as a baby shower, wedding, etc. was save the change from our pockets/purse at the end of each day in a large jar and count it daily so no one would take out anything (don't touch it). You'd be surprised how that adds up at Christmas time or for another situation you may be saving for.

You will see what I am saying in a few years so just buckle down and batten down the hatches and ride it out. The reward comes at the end of the ride.

[FishersMike]

LOL that is funny!

[tammygirl1]

LOL. Too Funny! I needed a laugh today :-)

[frogger]

Perhaps you should adopt my motto in life:

"If it ain't broke - it ain't mine"

[tammygirl1]

It is so crazy how many things have broken/gone out since we filed! In the past, when things went wrong it was a matter of pulling the cc out and covering it. Now that its not an option, it seems that everything is breaking on us! Our house is 5 years old (last Nov) and it seems that its all falling apart at once. Within the last week, a mouse chew threw the diswasher water tubing which flooded our kitchen twice (plumber didn't fix it correctly first call). Yesterday our microwave started shooting flames (eeek!) and burned a hole in the panel door. Won't dare use it again.. Now this morning, the garage door came off its track. Hubby thinks that can be fixed (hasnt seen it yet though). This is on top of my Tahoe's transmission going out a couple months ago and daughter's car water pump going out last month. Geez! I hope we are done for awhile...I would love to save some money. Thank goodness the check from our lawyer (overpayment of no-look fee ordered by trustee/judge) came in so that we could cover most of the repairs and replacments. But all in all, we will be fine 'cause I have my family all home for holidays and we all are healthy. As my son told me this morning, "Mamma, we are a strong family and we will get through this".
Hope everyone's holiday to be less eventful than mine.