Time and again, life presents me with another proof that for some absolutely unexplainable reason I am not allowed to have money.
Once I have any unspent funds on any of my accounts, something comes up and clears the offending surplus. This time I just didn't have a chance to shovel the unexpectedly timely security deposit refund from our previous place towards the credit card I used to pay for our vacation. That resulted in a chain of seemingly unrelated events, which, in turn, helped me to get rid of the extra money.
1. It rains cats and rats on Saturday, so we cancel our trip to Long Island, but since there is a parking spot right in front of our building I leave the car on the street overnight.
2. I totally forgot to take my car to the state emission test, of which I am gently reminded by a bright orange envelope under my windshield wiper with a $65 parking ticket.
3. I am taking my Jeep to the closest (and only one) Jeep dealership in Manhattan, (Manhattan Jeep Chrysler Dodge) to quickly get the sticker and forget about my stupidity.
4. I am informed that since I first time was at that dealership five weeks ago—I drove in for an oil change and ask them to check the brakes; my brakes were fine, but I needed some maintenance; I said yes and they performed the aforementioned procedures, which added up to over $1700 in parts and labor—my water pump started leaking and my oxygen sensor is failing the emission test.
5. The water pump was apparently handmade from plutonium, oxygen sensors they must have shipped from Jupiter, and they probably have to hire and train new mechanics for each car they service—this is the only explanation of the final bill I got ($1540 for parts and labor; not bad. I did some research, so now I know that is at least three times the charge for that amount of work).
6. Done. No more extra money, which was in all fairness very not extra.
Next time I will take my car to the shady shop with a sign "FLAT FIXED $5" and hope that the stolen part they put in will hold at least while I am making sure nobody is following me on my way home.
Once I have any unspent funds on any of my accounts, something comes up and clears the offending surplus. This time I just didn't have a chance to shovel the unexpectedly timely security deposit refund from our previous place towards the credit card I used to pay for our vacation. That resulted in a chain of seemingly unrelated events, which, in turn, helped me to get rid of the extra money.
1. It rains cats and rats on Saturday, so we cancel our trip to Long Island, but since there is a parking spot right in front of our building I leave the car on the street overnight.
2. I totally forgot to take my car to the state emission test, of which I am gently reminded by a bright orange envelope under my windshield wiper with a $65 parking ticket.
3. I am taking my Jeep to the closest (and only one) Jeep dealership in Manhattan, (Manhattan Jeep Chrysler Dodge) to quickly get the sticker and forget about my stupidity.
4. I am informed that since I first time was at that dealership five weeks ago—I drove in for an oil change and ask them to check the brakes; my brakes were fine, but I needed some maintenance; I said yes and they performed the aforementioned procedures, which added up to over $1700 in parts and labor—my water pump started leaking and my oxygen sensor is failing the emission test.
5. The water pump was apparently handmade from plutonium, oxygen sensors they must have shipped from Jupiter, and they probably have to hire and train new mechanics for each car they service—this is the only explanation of the final bill I got ($1540 for parts and labor; not bad. I did some research, so now I know that is at least three times the charge for that amount of work).
6. Done. No more extra money, which was in all fairness very not extra.
Next time I will take my car to the shady shop with a sign "FLAT FIXED $5" and hope that the stolen part they put in will hold at least while I am making sure nobody is following me on my way home.