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Bad month

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bad month
3K views 15 replies 15 participants last post by  Siebrie 
#1 ·
May has not been a good month! We were nearly back on track financially, when we were informed of the following:

- our heating, hot and cold water use in the studio last year has been double what they had predicted. Please, cough up an extra € 900 ($ 1,275). The landlady has kindly picked up more than half of this bill, but that still leaves us to pay € 400 ($ 567)

- the insurance company informed us that they will not pay for the car repairs. Our car was stolen, but not in the way they define 'theft'. So, no refund of the € 850 ($ 1,205) we paid.

- the Dutch tax authorities want their € 287 ($ 407) back before July. I was given this as a help to pay my rent last year, when I had no income. I thought that when I told the tax authorities that I officially moved to Belgium they would stop paying me this money. Apparently, they just continued paying into the only bank account I do not have online access to, so I did not notice soon enough.

And finally, some good news: the company I work for initially wanted every employee to take 10 days of unpaid leave this year. They have now changed that to 'persuade' and 'unpaid leave opportunity'. Good! I cannot afford to loose half a month's salary, and will work as normal.

We'll manage, as usual.
 
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#3 ·
Ugh!!!! first off :hug2:

After that I would start with calling the heating company and the car repair shop and attempting to work out payment plans. If you're landlady makes the first large chunk payment to the heating company they may be the one you can put off the longest. As for the money going back to the government I'd be doing the rice and beans plan to get that one paid. Keep us updated and again :hug2:
 
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#8 ·
It is so hard when one thing after another hits us.... it wears us down not just financially but emotionally, too.

I am glad you had some good news... and I hope there is a lot more to follow!
 
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#12 ·
Hang in there...things will get better. :hugz:
 
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#13 ·
Sorry the month of May went so miserably. Hopefully things start looking up in June. :cheerup:
 
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#14 ·
Yes...us too.

While my son was home puking, I decided to do laundry. Broke the washer.
*thank god it was under warranty..which made it good AND bad. Good it didn't cost anything. BAD the washer was only 5 months old, and BAD that it took 2 weeks to get the part from GE.

Sump pump out by the road also died. Who knows when. $140 dollars later, it was fixed.

The LAST day of the month, ds#1 almost chopped of his finger. Much swearing..and a trip to the emergency room. $50 copay...and more money for his prescription...and I'm not sure if I'll owe more.

JUne has GOT to be better, right?
 
#15 ·
You know what I always do in situations like this? (And I have had PLENTY of months like this!)
Make a list of every possible positive thing in your life right now. Stick it on your bathroom mirror, to remind yourself of how much GOOD there isa in your life right now. IT WILL GET BETTER!!:ice:
 
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#16 ·
Well, here's June, and it's NOT better.

- according to a pre-tax calculation, I'll have to pay another € 1,350 ($ 1,900) income tax for 2008. Good news: I won't have to pay until 2010.

- for the 4.5 months we've lived in this apartment in 2008, they are charging us another € 850 ($ 1,200) in total for heating, water and gas. We're contesting this one, because it simply cannot be this much. It would mean that every shower we take costs around $ 5!! (we're already paying € 175 ($ 245) every month, the $ 1,200 is extra).


BAH!
 
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