Frugal Village Forums banner

How do you keep "Murphy" from ruining your attitude?

2K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  ladytoysdream 
#1 ·
Life happens, Murphy visits, how do you keep it from making you feel stalled on your debt reduction/ budget keeping attitude?

Debt reduction was off to a great start. Feeling like it was something that could be accomplished.

Today I received a small paycheck from a job I did a two month back. :)
Had great plans for it. Most likely, it was going to be extra on debt which was making me super happy or it was going to get a need (if the clearance sale and right item can me along at the same item).
Then I headed down stairs and find that the sewer backed up. :(
So...

I'm waiting on the plumber and the cost involved with that.

Trying hard to remember that it is great that I received the job paycheck today and that it will be easier to pay the plumber cash.

But how do you keep from feeling like Murphy is out to thrall you in your debt? How do you pick yourself up, dust your self off, and start back on the debt reduction plan after Murphy visits/ after life happens.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Life happens....or I should say..."Murphy happens".

Dust yourself off..and start over and be thankful that you DO have the cash to pay the plumber.

It's a big joke at our house...we just start getting ahead...and the dryer dies....or the water softener dies...or the washer takes a dump.~it all has happened to us within the last 2 years.
so..we start over..and we're thankful that we COULD buy the new dryer and pay cash.

We just DO it. I mean..what's the alternative?? Quit?? I don't think so.
 
#3 ·
How do you pick yourself up, dust your self off, and start back on the debt reduction plan after Murphy visits/ after life happens.
I'd love to tell you that I just let Murphy's antics roll off me like water off a duck's back. But I'd be totally lying.

My first reaction to a financial setback is quick anger. I get over it pretty quickly, though, because I'm getting too old to get too upset over things I can't control.

After my tantrum, which I always pitch, :blush: then I look at things with a calmer attitude and determine what I have to do.

It also helps that I'm a complete pessimist. ;)
 
#12 · (Edited)
I've decided that I will allow myself a poopy attitude/mood as long as my basement smells poopy.

Thanks for letting me know that Murphy doesn't roll off everyone's back like a duck's back.
 
#9 ·
Love the joke idea and the pray when it pours.

We joke about that and warranties expiring. We still having told our truck now 10 years old that it's factory warranty is over. LOL

Although our tv knew and it was nice enough to break a few weeks before it's warranty was over so it became as good as new right after it expired. Good tv Good job!
 
#7 ·
I feel your pain. Sorry about that.
Murphy always 'knows' who has a tiny bit extra funds, then he goes there.
Sometimes it is discouraging, but I just deal with his visits & work harder on the 'sinking' funds.
I'm still confused on what a "sinking fund" is?
 
#6 ·
Murphys been kicking our butt a lot lately, but I don't stop trying...

We've had some blows lately that are really hurting us, but we'll take care of them and move on.. I might fret for a few hours, maybe the day, but then I let it go..

We have an unexpected $78 coming out of hubbys check a month for the next 5 months of 6 months.. I was VERY:furious: in the beginning, cos' it wasn't our fault and if the person that caused it was in front of me it wouldn't of went well, but can't do anything about it, so just move'n on..
 
  • Like
Reactions: imagine
#8 ·
i go into my room alone -,maybe scream into my pillow-maybe hit my pillow and sometimes have a good cry in the shower - its amizng how a good 10 minute private pity party can renew you and get it all out of your system so you can get back on a positive thought track again .
 
  • Like
Reactions: imagine
#10 ·
Our shower broke too a few days ago. LOL

It does a high pinched whistle that makes anyone want out fast and fixing it didn't fix it either it just started whistling a different tune. The children have asked it if it takes requests. LOL
 
#13 ·
Used to get angry and or cry when Murphy came to visit. Now we try to focus on "how can we fix this WITHOUT using the credit card?" lol

Never ever talk about "extra" money in front of your appliances! They can hear you! Right now my garage door opener and the 12 year old frig are fighting over who gets to break next! lol
 
#16 ·
I stomp on Murphy, open the door and kick him out! Literally! I am very competative so there is no way in he!! Murphy is going to beat me!

On a side note....be thankful you have something to break down. :hugz:
 
#17 ·
Question everyone says be thankful I have something to breakdown. Doesn't everyone have a sewer line? You know that pipe/drain that all waste goes in on it's way to the city waste plant. (or spectic tank)

love the mental picture of you literally kicking him out.
 
#18 ·
I use 'Murphy visits' as a way to remind myself why we're working so hard to get rid of, and stay out of more, debt. After a good cursing under my breath and sometimes a tear or two, I try to remind myself when we're debt-free Murphy will barely be a blink on our radar in most cases!
 
  • Like
Reactions: imagine
#19 ·
My father used to lament all the time when something, anything negative happened - a real fun person to be around. I could never understand why he got so emotional about things that just happened.

Thankfully - as I've gotten older - I've had the opportunity to think about these things and realize that lifing wouldn't have have meaning or substance if everything went smoothly all the time - and that we tend to always remember the downs that happen with much more energy than we remember the ups.

We get to choose how we react to everything and I refuse to let the challenges of life get me down!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: imagine
#20 ·
a sinking fund is a specific amt of money put into a seperate acct. for a specific purpose. Like car ins. My car ins. is $2400. a year for 4 people. If i put $200. a month,every month, I can pay 6 months at a time. My ins. co. discounts $200. if i do so I will start a sinking fund for it.
An emergency fund is money set aside for an unexpected expense or emergency. Like an unplanned car repair or dental procedure or funeral. does that help??
 
#21 ·
We try not to bring up the subject of money in front of the appliances and the vehicles. It perks up their radar real fast.

Our latest murphy was the truck I drive and parts it needed in August. I had to *borrow* money from our tax money we had set aside. Then sell some stuff on craigslist to get the money put back.

I try to be very thankful I had the EF money to use, and not pout because I have to find solutions to get it back in place.

Any extra money we have, like his OT, stays in the bank now as our EF/cushion. He gets paid every 2 weeks, and the 2 months that he gets that 3rd check, that money also stays in the bank and would get used for something we need, and not in the monthly budget. Like last winter, we bought a tri axle load of wood for the OWB.

Starting next year, I am going to set aside a monthly amount (sinking fund) for our school and property taxes. It will not be touched unless there is a big emergency. We never had a escrow with our mortgage. Which would have made things easier I suppose, but just did not work for our budget.

A emergency fund/ EF is a chunk of money set aside for emergences.
Sinking fund is a PLANNED amount of money per month or paycheck, in order, to have the money setting and waiting for when it is needed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: imagine
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top