Every now and then everybody needs something in life to remind them they're not perfect. As one of my professors says, "It's for your sanctification." Well for me, that was today....
When you're low on income you try to take every shortcut you can. So when the "Oil Change Required" warning came up on my car, rather than spend $25-30 at a Quick Lube place I swung over to Walmart to pick up a filter and enough oil to do the job myself. This warm sunny day I gathered my tools and equipment convinced I could score an easy victory and call it a successful afternoon. After all, I've changed my own oil before so I knew what I was doing, and plus I was being financially responsible. I emptied my oil pan without too much of a mess. The filter was off and the new one back on easy enough. I confidently refilled the tank with my new oil proudly considering the efficiency of my accomplishment. I started the engine and hit the system check button on my dash. That's when I heard the awful sound. It was just a computerized beep tone, but it was a beep that meant something was horribly wrong. The message read "Oil Pressure Low" and a glance to see the pressure gauge bottomed out confirmed it. That could only mean one thing. I quickly turned the car off and went around the passenger side to see, sure enough, 5-quarts of brand new oil streaming down the inclined parking lot. I quickly spent a whole roll of paper towels mopping up as much as I could hoping nobody would drive by.
A humbling hour and another 5-quarts later I finally got my car back in working order. It turned out I didn't notice the old gasket was still stuck on when I screwed the new filter on so it didn't make a solid seal. Fortunately, it was an easy fix. Unfortunately, I didn't end up saving any money after all. At least it's a mistake I won't make again, so maybe it will pay off in the long run.
Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts
I realized there was one tip that I forgot that I remind myself of all the time so I need to add it in...
- 6. The cheapest one is the one you already have - Whether it's a car, a guitar, or just a pillow, we always want something better than what we have. Advertisers are great at convincing us that what we have isn't good enough for some reason or another. If what you have meets your needs then don't make a need out of a want.
On Sunday, the pastor defined contentment as knowing the difference between wants and needs. Paul writes, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." I wonder if part of that secret of contentment involves an understanding of our heavenly citizenship and the temporal nature of our belongings. Never hear about that in a marketing campaign.
In this time of financial ambiguity everyone's offering their top 10 ways to save money and whatnot, so I thought I'd chime in with my own helpful tips for those avid shoppers out there. Here's my top 5 practical suggestions on how to spend less money when you go shopping:
- Don't go shopping - Not so obvious for some.
- Make a list, and if it's not on the list, don't buy it - Determine ahead of time what you really need and stick to it. Don't let slick advertising or point-of-purchase marketing convince you into buying something you don't need. Carry your list in your hand as a reminder, if it goes in the cart, it better already be on the list.
- Don't bring extra money "just in case" - These days it's a tough suggestion to shop with cash, but it really will force you to think about how much you're spending. Determine how much you're willing to spend ahead of time, then only bring that much. That'll keep you from extra frivilous purchases that you don't really need.
- Get in and out; don't browse - For all those window shoppers out there, it's way too easy to convince yourself you need something when the sale tag is staring you in the face. Sales are made for suckers. Reality check: you don't need it, you just want it. Refer to #2.
- Seriously, reread #1 - Find a hobby that doesn't require you to go out and spend money. If you're lamenting that you don't have enough money to go shopping, it's probably because you've spent it all shopping. Then when you really do need something, you don't have money because you've spent it all on stuff you didn't need but couldn't resist.
