I'm drowning and so stressed (unexpected home repairs)

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 8:35 am

I was hopeful on Rosh Hashanah that this junk was using up some balance of what was supposed to happen last year and now things will start fresh hopefully better.

Just after yk my boiler started leaking. We got a patch for now because they couldn't fix before yt but after yt the plumber will be back for another $4000ish.

My basement wall is still stripped to the concrete because this is more urgent. I put off investigating the critters in the ceiling because I didn't hear them again but now over yt we definitely heard them again and I hope it's not the kind of problem that's getting worse by the minute because there is absolutely no way I can afford a roofer right now. We just had this about two years ago too.

I'm carrying a credit card balance which I've never done in my life, and next month will not be better because I don't get paid for most of tishrei when I'm off work.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 8:51 am

And yes I'm aware that I could make more money if I work more hours or get a different job. I can't. I just can't. I'm barely coping with juggling life as it is. Dh works so intensely that I'm the only one holding up the home front. And I'm not naturally good at juggling.

I told my boss I'm available for an extra hour a day starting after yt but I'm not sure how I'll manage it and it's still not nearly enough if we keep getting slammed with an average of $1000 a week in emergency repairs.

amother

Dodgerblue

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:04 am

I just want to say I feel your pain. We are barely making enough for regular expenses. We did a small project that was supposed to be around 2000 which uncovered other issues which will probably be another 3000 plus. Another big 6000 home expense and there's another issue I'm putting off which will probably be 3000. Sharing in case knowing you're not alone helps. (Not sure how it does we still both have all these expenses lol)

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 9:45 am

amother Chocolate wrote:

Check your mezuzahs.

I was thinking of that. Though for the most part these things are normal wear and tear on a house that wasn't built great in the first place (plus other normal life events like a kid starting school and needing uniforms. And general inflation). The catastrophe is that they're all happening at once and I'm not keeping up.

I guess next time I have a couple hundred dollars I can hire a sofer.... How is that supposed to happen

sweetpotato

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 11:27 am

OP, I can empathize a ton with you. I handle all our budgeting and making sure bills are paid. It can feel like a person failing when the numbers just don’t add up. We had $15k of unexpected sewer repairs when we moved into our current house. Then two rounds of fixing sections of a leaky roof, $7.5k. Then we had bats nesting in our chimney: $4k. Replacing old pipes in a bathroom that had become unusable: $4k. I’m still paying off a 401k loan for the very basic renovations (I.e. replacing ancient wiring, installing air conditioning) we did when we moved in. We have an interest free loan from a family member that we haven’t even started paying. I have four tuition bills plus mortgage plus food and true basics that take up my entire salary. My husband is working to build a business but it hasn’t started bringing in much yet.

I have always been meticulous about not carrying credit card debt. I felt like a moral and financial failure if I did. But I’ve had to do it. I try not to beat myself up anymore. I don’t control the timing of when these expenses hit compared to my paychecks. I don’t control if and when my husband will land the client he has been trying to get, which could make all the difference (but may or may not work out).

OP, there are zero interest credit cards that you can transfer your balance to. They typically offer up to a year to pay it off without accruing interest.

Some banks offer payment plans on specific large purchases tjat allow you to break it into 6, 12 or 18 payments with either a low fee or no fee, instead of accruing interest.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 11:31 am

Please share info about zero interest credit cards. The interest rates are part of what's stressing me out.

Currently I'm even deeper in the hole than I thought because I deposited a large check that would cover a chunk of the credit card, but the check hasn't cleared yet and the credit card is due tomorrow and I have no idea how long the check will take to clear so I'm on shpilkes. If it comes through tomorrow I'm still short $800 but that's better than the $3600 I'm short now. At wits end

amother

↑ OP

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 4:50 pm

I see a lot of stuff there about reward points but nothing about zero interest. I signed up for a couple of the rewards cards recently in the hope that the cashback would help offset the expenses but I haven't reached that point yet.

I don't think we can get a heloc

amother

Cherry

Sun, Oct 20 2024, 5:12 pm

amother OP wrote:

Here’s an article that lists some of the best 0% interest cards available now and compares their terms - https://www.nerdwallet.com/m/c.....cards

I hope you’ll be able to get approved, if you got a few new credit cards recently then your credit score may be down from those inquiries.

Zero percent interest cards have been such a lifesaver to me. They’re a great tool. Just make sure to pay the minimum required amount each month - it’s a small amount but if you don’t pay it then they penalize you by taking the 0% interest rate away. Also, if you don’t manage to pay it off by the time the zero interest time period ends, transfer it to another zero interest card.