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Archive for May, 2010

Transmission woes and the dreaded feeling of uncertainty

May 12th, 2010 at 04:08 pm


In an effort to minimize concern on the part of his pregnant wife (me), DH has failed to share that the transmission in his car (a fine 1997 Ford Windstar Northwoods minivan which we have owned for ten years) is slipping. He shared this with me this AM when I am apparently appearing "better" - he assures me it is "just when the car is cold" and the problem shouldn't persist much more given warm weather is around the corner.

We put a new transmission in this vehicle about six years ago and DH debates whether or not that one was actually needed. Regardless, it has prolonged our use these past six years.

With that said, DH then said to me the dreaded words: replacement vehicle. And that we should probably have "a plan". He is totally correct that we should have a plan. Denial is not a place that I want to be.

Unfortunately I was feeling a bit zealous about tackling debt and took half our $10K savings and put it on the debt so we could be debt free (with careful choices) by the end of the year. So our savings is now at $5K. And DH mentioned that there is some scrutiny going on at his place of employment regarding the discrepancies between his "island's" financial reports and those of the "mainland's" numbers. This might mean nothing, of course, but then again there is always the chance that he'd be let go.

Not a fun thing to think about when friends of ours are presently dealing with this and the negotiations for the husband's severence/compensation is dragging on between their lawyer and the company's legal department and they have NO money coming in. and NO savings (and he made over $200K).

So now I am back to wondering what to do about the needed car and the unlikelihood of unemployment. Money schizophrenia, here I come.