A post of cliches*

I've always tried to follow saving for a rainy day, but when it rains it pours...except I feel like it's been pouring for the past year. Is this my sign that I really have to become a full-fledged adult and accept the fact that these things happen and that's why I have an emergency fund? I don't really remember having so many unexpected expenses in my first few years post-college, but I'm probably having selective memory.

My October budget is totally blown and it's only the beginning of the month. Our stupid HOA levied a special assessment that adds up to about 4 regular payments in two months. (I really, really hate how ridiculously overpriced our HOA is, especially since they dropped free cable as part of what you get in return for your dues *right after* we closed on the house. Swell.) Maybe they'll finally remove all of the lumber that's supposed to go to updating all of the units' decks that they've been storing in the parking area directly in front of our garage since we moved in.

I finally brought my poor car in this week for half of the 30k service needed and will need to bring it in again soon to do the rest. Why does anything car-related cost and arm and a leg? (I nearly fell out of my chair when I got a $1000 quote from the car dealership when I took my car in a couple of weeks before the wedding, which was *not* a good time for it...although I probably should have just gotten everything done back then, which may have prevented the flat tire on the busy day that was the wedding setup/lunch/rehearsal -- again, *not* a good time. I vow to take better care of my car.) I'm going to try and shop around for the rest of the maintenance and see what I can learn to do myself/make DH do for me. ($60 for an air filter? AYKM?!)

Another nail in the coffin: my 3 year-old TV, all of a sudden, does not turn on. It just makes a noise like it's going to turn on to tease you, and then flashes a red light to let you it's not going to happen. Oh, the tragedy. I've tried researching online to see what the problem might be, and it looks like it will probably be at least $300 to fix, and that it could be a variety of things. Ugh. I obviously didn't do my due diligence in purchasing this TV (I got it through a friend's brother's Best Buy discount and I think it had the biggest discount or something) since I've found a *lot* of posts online about similar issues others have had with their Samsung TVs. (Granted, I probably would not have found anything bad if I had done more research then, but over-researchers like me regret making the wrong decision!) One of the links I found where someone had the same issue (don't know if it was for the same model), the TV repairman said it would be $500 (half the cost of her TV) to fix, and they wouldn't warranty the repair. I wonder what it's going to cost just to find out what it will cost to fix, and if they'll even diagnose the correct issue the first time. I feel so American consumer and un-eco friendly in saying this, but I just want to get a new, shinier, skinnier model and drop my current TV like a hot potato.

And if last night was any indication, we're definitely not doing much to reduce the dining and entertainment expenses for the month. But a girl needs to socialize with her friends!

I know things breaking down and such are par for the course , but come on! I should be an adult and stop complaining about it -- $h%t happens, right? -- but that'd be too easy. If this keeps up, I'll be as poor as dirt. I need to just take it one day at a time, and eventually these hiccups will just be another drop in the bucket.

(Oh, and I just got our property tax bill for the year in the mail. Not unexpected, just one of the many joys of home ownership I get to realize. I better get back to the salt mines to pay for all of this!)

(I count at least 11 cliches in this post.)