Expensive financial mistakes

[snowwite]

I figured it out 24 hours before the flight when I tried to check us both in ( southwest). When I tried to do his it gave an error it was too early. I called Southewest to change his flight to one day earlier. That cost me about $150 extra for the flight difference . . My husband took it better than I did , but it was my mistake.

Ugh. I’ve made errors booking before but Delta allowed me to correct it

 

[CBMom01]

I just found out that I’ve received a very large traffic infringement notice. I’m in Australia so I won’t go into the details, but it was a big mistake and there’s clear video so it’s highly unlikely I’d be successful in any type of appeals. I don’t really remember what happened but life is crazy right now so let’s just call it an absent minded moment and thankfully no one was hurt.

The thing that’s bothering me most of all is how much of a waste of money this is. I’m fortunate that I have a healthy emergency fund and can pay it without causing any major difficulties. But I also budget carefully so I can do fun things like Disney trips.

I was trying to work out how to find some extra money in the budget to give myself the excuse of taking an expensive cruise next year (additional income isn’t an option as one job is exhausting enough). I’m now really frustrated with myself for making this mistake and what it’s going to cost.

I’m interested in how others have managed this type of thing. Less from a budget sense in terms of affording the $ and more from the I’m annoyed with myself for messing up sense (I’ve a clean driving record and not even a parking ticket after 20 years - definitely a rule follower).

Has anyone else made any expensive mistakes that were in your control but you messed up anyway? How did you move past it? I’m asking here as I assume many are similarly cautious on this board so might have gone through something similar.

Being human, I’ve made all sorts of big mistakes. Will make more. Everyone does. Don’t beat yourself up.

 

[ozliz]

When I was a young adult and REALLY struggling- I was stopped at an intersection where there was a specific light for turning left. I waited for the entire cycle of other directions to go around twice and the left turn was NOT turning green for me. It was about 4 in the morning, so I was the idiot sitting at a completely empty intersection in a smaller town waiting for nothing. So I went on a red light. And out a police officer came clearly waiting for someone to make this exact judgement call. Before that I had a perfect record, and the cost of that ticket was more than my entire grocery budget for the month. Plus it raised my driving insurance by enough to cost the wages of 4-5 hours/month at my job. It was terrible and so unfair.
I just had to give it time to get over it. I've always thought so many of these fines are unjust when you look at lower income people who are not able to afford them but are also less likely to have the resources to fight them. Even just the ability to take a days off, I couldn't risk missing out that much income to go fight the ticket.

One thing I’m grateful for is something like that doesn’t change our insurance in Australia. But we have cameras everywhere and in some states the fines from cameras targeted at catching mobile phone use while driving are $1000+.

 

[mistysue]

One thing I’m grateful for is something like that doesn’t change our insurance in Australia. But we have cameras everywhere and in some states the fines from cameras targeted at catching mobile phone use while driving are $1000+.

WOAH- that is crazy.

 

[punkin]

In a situation like yours where you say you have the money to pay for it, I like to pay it off as fast as possible so I can move on and forget about it. It doesn´t sound like you´ll be repeating this, just try to forget it; there ´s nothing you can do now.

My mother used to say if you have a problem that can be solved with money and you have the money... you don't have a problem.