Is there a prize somewhere for me?

[Mickey'snewestfan]

For the stupidest reason for blowing your budget and using a credit card you swore not to?

I am trying hard to stick to a strict budget, and have figured out my expenses for this paycheck down to the penny. I have some money in savings, but I lost my ATM card so I can't access it when the bank is closed (new one is enroute). I do have a credit card, but that's for EMERGENCIES ONLY. Laundry is not an emergency right? It's a pretty predictable expense.

So, last night I went to do laundry. I had $4.45 on my laundry card, and in my complex a load of laundry is $1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry, so I carefully sorted out the one load of laundry I budgeted. I put every single pair of underwear I own into that load, having already changed into my P.J.'s. I put the clothes in the wash (along with my only pair of shoes, I swear I am cheap), poured laundry soap all over them, put the card in, pressed the button and took the dog for a walk (yes, barefoot, in my P.J.'s but they're actually old sweatpants and a shirt and it was really dark so I figured noone would notice).

When I came back 1/2 an hour later I realized that I had accidentally pressed the button for the dryer, instead of the washer, and had invested $1.50 in drying air.

Now, my only shoes and all my underwear are covered with laundry soap, and are all comingled with my son's smelly soccer clothes, so I HAVE to wash them. My son's super allergic to mold so drying things in the apartment just isn't an option, and I have $2.95 on my card (washing and drying a load is $3.00). The machine to add money only takes credit cards and in increments of $10.00.

So, now I have $10.00 in debt thanks to my own stupidity -- my shoes are sparkly clean however!!

What's the stupidest thing you've ever blown your budget on?

 

[smileycrissy]

That was a good laugh. I'm sorry about the accident but at least you got a funny story out of it.

Unfortunately I don't have a story on blowing my budget on something silly. But I just wanted to thank you for the laugh.

 

[pigletto]

Oh that one is frustrating isn't it?

Mine would be last week at Disney when ds got sick and had to go to the hospital
The reason it was stupid.. I had carefully planned out our souvie money and left it for the last few days. DS got sick and I had to make some phone calls home to tell the pet sitter we might be late, call my parents and my inlaws.

5 phone calls totalling less than 23 minutes all together cost me over 120 dollars because I didn't look at what they charged for long distance phobe calls in the room

I swear to you.. one phone call to Canada (listed as 2 minutes on my itemized bill .. I left a message) was 19.95. That pretty much ate what was left of souvie money. I'll live, but because it was such a stressful time I didn't even read the stupid card beside the phone that said long distance calls get a 55 percent surcharge. I'm so disappointed in myself.