Have had a stupid money week, anyone else?

[Beggingforsleep]

Thought after Christmas spending would stop but I’ve made one mistake after another this week and I feel sick with it.

1. Dropped a piece of mince pie on the floor and the dog got there quicker than me. £390 to get her seen by the vet on a bank holiday in case she’d swallowed a raisin (hadn’t). Will get most back on insurance but we hadn’t claimed all year so were due to get £200 back at the end of the month

2 sat on my sons glasses. £30 so not too bad but they don’t make the same frames anymore and now he’s got avengers glasses and he’s only 3. Why are all toddler glasses branded?! He has no idea who these people are and isn’t in to superheros at all.

3 dropped my headphones in the road without realising and they got run over. Not replacing them for a while so dog walks will be more boring/mindful

4 forgot to pay for airport drop off when I gave my DM a lift on Boxing Day (it was 6am, I was very tired) so now waiting for the PCN which will be £100 reduced to £60 for early payment.

I feel a bit sick at it all, nearly £500 in seven days. Hoping the start of a new year will stop it all. It better had!

Can anyone make me feel less stupid with their own financial mishaps since Christmas?!

Ugh I hate weeks like this. It’s over now, draw a line and move on. And maybe list something for sale on eBay

I heard Josh Widdicombe /Rob Beckett say they call this "idiot tax". Stuff you just have to put down to life every year. It sucks though. Im sorry

I think it's Josh widdicombe's dad that says you need to budget £1000 a year on idiot tax (not actually calling you an idiot!). This way when you pay out for silly things that you don't want to you can rationalise that it's out of that budget pot!

It's so annoying.

🤣 cross post!

I've always been great full for January thinking things will get cheaper.

In reality though I find Feb until sept the cheapest months for some reason.

Every other months there's always something and I'm always worrying!

If I got away with £1000 idiot tax I’d consider it a brilliant year! I pay a hefty ADHD tax, which usually includes a minor injury or three.

Hopefully your bad luck will leave with the old year.

I’ve always been curious as to why people rush to the vets so quickly over such minor things. Is it a townie thing? It seems only my townie friends are like this.

God, yes, my ADHD tax bill is huge. 😣

OP, sorry you've had a shit week. Hope it gets better. X

Mine was pre Xmas op. My car broke down to so I retreated to a soft play with my DC whilst awaiting the RAC as it was freezing. In the mean time the police towed it away costing me £150 to get it released and a further £40 to get home by taxi.

Hope things improve for us in the new year!

Oh yes.

I somehow spent £90 on a dress in the sale which then appeared new on Vinted for a fiver. Have bought the Vinted one in the hope that I can return the "sale" version, but the refunds policy on the website in questions sounds all rather iffy.

Here are my mistakes this week:

1. accidentally drive thru airport drop off instead of going to the car park - did not stop Paid the £5 the next day but am sure I will get a fine
2. Had tickets for a show on Boxing Day - Thought there would be a couple of trains (train strike) as there usually are but there weren't any - emailed the theatre too late so lost £180
3. A couple of weeks ago bought cinema tickets to see Matilda but got them for that day instead of the next day - again too late for a refund- £40 (!) My 'idiot tax' will be going up this year

One of my realisations during my commute in 2022 is that me and expensive earphones are not compatible.
Now I have 3 sets of cheapy ones and 3 phone adapters from our friends at Amazon.

Idiot tax is a great way of thinking about it 😂

I definitely have a saving pot for unplanned expenses which include fines and things I've broken 🤦‍♀️

Dropped my iPad. £110 to replace the screen

DD2’s iPad stopped charging 3 days ago, not so much an idiot tax, but still an unwelcome cost so close to Christmas.

My plan for this year is to try to be more organised.I often end up buying replacements as I don’t know where things are, one example is that I couldn’t find DH’s log book for his old motor bike, so had to pay £25 for a replacement so I could SORN it

A raisin? Are you kidding? My dog once ate a whole Christmas pudding filled with raisins, it never occurred to me to take him to the vet 😂 he was fine. Think you could have saved £390 for sure.

Raisins can be extremely toxic to dogs, as can grapes. It can cause acute kidney failure.

I wonder this too. My dog ate a whole mince pie and I did not even consider taking her. Although when she stayed at my sons she managed to get into a big bag of chocolates and ate loads, she started being sick so we did take her to the vets as it’s was a lot of chocolate.

suppose depends on size of dog.

Yup just spent approx 100 on a dress for festive do with work.

Need a hair straightener-135

Last time got my hair done in salon and spent £60 and it was crap. So will do my own from now.

They have NHS glasses unbranded. You have to usually ask.

Gosh what a run of bad luck! It can only get better...?

I have a 'rolling with the punches' budget just for these things. Makes me feel a little better having to not raid elsewhere. Only a little though!

My car wouldn't start two days before Christmas and it's still languishing in the garage.
Suspected fuel pump issue has now become electrical. I am due to return to work Tuesday and have no transport nor any idea what said issue is going to cost- mechanic not answering phone as severally short staffed due to illness.
I am worried sick about it all.

Also, car broke Xmas Eve on way to in-laws down south. Cue Christmas at home and dash to Tesco before shops closed. No garages open until Tuesday to assess the damage.

Washing machine has been broken since mid Dec, numerous trips to laundrette later.. it's being fixed Thursday, again no idea of cost yet. Need to change 4 double beds but can't face them hanging around... ☹️

We've all been quite sick and run down here so been ordering in food and generally being a bit careless with money. Nothing too bad but also going to be down a bit in wages due to calling in sick for a few days. Will need to get back on track next week.