Car and Computer Troubles

These past few weeks have been insane. I am returning to my original attack plan because my previous Step 3 has had complications and I can't focus on it for the moment.

HOWEVER, there have been frustrating car and computer issues to deal with in the meantime. I went to visit my sister and her family this past weekend and I had a great time. Before I left though, my "Check Engine" light went on. I also have a headlight that's been out for a while so I decided to get that fixed. I was going to do it myself, but the Walmart I went to provided the service, so I took it.

Fortunately for my safety, the mechanic noticed and showed me that a front tire had a bulge in it. It likely was a result of my car being "tapped" by an unobservant driver. Then he showed me that the back tires had nearly worn through the tread. My smartest course of action was to get all new tires in addition to the headlight replacements. Now, I'm glad it was noticed before I was driving in the middle of nowhere, and I had almost all the money to cover the cost from my car sinking fund.

Yet then when I went to my appointment to have my car looked at, the warning light turned on because my oxygen sensor needs to be replaced. Doing so will cost about $200, so that's a further expense for me to pay later next week.

And then unfortunately, as I've said about my computer hard drive dying--my brother couldn't fix it, so he referred me to a data retrieval company. I just called today and got a lovely high quote plus parts if needed. Yippee.

Then fortunately again, I just filed my taxes and will get almost enough to cover the cost of getting my computer fixed. So there's that, but I was desperately hoping to use that tax return money to pay off one of my student loans.

Well, that's not happening.

But it'll be worth it to get my files back. I was stupid and didn't save a backup of my NaNoWriMo work, and that's got my most recent version of the story I'm submitting for WIFYR. Hopefully, they can retrieve my files in time so I have it. Plus there are other files that weren't recently backed up so this service is worth the cost. I just wish I didn't have to pay it.

So in conclusion, I'll be behind a few hundred in my plan, but ti's still going! My Step 2 Month Ahead budget is now back up to halfway finished! I'd change the graphic but that Excel file is on my old hard drive and it was troublesome to make. I'm not making another one, so you'll just have to wait until I get my files back.