Debt diet III: The high cost of being disorganized

Over three hundred bucks. That’s how much being overbooked, overscheduled and just plain forgetful cost us this week. The first charge was a $120 interest payment on my Visa bill because I was really busy with work and ended up paying the bill four days late (it’s not like we didn’t have the money).

The second was a bigger headache - for the past six months we’ve been too busy to make a simple trip to Home Depot to buy a new drain basket for our bathtub. So last night, Dora the Explorer got sucked down the drain, dragging with her one tiny baby washcloth. Today, I wrote a cheque for $200 to Roto Rooter for pulling it out. Then there are the four packs of blueberries in the fridge because my husband and I ran out the door in a hurry this morning without confirming who was picking up what at the grocery store. We now have groceries times two (most of them perishable, like the berries).

So, we’re supposed to be saving money and yet our budget has been completely sideswiped by a lack of time and balance in our lives. And it’s not like any of these things would take time to do - it’s just making them a priority.

My conclusion? Being overwhelmed is expensive! And it gets us into time traps that cost money - like using the ATM right next to you instead of crossing the street to go to your own bank (and avoid the extra charges!). Or grabbing a cab to that meeting because your toddler threw up on your shoes and now there’s not enough time to take the bus.

In our household, I find there are so many expenses we rack up every month because, well, we don’t have time to do it differently - or at least it feels like there’s not enough time. We’ll obviously have to prioritize better to make this debt diet work. But I think we’re also going to have to get better at stopping, taking a breath and not letting the stress and day-to-day overwhelm rob us of cash that could be spent elsewhere.

The point of this blog? The lack of balance in life is not only stressful - it’s costly. Time to get organized.

p.s. my husband and I are going to Home Depot to get that drain basket.....probably on Sunday if we have time.