They're the bane of meticulous budget keepers. Expenses that
crop up unexpectedly, demanding immediate attention and
throwing the best planned budget into chaos.
The first problem is that they aren't aptly named. If you
have a category in your budget for expenses that are not
"unexpected" but "unforeseen" and have money put aside for
them, then even if the amount is a little more than expected,
it won't leave you grasping for straws to weave into gold.
"Who is wise? One who sees the consequences of his actions."
Right? So let's consider. If you send your child to school,
it shouldn't come as a big surprise that you have to buy
schoolbooks and pay for school trips. Most schools could
probably give you a pretty good estimate of how much books,
trips and extras will cost over the course of the year.
Likewise, if you buy a car, your dealer should be able to
predict, and if not him then your garage, how much servicing
your car may need over the next few years, how often and how
much it will cost, based on the make and age of your
vehicle.
If you buy an expensive outfit whose label warns "dry clean
only," (I almost never do), you have to figure the cost of
dry cleaning into the purchase and/or your clothes budget.
If you move, it isn't only the movers you have to pay but the
utility companies, the carpenters, electricians and other
service people you need to engage to adapt your new residence
to its new inhabitants.
And when we make a simcha (may these be often), we
quickly learn that one must budget for tips, replacing broken
and damaged items from the gemachs you borrowed from,
presents for people who offered their homes to host guests
[really?], additional transportation and a plethora of other
expected expenses that may be small but add up. Oh yes, and
don't forget VAT. Many people don't include that in their
quotes.
Whether we buy a home or a car, take a vacation or send our
kids to camp, have a simcha or a baby, there are many
expenses that we don't take into account, either from
ignorance (the first time) or lack of forethought, usually
due to being overwhelmed.
Everything from your teeth to your solar water heater needs
maintenance and many things from your teeth to your household
appliances will need repairs or replacement.
Take an inventory of everything you own, thank Hashem for it,
and then calculate what repairs or maintenance may need to be
done over the next year on those items.
Then take an inventory of your family. Really thank Hashem
for them, profusely, and make a list of all the
simchas, milestones and activities that they will be
engaged in over the next year. Then calculate, in
excruciating detail, how much each of these will cost.
Now take a deep breath.
You may not be closer to having the money to pay for all of
the above, but at least now you won't be taken by surprise.
It doesn't mean you still won't have unexpected expenses,
which you should put aside money for separately, but this
way, many of them will have already been accounted for.
Forewarned is forearmed and we're more likely to cope better
with our financial commitments if we can estimate what they
are likely to be.
Always consider the worst-case scenario while hoping and
praying for the best. If you put aside the deductible on your
car insurance when you first buy it and figure it into the
cost of the car (along with the alarm, radio and electric
windows), if ever you are, G-d forbid, in an accident, you'll
have it available. And if you never have to use it, you'll
have the money available for something more pleasant.
While we can't foresee every possibility and Hashem decrees
how much money we have from the beginning of the year, and
for what, we do have to do our part and take as much
responsibility as we can. If you have prophet's block, that
is, if you're not a good guesser, you can ask friends with
experience to help you or just add about 20% over and above
your educated guess as to the cost of anything.
May all of our expenses, expected and not, be for happy
occasions and may we always be able to count our
blessings.
