There is a whole list of Murphy Laws. Things like, "if things can't go wrong, they will".
Well I heard a new one this morning. If you come into some extra cash (you know, a tax stimulus rebate or an unexpected gift), your house knows it. Your house will develop a plumbing problem, the roof will leak or an appliance craps out. How does the house know this? Maybe Murphy's Laws are involved.
There is a corollary axiom to the house knowing you have extra cash. Your car knows it too! If you have extra money, a water pump starts leaking, a battery dies or windshield wipers stop swiping.
Oh yeah, there is another corollary axiom. The family knows when you have extra cash. Summer league soccer costs $90 or the dentist recommends immediate braces.
I don't have a magic solution for this phenomenon. Somehow you've got to make sure the house doesn't know you have extra cash. You've got to deceive the car also. And never, never tell the family when you have extra bucks. "Squirrel" the money away quietly.
In the end, you can't beat the system. The world is going to get your "extra money". Strange how that happens! I think Murphy was a pretty smart guy.
Love,
Dad