When I moved to FL 18 months ago, I brought my 9 or 10 year old washer and dryer with me. Shortly after I moved, the washing machine started spewing water everywhere. I called a repairman who came and told me the sucker was done for. It would cost more to fix than it would to replace. Ugh. Totally not in my budget.
I must have given away some of the dismay I was feeling on my face, so he offered to sell me a used washer. His company gets old Kenmore washers (supposedly made better than the new stuff) and refurbishes them to sell. So, I purchased a used washer…..because I was resistant to spending money that I hadn’t planned for.
Fast forward a couple of months and I’m feeling really unhappy with this used washer. It didn’t hold as much as I needed and wash as well as I wanted it to (i.e. cat hair in clumps on my sheets, ‘cause you know….two fur babies in the bed at various times throughout the day and night!). On top of that, the basin was a bit rusty in some of the holes, so I ended up with several things stained with rust.
I started dreaming of a new washer and dryer. In fact, I began envisioning getting one. But (insert screech sounds here), I just couldn’t see spending the money. It would mean I was dipping into the savings that I have for another purpose. Instead of living in that place of vision, I reverted to….there is not enough. Not enough money. Not enough savings. Not enough extra coming in each month. So many not enough’s.
So, I set the dream aside and came up with work-arounds to make that old washer passable. I did stuff like set it on the fastest agitation possible, use extra water and put in smaller amounts of clothes.
Last week I was happily sitting with my feet plopped up reading a book, when all of a sudden, I heard the most horrendous racket. I had my towels in washing and I knew it was that old Kenmore.
I went in to look at it and saw that it was shaking and screeching. I had no idea why. I stopped it and looked inside. I couldn’t see anything wrong. So, I started it back up and went back to my book.
It just kept going and going. Both cats had run for their lives. The curio I have near the wall on the other side of the washer was moving and my vases were clinking. I knew I had to stop the washer.
I went back into the laundry room and was hit with an electrical burning smell. Ugh. I quickly shut off the washer and knew it was done for. I had to wring out my towels by hand….boy was that fun!
I didn’t even call a repairman. I was DONE with that sucker.
At first, I felt dismay because…..hello Eunice…..still not in my budget. But I quickly remembered two things.
- I had received a subsidy from the US government that I hadn’t spent yet.
- I just got approved for 0% interest for 15 months on my Amex.
I saw that I did have the budget power to make it work! I knew immediately that I needed to adjust my thinking and get back on track.
So, I embraced the idea of purchasing a new washing machine. I began to do research to see which one I wanted. At the same time, I realized that I WANTED a new dryer too. Yes, mine still worked, but honestly, I’ve hated that dryer from the first moment I got it. I had spent the past 12 years, dissatisfied because it didn’t dry the way I wanted my stuff dry. So….I was drying my loads 2 or even 3 times just to get them dry to my satisfaction.
I went shopping and purchased a brand new washer and dryer. I used my zero interest Amex and knew that I had my subsidy to cover 70% of it.
I chose to feel excited and release the pressure I was feeling about my budget and the unexpected expense (and giving up a chunk of savings I was excited to have). I leaned in to that complete pleasure of having my sheets come out of the wash without clumps of cat fur. I reveled in the joy of only having to dry them once on normal heat. Absolute bliss.
The next morning I checked my bank account. I had received an unexpected bonus from my employer of $500! My take home was enough to cover all but $5.61 of my shortfall.
You might be sitting there saying this was nothing but coincidence. Maybe to you. But to me, it is something different. It was money showing me that it has my back. You see, this isn’t the first time that I’ve had exact or almost exact amounts of money that I needed show up.
I believe that in this instance, I needed a reminder; a gentle nudge if you will. The Universe (or whatever you consider the higher power) had heard and seen my dream of a new washer and dryer. Way back months ago my wishes and desires were made known. And even though I reverted back to my “budget” mindset, I still had the vision. It would visit me occasionally and I’d see it clearly for a while.
And the truth is, I know that I’m supported. Money is going to show up for me. Even though I faltered with the washer, the Universe came and reminded me of that once again. I am supported. There is always enough.
I’m not the only one this can happen for. You too can rest in the knowledge that you are supported. Money will show up for you. All you have to do is let it. Trust in yourself and money and keep the vision of what you want your life to be like. Put it out there, let it be known. As you build these muscles, you’ll soon see the results! There is enough money for you too.
Sherry Parks, CPA, is a Money Mindset Coach who helps women escape feeling trapped by their finances. She is passionate about helping women change mindset, emotions and actions regarding money, so that they learn to keep what they have and generate more.
Check out her 5 Steps to a Better Money Story workbook or join her women-only Facebook group Lives in Balance.