by Hope
After the heat going out right before Christmas and then again at the beginning of January, the first thing I had to address was getting heat in the house. I was able to immediately borrow some space heaters from Sunday school friends and we were able to live comfortably in our rooms while I figured out a long term solution.
I felt like I had few options and even less considering my job loss and dire financial situation. Therefore, I was just going to stick with using the space heaters and suck it up until something changes. But there was something that I hadn’t considered…the pipes in my house. Heat is used not only to keep us warm, but keep our pipes from bursting and it has already been the coldest winter since I’ve been in Georgia.
I just hadn’t though of it from this perspective. But my dad quickly pointed this out.
New Furnace for Me
Thankfully, my dad graciously offered to loan me the money for the new furnace. The total was $2,600. And the contractor was able to do it that week. So within two weeks, I had heat in my home again. And my dad, knowing my situation said that I can pay him back when I can.
Unfortunately, I did add this to my debt load. But I really couldn’t find any other way to deal with it and avoid even further expenses should my pipes burst, etc. I realize how fortunate I am to have a father who was willing to loan me that amount with no interest and timeline for repayment.
Thankfully this was the first major “emergency” I’ve had with my home since I purchased it. And hopefully with a new roof, new electric, new appliances, major work done to A/C at purchase and now a new furnace, I can avoid any additional costly issues for a little while.
Hope is a digital marketing manager and foster/adoptive single mom to five kids. She has run her own consulting company for over 15 years and took a leap of faith returning to the corporate world in 2021 to a job and team she loves! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally mastered the balance between family first and wise financial decisions.