One of my original savings goals was to save up enough HBD to substantially be able to make a payment towards getting a new desktop computer, hopefully in late 2025 or maybe in 2026.

Of course, this was contingent on my existing 12-year old desktop computer lasting that long. I've been limping along for a while and periodically my graphics go on the fritz, and periodically the computer spontaneously shuts itself down... and it does not support Windows 11, and I keep getting pop-up messages from Microsoft, urging me to buy a Window 11 capable computer, because they will stop offering support for Windows 10 in the near future.

As a bit of an indication of how tenuous the situation has become, at the moment I'm up and running but the resolution on my monitor reminds me a bit of the good old days of 1024x768 screens. I limp by, as best I can. At least I have a computer, right?

I suppose the deeper lesson here is that we can make plans and save to our hearts' content, but it's almost invariable that life will throw us a curveball and something unexpected will happen that'll set back even the best laid plans.

As an illustration of all the uncertainty and unpredictability, a short while ago I had to pull out the HBD I already had in savings to help pay for an unexpected tax bill, and no sooner than that came along, we had to replace the oven in our kitchen. And now the computer I was hoping to get another 9 to 18 months out of is seriously acting up!

Saving can be extremely challenging!

Anyway, I'm going to start over on the savings program from scratch and see how far I can get. I just hope one of the first things that happens next isn't that we suddenly need to have a major car repair!

On of the drawbacks to being financially strapped much of the time is that you often have to forego the expense of "preventive maintenance" so you can buy food and other such essentials.

But I can't let it weigh me down! We have to keep trying, right?

Feel free to leave a comment — this IS "social" media, after all!

=^..^=

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