u/Inevitable_Jelly_391

I’m so discouraged. I got a temporary promotion at work three months ago and I’m only in the role for two more months. I had saved up my baby step #1 in May.

The first time I dipped into my $1000 was not really an emergency- my sister planned a big family vacation with about two months to plan and it was taking my parents to the place they lived when they first got married. We have been talking about this trip for 30+ years and my mom has significant health issues where they have told her her lifespan might be cut drastically short. Essentially she could go downhill and get very sick and lose her life within a few years. I wanted to do this trip while we have time with her and while she’s feeling up to it. I know I shouldn’t have used the emergency fund but I felt like that would have been a life regret.

Second time my car completely crapped out. It’s at 227,000 miles and the transmission is on its way out so when the alternator blew I knew I didn’t want to put $1,000 into fixing it.

Instead I bought my grandmothers 19 year old Chevrolet which had been babied and not driven for many years, just maintained and stored in a garage. I thought it would have a lot of life left in it, at least enough for me to continue digging myself out of this hole and get some savings for a car so I won’t have a car payment. I paid $1000 cash out of my emergency fund.

Found out the brakes were squealing (I’ve had it a week) so brought it in today and just put $821 on the brakes and rotors. They were down to the metal. And the engine light is on too. I thought it was the battery light so he said I may need to eventually replace the alternator but now with the engine light idk what that is going to cost.

I’m so frustrated. I’m trying to follow Dave Ramsey and I feel like every time I take one step forward I take two steps back. I’m getting a baby bonus in this weeks paycheck and I had some overtime, I was going to use it to pay off my next two credit cards. But now I’m going to have to use it to rebuild my baby emergency fund.

I was at $10,380 in May and now I’m at currently at $8,413 in debt so I guess I have made some headway, I’m just so frustrated because I hoped to have most of that paid off by the end of my temporary promotion in October. And I have medical debt and a personal loan I need to add to that- around $4k extra. And a fifth credit card that is in collections. Idk what to do, I feel hopeless and I’m kinda crashing out.

I bought a 19 year old Chevrolet impala (2007, V6, 166,765 miles) that has a brand new (week old) battery. It just threw up a battery light day before yesterday. It drove home from work fine then to/from work fine. Had it looked at today and mechanic claimed battery light didn’t come on when he checked it and he drove it around to see if there were any issues with it and didn’t find anything wrong with the alternator.

He said it’s possible there’s an underlying issue with the alternator but I basically just have to drive it until the problem presents itself.

I’m having a lot of anxiety that I made a bad purchase even though I bought it from my grandmother who has kept it in great condition and in her garage. I spent $1,000 on the car, paid cash and just put $821 into the brakes as I could hear metal hitting metal. I’ve had the car about a week.

My question with the battery issue is- is this car even safe to drive?

Come on Mary, come on Lloyd get with the 2000s we need to check our schedules and go on vacations

I have some employees hitting a hard time in their lives and I want to support them but I don't know what would be crossing the line into inappropriateness. A card? Homemade banana bread? I have no idea but my heart is breaking for some situations but I also don't want to be inappropriate. I'm new at this. I have given as much support as possible as far as being very supportive on taking days off, being generous with coding things as sick and bereavement as much as possible without any pressure to not miss work, etc. Letting them know about other resources the company provides. Not sure what else I can do.

Now I have to manage him and he’s being a little bitch.

What do I do?

For one person? I don't want to fill out the form and give them my info so they can harass me if I can't afford it. Just give me the cold hard numbers!