Wednesday, December 12, 2012

A Change in Plan

Each month I carefully craft our income and budget line items.  I double check my math and hope for the best.  This month, this already crazy-busy-extra-stuff-to-buy month, my husband throws a wrench in my plan.  Instead of the two reliable unemployment checks he is planning to do some painting for his parents.  I figured he would spend a couple days over there, move some boxes and furniture and toss a coat of paint or two on the walls.  Maybe he'd pocket $150 bucks or so and that would be it.  And I told him it was not going to work in December.

I'm struggling to accept the fact that this is going to happen with or without my consent.  GJS is having these frequent phone calls with his folks and planning on spending hours and hours painting, like 25-30 hours.  My husband isn't exactly a speed demon in getting things done.  And instead of a fixed lump sum, his parents are going to pay him $15 per hour.  In theory, this will mean GJS will make more doing this job than he would have gotten from an unemployment check that week.  I don't like the uncertainty.

First off, who knows when GJS will actually finish this painting job.  If he doesn't finish it at approximately the same time as he would have received an unemployment check, we're going to be in trouble for paying bills this month.  Plus, we are at the mercy of his parents and when they'll cut the check.  More uncertainty.  And finally, shouldn't a son just help out his parents?  I don't like the idea that we pay family for favors.  That is not how I believe families should operate.  So for now I'm hoping this will somehow work out but I'll be extremely grumpy if I have to dip into our emergency fund to pay for our expenses this month.

1 comment:

  1. Lol "speed demon!" Maybe you can call him that after the marathon ;0)

    ReplyDelete