Tip: The Rainy Day Fund
Recently I had to go to Chicago for a two week inpatient hospital stay. The good news was that it seems to really have helped with the ‘frequency and intensity’ of my illness. (Don’t you hate how doctors use that phrase?) Anyway, I’m glad I have health insurance, and while I haven’t gotten the bill, I’m pretty sure my co-pay is going to set me back a good semester’s worth of tuition. (I keep telling myself it’s worth it!) Knowing that I was going to be putting so much money into the bill, I really couldn’t afford much else and was graced by kind friends who took me in while I waited before and after my stay in the city.
The hospital recommended that significant others or family members join me at the hospital and I sure could have used my boyfriend’s support! The problem was, how was he going to afford an impromptu trip to Chicago? When vacations aren’t exactly in the budget, flying at a moments notice halfway across the country, for a week or two isn’t either. His bill would be dwarfed by mine, but still – he’s got his own fair share of bills to deal with and while it would be nice to have him out there, it wouldn’t be necessary.
To make this story short, here’s what we did. Over the past year we had been selling random things on Craig’s list. I had a couple of small canoes, he had a set of wheels and some stereo equipment. We had been planning on going somewhere with our savings, but it turned out to be a good rainy day fund. I told him to use the money for a plane ticket, travel expenses and anything else and to not worry about the money. Having him out there was so much more important to me than any dream vacation. Having him not worry about money meant he could focus on what he came out to Chicago for – which was to be with me. I was so grateful for him and for our rainy day fund.
-Amy-Beth Maran, © 2007 Butyoudontlooksick.com
