It’s always something, isn’t it?

If it’s not one ailment, it’s another. If it’s not one bill, it’s another. If it’s not an empty gas tank, it’s a tire that needs air. Or a patch. Or it needs to be replaced entirely.

If it’s not a scale that’s creeping upward, it’s the world’s biggest blemish that’s camped out on your face.

It’s always something, and for me these things tend to clump together at the worst possible times. A giant vet bill was paired with a thyroid biopsy bill was paired with an MRI bill was paired with a massive, summer-induced utility bill.

Anyone else besides me feel like they’re hemorrhaging cash 24/7?

It might always be something, but things happening remind us that we’re, you know, alive.

As frustrating as things can be, it’s an opportunity to budget, budget again and budget a final time. It’s a chance to reevaluate our needs and wants, to prioritize, to be realistic and to still find a way to stash a bit away at the same time.

Tonight I am thankful for the ups and downs, the moola and the mooless times, the budgeting and the dwindling stack of dollars. In everything there is a lesson, and in every lesson there is growth.