Dealing with unexpected expenses
We’ve all had that sickening, sinking feeling. The geyser has burst and it’s the middle of the month. Money is extremely tight lately, so how on earth are you going to pay for the new geyser and repairs to your carpets?
When you have a baby, those unexpected expenses seem to creep in even more. You didn’t budget for other children’s birthday parties, emergency visits to the doctor and other household catastrophe’s.
Yes, most of us have some form of insurance, but when last were you able to submit a claim, without having to pay up front?
So what should you do when you’re faced with a bill totalling a few thousand rands?
Don’t avoid the debt
Putting the bill into a drawer and hoping it’ll go away is not going to solve your problem. It will only compound your problem, as you accumulate interest and face being listed with the credit bureau.
Instead deal with the matter immediately. Phone up the accounts department and ask if you will be allowed to pay that bill off over two or three months. Then stick to that agreement. Set reminders on your mobile phone or write it down in your diary.
