The importance of a buffer.

It's been said many times before, but don't underestimate importance of a buffer, (cash or fast access to funds).

We've been happily trucking along fine and dandy the last few years, then in the last 6-8 weeks.....

1 - IP2 - Main drains collapsed, 30 meters of old pipe excavated and replaced. Fun times.

2 - IP1 - Shower valve disintegrated, valve and pipes are in-wall, tiles and the works to come off to get access for a new valve

3 - PPOR - Plastic skylights in garage roof break-apart in a storm, all needed replacing

4 - Dog - Our Great Dane was diagnosed with bone cancer, leading to a complete amputation of one rear leg and 4 to 6 rounds of chemo. Thankfully, the insurance has paid 80% so far but we didn't know until we claimed whether they would pay out at all, we had to make the decision to do what we could for him on the assumption we'd be paying ourselves. Actually, there's another thread - pet insurance, get it! So far, with this cancer alone his bill is toward $20k, and that's on top of about $8k in bills from the year before.

5 - PPOR - Our electrics flickered and tripped, called United, they came out and condemned the house and cut us off. Had to put in a new 3 phase connection to the house and re-wire down the to meter, meter was re-fitted and new RCD switchboard in the house. They cut us off at 6pm on a Monday night in the middle of a storm, with Emma sick in bed with flu and the dog vomiting everywhere from his first round of chemo, the parting words form the UE guys were "good luck getting a sparky to fix that lot". Oh, and my wonderful (miserable) neighbor wouldn't let me run a cable from her outside point to keep my fish tank alive and the fridge cold. Thanks neighbor, I'll be sure to return that favor!

6 - PPOR - A week later I noticed the vverandaroof sloping, further inspection shows the posts holding the roof up, and indeed the whole front porch sub frame has essentially disappeared. Rotted away. New stumps, sub frame and deck required and new posts to hold up roof. The house is 100+ years old and a heritage overlay, so we need a heritage planning permit (currently underway), plus a building permit, plus an owner builders license as none of the deck builders that quoted are licensed builders.

7 - IP3 - PM called this morning, shower tiles have popped off. Plumbers checked, walls are wet - tiles to come off, walls cut out, re-wall, water proof and re-tile

So, in the space of about 6 weeks we've probably spent the equivalent of buying a new luxury car.

We're pretty conservative/risk averse so had a decent cash buffer, but it really made me think that none of the above is particularly unusual. It's a bummer that it's all gone at once, but if we hadn't had some reserves there's enough there in 6 weeks to have potentially sank us, or put us back significantly.

Cheers.

 

Good reminder. Thanks.

 

OMG, chin up and best foot forward is all I can say.

 

Cheers. Not dwelling on it, best foot is always forward - it's a bugger for sure, but that's life.

Posted mainly as a reminder/warning to get/keep your buffers healthy folks.