Turning the Obstacle Into Opportunity
We received the letter a few weeks before purchasing the tickets for the plane that takes off in 8 Days.
I was excited to get the escrow reevaluation letter!
Don’t start in the middle. Start at the beginning: 11 Days Before Takeoff
The Letter Bearing Good News!
In the past, the letter has stated that they owed us money. There were a couple times in which we had an escrow shortage. The bank would give us the option of paying the lump sum or splitting it over a year’s worth of payments. Each time, we just paid the lump sum.
I had checked in advance this time, before we ever signed to purchase the house, that we were overestimating taxes. I knew when I got the letter that it would contain a check refunding our excess escrow.
Not This Time
Was I ever wrong? I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was seeing the text clearly, that the number was correct, the many thousand dollars of our escrow deficit, thousands of dollars we now owed.
We did receive a check the previous year, a nice one. We immediately banked and blew all that cash. We paid off medical bills. Yes, let’s not go there.
Back to the Letter
My first thought after reading the letter was that I would just stay home this summer.
I’d send my wife and kid to visit Abuela, all the Tios y Tias, and all the primos y primas. We’d save the money on my ticket, care for the pup and maybe I could take on some part-time work.
Since you brought it up, I will write for food. And drink or cash.
I love Nathan Dumlao’s photo here! It had to be for a country music album.
Time To Move…
My second thought was spreadsheets.
I busted out the spreadsheets and plugged in the numbers.
We found ways to pay the lump sum, but even with paying the full deficit our payment was increasing dramatically. We love the house and the neighborhood, but did we want to spend that much on it.
The spreadsheet said we could barely afford it, but Dave Ramsey would have said it was time to downsize. Or at least move out that overtaxed county.
Living with such little margin is a crisis waiting to happen. So we decided to move.
We Decided to Move Again
According to Google Analytics, it’s highly unlikely you’ve read Finally Moved. According to Google Analytics, unless you’re me you haven’t read it. If you had read Finally Moved, or if you hop over there and read it now, you’ll see that we’ve already had our fill of packing, moving and unpacking.
Reframing the Problem
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I’m serious, give me a shout. We’ve got enough experience with all this to start a Moving Consultants Business.
Turn Obstacles Into Opportunity
Then there is The Thing that I mentioned two days ago, 10 Days Before Takeoff.
Countups vs Countdowns
It surprises me how confusing counting down can be. Many writers count up.
Post 5 of 30 follows post 4 of 30.
I’m counting down, so…
two days before today’s 8 Days Before Takeoff isn’t 6 Days Before Takeoff. It’s 10 Days Before Takeoff.
Confused? Me too! Don’t bother re-reading that paragraph. It confuses me, and I’m the one who wrote it!
Have Some Fun With It!
Highlight the confusing paragraph.
Readers will jump to it because it’s highlighted. They’ll read it over and over thinking it has to be a great line because it’s highlighted. Then they’ll read this part. If this is you, pass on the fun to the next reader.
Like uncle Eddie said in Christmas Vacation,
“It’s the gift that keeps on giving all year long.”
Plus, Google probably scanned that paragraph and thinks I’m keyword stuffing. How does a writer tell Google they’re trying to convey their confused state by literally confusing the reader?
I’m sorry, Frank McKinley.I know a good writer should avoid confusing the reader, but you know how I like to push the outside of literary device envelopes.
I Said, “Turn Obstacles Into Opportunity”
Yes, there is The Thing that I mentioned in 10 Days Before Takeoff. I can’t continue trying to keep that Thing crammed in it’s cage. It wants out. It wants to stretch and breathe and consume more. It’s time to put The Thing to rest.
We’ll turn this into an opportunity to seize my own advice from Best Way Out if You Hate Your Job and Can’t Afford to Quit and...
Longest blog post title ever?
Reduce Our Expenses
Now to finally answer the question at the end of 10 Days Before Takeoff: Why are we doing it? Why are we moving again. I’m taking my own advice.
We’re going to reduce expenses even more by downsizing the house. At the end of my beloved car’s lease term, I’ll turn the car back in. That will be just a couple months after the plane that takes off in 64 days lands back here at home.
Even though we could eek by and afford our home, we’re going to take Dave Ramsey’s (and my) advice and downsize.
Without the weight of the mortgage and the car, I can rid myself of The Thing, the heaviest weight of all.
After we move, everything is going to be great! Most things.
Next in the saga: 7 Days Before Takeoff: The Ghost in the Song. For the complete saga, follow my Summer in Spain series.
