If it was a typical week, you’d be reading a well-researched article on identity theft, right now. However this week has been anything but typical. Monday the plan was for my wife and I to meet at a friends’ birthday party after work. However, I got a phone call that something was wrong with our 4-month old puppy, Jake. Being the curious pup that he is, he got into some mischief that isn’t “dog healthy.” My wife rushed him to the vet and I met up with them minutes later.

The good news is that Jake looks like he’s going to be creating mischief in our lives for years to come. The bad news is that the vet bills were $350. (From a cost perspective, getting a Sony Aibo is starting to make more sense.) That isn’t the way to start the week.

On Tuesday, I was on my way to work when I saw something that looked like a soda can or a coffee can. I know there’s a big difference, but sometimes it’s hard to tell. In any event, I thought I could just go over it. It really wasn’t that high. Well I heard it hit the bottom of my car and thought, “That can’t be good.” The next day, I got the dreaded “Service Engine Soon” light. Upon inspection, my mechanic asked me if hit anything with the bottom of my car… Yep. I had knocked out some oxygen detectors which set me back another $200.

This got me thinking how people survive without an emergency fund. I would think that $550 in a couple of days could put a lot of people in financial trouble. I suppose they’d get by with credit cards. Ugh.