Stuck In The Middle? What’s your number?
Have you seen the TV show "The Middle"? It's on ABC, Wednesday nights at 8PM (I think).
It centers around a middle class family in Indiana. Mom sells cars and dad works a couple jobs including one delivering snacks. I think his other job is in a quarry. You can tell I'm a devoted fan! They have three kids, two of whom are in high school and the third in grade school.
In last weeks episode mom accidentally paid $200 for face cream. She thought the label said $20 and she didn't check the receipt as she was signing it.
If I had a nickel for every time I didn't check the receipt amount, I'd have a whole bunch of nickels but I've never had a situation like this, fortunately.
She tried to return it, saying she hadn't used it but her fingerprint in the cream gave her away.
Once dad found out about it, he was naturally upset. This mistake would mean the property taxes would be late and he'd have to see if he could get another shift delivering snacks. He also gave mom the silent treatment for a couple days despite her sincere remorse and the fact that she got a second job too.
When the silent treatment was over we discover he wasn't so much mad at her but upset at the fact that a $200 error was enough to put the family in a tail-spin.
He figured they'd be farther along (financially) at this stage in his life and was disappointed to be where they were.
This was certainly "a heavy" topic for a sitcom but my guess is it's an all too common situation for a lot of people.
You?
Of course, we don't get a detailed look at the family finances but we can assume there is a lot of credit card debt they have hanging over their heads. I'm sure there is a mortgage, car loans and a college education or two to worry about in the all too near future.
So in this case their "extra stress #" was $200. Have you ever considered your "extra stress #"...the amount of money in an unexpected expense that would create a problem for you?
Speaking of Indiana, this coming Saturday
January 22, 2011 I'll be interviewed on
radio station WHME South Bend, IN at
9AM EST.
If you don't live around there you can
listen live at:
www.whmefm.com