Ok, so this is a thread about wonderful things that have happened to you lately that have made your life a little better... I'll start with mine.
A little backstory... My fiancee and I recently broke up so I ended up in a new place. When I was living with him, he paid rent and electric, and I took care of everything else, so I was paying maybe $500 in bills total. Now, I'm paying EVERYTHING. Money has been extremely tight. I have a new live in boyfriend who takes care of the place but can't have a job due to an injury and doesn't qualify for social security. I have a roommate who is going to college but he's my buddy so I'm basically not charging him rent.
Well, a number of emergencies have come up lately. My mom was kind enough to take over my car loan for me since I took over her cell phone lines, so she's paying that in lieu of her cell bill. So her bank took $15,000 of the balance on my car, leaving MY loan with a remaining balance of $550. I have been stressing myself into a depressed heap for the past month and a half, because that leaves me with two full car payments left to pay and I have no money to pay it.
Well, my parents always explained to me that if you pay ahead on a loan, you still have a monthly payment. So if my usual car payment is $220, and I pay $500 one month, the next month I'll still have to pay $220... it doesn't push payment dates back; it basically just means I pay the car off sooner and pay less interest. All fine and good.
Well, I called SunTrust today to see about making a payment plan, and they said that their policy is to actually push the payments back. I found out that my next car payment is due in April 2012. I can pay whatever I want, whenever I want, and not worry about it.
I will actually have the ability to buy Christmas gifts this year. I can pay to get new glasses. I have fun money again. I can get my car stereo fixed. And best of all, I don't have that huge looming stress over my shoulder.