Unfun ways to blow a lot of cash

1) Broken (wait, let me look it up) front wheel bearing on the world's lemoniest lemon of a craptastic piece of shit minivan. Surely, you may be thinking, a "bearing" isn't expensive? Aren't bearings just little balls? Ah, but you (or your friendly shmos at Goodyear) can only obtain these made-from-rare-goose-poop or something bearings as part of a "larger assembly". For $499. Good. Grief.

2) Hot water heater. Frequent visitors to our house have probably noticed an increase in body odor over the last month or so, as our showers have gotten shorter, colder, and rarer. Today, we are conceding defeat and engaging in a (cold, smelly) quest to find an adequate replacement. Quickly.

Oh, and the installation for the water heater is the same price as the heater itself! What was with the hard sell on college, parents? Clearly, if financial solvency is a factor in your career choice, you can do no better than auto mechanic or plumber.