Yesterday was an interesting day not what I expected

Anzac day lady opened car door as I was parking and my Ute is damaged.

Yesterday her insurance paid more than I expected.

I had to get 3 quotes, one from my choice of garage, one from the lady that caused the accident and one her insurer picked.

Then weeks passed and lots of calls until they paid.

I went down to my local garage and asked why the payment was way more than his quote (I'm thinking an error has been made and I'm going to have to pay it back).

Pete my local mechanic said when 3 quotes are asked for insurers ignore the lowest quote and highest and pay the middle one.

Pete's quote was the lowest the one paid was higher but he explained his quote was for second hand parts from a wreckers because he knows I'm doing it tough financially.

So the quote paid was the middle one being for new parts so was a lot higher than his.

Pete said "Your in front better use it wisely why don't you put it into advertising."

Pete overheard me discussing advertisng costs way back at the beginning of the year and knew I was saving with a goal in mind.

I've been putting a little away each week so I could take up a years advertising and after 6 months I had saved $704 but needed $770 for the lowest package (bummer so close).

Pete suggested that I not use their website and to call up and introduce myself as a new potentual customer and see if I can get an end of year introduction price.

Its like big company dosen't know I'm already a paying customer and their software didn't recognise my name, email or phone so hello I'm new.

Wow that never crossed my mind to sign up as a new customer and the result a 1/3 introductory price and 18 months end of year special which gives me 6 referals a week.

Pete suggested that he will take payments for the repairs and that I could add the insurance money, ok not comfortable but made the enquiries and then Pete asked if the 18 months end of year special could just be rounded down to 12 months but up in service how many referals will I get.

You could have picked me off the floor when 186 referals a week was the reply wow tripple the invested advertising cost and referals go from 6 to 186 a week and heres me worried and taking the cheapest option unaware of whats available for not much more money.

I respect my local mechanic as a businessman and it was great having him in my corner negotiating on my side.

Even better I have 7 days to back out and to trial the arrangment properly.

Between 2pm and 6pm yesterday thats just 4hrs I booked in more work than I worked all of last week ok not a lot I only worked 2 days but right now its 4am and I'm too excited to sleep.

1. scored a lucky break from an insurance company.

2. Then had help to negotiate a better advertising deal from a wiser businessman.

3. The advertising business offered a new customer a fantastic introductory package plus end of year 18 months for same price which got rounded up when shortened to 12 months for more referals.

4. My bill for vehicle repairs won't be any cheaper than quoted but pete will let me make payments which makes it possible to afford the better advertisng package and fits within my existing budget.

5. In the first 4hrs I booked 2 full days of work.

This time last year I was getting 2-3hrs sleep a night being financially stressed.

9 months ago I had a jerry can filled with fuel and a lighter at the bank, so out of my skull for lack of sleep I had no idea what I was doing and way over stressed after my wife and kids moved out.

I'm glad there are people that are there when we need them because yesterday was just a very lucky day where everything kinda lined up and I very nearly wasn't going to be around to experience the lucky day.

If anyone reads this and your feeling at your lowest just hang in there, I did it one day at a time or one hour, still have a long way to go and I'm learning to cope but with people in my corner I stayed and I'm glad I did.