Painful to spend nearly $4000 cash

Yes, having emergency fund is really important. It is still painful to fork out this much money in cash. It will be less painful if the contractor allows us installments.

@scheng1 I hope you will be able to pay in installments then.

We have to get the air conditioner. We do not have 4 seasons. Think Hawaii, and you will know the kind of nights we have here in our country. Even though the usage per month is low when you average it out, it still is very painful to part with so much cash. Think about it, when was the last time you counted nearly $4000 and handed over to someone? If the contractor allows installment, it will be less painful. I do think that spending money in cash is really a very painful thing.

@infatuatedbby True. If the installment comes with interest, that is more painful. This particular contractor does not even believe in check. He wants cash!

@scheng1 Yes - it is a toll. I made a car purchase and it was sad to see the cash go away so quickly. But it would be nice for payments - but then they sometimes have interest rates applied. At least with cash you will not have to worry about debt.

It will be better if they accept installments or allow us to charge to credit card. I would have earned a lot of credit card reward points! Too bad this is a small contractor who takes cash only.

How long did the old one last? I think after this air conditioner incident, I have to save $400 every year to prepare for the new one.

If you have 2 compressors, it is not a system 3. System 3 means all three are connected to one compressor. I think yours is a system 1 and system 2, so unlikely for both to break down at the same time. i think you can start budgeting, and do research on new air cons. It is unlikely that your air con can last for another ten years.

@scheng1 You may be right. I was told it was System 3 but later a technician said there are two compressors. I am keeping my fingers crossed - siva

No, portable air conditioners will cost more in electricity in the long run. I just hope that the new one lasts a long time!

@scheng1 Yeah , i can imagine. As a saying if you have lot of money,God will find a way that you will use it. If you are okay without air con why not just to appease the painful paying. Electric fans are not costly too.They can manage humidity like our country Philippines. It really depends on how you use. If the contractor had already made up his mind, why not find another contractor who accepts credit card or installments. But i rather pay in cash full so i wont have debts too.What is the use of money if its painful to let go. Are you saving it for something else?

@alchemistrx Singapore is way hotter and more humid than Philippines. We live in high rise apartments, and all the concrete traps heat.

It is painful to pay so much money in cash. Can you imagine counting out nearly $4,000 in cash, and hand it over? In all my life, I handle such big money only a few times.

@scheng1 It is a hard work but also well paid

This contractor has quoted a slightly lower price. It is a small team of just 2 persons. I like that he responded to my call on a Sunday, and he came within the time slot that he had mentioned.

It is a massive expense out of the blue. There is no warning that something is wrong with the air conditioner. It just stops working!