raaaaagh!!!

My trip to Wisconsin has just been put in jeopardy due to a car repair bill (and the car repair was for the road trip, thus making this a Catch-22 of the most painful variety) totaling $524.31. For brake repairs. That they told me originally in estimate would cost $90.

Add this to the fact, that although I wanted to put it on my credit card, I was turned down due to a computing error on someone's part (possibly mine) that had my latest payment scheduled for July 7th, and not immediately as I had planned. Being as I only have a thousand dollar limit, it wouldn't take the car repair bill thus forcing me to use my bank account.

Did I get taken for a ride here? Get screwed by the repair place? Looking over the bill it seems in order- parts, labor, etc., but they still lied to me about the total cost of the repairs. Should I complain? How do I go about doing that in a less-than-ignorant-of-car-repairs fashion than I feel I am currently able to do?

With rent due in a week and various other bills on the docket, I'm not sure how I can feasibly drive to Wisconsin on so little cash. Before the car repairs, I was doing great. For the first time in months I didn't have to worry about money and I was actually getting some things I needed taken care of done.

I guess what I'll do is just put all my gas on the credit card, and go easy on the expenses. Maybe not come back with quite as much beer as previously planned. Stay away from The Exclusive Company and A Room of One's Own in Madison. Eat PB & J for all non-essential meals (money will be saved for Noodles, Himal Chuli, and Expresso Royale chai lattes)...

Crap, crap, crap. Fuck.