Yesterday was devoted to finishing up the taxes. One of the most stressful days of the year because so much is at stake. And when Tom tried to do them he ended up with us paying $1200 in taxes, which I knew couldn't be right but I couldn't find the mistake and so stressed about how the hell we were going to come up with that much money. In a few days.
Fortunately I discovered he was using one tax form and another booklet. So I went back to the library and got the correct forms, found the mistake and got them done. We barely squeaked by this year without paying but next year, if he doesn't change his W-4, we will pay. I just hope he remembers to get that done and soon.
State taxes are more complicated but we end up getting more back from them. Just enough between the two of them to pay our property taxes next January. Tom is a bit miffed, I think, that I won't make that money available because he didn't respond when I talked about it last night. It was as if I wasn't even saying anything. But we have a chance to get ahead for the first time in nearly 20 years. I'm not going to let this opportunity pass us by.
I really need new glasses and we must get a new stove as this one is falling apart nearly daily. But we have money in savings to buy a reasonable stove. No bells and whistles and electric instead of gas (because I've cooked with gas for most of our marriage and don't want to switch now) but we can afford it. And maybe a new front storm door as well. But no new glasses this year. I just hope my eyes can stand it another year. I can still read and see to drive without any problems. I would pass an eye exam at the DMV so it's not urgent. But I could see better, I'm sure.
I have one more hurdle to jump this week and then the major stress in my life will ease off enough that maybe I can sleep again and then I have much work to do inside and out. I've decided to have a garden this year as we will be hitting the tightwad mode with super urgency because we're barely able to make it on this paycheck. And I don't expect much of a raise, if any, in June. Even if that were the case...the cost of living has increased way beyond our ability to keep up. So...back to cooking from scratch and devouring my tightwad books. No frivolous expenditures from now on. We have to work on living on our paycheck plus fixing up the house that is beginning to exhibit cascade failure.
I've got plenty of yarn to keep me busy and I need to get back to it. Book purchases will have to be limited as well, although there are books I just can't get from the library and that I really would like to have because they are about areas of spirituality that are important to me. But...I don't need to go nuts about it. One a quarter will do.
In the meantime...sleep is most important to me. I woke up last night after about 20 minutes' sleep because I was sure I had done the taxes wrong so I got up 3 times checking them over from start to finish. Finally around 7 a.m. I fell asleep and stayed there until 8:30 when I let Professor out and again at noon for another potty break for him. I finally woke up at 2 and stayed up but I've been dragging all day long. I got pizza for tonight and will stick it in the toaster oven soon for Tom and then I'm heading for bed. I'm just beat.
TTFN
Fortunately I discovered he was using one tax form and another booklet. So I went back to the library and got the correct forms, found the mistake and got them done. We barely squeaked by this year without paying but next year, if he doesn't change his W-4, we will pay. I just hope he remembers to get that done and soon.
State taxes are more complicated but we end up getting more back from them. Just enough between the two of them to pay our property taxes next January. Tom is a bit miffed, I think, that I won't make that money available because he didn't respond when I talked about it last night. It was as if I wasn't even saying anything. But we have a chance to get ahead for the first time in nearly 20 years. I'm not going to let this opportunity pass us by.
I really need new glasses and we must get a new stove as this one is falling apart nearly daily. But we have money in savings to buy a reasonable stove. No bells and whistles and electric instead of gas (because I've cooked with gas for most of our marriage and don't want to switch now) but we can afford it. And maybe a new front storm door as well. But no new glasses this year. I just hope my eyes can stand it another year. I can still read and see to drive without any problems. I would pass an eye exam at the DMV so it's not urgent. But I could see better, I'm sure.
I have one more hurdle to jump this week and then the major stress in my life will ease off enough that maybe I can sleep again and then I have much work to do inside and out. I've decided to have a garden this year as we will be hitting the tightwad mode with super urgency because we're barely able to make it on this paycheck. And I don't expect much of a raise, if any, in June. Even if that were the case...the cost of living has increased way beyond our ability to keep up. So...back to cooking from scratch and devouring my tightwad books. No frivolous expenditures from now on. We have to work on living on our paycheck plus fixing up the house that is beginning to exhibit cascade failure.
I've got plenty of yarn to keep me busy and I need to get back to it. Book purchases will have to be limited as well, although there are books I just can't get from the library and that I really would like to have because they are about areas of spirituality that are important to me. But...I don't need to go nuts about it. One a quarter will do.
In the meantime...sleep is most important to me. I woke up last night after about 20 minutes' sleep because I was sure I had done the taxes wrong so I got up 3 times checking them over from start to finish. Finally around 7 a.m. I fell asleep and stayed there until 8:30 when I let Professor out and again at noon for another potty break for him. I finally woke up at 2 and stayed up but I've been dragging all day long. I got pizza for tonight and will stick it in the toaster oven soon for Tom and then I'm heading for bed. I'm just beat.
TTFN
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