I just filed my e-filed my taxes. Usually I get the booklets and papers and happily do them myself. But I decided to e-file this year. After I completed my taxes myself, I went to the site, filled in the blanks and watched as the computer figured it up for me. The computer figured 1700 more to be returned to me than I had. I can't help but look back and wonder over all these years, was I doing them wrong? If the computer program is correct, I know I claimed too much income last year. What a bummer!
On the other hand, what a delight. This simple program was so quick and easy and found me more money! Awesome!
Of course my delight at being able to do my own taxes has been reduced. Obviously, I was doing them wrong. I wonder what else I am figuring wrong. Can this translate to life itself? I hope not. I do tend to think I right most of the time. Doesn't everyone?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Buttermaking-just a little Sunday fun
You might remember how to do this from childhood, or maybe you have done it with your own children. This was my first attempt at butter-making and I have to say-it was fun!
Here are some pics of the process:
I added salt when I was done, and voila! I haven't tasted it yet, though. I suspect the work involved alone will make it seem quite tasty to me.
Lest you think this is too hard, or too much work, this website has a video of two little girls making their own.
http://raisinghomemakers.com/2011/making-butter-with-vivi-and-lia/
Yes, I have a learned a skill a five year old can do, and I am delighted. How Times have Changed, remarked Karl. At one point, he continued, all five year old girls would know this.
Here are some pics of the process:
Lest you think this is too hard, or too much work, this website has a video of two little girls making their own.
http://raisinghomemakers.com/2011/making-butter-with-vivi-and-lia/
Yes, I have a learned a skill a five year old can do, and I am delighted. How Times have Changed, remarked Karl. At one point, he continued, all five year old girls would know this.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Future
I want to homeschool Liam. This isn't a secret. I just want one child of mine to know the joy of not living by bells, (so unnatural), to follow his own interests, and not have to conform to society at such a young age. Although most point fingers at the public school system, some of my daughter's old friends have gone to private, and say the pressure to conform is even greater.
How does this fit into Be Cheap and Be Classy? Well, a parent has to stay home to homeschool. I know there are people who do it in other ways, but to do the job I want to do, someone either has to be home, or Karl and I would have to work different shifts always.
By the time Liam is in school, Tierney and Caleb will have graduated high school. Even if they are in college, they should have parttime jobs which cover most of their personal expenses. I will most likely look to buy a house then, and will only need a three bedroom at that point. Braces and medical bills (fingers crossed) will be paid for. Karl's credit cards will be paid off. I will be halfway through paying off my student loans (almost). There is absolutely no way I can actually pay them off, but I plan to take advantage of income-based repayment, and a program which after ten years forgives remaining payments for public service workers.
So maybe it will be okay. Maybe not, after all Karl isn't sure about the whole thing. Somehow he thinks sending them to school helps them face the real world better. If being sent into a classroom with 25 other people your own age who call you names, or who you call names, is the real world, we have an even bigger problem. School isn't the real world, school isn't natural. I love education. I am a teacher, because I love education. But if I can, I will find a way for one of my children to know freedom. And that involves handling finances correctly.
How does this fit into Be Cheap and Be Classy? Well, a parent has to stay home to homeschool. I know there are people who do it in other ways, but to do the job I want to do, someone either has to be home, or Karl and I would have to work different shifts always.
By the time Liam is in school, Tierney and Caleb will have graduated high school. Even if they are in college, they should have parttime jobs which cover most of their personal expenses. I will most likely look to buy a house then, and will only need a three bedroom at that point. Braces and medical bills (fingers crossed) will be paid for. Karl's credit cards will be paid off. I will be halfway through paying off my student loans (almost). There is absolutely no way I can actually pay them off, but I plan to take advantage of income-based repayment, and a program which after ten years forgives remaining payments for public service workers.
So maybe it will be okay. Maybe not, after all Karl isn't sure about the whole thing. Somehow he thinks sending them to school helps them face the real world better. If being sent into a classroom with 25 other people your own age who call you names, or who you call names, is the real world, we have an even bigger problem. School isn't the real world, school isn't natural. I love education. I am a teacher, because I love education. But if I can, I will find a way for one of my children to know freedom. And that involves handling finances correctly.
"Cash on the Barrel"
I look back to the early days of my marriage when we were so poor. One of the smartest things I did was pay cash for purchases. I had to stay within my budget or face embarrassment at the checkout. If I took $10 dollars out for toothpaste and shampoo. I never spent more than that ten dollars. Then I learned the art of check floating, and the ease of debit cards, and my financial life was never quite the same.
I want to go back to the cash world. I want to live within designated means. I want to play a wee bit more by the rules. And mostly, I want to be satisfied with enough.
I want to go back to the cash world. I want to live within designated means. I want to play a wee bit more by the rules. And mostly, I want to be satisfied with enough.
Saving money
If it isn't something you would usually buy or it doesn't replace something you would usually buy, it isn't savings.
That isn't to say we should never splurge for something we would not ordinarily get, because it is at a great price. Sometimes this is the icing on the cake, the fun of being part of this world. Things are neat. Filling the cupboards with a little extra brown sugar and chocolate chips, or putting a lovely cashmere sweater in your wardrobe adds a little sparkle to life. Going out to a movie spontaneously every now and then is important.
But don't buy extra cans of unhealthy ravioli you would normally say no to, just because you have a coupon. That isn't savings.
That isn't to say we should never splurge for something we would not ordinarily get, because it is at a great price. Sometimes this is the icing on the cake, the fun of being part of this world. Things are neat. Filling the cupboards with a little extra brown sugar and chocolate chips, or putting a lovely cashmere sweater in your wardrobe adds a little sparkle to life. Going out to a movie spontaneously every now and then is important.
But don't buy extra cans of unhealthy ravioli you would normally say no to, just because you have a coupon. That isn't savings.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Oh D-D-Dear Dear!
I did another budget today. Usually when Karl complains about money, I assure him everything is fine and dandy, and oh by the way, he worries too much. But today I did a budget. Usually, I do a budget based on how low can we go, which doesn't make sense come to think about it.
Anyway, here is what we are looking at:
I bring home (after retirement, insurance taxes, etc) $1840 (yeah, I picked the wrong career field).
Karl is currently bringing home about $$1550. However, his could become lower due to the winter, and by next fall, it should drop about $730 or so, with an increase in medical bills.
Needless to say, if this drop does happen, we will be screwed. He would be making about 850-1000 take home, but over 300 of that would have to be paid out for medicine. That wouldn't include his doctor visits, or god forbid, hospitalization. Hopefully, he would still get some kind of help with insurance, but I don't count on anything.
Anyway, the budget.
Here is what I figured:
My expenses:
750 rent
220 utilities (on average)
240 gas (I drive 20+ miles one way to work)
130 cable
135 phones
55 hospital bills (this does not include the thousands I hope to pay off with income tax refund)
175 braces (a necessity for middle class america)
80 Taryn's voice lessons
77 Taryns tumbling/etc. classes
50 clothes
20 shoes
25 crap for my classroom
15 netflix
80 babysitting (if I finish school this spring-karl works on the day I would have class)
500 food
160 Liam's health insurance (the older kids just can't get sick)
75 savings
50 Tierney's car insurance
100 misc.
----
2937 (remember I bring home about 1840) This includes NO recreational shopping, no ebay, no books, no eating out.
Karls:
150 paying off old credit cards
160 He pays all the car insurance, except Tierney's
125 necessities (this is a high estimate, probably)
100 gas
100 soda/misc.
-----
635
Karl also gives me about 600 a month.
This puts Karls expenses to 1235 a month. He is okay unless he loses his other income.
I am at 2937 -1830= 1107-600 (from Karl)=507 So I regularly fall 507 short, and that is IF I don't do extra shopping. No wonder I am so dependent on student loans.
I usually get about 300 in child support, but this doesn't always happen. Assuming it did, that would leave me with a deficit of 207.
This will obviously not work. I need a better plan. Of course, I am looking for better paying work, but in the meantime?
With my income tax refund, I plan to pay off as much of the hospital bills as possible. This would save at least 55 a month up to 250 if they are all put on timed payments.
I could cut out the cable. We would still need internet, and I would keep netflix (with the wii, it's great). This would save about 60.
I need to find cheaper insurance for Liam. If I could find something for 100, that would save 50.
After May, Taryn has to decide between voice and gymastics. Savings 70.
Save on energy. Turn off lights, control thermostat better, each person allowed only one LONG shower/bath a week (this might kill me). Others should be timed for 10 minutes or less.
I will hang my clothes to dry, and maybe the kids, eventually. Savings 20.
Food. If I could shave 50 off the food budget, by making cheaper meals, that'd be great.
Total possible savings: $300
After May, I would not need extra babysitting for Liam, saving me 80 a month.
I would still fall short. I need a better paying job. I may also have to look for a kid or two to babysit this summer to play catch-up.
Selling on ebay?
Extra tutoring?
I would benefit from a car which uses less gas and/or a job closer to home.
Sigh.
Anyway, here is what we are looking at:
I bring home (after retirement, insurance taxes, etc) $1840 (yeah, I picked the wrong career field).
Karl is currently bringing home about $$1550. However, his could become lower due to the winter, and by next fall, it should drop about $730 or so, with an increase in medical bills.
Needless to say, if this drop does happen, we will be screwed. He would be making about 850-1000 take home, but over 300 of that would have to be paid out for medicine. That wouldn't include his doctor visits, or god forbid, hospitalization. Hopefully, he would still get some kind of help with insurance, but I don't count on anything.
Anyway, the budget.
Here is what I figured:
My expenses:
750 rent
220 utilities (on average)
240 gas (I drive 20+ miles one way to work)
130 cable
135 phones
55 hospital bills (this does not include the thousands I hope to pay off with income tax refund)
175 braces (a necessity for middle class america)
80 Taryn's voice lessons
77 Taryns tumbling/etc. classes
50 clothes
20 shoes
25 crap for my classroom
15 netflix
80 babysitting (if I finish school this spring-karl works on the day I would have class)
500 food
160 Liam's health insurance (the older kids just can't get sick)
75 savings
50 Tierney's car insurance
100 misc.
----
2937 (remember I bring home about 1840) This includes NO recreational shopping, no ebay, no books, no eating out.
Karls:
150 paying off old credit cards
160 He pays all the car insurance, except Tierney's
125 necessities (this is a high estimate, probably)
100 gas
100 soda/misc.
-----
635
Karl also gives me about 600 a month.
This puts Karls expenses to 1235 a month. He is okay unless he loses his other income.
I am at 2937 -1830= 1107-600 (from Karl)=507 So I regularly fall 507 short, and that is IF I don't do extra shopping. No wonder I am so dependent on student loans.
I usually get about 300 in child support, but this doesn't always happen. Assuming it did, that would leave me with a deficit of 207.
This will obviously not work. I need a better plan. Of course, I am looking for better paying work, but in the meantime?
With my income tax refund, I plan to pay off as much of the hospital bills as possible. This would save at least 55 a month up to 250 if they are all put on timed payments.
I could cut out the cable. We would still need internet, and I would keep netflix (with the wii, it's great). This would save about 60.
I need to find cheaper insurance for Liam. If I could find something for 100, that would save 50.
After May, Taryn has to decide between voice and gymastics. Savings 70.
Save on energy. Turn off lights, control thermostat better, each person allowed only one LONG shower/bath a week (this might kill me). Others should be timed for 10 minutes or less.
I will hang my clothes to dry, and maybe the kids, eventually. Savings 20.
Food. If I could shave 50 off the food budget, by making cheaper meals, that'd be great.
Total possible savings: $300
After May, I would not need extra babysitting for Liam, saving me 80 a month.
I would still fall short. I need a better paying job. I may also have to look for a kid or two to babysit this summer to play catch-up.
Selling on ebay?
Extra tutoring?
I would benefit from a car which uses less gas and/or a job closer to home.
Sigh.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Thinking about things
I have always longed for a simpler lifestyle. I want to be home and homeschool my children, and I want to learn to live more off the land. Not completely, I don't want to suffer, but I do want to be more self-sufficient.
In the middle of this desire is Karl. Karl wants to make me happy, but I am not so sure this is his dream. Karl wants the kids to grow up, and to move around following the band phish all year. While an RV lifestyle could definately work for me for awhile, I can't imagine doing it all the time. Can't you just see us as sixty year olds, following osme band around all summer?
Anyway, I am torn. I guess I feel urgent now because of Liam. As soon as he was born, the clock started ticking down to his admission into the public school system. Don't get me wrong-schools do educate. I went to public school, and I am okay. I just want at least one of my children to escape the rat-race that is peer pressure. When a 10 year old is asking for a hundred dollar hair appliance, I think something is wrong. Now, my kids are smart. They don't usually ask for many brand names, except that Taryn has heart set on a pair of Uggs this year. And frankly, there isn't anything wrong with brand names. But, when a child's self-esteem is tied to the name on their sweatshop made tshirt, I have a problem.
I guess I want more for Liam. I don't think putting small children in a room with 20 other small children all day is good for them. I don't. This so called socialization is damaging. I want freedom for Liam. I just have to figure out how to get it and still make all the important people in my life happy.
In the middle of this desire is Karl. Karl wants to make me happy, but I am not so sure this is his dream. Karl wants the kids to grow up, and to move around following the band phish all year. While an RV lifestyle could definately work for me for awhile, I can't imagine doing it all the time. Can't you just see us as sixty year olds, following osme band around all summer?
Anyway, I am torn. I guess I feel urgent now because of Liam. As soon as he was born, the clock started ticking down to his admission into the public school system. Don't get me wrong-schools do educate. I went to public school, and I am okay. I just want at least one of my children to escape the rat-race that is peer pressure. When a 10 year old is asking for a hundred dollar hair appliance, I think something is wrong. Now, my kids are smart. They don't usually ask for many brand names, except that Taryn has heart set on a pair of Uggs this year. And frankly, there isn't anything wrong with brand names. But, when a child's self-esteem is tied to the name on their sweatshop made tshirt, I have a problem.
I guess I want more for Liam. I don't think putting small children in a room with 20 other small children all day is good for them. I don't. This so called socialization is damaging. I want freedom for Liam. I just have to figure out how to get it and still make all the important people in my life happy.
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