April Change

April was a big month for change. There were quite a few 'almost rolls' at the end of March and that definitely helped April's numbers. Also helping was the fact I used cash for most everything except my time away at the wedding during Easter. Change adds up quickly that way.

Altogether I have $100 in change

1 roll of toonies - $50
1 roll of loonies - $25
2 rolls of quarters - $20
1 roll of dimes - $5

That went straight to the bank on the LOC.

The downside of a good month is that the next month is usually leaner in change.

Ah well. It all balances out in the end.

Spring??!!!

We had some amazing temperatures this week. PLUS ones. Even a couple of the days it was in the double digits!  Snow is melting like crazy and there are rivers of water.

It's amazing what 'spring' can do with one's spirit and mood. People are out walking everywhere. Strollers. Dogs. Bikes. Skateboards. Everyone is excited at being able to use the streets again. Or even to see them.  Lawns and parks where it is melting are sodden with the water.

Our front lawn is 98% snow free. It's south facing. The back yard is about 50% snow free but very wet. 

DH is in the garage as we attempt to tidy and sort and clean a winter's worth of dumping stuff here and setting it there. It will be nice to see it again.

Our neighbour cut his front lawn this morning. The snow only melted off it yesterday so it is far too soon to cut - but it's not my lawn and he didn't ask my opinion :-) and I have to be honest....hearing a lawnmower was a really good sound.

The air is so fresh and just envigors the heart. I am going to be wild and crazy and hang clothes on the line today. I'll have to throw on rubber boots to get through the snow and wet but I'm ok with that.

Have a fantastic day everyone!

Boo yah!!! (with new details)

That's right. I said it. With all of the attitude and head tilt that comes with such an expression.

I'd like to direct your attention to my sidebar for my Line of Credit over ---->

More details to come later today on the why and how but it's time for Teaching Jolie to kick it into gear with her darlings.

*************************************************

Ok so here is what happened. My income tax refund came through. I was expecting $1300ish and DH, about the same amount. So I open up my cheque and I see it is for $2500. I blink. Then I panic. Now remember, this is the first year I have done my taxes myself using a program, instead of having someone do them for me at H and R Block.  

My mind is scrambling trying to figure out what is up. Then I wonder - I am getting back about what DH and I were supposed to get together. Did I click something wrong and I am getting the whole return?????  So we check his. Nope. He has the amount he was supposed to get. hmmmmm

There is some 'adjustment statement' on the first page of mine that says something about Saskatchewan credit readjustment blabity blah. We check DH's to see if he has the same thing. Nope

I am giddy but worried. I go downstairs to get the forms I printed out from my program to confirm mine says $1300 ish. yes

My overwhelming fear is that this is a mistake by Revenue Canada and down the road they are going to want it back.

So I call the Revenue Canada office and say that I have a question about my return as it doesn't match what my program says.  After all the ID process he checks and says - wait - you are getting back more than what your claim says. YES, says I. The man laughs. We don't get many calls like this.

So we go through my return and I read what my adjustment thingie says and he says my new return amount is correct.   I say "what are the odds that down the road someone else is going to say it's a mistake and want half of it back?". He laughs and says "everything I see on here is correct. Enjoy your money."

It really felt too good to be true.

Originally, I had planned to put $1000 of my return as my EF/TFSA, which I haven't added to in three years. But this amount, would bring my LOC down soooo much and put me soooo close to being done.

I waffled most of Monday night.  I decided that I would put it on my LOC. Then, if something happened down the road and they did want the money back, I could reaccess the LOC. If I bought something with it, I'd just be out money.

So off I went to the bank and plunked the whole thing down.  And now, I have just a bit under $600 left to pay. 

I didn't want to keep it too long as the universe (and Mr Murphy) often hear when people have extra cash, and they find a way to spend it for them. I am hoping I avoided that.

I am cautiously optimistic, that barring unexpected surprises, the LOC will be done with my end of June paycheque.

fingers crossed!!!

Murphy Update

Thanks everyone for your comments and support as  things got so whirly during Murphy's visit. I am hoping he has moved on, but there are signs he has not. Here's the lowdown on how things have progressed.

The Basement - Well we changed up the downspouts outside which were frozen and squished. The one was stomped on by the deer roaming about in the backyard. Cost to change downspouts - about $40. I am hoping we dried everything thoroughly and there is no mold. One of the basemboards in the computer room is warped and will need to be replaced. It is behind a desk so not visible.

The Tooth - The cost to repair this temporarily again was $262. Between the 2 insurance plans, $189 was covered. The 'white filling' they use to bond it, is not covered, my statement says. We now need to submit the paperwork for preapproval for a new tooth.

The Microwave - It was a melted wire. It cost $69 to repair, including labour. While I don't 'cook' in  my microwave, we do reheat a lot. It was missed

The washer - it was a spring. A new one was $40 and would have to be ordered in. DH asked them to route about in the used box to see if there might possibly be one there. Success! Cost - $4

The truck - DH decided to trade his in and get a new truck. I shudder at the payments. I will not include this on my list of debts as this baby is exclusively his, as mine was...mine

The car - is finally inspection approved and back on the road. oh boy!

Signs murphy has not gone - I was on my way to the city for a conference this week and had a tire pressure alert. I stopped at a small town to fill it up but things were still wonky. Got home and it turns out the two air valve caps on the passenger side have been stolen. I am sure that is affecting the reading.  ( and in retrospect - no there wasn't a cap to remove when I was filling up. I must have been having a brain fart moment)

DS2 did not pass his driver's test.  The lady was beyond cranky even before we started. Very poor social skills. I understand she has tested a lot of folks and knows when  a parallel park isn't going to work, but shouting BOOM!! as he is doing it - beyond unprofessional. Hands are relatively tied. Small town. 2 testers. 50/50 chance you're going to get the cranky one.  However once he does get it, I will put in a complaint about how she speaks.

Bonjour Murphy

Just a quick catch up to summarize Murphy's appearance in my world in the past week. Details will follow.

• yard is still absolutely covered with snow but the roof snow melted enough to freeze in the drainpipes which prompted a runoff and a small flood in my basement
• DS2 managed to snap off his front tooth again. bonjour dentist
• DH's truck motor blew last week. I am not a motor girl so the details are not clear to me but the bottom line of $3000 to $4000 is crystal clear
• DS1's car did not pass its inspection after we fixed it all up. The parts did not pass were apparently things that were wrong with it from before. grrr . we are vehicle deprived in this house in a no public  transportation world
• the microwave died yesterday. This one is the fan hood thingie above the stove and is fairly new.....3 years? 4? I'd have to look back to see.
• Mr. Washer crapped out again last night. DH tore it apart and found a spring detatched and broken off. He will go see if we can find a new one and hopefully that was the only problem with it.

Seriously....someone take Murphy off my hands


On a separate note, we (the community) were so relieved to hear from our local runner in the Boston Marathon yesterday. He had finished about 20 minutes before the explosions. A good friend of mine has run it in the past and this resonated deeply with her yesterday. Such horror.

Taxes are done!!

Well I did it. (I think). All by myself with the help of Turbo Tax, their 1 800 number and looking at previous returns.  I hope I did it all correctly. If I did, and don't end up in prison, then I shall definitely do this again.

I filed for the boys. This was their first time. There were no refunds or money owing, but getting them started in the process is important. I made each of them sit with  me while we went through it all and I explained the process and the importance of keeping documents. DS2  understood far better than DS1. I made them type their own info in.

For us, there were a few odd forms I had to click search to find where to put them. DH refused to have anything to do with it. I asked that he sit with me so he could see (and learn with me) what is involved and that it wasn't really all that hard. "I'm not good with numbers" was his comment.  I asked him what he would do if I died and he said he'd take his back to H and R Block. This is his general philosophy surrounding money, finances and their responsibilities. Sad

I get about $1300 back. Now it's time to think on what I will do with it.

Yeah for me for trying something new.

Graduation costs begin

As we wait for spring to arrive, the end of the year is popping up and letting us know it's en route.

Last week DS1 and I headed over to buy his prom tickets. 8 in all. DS and escort, DH and myself, Gram and Gramps,  1 for a friend and 1 for his cousin. That was a happy $240. I will get reimbursed for the friend ticket but the rest are on us. It is a big grr to pay for 2 tickets for my parents for the whole hour they will be there to watch the grand march as the grads and their escorts. Ah well. It's important to my mom so it shall be. That's what I saved the money for - and happy I am that I did.

We went yesterday to buy DS's grad suit/tie etc. The gentleman who comanages the store has known DS forever and coached him in the past so it was easy to go do this. He knew DS's size and preferences. He knew which suits friends of DS had bought already. There was one lady and her son ahead of us and I overheard  her saying "I know we need to do this but it bugs me to pay $$$ for a suit when you'll wear it for grad and maybe a funeral or wedding." I completely understood what she was saying. For us, DS wears a suit all the time for hockey so it will definitely get a lot more use than the average grad. He has had the same one for 2 years now so it will be nice to have a new one to alternate with.  He looked very handsome in it, if I do say so myself.

I told DS he needs to start saving for a few of his own expenses, such as the wrist corsage for his escort. I loved watching the puzzlement on his face as I explained what that was. Welcome to adulthood m'boy :-)

Where the money stands

as of April 3rd

Debts
Mortgage - $28 137.68
LOC - $3500.00

Total Debt - $31 637.68

Savings/Planned Spending
TFSA/EF - $2058
RESP - $13 511
RRSP - $5700
Celebrations Goal - $1500
Plates - $1200