wow

I am overwhelmed and humbled by the number of responses and the positivity from my last post.

You have all been such a good ego booster to me.  I appreciate all your comments. I am going to investigate which program to purchase but I think I am leaning towards turbo tax. We have our winter break next week (I know most of you have yours in March).

I will gather up my T4s and such to make sure I have everything and start to plunk in the information.

I hope I don't prove you all wrong.

Thank you again.

Am I smart enough???

serious question folks

I always have H and R Block do my taxes. This year there will be four of them to do...mine, DH, DS1 and DS2. 

The boys just have one T4 from their dish washing.

I will have a T4 and a T4A - one for my RRSP thingie, and a teeny amount of receipts for donations.

To go to H and R block is going to cost between $250 and $350 for the four of us.

I do not want to pay that if I can help it.

DH will have a T4, perhaps an RRSP one though I am not sure and a few from his GIC or whatever the heck he got when he last job closed and he had to invest the money.

Don't tell anyone but I am not really all that money wise. I bank online but I don't have the accounts linked to thinks like Quicken for spreadsheets.

There are no business expenses or those kinds of deductions I would have to figure out.

There might be some health ones for the cost of my travel and stay for Mr Colonoscopy in the city.

I smile and nod about my statements from my RRSPs but I don't really 'get ' all the pieces of it and such.

Am I smart enough to operate a home tax program and email whatever has to go, to whoever it has to go to...without messing it up badly or ending up in jail for tax evasion/fraud?????

Is there an 'are you smart enough to do your own taxes' survey??

And a more specific question to those in Canada....which program would you recommend for my needs and about how much might such a  program cost?

It's on my bucket list to successfully file my own taxes. Is it possible I can cross this off the list?

Top Canadian Finance blogs - you get to vote!

Just want to send a big shout out to Jeremy and Modest Money. He has once again compiled an amazing list of blogs from Canada and is looking for your input on your favourites.  Head on over, read some great content and vote for your favourites.

Jeremy has kindly placed me there along with many of my favourites!  Go check it out.

Where the money stands

as of February 4th

Debts
Mortgage - $28 687 .92
LOC - $4799.49

Total Debt -  $33487.41

Savings/Planned Spending
TFSA/EF - $2045
RESP - $12 800
RRSP - $5700
Celebrations Goal - $1500
Plates - $155

This was a good start to the year. I  made a great debt in my LOC bringing it down over $1000. I did this with some snowflakes and some money in my budget line. I don't know that Feb will be quite as successful but it can't hurt to shoot for it again. Over all my debt came down $1311.13. The mortgage was dropped by $268 and change. Only 50% of what we pay comes off the principal. I look forward to the day when that number will be higher.

I managed to reach my first savings goal - Celebrations. That didn't come a moment too soon as those bills will soon start coming in. Next comes the $ I am saving for the insurance/plates for the boys' cars. I will pay part and they will pay part. The first car will be ready for renewal around April 1 so I need to keep moving on that.

Snuggly morning and snowflakes

It's the tail end of yet another snowfall here and  the flakes are very pretty. They will be less pretty when I have to go shovel them later, but for now I will enjoy them.

I am curled up with Disk 3 of Bones, Season 1 and a big cup of coffee. I just love being able to go to the library, check it out and enjoy it. Best yet, it costs me nothing (unless I return it late) and there is no clutter added to the house!

It's a laundry catch up day and homemade stew day with a hockey game tonight.

So....the snowflakes..... right after Christmas I upgraded DS1's  phone. We signed up for a new plan which involves some free long distance and unlimited minutes for those with our phone company. I know there ar ealways strings attached and frankly, they never go in our favour as consumers, do they?

 I have been waiting, anxiously for the new phone bill, wondering if I am going to have to change my budget to accomodate a larger bill. It came Thursday, and I opened it with great trepidation.  Imagine my surprise when I saw the total of the bill was $23.42!  I scanned the details more and saw a $100 credit for the month. I had forgotten the $100 credit we got when I got the new phone. 

It was such a great surprise!! snowflakes!!!!  I took the $100 I had 'saved' out of my account and waited anxiously all day to head to the bank where my LOC is. It was such a giddy feeling plopping that unexpected cash down on my debt and hacking it down by $100.

Since I made the payment on Feb 1st, I shall call it my first snowflake of February.

Based on the math of the bill,  my bill should actually BE lower than previously, as the customer rep promised. I guess at the end of Feb I should know for sure.