Reflections on 2015

If I had to quickly summarize 2015, I would say that it wasn't my favourite year. I can dissect it and find positives along the way, which I definitely need to do, but overall, there were far too many Murphy visits that threw off my budget, my plan and my mojo.

Let's start with the financial ones:
The original post is HERE from last year.

1) TFSA - $2000 - done. It was done early in the early before things started to happen.

2) RRSP - $1500 - done. This was done by summer I believe.

3) Summer 2015 - $1000. This was done early too. It was nice to have that money for our camping trip.

4) Back to school - $500. This was a reduced amount compared to previous years. The boys both started college and BTS was much different with just me. I used it to pay my professional fees and a few things for my new classroom. And some clothes I think.

5) Vehicle Plates - $1200. done

6) Xmas 2015 - $1500 - done and all used up. The two plane tickets to BC ate up a big part of it.

7) Graduation costs - $500. done. Used for prom tickets (he ended up going) as well as cap and gown pics and a supper.



I know...you're thinking...she met all her financial goals...what is she complaining about??

Well let's talk Murphy.

Murphy1 - DS2's car. Repair after repair after repair. To the tune of close to $7000, about 2/3 covered under the warrantee I didn't want to buy, regretted buying, then was glad I had bought. The kicker was that it kept having to go in....that they didn't fix everything at once, said it was all good, and then a week or two later we were back in again.

Murphy 2 - DS2's car. So it is finally running well again and a massive hailstorm beats the car to death. Almost NOTHING from those repairs was factored into the insurance.

Murphy 3 - DS1's new to him car in mid July went hunting in September and took out a massive buck. or vice versa.  We had to deal with insurance out of the country, a mess of red tape and paperwork and then the hunt for a new vehicle which wasn't even close to the price of the previous one.

Murphy 4 - DS2's non trip to the US. couldn't go due to exams. No money back. $700 ticket wasted.

Murphy 5 - DH's trip to the US - half the ticket wasted as he drove DS1's new vehicle down to him.

Murphy 6 - the Canadian vs US dollar. It's at 71.something cents right now. And I have tuition due in January and another semester of living expenses. This exchange is financially paralyzing.

Murphy 7 - My health. Stupid colitis. I was so sick in March and April. Off work. Lived in the bathroom. Steroids didn't help. Slowly got better ish. Started a new infusion med and was so excited and optimistic. Was not meant to be. Got sick again starting around Canadian Thanksgiving and it has just gone downhill since then. I am not sure what the plan might be but I can't keep on like this. I am close to needing to be off work again.

A move to a new school. Some good. Some not so good. Nothing changeable, so we adapt as best we can and move on.

Empty Nest - not really a Murphy, but still a factor

It was all overwhelming and contributed to my health problems I am sure.

Absolutely there were positives.  A new baby in the family, born safe and healthy. My son graduating from High School on the Honour Roll with a diploma in French Immersion. A few more scholarships for DS2 to help us as he headed off to school.  A trip to see DS1 in the  US.  Mom and dad still are mostly healthy.

I can't control a whole lot of Murphy so I need to learn how to control how I react to Murphy.

I can't bring my children home again full time. I have to find a way to have a life without them here (yup and that made me cry)

I definitely need to work on finding jolie in 2016.

And that, is my year, wrapped up in a new little bow.

2015 - a quick glance

This was  a really wonky year for money. Debt was at the forefront. More specifically, college money x 2 children.

The debt numbers for this year really only reflect the mortgage.

December 2009 - $70 771.99
December 2010 - $52 410.25 (down $18 361.74)
December 2011 - $40 055.29 (down $12 354.96)
December 2012 - $35 921.04 (down $4 134.25)
December 2013 - $25 925.49 (down $9 995.55)
December 2014 - $22 494.06 (down $3431.43)
December 2015 - $18 837.12 (down $3656.94)

The rest of the debt for my world is the college LOC which has been up and down and up and down. I know where it is at, but I would have to do math to find out exactly how much I added and how much I paid off. It is going to continue to be in flux for at least 2.5 more years.

 I have to say that this is the first year that the weight  of debt and impending expenses have weighed on my like it did back prior to July 2008 when I started this blog. The tailspin of the Canadian vs US dollar certainly is  a big factor.  Adding a second child to college didn't help.

I have 2.5  years left of DS1's time in College and 1.5 of DS2's course. Not sure if DS2 will take classes after that.

I suspect that I will just have to work to survive this time and regroup when it's all over.  Neither can apply as a single independent until they have been out of High School for four years. Apparently DH and I make too much money for them to qualify for anything now.

Like Dory, I will have to just keep swimming, just keep swimming, and hope the boys appreciate this when it's all over.

A year of snowflakes

Snowflakes make me feel powerful. They make me feel in control. Pretty awesome given how infinitesimal each little flake can be. Snowflakes remind me not to fritter away the little bits, or the bigger ones. Snowflakes remind me I have the power create change.

This year was  a big year for flakes. The biggest of them all thus far, honestly.  $8064

Remember this is not all NEW money. Some was in my regular budget and repurposed.


Where did my flakes come from? Well $642 came from the change I rolled this past year. Some of it came from my income tax return, combined with the extra I got for being able to claim some of DS1's college. So $2000 came from income tax return.   $1200 of it came from a long awaited backpay when we finally signed a contract after close to two years without one.

The remaining snowflakes came to $4222. I honestly can't list offhand all the sources for that. Some was returning bottles and cans. Some was skimming leftover money from my weekly budget to reallocate towards goals or debt. 



In 2014 the snowflakes were $3112
In 2013 the snowflakes were $3671
In 2012 the snowflakes were $3136
In 2011 the snowflakes were $4350
In 2010 the snowflakes were $5070
In 2009 the snowflakes were $4295

Ah the power of something so fragile.

A year of change

I continue to believe in the power of change...the rattling money kind, that is.

(I seem to be typing this with one hand, as my maine coone cat insists this is her snuggle time)

It goes in a jar and once a month I count it, and roll it, if there enough of any kind. Then off to the bank I go and put it towards debt, or a savings goal.

Last year my total rolled change was $512.

Not bad for a year of rolling. Not my highest amount either though. Just shows how much I use cash, and if I keep, or spend, the change.

This year, it felt like a lot of months didn't have enough to roll.

January - $0
February - $80
March - $0
April - $100
May - $20
June - $85
July - $92
August - $150
September - $0
October - $0
November - $30
December - $85

So the grand total for the year is $642

More than I thought, actually.

This money generally went to mini goals or debt repayment.

I haven't yet decided if I will put all my change towards a specific goal, or just allocate it month by month, because sh&t happens.

In theory, I COULD decide that the change goes towards "Back to School" as it would get me at least halfway towards that goal by August 1.  Hmmm something to think about.

And with that

they are both gone.

House already feels empty. Our female cat was ticked and went to her cat house and started whipping her toys out.....her way of letting people know she is unhappy.

I drove 5 hours today. An hour there and back to pick DS1 up from the inlaws. They are so good to him. The brothers all hugged him. Her mom hugged him and started crying saying "I don't know how you do this."

Then we drove to the city and dropped him off. I watched him go through security and then made the  trip home. 

I made DS2 spaghetti and meatballs for supper and helped him pack.

And just now he has driven off. He will get to his place around 10 PM tonight. He always picks the darkest, coldest times to drive.

DS1 is due to arrive at his home airport by 11:30, if there are no delays in his connecting.

Gosh it was good to have them home but it went far far too fast.