Getting closer

Today my regular payment came off my consolidated loan. I am now down to $1818.00 left on it. That means in 23 months I have paid off $16 000 of debt!! Really though I have only been working aggressively on that for 14 of those 23 months.

I know now that I will be done with this loan before the end of the school year. That will be 10 months ahead of amortization schedule.

My usual principal amount that comes off is $540. This month $558. Like a little $18 gift :-)

I can't wait until I can start tackling the vehicle loan and see how extra payments affect the interest on a far larger sum.

Pay Day, long month, expenses out the wazoo

Well it's a happy day that it's payday!! When you get paid once a month, even if you ration your money out by the week, it's a long month. Expenses were high for Feb, particularly for the extra money for conference that I hadn't budgeted for. Mental note for next year to get this in a budget line so it's not such a shocker.

Coming soon to expenses near me are:
- DS2's glasses I paid for on CC yesterday and now I wait the long time for insurance claims to go first through my husband's plan and then through mine. Tedious process to be sure but I am very glad we have plans.
- Soccer registration for DS1 is tonight. That will be about $100. I don't recall exactly. That will come out of the boys' expenses account
- DS2 goes on a 2 day field trip next week. Expenses are $50 outright plus a wee bit of spending money.
- DS1 and DS2's forms for summer camp came this week and will have to be sent out. It was $400ish for them both last year so it will be at least that. That will come out of the boys'  account too though it's pretty tight in there right now.

I am sure more things will be coming up. Brain full right now LOL

Olympic loving

Ok having this time off was timed perfectly for   the Olympics. I got to watch during the day as things were happening. The rebroadcasts just aren't the same. I see TVs on when I go to the bank, to larger stores. Folks were gathered around in the mall the other day watching the shootout for hockey.

We have one connection that gets TV feed at school so tomorrow, it is quite likely that the TV will be on in the Library whenever there aren't classes in there who need quiet. It will absolutely be on for hockey and for curling. During the last Olympics we gathered to watch those finals with students.

For Jonesie- curling :-)

In small town Saskatchewan, folks grow up with curling, just as they do with hockey. While the popularily among young folks has dwindled a bit since I was younger It is still there. Both my sons curl though DS2 does more regularly. Three of my nephews were on 'fancier' teams and made it to provincial finals. Kinda in the blood.

There are four members per team: lead, second, third and skip. Usually third and skip have more experience with different plays. The coloured rings are called 'the house' and the center is called 'the button'. The goal is to get more of your rocks closer to the button than your opponents. One point per rock.  If I have two rocks near the center of the button and one on the very edge of the rings, I have three in the house. If you have one of yours between my outside one and my two inside ones, then your rock prevents my third outside ring rock, from counting. I would get two points for that round, which is called an 'end'.

The brooms... well I curled back in the day when the brooms were long and narrow and made of straw or cloth and it took a lot more coordination to sweep without falling over yourself LOL. Brooms help keep bits of debris from catching on the rock and halting it's movement. That's called 'cleaning the ice' and if you see the two sweepers moving down with the rock and one is just sliding along and the other is lightly sweeping, that is what they are doing. Heavier broom use can help increase the speed of the rock, or keep it going in a straight line as it's heading right where you want it to be.

When the thrower lets go of the rock they will twist their hand lightly either clockwise, or counter clockwise so that the rock gently curls in the target direction. This can let it move around some of the opponent's stones which block where you want to go.

It's actually harder to curl than it looks. There are so many technical things ones doesn't know until they play: How hard to throw the rock to get the results you want - knocking out another one or gently gliding into a spot; how much twist of your wrist to give it so it doesn't end up too far to the left or right of where you want it to be.

It is more fun to play than to watch, to be honest. so if you ever get a chance, do try it :-)

Thanks for asking!

Saturday this'n'that

Well the week off/conference is over and I sit here curled up with a cup of coffee watching the snow lightly come down.

A busy week that included:

-- beginning the RRSP process
-- a fun family day with the boys, catching a movie, some food, a bit of shopping and lots of laughs
-- some items checked off the to do list at school
-- a bit of cleaning and organizing
-- some Olympic watching

oh, and I took my change in to the bank. I started tucking it aside for  a personal challenge in....November, I think. I had challenged myself to save $100 in change to put towards lump sum. Happily, I rolled myself towards $200 and I took it, along with $220 other snowflakes, to equal $420 dollars. It was very exciting to take it all in and whap it down on that debt. Barring no surprises, I would be done paying off this debt with the May payment and half of the June one.  Very exciting!

So speaking of surprises, DS2 learned this week he needs glasses. Lordy. This is new for me as a parent. The frames and prescription will run us somewhere in the $400s from their estimate. I will find out when the frames he chose come in so we can double check. I will now begin the journey to figure out how much is covered by my plan and if there is any coverage at all through his father's.

Tummy's rumbling so it's time for some breakfast. Happy Saturday, all.

Irony -:)

So I go for my RRSP appt to the main branch today. I am guided to an office by a pretty young lady. As we sit as she begins to explain, I realize she hasn't introduced herself. odd

She begins describing things and I feel like a perfect idiot as I know so little about what she is talking about. I glance at her as she is inputting on the computer and realize she looks familiar. I glance at the set of business cards as see a last name I have heard of but I do not know personally.

hmmmm

She continues to take me through my little self inventory on what kind of investor I would be and it keeps bugging me. I glance again at the business card and see the first name Molly. Hmmmmm

Immediate I think of the only Molly I ever taught and I am pretty sure it is her. Wedding rings would indicate the reason for a different last name. As she goes out to get something she's printed I see her credentials hanging on the wall. Ahhh that's my girl.

I taught her Grade 8 Math  and Social probably 12 years ago. I smile at her and say, "If I promise not to dig around and find the video we did in Social where you had on a bonnet and were recreating a journey of Irish Immigrants to Canada....will you promise to go slowly through this?" She laughed and said "Deal". I may know a few things about Grade 8 Math, but I willingly admit she knows far more than I do about Investment.

Man I feel old. But at least, I know, I can ask her anything and not worry about sounding stupid. She always did like me, even back then LOL

So I am officially an RRSP girl, though a wee tiny one who has a long way to grow and a lot to know.

Adventures in RRSPs

Ok so I am getting my first RRSPs. I am intimidated by the whole process. I am woefully ignorant of financial investments. I am rather embarrassed that I am 40 and I am just starting. I am rather embarrassed that my start is a mere $1000.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo....

I went to my Credit Union yesterday as that is where I keep the ’savings’ portion of my meagre world. I needed an appt for RRSPs. The confused teller, after getting my name wrong three times, booked me in for two that afternoon. "Would you like me to write that down for you?" she asks.  "No thank you", I reply. It's 10 AM now so I am pretty sure I can remember an appt in 'four' :-) hours.

I get there at two to have the RRSP agent annoyed that I wasn’t there at ONE for my meeting. I blinked, looked over the agent to the teller who i dealt with and said nicely “I wasn’t here at one because she booked my appointment for two”. The teller ducked her head and knew she’d messed up, but once in the agent’s office she mentions again that she had to reschedule things because I missed me appointment. I gently re-explain the error was not mine but the girl at the front. After saying that it is unlikely the girl made a mistake (meaning “I” did??) she goes to her computer appt book and we learn that the teller still had a mistake on my name. Rather a validation for me I thought. “Well she’s new”, the agent says.

All that to find out that my smaller local branch no longer writes up those policies and I have to go to the main branch to do so, and make yet another appointment to get there.

A wasted day; I got blamed for something not my fault. LOL Hopefully it goes better at the main branch today. BMO is looking better in comparison

Overheard whilst in the city for family bonding time...

I suspect the fact that I never get out of my small town made some of these statements more OMG REALLY? when I heard them. lol maybe i'm just old, or 'square', or completely and hopelessly out of touch.

---at the movie theater from one couple to another..."oh we bring the kids here at least once a week"
There were two adults and three children. We were behind them in both lines. Cost for them to get in,  $52.20. Cost at concession $51.70.  OUCH

--in the food court at the mall from one shop girl at a clothing store to another...."it's just so handy having the food court here. I eat lunch here every day". Second girl, "but isn't that like 50 bucks a week?" First girl "well sure, I guess, but it's just so handy. It would probably cost me more to make food at home for lunches. Besides, what would be even scarier would be adding up all the coffees I buy at starbucks for my breaks in a week"
I can't even begin to imagine her 'latte factor' combined with her dining out.

--at the sports/clothing store where my son showed me the snowboard coat/jacket one of his friends has.
$170 for just the coat! and that was marked down 40% already. I reminded my son that his friend's father owns a business.

--two young moms out pushing strollers "I know, I don't really need another pair of shoes, but 30% off!!!"

--the young sales clerk where my son bought 2 shirts for $15, as he's punching things in, asks for my son's name and cell phone number 'for the system'.
Why, would you need that? jolie asks. We like to call to let you know about new stock coming in, say the clerk.  ok maybe I dont' get out often enough, but is that normal? I'd be livid if some store I randomly went to called me long distance, costing me minutes and $ to say there were new belts in the store.

--says the 30s ish mom of an incredibly whiny little girl having a hissy fit behind me at the check out..."Ok I already got you two dresses and that jacket. If I get you the little purse too, will you stop screaming?'
Right on cue,she stops. At this point I turn to the son I have with me, as I always do, and say "thank you again, for never EVER doing that in a store."

I loved the movie though. Both my boys had read the book. DS1 was less forgiving at how many times they deviated from the plotline of the book. I reminded him they did the same thing in Eragon or HP, but he said "not this badly".

We had a lovely day out and the boys and I had a great time together. Better yet, I didn't grow any grey  hairs at DS1 driving, though we did swap out before we hit city traffic. Baby steps, jolie, baby steps LOL

Happy Family Day

Well the boys and I are off for a lovely day of planned spending. We're hitting a movie (The Olympians), Percy Jackson, Chapters, where the boys have plans for their Christmas Gift cards, and Costco.

First time I have had the opportunity to let DS1 drive on the highway so this could be white knuckles LOL

Happy Holiday day to my fellow Canucks.

Work Related Expenses

This is not a rant or a b*tch fest. Merely a thinking out loud.

This is kinda /sorta our spring break week. We are off work Mon, Tues, Wed. We'd be off Monday anyways in other work land as it is Family Day here.

For Thursday and Friday, we have convention/meetings. These meetings are in a city about 150 KM away and they are mandatory. If you do not wish to attend, you must use your banked days (if you have any) or take days off without pay (which affect your pension).

All costs are out of pocket, and are not deductible.

Here is a breakdown of potention costs:

Version A - Staying over one night
Fuel to and Fro - $70
Parking Fees - $50 ( $25 per day, if you park above ground. More if below)
Misc Coffee etc - $10 for morning drive or evening return
Breakfast - $10 (for one morning say at Tim's)
Lunch - $20 ( for two days in Food Court if one goes the cheap way)
Supper for one night - $30
Hotel Fees for one day split with a roomie - $85

Total for Version A - $275

Version A - Staying over two nights
often people will go down the night before it starts to avoid that ghastly early early morning drive in
Assume all above except:
- add one more breakfast - $10
- add one more night hotel - $85
- add $20 for misc expenses (drinks or a  fast supper, munchies etc)

Total for Version B - $390

Version C - drive down for each day
Fuel - $140 (for two days)
Parking Fees - $50
Misc Coffee breakfast for being on road by 2 - $10
Lunch - $20

Total for Version C  - $220

This really is bare bones in many ways. It assumes no retail therapy. It assumes food court meals. It assumes it isn't frigid cold and one has to repeatedly start vehicle to keep it warm or pay double/triple to park below ground in heated garage. It assumes any extra munchies you bring from home, which you have purchased somewhere out of another budget category so they aren't really free. It assumes you buy nothing at the displays they have. It assumes no Costco runs.

Version A and B assumes no  major evening entertainment...movie out...drinks...fancier supper...etc. Version A and B also requires one find childcare back at home for day and for oever night, which is a total pain in the *ss, especially if you do not have family in the same area.

Version C means up early and a lot of driving. It means 'good luck finding a parking spot near the facility' as those who are in the city will be there before you. It means you feel rush rush rush all the time. It means finding someone  to watch over the lil ones from early day til supper time.

I've done all three versions before. There really are pros and cons to each. Staying in makes it feel more like a holiday and if many of your staff are, some real bonding can happen.

What will I do this time? Version C which means part of the Gas money can be split, IF they chip in.

I really do resent being 'required' to do something that costs out of pocket like this. If it were a conference I've chosen to go to, with topics that make me itch to get there, then I don't mind a bit. But this way....feels less fun.

Did I budget for this? sigh. nope. competely slipped my mind.

Do you have situations where you have to go out of town for training, PD, conferences etc where you pay out of pocket? Please say yes and I'll feel much better :P

This'n'that

What a whirly busy week. I honestly felt more tired than the last week before Christmas at school. I had so many meetings and activities, not counting that lil ole day to day thing called teaching. One of our dear friends at work had news her cousin and cousin's husband was killed by a drunk driver, leaving lil ones behind. Very somber and sad and our hearts ached for her and her family. g

It was also staff /teacher appreciation week so we we spoiled nicely with a lunch from the school board, a lunch from the parents, a dessert the next day from parents, chocolates...things like that. It rather made me smile when one of the parents commented on how hard it is to find chocolate treats that were not made in a nut facility. It is absolutely a struggle.

The menu never worked out this week. Monday and Tuesday were good, but Wednesday my mother phoned saying she had homemade stew, buns etc for us so we had that. Thursday was leftover night as our fridge was bursting and I am not about to waste any of it. We had homemade beef barley soup last night so we could use up the rest of the roast beef.

My T4 for income tax arrived. I am just waiting on one more from the union. I do have to get my assass to the bank this week and take care of my RRSP so I can get that form on time. I don't know how long it takes for them to send the form. I wish banks were open later than four around here. We have all the main ones: BMO, RBA, TD, SB, CIBC etc but their hours are pretty  much impossible to fit with someone who works a day shift. Friday there is more flexibility, but getting an appt in those prime hours is a challenge.

We watched the Olympics Opening Ceremonies last night. I think that for 1/12th of the Beijing Budget it was not too bad. I didnt' care for the prairie part...too slow...too long...too mellow. It's a shame that fourth pillar didn't rise during the Ceremonies. I have read comments on cnn or yahoo that just RIP the ceremonies apart. I swear some ppl are just viscious and have too much time on their hands.

I kinda sorta have a week off now. It's our version of spring break. We have conference away in the city for Thurs and Fri but til then, there is no school. I have a massive to do list to get done by then...both at home and at school. Being sick through January really threw me out of my routine. They say you should either go back from a break feeling refreshed  and rested OR caught up/planned ahead. I am a greedy girl and hoping for both.

Have a great day everyone!

Menu Monday

Sunday - Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and corn

Monday - Chicken Stir Fry and Noodles

Tuesday - Lasagna, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Smokies and Perogies

Friday - Burgers and Macaroni

Til Debt do Us Part Marathon!!!

What exciting news! Today (and apparently all Sundays in Feb), my favourite money show, Til Debt Do Us Part, is having a Marathon!  I do love this show. Gail, is the one who got me started thinking like a grownup regarding money and life. It's amazing what a powerful influence a woman can have....one whom I've never met.

It's not the nicest weather and I have a ton of  home chores to do today, so having this marathon on is a great way to rejunenate. I've seen some of them but not others, so I know I'll be more fixed to the TV during certain 30 min slots, rather than another.

Now according to the slice.ca webpage, there is supposed to be a 'where are they now' segment.  I have been hoping for one of these for two years now. I'm not certain if it is via the webpage, or on TV. The link seems to lean towards the webpage. If anyone knows the answer to this, I would greatly appreciate it.

Who knew at the ripe old age of 40, I'd have a financial crush on someone LOL

Happy Sunday everyone!

Where the $$$ stands

as of February 5th

DEBTS
Mortgage - $37 802.80
Consolidated Loan - $2 796.03
Vehicle Loan - $26 310.13

Total Debt - $66 908.96

SAVINGS

EF - $1250
RRSP 2010 - $200
Summer 2010 - $1000
Xmas 2010 - $220

RESP - $200
RRSP 'portfolio' - $1000

Total Savings - $3870


So I have managed to reduce my debt over the past month by $1840. The mortgage moves at a snail's pace but the faster movement of the consolidated loan pleases me. This will be finished before school is out this year. happy happy!

The savings setup looks  a bit different. I have moved last year's RRSP savings to a sadly and loosely called 'portofolio'. I haven't went to the bank yet for that, but that's how I will think of already invested moneys in future  years. The RESPS are new as well and teeny, but a start and that makes me very happy.

The rest of the savings keeps ticking along. As I've said before, I think I willl just let that EF grow by  $50 a month unless something comes along to hinder that. Right now my extra money needs to go elsewhere. Christmas should be funded by summer and then I will put that amount towards summer 2011...then back to Christmas. Hopefully it works out.

It is very interesting to be in a place where the LIST of debt items is smaller than the list of savings items. I was never in this place before I started this blog, starting becoming a fan of Gail and Til Debt do us part, and started being  a grownup!

On to lighter, brighter, and ...err....whiter, things :-)

OK I know I've been busy but my laundry has been breeding like rabbits. I feel like I am never going to be caught up.

Granted there isn't heaps and oodles of time when there are two working adults in a home, but lordy!!!!

I feel like singing 'This is the chore that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend'

Just curious out there for those who feel like an innane, interesting but not earth shattering survey.....

How many loads of laundry for how many ppl go spin cycling through your house each week?

We are 4 ppl and 7 - 12 loads of laundry.