New sidebar

As promised last week, I added the new sidebar under DEBT to reflect the status of my Line of Credit. This account was opened last May when uncertainty of job action and status was present. As my EF was inadequate, the LOC was going to be a very 'poor choice' back up if need be.  I never ended up using it for that, but I did to make the final payment of my son's trip to Italy. I am not pleased that I did not save the $ properly for that and had to use the LOC. However, the deed is done now and I need to own up to it, so there it is.

This is an interest only LOC so if a month went by where I did not make a payment, the interest amount would come out of my account tied to this. The interest is not added onto the loan. I have been making $50 payments per month on this loc while directing the bulk of my attention to paying off my vehicle loan.

Hopefully I can soon start attacking this loc a little more aggressively and get it off my list of things to do.

Last lump sum payment

So today is payday :-) Oh happy joy joy. Really wishing I were Scrooge McDuck today and able to roll and dive through my money for the one day I get it. Less than a day, really. I spend about 10 minutes online this morning moving bits around here and there. I went to the ATM and got my jar money for the week.

I headed out at noon to the 'other bank' and made my final lump sum payment on my vehicle loan. There remains a $1070 balance.  At the beginning of May, my second last regular payment will come out and at the beginning of  June, my final regular payment will come out. And then it's game over.

I put $300 today as the final lump sum payment.

I probably could have really stretched money and played with the budget lines to kill off the June payment and make May my final one.  Call me crazy though, but I really wanted to savour that last month of seeing a balance of only $500something on the account.

After my start May payment, I will have 98% of my loan paid off. I tried playing with the numbers to see how much more I needed to add to see that at 99% paid off for the last month, just to enjoy it. I would have needed to put down half of my remaining payment.

I guess in the spirit of fully visualizing my money, I need to get a sidebar up indicating my LOC. I shall put that on my weekend to do list.

Sunday health musings

First, thank you so much to everyone for your amazing support on my Friday post about my vehicle loan. It means so much to me. I get more support on here than in my own world. As for my plans, first I need to get this paid off and then come up with a battle plan for what is next.

I went back to the specialist in the city this past week. The news wasn't great. While I am finished my round of steroids, it did not put me into remission as they had hoped. (for colitis, remission means there are no active flare ups, blood, etc) Doesn't mean the disease goes away, just is sleeping. Dormant seems a better term for me.

The everyday meds are not sufficient to keep the inflammation down so we are up to step 2, which is a drug with all kinds of scary side effects and potential medical problems. One of the potential problems is a decrease in my white blood cell count, so I have to go for blood work once a week for two months and then if all is well, once a month for the rest of my life.

While I am glad to be off the steroids and all their nasty side effects, the ones with these new drugs aren't great either. The worst is the joint pain.  My knees ache so badly right now I can barely move or get up/sit down. This is supposed to fade as my body adjusts to the meds. I sure hope so. Right now, this sucks.

Step 2 of drugs was supposed to cost $200 a month. I am very happy to have medical coverage. I filled my prescription with trepidation. The bill came to $5. Thank goodness.

If step 2 does not work, step 3 is the final step of meds currently available. They are about $30 000 a  year and I am told medical insurance does not cover them. I hope it does not come to that.

I need to get my butt to the school for a bit and get some work done. I need to get groceries too. and clean.

On the bright note, I get to use my clothes line for the first time since last fall. That makes me very very happy :-)

If I could draw your attention.....

to my sidebar, you will see that my vehicle loan is now down to $1372. 

Let me rephrase that - my vehicle loan is now down to $1372!!!!!!!!!!

DS1 is home safetly so I took money from my income tax refund and whapped that onto my loan. Lookie the percentage it's at!! That's right. 95%

That means I need a wee bit of snowflakes and my two regular payments at the start of May and of June, and this loan (knocks on wood) is done.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this and while it will be something to celebrate, I am coming to the realization that they will always be a SOMETHING to pay for or to save for.

I guess that, in itself, shows how much I have learned the past few years.

Paycheque Pie Chart

I was inspired by Bridget and her post   (and very pretty pie chart) on how much of her paycheque she brings home. It was interesting to see what percentages went  where. I have often done quick math to see how much I bring home, but never sat down to figure out the percentage allotments of my gross wage.

She and I aren't that far apart on what we bring home as net. She brings  home 60% and I bring home 58%.  Our biggest difference is the 8% she smartly places in investments and brokerage accounts (I am not even really sure what brokerage accounts are. so sad, jolie)

Here is my pretty pie chart:

Very similar to hers.

A thank you

Just a thanks to those who went over and voted at Modest Money for their favourite 5 PF blogs from Canada. While I certainly don't expect to get the votes like those top front runners, it was very sweet of those who voted for me.  I am not sure when votes close, but if you haven't been over to check out the great Canadian sites he has listed, please do. I found some great new reads over there.

A wee bit of snow (both kinds)

While I would love for the two kinds of snow to be money snowflakes and dandruff, sadly, I am dandruff free.

After a week of near zero gloominess most of the time and wind wind wind, the forecast is for snow tonight and tomorrow. Thank you so much to my Alberta neighbours for sending this gift towards me (activiate loving sarcasm device here) :-)

I also bundled up the bottles and cans today and did a quick run over to SARCAN (Saskatchewan's recycling depot). There weren't many, but enough. It netted me $10.95. The change went into my change jar and the lovely purple bill went into my snowflake jar. It currently holds $30 so I now have $40. Every little bit counts. When I hit  $100 I will take it to the bank and whap it down on my loan.

Yeah non precipitational snowflakes!!!

cheques? check!

I know  a LOT of you don't use cheques at all anymore. You are able to pay for what you purchase through cash or CC or online banking.

I still use cheques. Not everyday. Not a ton of them. But they are still in my life.

I have two chequing accounts  - one main one and one at my credit union where I keep the 'boys account' and my savings, TFSA etc.

I KNOW I posted about the cost of the cheques I ordered from my main account but I can't find that post for the life of me.

I had to order new cheques for my 'boys account'. This is the one I use primarily for activities for the boys: school fees, extra curricular fees, activity fees, camp fees, etc. I also use it if I am donating $ to a charity or if I buy something, say at a home party, or from the tradespeople who bring stuff to the school. I used it at Christmas for the $ gifts to my new great niece and nephews for their RESP plans.

A set of 100 cheques for this account will last me a long long while. Much longer than the days when folks used them at the stores for shopping, I suspect. The cost to me was $21.52.   I don't remember how much the cheques from my primary account cost, and I WILL find that blog entry, but I know my CU charge is much less than the primary one.

Now if I could just do a good job of using my cheque register and reconciling it.

The power of Scent

I went out this morning to take out a bag of trash (sounds so romantic, doesn't it?). It wasn't terribly early but the streets were quiet. It is gloomy and grey out. It rained last night and more rain is on the forecast. But the smell...................................oh the smell captured me with one whiff.

Fresh, moist, soft...........and wham.......................I was up north, camping.

Instantly........absolutely instantly, I was unzipping the tent and climbing out in the early morning hours. That is my favourite time when I camp (ok campfire is up there too). It's quiet. No one is up yet. The air is soft and fresh, most likely because it rained the night before. With a cup of piping  hot coffee, I head down to the to the spot where it over looks the water. There is a mist coming off the far side of the lake. The sun is rising up off to the left at the far end of the lake. The loon calls (no, not my family) are echoing off to the island on the right. My feet are wet from my walk across the dewy prairie grass. It's a moment of Optimism. Of Hope. There is nothing but the day ahead of you  and such peace and harmony.

I love mornings like that.

I need more mornings like that. many more.

Income Tax here (and a bit of this and that)

Well the cheque finally arrived. All $1024 of it. I really really really would like to whap that all on my loan but with DS1 gone I am holding off to be sure nothing comes up and I need quick cash. I feel like karma is watching me and if I 'spend' that money, I am suddenly going to need it.  I also have two trips into the city I have to make next week...one to pick up DS and one to the specialist. That will require 2 extra (unbudgeted) tanks of gas as well as parking fees.

I put a bit more down on my loan and I am now under $2000 to go. oh boy!! I can't wait til it's gone. Then I can focus on my savings goals and my LOC.

M, over at Early Retirement the Middle Way, announced this morning that she is closing her blog toute suite. For those of you who read her, you will have a quick chance to say bye, if you want.  Sad to see another one go. 2012 seems to be the year for that. Over a half dozen of the ones I read, anyways.

With Sadness I clicked on Asian Pear's page (who said she was leaving) and it is now closed :(
great sadness.

Top Canadian Financial blogs

What a huge surprise and a delight to find that I was included on a list compiled at Modest Money, for top Canadian Financial blogs.

When I say surprise, I truly do mean it. I am just a plain ole prairie girl who yaps too much and is using, yes I say USING, my blog as a way of keeping myself focused on using my money as well as possible.

Jeremy is having an opportunity for readers to vote on their favourite 5 blogs on his list. I read so many....it was hard to choose.

Have a wander over and place your vote if you are into that sort of thing. If not, check out the great content offered at Modest Money. Truly worth your time!

Sunday Night Chit Chat

What a dreadfully lazy day for me. Seriously. We did our Easter supper last night to allow the married kids a chance to get to the 'other family' today for another Easter supper.

Here goes my Sunday Night Chit Chat, brought to you by Carla.

What am I Reading?
I just finished this book for school. It was..........weird LOL

Watching?
I was watching the gold medal game of Men's World Curling. Yeah Canada!! Now I am watching a Bones rerun.
Listening to?
I am listening to my cat, who is currently watching a squirrel video on my Iphone. He's addicted LOL

Cooking/Baking?
Nada. Ate like piggies yesterday at mom's.

Happy you accomplished this week?
I am happy I was able to send off DS1 for his trip....financially and emotionally. Big step for mama :-)

Looking forward to next week?
I am looking forward to playing big time catch up for home and work. and walks. lots and lots of walks.
Thankful for today?
I am thankful for my family. We had 23 of us at mom and dad's yesterday, including the three grandbabies, not including the 7 dogs. It's ridiculous. Where is the cat love???  Even though several were not able to make it home, it was a bulging house. The food was plentiful. Ham, turkey, stuffing, homemade cabbage rolls and perogies, home made buns and pies and all the extras. mmmmm mmmmmmmmmm good. I am glad for the chance to see my family and for DS2 to be able to hang out with his cousins. As the youngest, he often feels shafted because the rest are older. I completely understand, being in the same position. Sister2 hosted the after gathering and DS2 went out with them and played games and laughed til almost 3 in the morning. Thankfully, one of my nephews brought him home.

Well...he's gone

We dropped him off yesterday morning at the airport with his group.  He seemed rather indifferent to the fact that his mother was slightly traumatized at sending her baby off to Europe without her.  Darn 17 year old boys LOL. While his excitement level was hard to detect around family, it was clear when he got with his friends that he really was pumped up for this once in a lifetime adventure. Once in a lifetime...cuz his mama ain't footing the bill again for a trip for him :-) We saw him through customs (no beeps!!!) and then left him in the capable hands of his teacher and vice principal. The first leg of their journey was on a small plane. 50 seats. Their group took up 28 of them. I pity the regular folk on the plane LOL

I gave him a book to record events happening (as suggested by his teacher) and advised him to record his expenses as well. I offered him the reward of keeping half of the spending money he returns home with, IF he returns home with money and IF he records his expenses. We shall see how this goes.

As a farewell, we went to the Hunger games Friday night. After three weekends of playing with multiple shows per day, the 6 PM was sold out before we got there. We got some of the last seats for the 7 PM. While they did not remain true to the novel (what movie does), I thought they did a good job of the movie. I'd go see it again :-) DS1 hadn't read the book so DS2 and I had a great discussion on the novel/movie contrast and comparison.

Happy Easter everyone.

Where the money stands

as of April 6th

Debts
Mortgage - $31 354.72
Vehicle Loan - $2842.86
LOC - $3600

Total Debt - $37 797.58 
  
Savings/Planned spending

TFSA (EF) - $2000
RRSP - $4000
RESP - $9980
Summer 2012 - $1000
DSs trip - $1200

Thoughts: I decreased my debt by approximately $1450 this month. It's exciting to see it grow smaller. I didn't do a thing to improve my savings/planned spending but that is coming soon. I told myself that I had to mid May to use my extra money to pay down the loan and then, regardless of where the loan is at, the extra money goes back towards savings/planned spending goals. I am ok with that. I need to refocus on that.

I am now over 90% paid off on my loan!!!! I have been waiting for that % forever, it seems. Home stretch baby!!

March Goals

Well there isn't a whole lot to report for March goals. I can't boast that I have done fantastic things, but I am moving forward, even if it feels slightly snail paced.

• I snowflaked, if only $75. It went on my vehicle loan yest.
• I put a total of $525 extra on my loan yesterday. I am now at 6 regular payments to go. That puts me at being done September 5th, if I am not able to put extra down. I really wanted to be done for April 5th but that isn't going to happen.  I was hoping for June 5th so I would have time in the summer to figure out a new plan for the money, but I've done some quick calculations - I don't think I can do it  before then.
• I put down a minimum  amount on my LOC. my LOC is interest  only so the real minimum is the interest I am paying. I pay that plus $50 extra.

Bring on spring and a successful April!!

March Change

It started off as a rainy Sunday yesterday so it seemed like the perfect time to curl up with Gail Vax Oxlade's Til Debt Do Us Part,  a cup of coffee and my change.

I rolled happily until I came to the pennies. I have to say I am sad about the government's decision to stop making the penny and phase it out of circulation. I completely understand that it makes no sense to make a 1 cent coin that costs 1.5 cents to make.  What can I say? I'm nostalgic.

They say that prices will be rounded off so if something costs me $1.42, they will round it down to $1.40 and if something costs $1.46 it will be rounded up to $1.50. It's supposed to even out that way.  My innate curiousity is going to have me keep track mentally of purchases I make now. I wonder how many are naturally going to fall in the 'round UP category' ??  And who gets the extra rounded up money??? The store?? I didn't hear that part in the news release.

Anyhoo, it makes me sad. I hate those 'end of the era' moments.

My rolled change came to $50 bringing my snowflake jar to $75 for the month of March. I think that is the lowest snowflake monthly I have had since I started keeping track. While I don't begrudge that $75, it certainly does speak volumes about how the month went in terms of money.

If I can get there, this money is going to the bank today to go down on my vehicle loan. Every bit counts!

Sunday Night Chit Chat

tonight's broadcast of SNCC brought to you by the letter AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and the number 1. (and also by Carla :-)

What am I watching?

Chopped. I've always seen the ads. Never watched. The remote is wayyyy over there and I'm too lazy to get up. That being said, I am enjoying the show.

What am I cooking/baking?
There is homemade beef barley soup simmering on the stove. good warm soup for a rainy rainy day.

What am I listening to?
I am listening to my tomcat have a very serious bath. Boy is he loud!! lol

What am I reading?
The list of what to pack for DS1's trip. I know I'm going to forget something. Or he will. Or he'll lose something.

What am I happy I accomplished?
I am glad I summoned up enough energy to  go with DS1 to get everything (I think) he needs for the trip.


What am I looking forward to in the coming week?
The Easter Break. Taking DS to the city to get on his plane. Seeing The Hunger Games in the city. Easter dinner at mom's with everyone home.