Change for May

Nada

Zip

Zilch

I knew when there was such a great amount of it last month that there would be no full rolls to take care of for May.

Added to that, I didn't use cash but my debit card more often - so little change to receive.

That's alright. There will be something for June to add to the snowflake kitty :-)

I did it!!

Well folks! I did it.

After 2 years (and a wee bit), the LOC is back at $0.

I opened it here as a precaution when there were work difficulties. I didn't tap into it til later in the summer. On it is a bit of $ for a WHL  hockey camp flight, some of the money for DS's trip to Italy last year, and the money I 'borrowed' to buy DS2's car last fall as the rates were cheaper than a loan.

I was so close to paying this off a few times and then chit happens.

It is a good reminder to me that Life. Always. Happens. and I have to keep up my planning and saving for these things so that life doesn't pull me into debt.

I have an LOC now at zero, but with the power to tap into $15 000. I hope I plan better and smarter so I don't use it, but it is good to know it is there.

I had to laugh as I read in Money Sense last month that 'in your 40s' you should have an LOC like I have ready there, before you start to head into retirement. I guess I AM getting to be 'that age'

Thank you all so much for your support as I marched on towards getting this credit debt gone.  It helped on those days when I just wanted to say 'to heck with it all' and not put money down.

almost payday

I am SO glad payday is almost here. This has been a spendy month. I definitely did not plan to save enough money to cover costs for prom and grad. My first time through so I will be far better informed next time with DS2....but in the meantime....

So far we have the Suit, tie, pocket thingie, belt, dress socks and shoes. All of which will be worn and  used again regularly except perhaps the pocket thingie.

Then we have cap and gown fees required by school.

Prom tickets.

I got a few... FEW of his cap and gown pics from the fancy photographer. For my mom, my sisters etc. I literally had my breath taken away at the costs for the big packs.

I had forgotten the escort corsage and his lil flower. I got silk ones. The others would wither before prom even started.

We have been having decorating bees trying to get  everything ready for prom. Some of these moms LOVE the opportunity to take charge and I am happy to let them and just be a flunky. Cut and glue, I can do. No thinking or planning required.

Listening to the ones with daughters talk about costs made my stomach turn. The dress and jewelery. The hair and shoes. The fancy pics. Boys are SO much easier.

My niece will be taking the formal pics. Not sure how much this will end up costing but certainly less than the fancy ones.

I bought a dress thanks to my online shopping buddy Asian Pear. It has worked for my april wedding I went to and will work for prom and then for grad as well. No one's going to be looking at moi LOL

For DS2's grad I will find some ways to cut costs, not because he doesnt' deserve things, but because I will be more informed on how to get more bang for less buck.

RRSP Update

At my last update, the money I had put in during the last week of December, did not make it on the statement. It was 'there' in spirit, just not on the statement which was printed before the money went in.

My balance right now  is $6174

It is currently divided between 65% Canadian  Equity (Dividends) and 35% Canadian Income (Bonds)

I have contributed $5500 over the few years since I started which means a lovely $674 has been 'earned' since the start.

If I am reading the statement accurately, I am earning just under $8 a month on the bonds and $15 a month on the dividends.

Better late than never but I will forever kick myself, just a bit, that it wasn't started sooner.

Long weekend Saturday

Most folk were headed up to the lake for the long weekend, and my DS2 was one of them, but for the rest of the Money Tree family it was a weekend at home.

DS1 started work last week and is working his way through this long weekend. It keeps him busy and out of trouble :-) I went down to the campground late this afternoon and took him some supper. It was his first 8 hour shift. I know he needs to be a big boy and pack his meals but we were barbequing and it seemed a shame not to share it with him for his supper break. It was really good to see him so confident, on his own down there. He was on the afternoon/evening shift and worked alone. As I got there, he was talking with some guests so I curled up at a picnic table to the side to wait. I didn't want to be THAT mom :-) I was so proud to hear him talking to them IN FRENCH. They were from Quebec and making their way across the country. All those years of immersion paid off I guess. They were speaking a little faster than he's used to hearing but it was all good. Very cool.

For DH and I, Saturday was yard labour work. Our newish neighbours are tearing down their fence and putting up a new one. The old one is 40 years old according to my oldest neighbours on the other side. We agreed to share the cost of our common piece. DH also decided to do the back fence as well. Our neighbour on the other side does not wish to redo the fence, so for now, the old one will remain. Everything looked so naked and bare without a fence. I mean, the old one was only 4 feet high, so it was hardly Fort Knox, but with things down, it felt so exposed. Can't wait for the new one to go up. Hope it goes smoothly. It was nice to actually have a moment to talk to these folk. They are a younger couple with a little girl and a newborn son. She is a teacher in the area too, though I had not met her before. This new fence is 6 feet high.  It's going to be very different back there not being able to see across the alley or the next yard.

The mosquitos have come in full force. They are fierce!!!

Happy Saturday.

Beginning of Grad season

Friday night I headed up to the community where my sister lives. It was my niece's graduation. Very small town. 15 graduates. I haven't been able to make it up for any of her siblings' grads so I really enjoyed the small town aspect of it all. We started with supper for the grads and their families at the community center. Then off we went to the school for the ceremony. She was valedictorian and I was so proud of her as she gave her speech. This is the last of the grandchildren, aside from my two, to graduate. I found myself tearing up quite a bit as I realized this would be me, at my son's. very soon. Long dresses are back in again. I remember my grad with it's ballgown. ahhh memories.

Tonight was my niece's graduation. She is the last of the grandchildren to graduate aside from my own two.  I haven't been able to make it up for her siblings' graduations so I was happy to get there for this one.

It was  a small town graduation. 14 graduates. These kids have been in the same class their whole lives and know each other inside and out. We started off the evening with a family only supper at the community center. Each graduate and his/her escort came in and paraded around so everyone could see. Then they were introduced and the MC told a little bit about the student, their memories of high school and their hopes for the future.

After the supper we went to the school for the ceremony. This was open to anyone, with chairs reserved for those who had been at the supper. I was very proud of her as she gave her valedictorian speech. I found myself tearing up quite a bit, only to receive a smack from her mother (my next oldest sister) to stop it  because I was making her cry. I realized that I would be in the same position very soon, and it was starting to sink in.  Long dresses are back in. Most of them strapless, but not all. Several of them had a corset laced back which looks lovely, but is a pain in the *ss to tighten or to fix should anything....err....upstairs.....be falling out.

After the ceremony there was a brief formal dance and then the extra family like moi headed home while the immediate family went home to change. There was a parent controlled party out on a grad's farm. It gives the kids a chance to celebrate in a very controlled evironment with the parents to be sure everyone was safe and got home safely.

Here is a picture of the back of my niece's dress. I love love love the blue.

They did family pictures that day. I wish I looked as pretty and put together as my sister does when she is all dolled up.

A wee bit more snow

I love it when I forget I have money coming in. It doesn't happen often so I appreciate it when it does.

My travel and conference reimbursement fees came back today giving me another $120 for the kitty.

Off to the bank I go and now I am under $350 on the LOC. This should be gone soon :-)

Happy  Happy.

Free and Independent

That's right. I sure am!! As of today, I no longer have to drive my children about to their activities.

DS2 got his licence!!   It took two cracks at the can to get it for him, but it is all a distant memory now :-)

He is much more apprehensive than his brother, and I think that is a good thing. Perhaps it will bring some caution and common sense that sometimes, his brother, seems to be lacking.

We are now a family of four drivers. wow

I am getting old.

Woo hoo. He's employed

So glad to be able to say DS1 got a job.  We did up his resume - DS typing, mother saying 'no it needs to be arranged thus and so' and he applied for three jobs. We heard back from our top pick and he had an interview last week. They don't usually hire non university summer students, but they made an exception for DS.  With him only attending school afternoons (from his hockey season), he was available in the mornings as well as after school and weekends.

 He is working at a local campground operated by the town. It's good outdoor work, taking care of things, cutting grass, maintenance as well as checking in and out the visitors from all over the place. I guess all those years of camping have paid off as many of the things he needed to do, he already knew how.  We will have to watch during grass cutting, as he has allergies.  Some non drowsy allergy pills will help with that hopefully.

He only gets paid once a month so it will be a long haul til the end of May for a boy with no cash. Bank of mom will help out with the MUST HAVEs until payday and then we get to do a budget for him. woo hoo!! The wage is a bit more than minimum wage, but not a huge salary.

If he does a good job (ie doesn't screw up) then it is likely he will be rehired back for the rest of his junior hockey 'career', and perhaps even after that when he starts college.  He's working about 20 hours a week until school gets out and then he hovers somewhere between 30 and 40 hours a week.

An 18 year old about to graduate definitely does NOT need too much free time on his hands :-)

Some snowflakes :-)

I know I have been waiting and waiting for spring, but these snowflakes make me a happy girl.

Back in March we had optometrist visits. The costs are mostly covered by insurance, but must be paid for up front. I put those on my Master Card. Insurance was delayed however and my CC bill came due. I was NOT about to let those costs stay as a balance on there, so I siphoned from my weekly jars to pay it off in full.  

That insurance reimbursement had slipped my mind until it arrived yesterday in the mail. Since the money was already paid off, it is pure snowflake.

You know where it went :-)

That's right - straight onto the LOC which now puts me under $400 remaining.

woot woot!!

A Beautiful Weekend

This was definitely the best weekend thus far of spring. The weather was lovely. The air was fresh. Spirits were invigorated. Friday started with an impromptu 'come to my house for drinks after work' from one of my colleagues. It was great to hang out in their backyard, relax and enjoy the fresh air and sun while those who had kids played. We finished the evening with a fire and I do have to say it was  quite heavenly.

Saturday was a day to take care of our outside. We got the lawns rotoraked - a dusty, messy job. They looked instantly healthier and bits of green could be seen. There was an amazing amount of.....................evidence......................that the deer were in our back yard a lot noshing on the tree. It took several shovelfuls to remove said evidence. Once the dust of the lawnmower was done I had the simple pleasure of hanging clothes on the line. It's amazing how fast things can dry on the line. They take forever to dry when I hang them up downstairs.

We went out to my sister's acreage to take care of her animals while she is away. Not allt he snow had melted yet but there were pockets of grass space. It was good to be out there and enjoy the sounds of peace. 

We had a weiner/smokie roast at home on my new firepit I paid too much for at a silent auction in the winter and sat by it in the evening. One of my nephew's popped by with his girlfriend for a visit.

Sunday was a work morning at school, then home to go visit mom and dad and help them tidy up their yard. A steak bbq wrapped up the evening.

Not so much a weekend of money, but one of recharging and reconnecting.

Priceless

Where the money stands

as of May 4th

Debts
Mortgage - $27 862.80
LOC - $550.00

Total Debt - $28 412.80

Savings/Planned Spending
TFSA/EF - $2058
RESP - $13 820
RRSP - $5700
Plates - $1200

I removed the celebrations savings goal as I have already used a good portion of it for the first wedding as well as the beginnings of prom/grad prep.

The big news is getting that LOC down so much with the income tax. I am very excited about that. It brings it down to 'almost gone' as well as bringing the debt down under
 $30 000. It does not include the new debt my DH has took on with the new truck. This blog has mostly been about my debt and my progress, rather than 'ours', as he refuses to have anything to do with budgeting or preplanning etc.  I can only control me...and some days THAT is tough :P