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Archive for February, 2016

Happy Surprise

February 29th, 2016 at 04:19 pm

We got husband's profit sharing statement from his work. They contributed $3,855 to his account this year! Making his total $6,409 at 40% vested. Sweet! Free money.

I paid the house payment bringing our mortgage down to $47,280.96.

I got my federal tax refund and sent the $100 to the Roth.

Lots of little progress on our goals.

Baby goats are being born. The weather is warm and we are gearing up to start working on projects again.

Three Digits

February 23rd, 2016 at 06:57 pm

I got my final horse trailer payment and sent it to the computer loan, bringing my balance down to $868!!

I also paid off my credit cards except for $100 due next month.

Things are looking better financially. I did get my old job back and will start soon.


I love progress!

Taxes Done

February 19th, 2016 at 04:12 pm

I finally submitted my taxes. At the last minute I decided to input a $1,000 for husband's Roth, so I would get back $100 for the savers credit. I'll have to make sure to send the money to his account before the April deadline. I'll definitely send the $100 from the taxes, and there is an extra paycheck coming up next month so I'll send $350 then. Just have to come up with another $450 which should be easy enough.

Should know about the new job within the next day or two.

Really feeling the itch to get projects done, or some deep cleaning. But I just don't even know where to start. I'm sick of our house looking unfinished and dirty. No matter how much cleaning I do, it still looks yucky with the old scratched floors and missing trim. I so want it to be finished this year, but the amount of money to complete just seems impossible.

Design work is picking up, and I've got a couple vet checks left. Really going to try to use my paychecks wisely to knock out as much debt as I can. I've been very good about spending lately except the occasional fast food or snack.

Husband actually had extra money left in his paycheck this month after bills, spending, and paying his credit card off. I can't remember the last time we had a positive balance. I never do because every single dollar I have (besides my buffer of course) gets put towards something on payday. I don't leave extra money sitting in my account, it instantly gets sent to savings or debt.

It's Done

February 16th, 2016 at 07:11 pm

I put in my two weeks notice today at the vet.

I am sad for my co-workers, but happy to soon be rid of the stress. My last day will be the 25th which is great because I have goats due starting on the 29th and now I will get to be home.

My old/new job interview is Thursday. I'm still not sure how I completely feel about going back but I am cautiously hopeful that it will be better.

Almost caught back up from the low paychecks. Another $350 to go before I can earnestly start working towards my goals again.


Really need to submit my taxes, but I'm only getting $100 back and it just depresses me.


Gave Into Pressure

February 10th, 2016 at 03:10 pm

I will admit. I gave in. Dell would not quit calling me every couple weeks trying to talk me into getting a warranty on the top of the line desktop I bought. I kept telling them no no no.

Well yesterday I got tired of dealing with it and said yes. >.< I told them it was too much money and in the end I talked them down to $100 for a 3 year in home full service warranty. Which is quite cheap compared to the $250 a YEAR warranty that they try to sell you when you buy the computer. Patience and persistence is rewarded.

Part of the reason I gave in was because for the past month I have been considering getting a warranty. Just because it was so expensive, I would hate to think of something happening. I've never bought a warranty before, but I've also never gotten a $3,000 computer before either. $100 isn't a big deal if it removes worry for 3 years, especially since I use the computer for work.

Then they of course tried to talk me into getting the warranty for husband's laptop he bought at the same time. Ha. We hate the laptop, and have had numerous problems. We will probably trade it in eventually. The warranty for that was $290, ridiculous since we only paid about twice that to buy it. No thank you.

Anyway, I received an unexpected check and have $100 to pay for it, so no big deal.

Vet job is still getting worse. 2 out of the 3 vets are quitting in March. Including my favorite vet. Frown I thought the workers who have been there for several years where making pretty good money, but I talked to one yesterday who said she was barely making above minimum wage. What the heck. Why do they put up with all that for minimum wage? She was lamenting that she should have went back to her old job... Yeah this is a sinking ship. I'm getting off before it all goes down. Hoping to be gone before March when the vets leave. It's going to be such a mess. They are already so so busy. I don't know what's going to happen.

My favorite vet is leaving because her family is 6 hours away, and she only gets one day off every other week so she never has enough time off to go visit them. Really? Why couldn't they just give her another day off? They would rather lose her than give her anything. Just shows what kind of people they are. Everyone is replaceable to them, if you don't follow their ridiculous rules.

I'm tired of being scolded and yelled at. At my old job people loved me, they respected me, and I was good at it. Here I just feel like an idiot, constantly told I can't do anything right. I got yelled at yesterday because I pushed down too hard when I was writing with a marker... Okay then.

Which to Pay?

February 7th, 2016 at 08:51 pm

With the recent sickness, and job instability I've really gotten cautious with our budget. I've realized with our current spending, we would be about $500 short a month if we had to rely on just husband's income. That frightens me.

I need advice on what to do with any extra income. Right now I am paying $200 a month on my 0% interest computer loan. Which will get it paid off before the financing runs out. We are also paying $30 interest only on the LOC.

Should I work on getting the computer paid off to free up that $200 a month in the budget. OR should I be paying down the LOC, which does not help the budget but makes the most sense on paper since it's charging interest and has the highest balance?

Part of me thinks it's silly to payoff a 0% loan early, but it would free up the budget and I think the quick win will give me an emotional boost over the LOC which will take quite some time to pay.

Which would you do?

** Job Update **

My interview with my old job is next Sunday.

I almost got fired at the vet on Wednesday. I accidentally missed a meeting which I did not know about. I was really expecting to get fired. But I did talk with husband and decided that if the owner was rude or disrespectful that I would quit and not tolerate her terror anymore. She ended up not coming in to have a "talk" with me, so her husband sat down with me instead. He is much nicer and more chill. He said just said to be careful and not do it again. So I got off easy.

I will admit I will feel bad for the other workers when I quit at the vet. The other new morning girl got fired for being late. (The 5th person to quit or get fired in my 90 days...) So they are so so short staffed. Actually I am picking up an extra day a week for now. Figure I might as well make as much money as I can just in case. I am going to miss the animals and the knowledge I am learning, but I won't miss the stress and instability.

Feeling Better

February 1st, 2016 at 02:51 pm

I am feeling much better. But I have not coughed out any of the pneumonia since it is stuck below my lung disease. So if I don't cough it out soon I will get sick again.

Money is very tight since I didn't work for weeks, and now work is still light. Thankfully I finally received a payment for my horse trailer I sold last year, my parents gifted me some money, and husband's sweet friends at work took up a small collection and gave it to us with a get well soon card. What nice people. So proud that my husband is such a good and hard working person that people offer to help him in time of need.

I made the house payment today (need to update mortgage numbers), the LOC payment, I paid another $100 on the computer, and I have some money left to pay towards our car insurance which is due soon.

For February I just want to pay down debt. I don't want to set a number on it, since finances are unsure right now. But anything helps.

Been working outside since we've had 60 degree weather. Husband and I finally got up the dog fence last night! We had quite a bit of trouble when the goats chewed through the wire in several places and we had to repair. Arg. I'm hoping they won't do it again now that it is all up and tight. Now it just needs hooked up and retested. I'd love to get that done today.

Also need to do goat vaccines today, baby goats are due in exactly 30 days. Can't wait for all that adorable snuggliness. Fingers crossed for lots of babies. The waiting list is so long.