I got all of my forms online this year so I can file early! Unfortunately the IRS isn't ready for one of my forms so I won't see my refund until late February.
I am getting 1927 back from the Federal and $597 back from the state. It turns out that I could claim the high insurance premium on my Ga return as long as I didn't itemize, which I didn't. That gave me an extra $200. I don't know the time frame to get that back. I am having both refunds direct deposited into my checking account.
Filed my Taxes
January 24th, 2013 at 03:53 pm
January 24th, 2013 at 03:59 pm 1359043146
January 24th, 2013 at 04:02 pm 1359043374
Will you fund that Emergency Fund so that you don't have a panic like yesterday when you checked your account and noticed that something could have gone thru and added alot of overdraft fees for you?
Will you also use the rest to pay off your credit card balance in full so you don't have to worry about that anymore? That would leave both of those 2013 Goals completed with $496 remaining for the hospital bill.
Or are you going to book your NYC trip?
January 24th, 2013 at 04:08 pm 1359043735
And yes, we would love to know your plans for the money!
January 24th, 2013 at 04:11 pm 1359043862
January 24th, 2013 at 04:28 pm 1359044931
When I was struggling paycheck to paycheck, I dreamed of big vacations but didn't take one until I could pay for it, while still paying my other bills. I couldn't imagine spending $2000.00 plus on a trip while still predicting a $500.00 shortfall for March. Did it suck then? Heck ya! However, there was a freedom in knowing that I would only to have to feel the pain temporarily. Is one week in NYC worth struggling to pay bills the rest of the year?
One other thought- Can you adjust your withholdings so you can a zero refund next year? That should give you an extra $175 or so to live on per month this year.
I know you want to give your daughter everything, and that is commendable. However, I grew up poor, and I would have never expected my parents to take me to NYC. It wasn't in the budget, and that was that.
January 24th, 2013 at 08:49 pm 1359060576
This is a LOT of money that you are planning on spending on a trip. I really think that if DD wants to go to NYC she can figure out how to fund it. Or better yet, maybe she just can't go. We all have things that we can't do. My parents weren't paying for ME to vacation in NYC when I was a kid.
Remember how you were able to frantically add money to your account so that a double charged bill didn't send you into the red? Wouldn't it feel nice to know that an accidental double charge wouldn't wreak such havoc? Wouldn't it be nice to actually have your emergency fund?
Please reconsider the NYC trip. I know you booked the hotel, but reservations can usually be cancelled. And - honestly - even if you can't cancel them and lose the $500 or so that you already spent, that's sunk cost, and by not going, you'll be saving another $2000 that you desprately need.
We all want to do fun things, but it's just not a responsible idea to do them outside of our budgets. There are lots of nice mini vacations you can go on with your DD within driving distance of home.
January 25th, 2013 at 12:35 am 1359074108
January 25th, 2013 at 01:03 am 1359075817
January 25th, 2013 at 02:42 am 1359081751
I saw the post where you were talking about the NY trip, but I don't remember the reasoning behind going. I do agree with the others that you might want to do some hard thinking about whether or not the NY trip fits in with your priorities. What would cause you to sleep better at night? Using the money to pay off the credit card and put money into an EF, or going on the trip?
January 25th, 2013 at 05:44 pm 1359135857
January 25th, 2013 at 09:09 pm 1359148198
January 26th, 2013 at 07:03 am 1359183788