Wowitsawonderfullife's Personal Finance Blog

I have only two goal so far for 2012. The first is to pay off my Visa which as built up to $5,014 mostly as a result of low pay until August of 2011 when I was given a much better paying long term contract. When Visa advised me that my interest was being increased to 9.95% - an increase of 2.05%, I immediately called and cancelled the card. I may move the Visa debt to our LOC to save the interest and I am loathe to pay anything more to CC companies than I have to. On the other hand I won't be as motivated to pay off this debt if the rate is lower. I know my personal financial failings and this is definitely one of them. But if that Visa bill is staring me in the face every month it will push me to pour every cent into it.

My other goal is to start moving. I can sit and read and work forever. It's time to get this body active!

I will post on my progress and I wish all of you a very wonderful, prosperous, and healthy 2012. Your ongoing support during 2011 was like a breath of fresh air.

Happy Spring!

Thanks to everyone for your support on my sister's new liver. It's working and she will be out of the hospital soon I hope. Special thanks to those of you who signed your organ donation cards after my posts.

On another note, has anyone used Turbo tax to file? I've been paying an accountant for the last several years and I'm thinking maybe I should do my taxes myself. Do these software packages make it easy if I have a) a dependent family member who gets a disability tax credit, and 2) a student with education deductions? Let me know your thoughts. I have last years forms from my accountant that I can follow as a secondary check to make sure I'm in line with previous returns.

hello everyone

We had a new liver implanted Monday morning at 6:30 am. By 11:00 am it was clear it was working. Her colour was much better. Today all the results show improvement and she is being moved out of ICU as soon as a bed is ready. This is a day early. Thank you all for your support. So, have an emergency fund, have a power of attorney, and sign your donor card. You guys are the best. Thanks for all of your support!

We got one!

Thank you all for your support in my quest for a liver for my sister. We're still waiting. She's been sent to ICU and is on life support. It's very strange waiting for someone to die so my sister can live. This is so bizarre. Sign your donor card today. And since some people were asking, we have full medical coverage in Canada so we don't have to pay for anything related to her hospital stay. When a liver is found somewhere in Canada a specialist and their team charter a plane and fly out to look at it. If it's a match it is harvested and flown back to my sister's hospital and then transplated. My sister's liver is "mush" according to here specialist so there is no way for it to recover. That's it for now. Hopefully my next post will be to say she's in recovery! Imagine, 56 years old and in perfect health until last Wednesday. Strange indeed.

Hello Folks. It's been a while. I'm blogging from a lounge at a hospital in the transplant unit. My very healthy sister who was out cross country skiing last Tuesday (10 days ago) is now waiting for a liver. Seems her liver has something wrong with it and it's been destroyed. So if anyone has a spare liver, type A blood, I'll buy it! After all, I do have an emergency fund thanks to everyone's support on this site :-)
But seriously, we've ruled out any likely disease (hep, aids, cancer, cirrosis) and they can't figure it out at all. Apparently this is not all that uncommon for a liver to shut down and no reason can be found. Hug your loved ones right now. And let me know about that spare liver you have hanging around.

An interesting year financially. The good news includes my DH paying down his line of credit by $11,000. I secured a temp job that I love but I am losing money commuting and paying for parking. But I have been told I'll be hired permanently in January. Woohoo - pension plan! I did build up an emergency fund of $2,000 but had to spend it on emergencies (new brakes/calipers and other stuff). But I've started to build it again.

And in other news, today I took delivery of a 2010 van - NEW. A few months ago I blogged that the van I had was sticking with me for another few years. But I found out about a few problems that would set me back $2,500. So once my loan equalled the trade-in value I took a look in the flyers for something used. The fact is that now that the dealers want their lots cleared for the 2011 inventory. The deals were amazing. I bought a 2010 Dodge Caravan, with my $1,500 trade in for $16,809.00. This is totally crazy. The retail on this puppy is $27,445. I received $11,100 on rebates. So rather than spend money on fixing my old van I took the leap.

In other news my credit score is 824 (Equifax). This thrills me!!! No wonder I keep getting credit card offers in the mail.

I think 2011 will be much more prosperous. I am looking forward to a real salary so I can pay off the Visa I have been relying on to supplement my crappy temp salary.

Thank you all for your support this year. I love this place! I wish all of you a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2011.

Hello Folks,

Homebody was asking about my absence and thought I'd fill you in. I was hired by a large company for a 6 month contract. Horrible pay - I'm actually losing money working there because of the commute and parking - but I absolutely love what I am doing. My contract has been renewed and I've been asked to join permanently in January at a more realistic salary. I can't get over what a difference a great job makes in my life. And I am totally opposed to defining my life happiness by my job so I have to work on balance. That being said, it's a sweet feeling getting up in the morning and wishing the commute was shorter because I just can't wait to get at it.

On the financial side it really cuts me deeply that I am going into debt working. The alternative is no income so I have to consider that whole issue. I continue to pay down the Visa, altho very slowly. I am optimistic that my financial life will change for the better in January.

I'm keeping it frugal for now. I decided to keep my 2002 van which I love. It's looking a little worn with rust. I've invested in new to me tires with lots of life left in them. Sorta like me. I'm approaching 50 and seeing a bit of wear but I've got lots of life left in me too!

Hope this note finds you all well. I lurk when I can. Miss you all and will try to update more frequently. I'll edit the sidebar sometime soon.

Well, I maxed out our emergency fund just as an emergency (sort of) came up. We were on vacation and the temperature was 45 degrees with the humidex - about 105 degrees farenheit. After three days of not sleeping I finally gave in and bought a $200 air conditioner which I purchased from the EF. There's a saying... if Momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy. So it really was a small emergency. In the last month I've paid off $600 on my credit card bringing it down below $4K. So should I now focus any extra cash on bring up the EF back to my target or should I keep pushing the extra cash onto the credit card? I've never had an emergency fund before and am not sure what to do. Help!

Finally, EF's are fully funded. Putting the new car fund and Christmas fund on hold and working on paying off the darned Visa card that continues to climb due to school trips that were booked in September of last year. Car will be paid off in June of 2011. Good thing since it's a 2002 Dodge Sports and is rusting badly. I'll need new tires soon. One blew out at midnight on Friday on a country road. Managed to have it replaced for $85 including the tow. Thank gawd for CAA (Canada's AAA). I wonder if I can pay off the Visa by the end of 2010? Now that's a great goal!

First day back tomorrow. I have my updated financial goals: paying off Visa and to max out my EF for the second property (see side bar for details). Ready, set, go!

I am thrilled to announce that I landed a job today. It's a contract position for 6 months but I am thrilled none the less. Sounds like a very promising opportunity. Hey, and only a 44% cut in pay

But it's a job that I know I will do well, and at this point in my life it's just what I need. Thanks everyone for your support over the last little while!

In other news my EF for the second property is growing. I'm only $366 short of my target. Once I meet that goal I'll start to address the two credit card debts that accrued during my unemployment. Onward!

In my last entry I mentioned my son had mono. Well, he managed to write all of his exams and he passed his year! His marks were terrible but they are being petitioned and with any luck his grades will increase. What a relief! Thanks to everyone for their supportive comments.

In other news I managed to add a small amount to one of the EF's. I'll reach that goal when I receive my income tax return.

Good news! I had a second interview today. It's a six month contract which pays 45% less than my last job but it's a job! I'll post when I hear.

Arghhhh! Final exams for my son in university start on Monday. Yesterday he was diagnosed with mono. He's in a lot of pain and sleeps continuously. Unfortunately the program he is in does not offer deferrals for exams. Exams are worth 60% - 70% of his grade. In one course in particular he failed the midterm (altho the average on the midterm was 1% less than his result so the whole class is failing). So this means he may lose this course and others if they base his grades on his term work. The long and short is that he might lose his term, and therefore his year. Without his year he can't take the 12 month co-op job he is supposed to start in September. While I am naturally concerned about his health first and foremost, I am also aware of the loss of $20,000 which is the cost of one year at school. And the loss of $39K the co-op placement would have paid him. The poor kid! I just want to pick him up from school and make the big bad world go away.

No one told me parenting was this hard!

In other news, the EF for the investment property has grown a little. Hard to make it build without a job. Hopefully I'll land something very soon.

Added another $45 to the EF for the second property. Slowly, very slowly...

Does anyone use Quick Books? Is it an easy software package to use? I'd appreciate your thoughts as I may have to train myself on this software for a potential job.

Fully funded the Emergency Fund in the amount of $1,200.00! Next goal is to fully fund the investment property EF in the amount of $1,000.00. I contributed $35.05 today. Some might suggest that I work away at the credit card as it's incurring interest charges I know I will sleep better at night knowing that my two EF's are in place. Besides, when I get a job I'll be paying off the cc's by the bucket load.

Thanks for a fantastic game guys. Exciting!

Up to $1,160. $40 to go to reach my target.

So far this year we've had several items die. Gone is an Ipod (fortunately I won three two years ago), the DVD player, and the GPS died yesterday. Naturally we can't find adaptor for the portable DVD player so we're out of luck. The interior window of the oven shattered a few weeks ago and it was $366.00 to replace it. Bad luck comes in three's and now we're up to four! Yikes. We just have too much stuff! I wonder if this is a sign?

Yesterday I tackled the linen closet. Donated 15 items to the local charity place. Total items out: 45 including 4 bags of garbage. Total points: 94. Maybe I'll keep doing this. It's made a difference but there is still a lot to go out. Thanks for following along!

I've been off for 14 months. Ten of it has been "fun-employment". I've been looking for a job since October. I've contacted friends and family. Any ideas? I'm willing to do anything. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Ah, 10 old T-shirts out, two wreaths freecycled, plus craft ribbon to a good cause. Up to 71.5 points and haven't put a dent in it. Another, oh, 800 or 900 points and it might make a difference. Onwards!

I'm up to 52 points. Freecycled several items and donated 10 airline travel kits to go to Haiti. Another huge bag of trash out the door. I need to tackle the clothes next. How did I accumulate so much crap? Jeez, being a product of the materialistic 1980's has my house filled with such a lot of useless stuff. I am sure I could clear a good 65 - 70% out of my house and still have things that I don't need in it!

I was able to add to the emergency fund in an effort to meet my goal of $1,200.00. As my side bar indicates I am now at $1,009.01, up from $854.01. Can't wait to have this fully funded so I can tackle the cc debt.

Finally reached the goal of 30 items in 30 days. Lots of recycling and freecycling and a little bartering. Regretfully there was too much garbage put out but who needs a handful of broken pieces of Hot Wheels track? I'm up to 31.5 points. It's half way through the month and I hope to hit 60 points by month end.

Joy of joys. Our mortgage company deposited $5,000 into our account yesterday. Bonus! But we know it's an error. At some point it will be clawed back. But it sure looks pretty sitting in the account.

We received a surprise refund for a dental expense after we appealed it. I added $450 to the emergency fund for a total of $854. Getting close to my goal of $1,200.00

Well, I've been able to incease our EF to more than $400. One third of what I need to have to feel comfortable. We're up to 11 points on the 30 day challenge as I threw out a garbage bag of crap from the work room (freecycled 10 items last month), sold a pair of skates yesterday, returned borrowed items yesterday. So I'm satisfied with the 11 points and have many more to go.

Ah, soul crushing. Didn't get my dream job with the non-profit. But now I know and can move forward. Life is unfolding as it should. But man, am I disappointed!