So the IRS has had our taxes for 9 weeks and I know this because they have to sign for them..we finally have online this last week that they have received them....yes they have had them for 9 weeks but only now just saying that so lets see how long it takes them to do them...honestly dont know why we would do them anymore what are they going to do if we dont pay them...they are so incompetent as a business/govt agency...I dont even go on them anymore just my hubby because I dont want to deal with them aymore it cost us more but not enough for me to have to deal with them

Well sat down today and redid our budget have spent a bit of money on things we probably shouldnt have but would help us a bit, like our woolen car seat for my daughters car they really help my hubbys hips and spine when sitting in a car to stay more comfortable, had the in our car until we sold it..although it was money spent its a once off it was still money spent. We have also eaten a lot more takeaway food then we have in a very long time since the move, by end of day I am just to exhausted to cook and hubby has been the same...daughter comes back today and it is getting cooler so will do more slow cookers I think that will make it easier. 

Of course food prices have gone up as well so going to monitor that more and try find energy to go back to making our own breads and snacks to save money as well. 

I have paid off the CC again and put it away but I did use my ice acct for it so will take a couple months to replenish it and then I will add $200pm from then on to build it up

I will also start investing again to help us with our future...I know we are so far behind but better to start late then not at all....some savings are better than none.

Other than that not much going on we have state elections today...see what happens

Time to see if we can earn some extra money and save more than we are at the moment...this year is going to be a good year

Here in Australia you have to have your spouses permission to do anything when it comes to joint accounts etc, my hubby has a hard time understanding (his hearing isn't great) foreign workers talking on the phone so he tells them to talk to me but they say they can't he has to discuss things if it is his card or account ( we have seperate mad money accounts). We use to be able to sign a form giving permission but they don't do that anymore and now they say if he wants me to discuss things then I would need power of attorney to do this. Same with many bills elec/gas etc only 1 name can be on it and the other person can't discuss it because it's not under heir name. I get privacy etc but we are married. I have told them that if he dies and owes them money don't come talk to me about it because it's not my issue, they say well your married...and I say you can't have it both ways you can't not discuss things with me about an account for privacy reasons even though we have said its fine to discuss with either of us, bit then if something happens you want the other to pay....nope sorry doesn't work that way. I just opened another account in my name only and gave him the card so any issues I can just call about it...and we closed his account when they asked why we told them why...they didn't like but but oh well. 

So just wondering if the US is like this or is it much easier as a married couple to deal with these issues...it wasn't like this until a year or so ago...but it is frustrating

Every year we have issues with the IRS seriously thinking of never doing taxes there again...they received our taxes 7 weeks ago and we know this because they have to sign for them, we can't do them online and we can't have an online account (because we dont have US address) and yet they aren't even acknowlee dging that they have them yet... we can't call because it is way to expensive calling overseas on a cell phone and that is if you can get a hold of anyone. So how long do we have to wait or do we just not bother and hope they will eventually get to them...seriously the IRS is one of the worst govt agencies we have ever dealt with, this is the 7th year in a row that we have had issues with them and I'm really over it

We are finally settled enough into the new house where we are back to cooking each day, which is great..we all really missed our vegies everyday...the weather is coming in cooler now so we can do more slow cookers which makes life a lot easier...so we spend around $1200 a month on food for 3 adults, now granted that covers everything we use food/cleaning etc...but I would like to get it down even with prices going up. I do have to start menu planning again which can be hard because I use to do it each payday with the specials that the stores had but now we do a big shop on the 1st month as we get 10% off our order which actually saves us more than the weekly savings...but just means we have to do a monthly menu. we do shop from a butcher which means our meat is so much better and we buy from a local fruit/veg vendor which is all local produce so fresh and well priced...we do shop sales for things that we get low on when they are on sale and we will start going back to our local bulk store its where you can buy all your flours/beans/nuts etc...in bulk or as little as you like....just so we can work on filling up our food bins more...we have a huge fig tree out the back we probably wont get fruit from it though as we have some huge fruit bats that eat the fruit at night...they must be about a metre wide with their wings spread....they are a protected species anyways...so will let them enjoy the fruit...I have never eaten a fig...and was going to try one but we will see what is left.

I don't really want to cut the budget more than it is because the only monthly bills we have is rent & groceries, we do put money away each month for annual bills and just pay when they are due and elec/gas/water is paid every 3 months so we put money away for that. We no longer have a car so we put money away for my daughters car to help with ins/gas/rego etc when it is due (she pays it annually as well) because she does a lot of our errands/appointments with & for us so thats what we chose to do. 

I do have to pay off the CC again this month so probably wont get much into savings but not creating anymore debt and saving a little is better than having debt...so next month will be better.

We have state elections this week will vote like we normally do because those women are out and about in the community ALL the time not just election time, they have done so much for our area and continue to do so, and yes election here you get fined for not voting so we have to get it done. Our daughter flies out for a week long work trip so will be weird with just the 2 of us at home and the pets has been awhile

Other than that not much happening on the financial front want to start saving for retirement better late than never I guess we now have a pretty boring budget without debt...which is great pay everything in the beginning of the month and then we are done

Well we all knew it would happen once bombs were released but our petrol/gas has fone from $1.50 to $2.20 pretty much overnight and they say it could get to $3 a litre...Thanks Trump for starting a war we don't need or want it costs us all but he doesnt care he has his billions, his food, his bunkers etc he will be just fine...lets hope i ends soon and prices will come back down because I am sure sick of all the prices rising and no-ones wages rising at all,,,rant over

I have to say I don't like trump in any way shape or form...but I went to send out a package today to a friend in the US and before you would write what was in the package and then pay and it would be on it's way...no now Trump wants to know what is in the box, what country it is made in, how many, the weight etc, so we now have to write out what country it is from....I'm like it's coming from australia so what does it matter...so now have to undo the package and get all the information done...so much more work to do just because of him. 

On A brighter note we have paid all our bills for the month (except rent) that is a scheduled payment so for the rest of the month we will put the rest of our money between CC & saving and get one paid down and one boosted up a bit...and still try figure out how to get one of bpay refunds back since we are no longer with the bank