Mumof2's Personal Finance Blog

We were going to move in october as this house doesn't really fit us...but if the landlord agrees we might stick it out another year and then hopefully have enough for a deposit on a house....if housing prices don't continue to rise, I am hoping to get to $50,000 but we will see it doesn't leave much wiggle room if something comes up but it is something to work towards each month.

This means our CC won't be paid off till november (which is bad I know) but it will still be paid off and then not be used...may not even keep it but we will see....and we will still have storage fees to pay until we move or buy a house so that sucks hoping we can cut back on what we have in storage but don't think we can...not much anyways...I am a minimalist my hubby and daughter like their stuff and do a lot of leather work, daughter has a jewellry business, they build furniture etc...so it all takes room...and they both like to sew.

We Have decided that closer to spring we will start planting our vegies in pots again and buy a dehydrater so we can start doing our own vegies again...wnated to wait till we bought but now we don't want to with the way prices are going...I will also learn how to can things. so will need to look into prices for a dehydrator etc

If you are paid the stimulus payment do they keep your taxes in lieu of that payment? a quick run down

we sent our 2019 taxes in covid hit so they weren't done till may 2021, once they were done they paid my hubby 2 stimulus payments which was $1200 (for both), when I called the irs as they hadn't done our 2020 taxes yet to let them know that we got that payment but they weren't on the taxes as we hadn't received them at that point, we were owed between $1200-3030 in taxes as a return for 2020 taxes, they said because we were paid the $1200 they couldn't pay us twice and closed the case and we still haven't received any paperwork for them...saying what has happened and I have called many times always talk to someone different and always with different answers. We didn't think that the stimulus payment would replace the taxes, so is that how they work? They still haven't processed 2021 taxes yet but just trying to get some clarity. So now we have no tax paperwork from the irs to say that our taxes were paid or that they swapped them out with the stimulus payments...so not sure how to get the paperwork from the irs, they say they have sent it but been a few months and we still have nothing.

We also can't do anything online since we live overseas, so that makes it harder....any ideas or have any info that could help us??

Payday this week and finally got around to paying the bills they are all paid except for groceries/gas, I have added an extra $200 a month to the gas bill although it has come down $2.22 pl ($7 gallon) to $1.69pl ($5.8 gallon) it can jump up over 50c a night so will keep the extra for now.

I have decided this month to put have of our "extra" money on the CC and the rest into savings...hopefully will be back on track this month financially. I have decided whether we move or not in spring I am going to start growing my own vegies again and buy another dehydrator to start drying our herbs and vegetable, we use them a lot in winter in the slow cooker and we should have enough to get through this year but food prices are expensive and getting worse, so will try and save where we can. Would eventually like to learn how to do canning in jars...but will have to research that..

Thay have just approved another booster covid shot for winter so hubby might end up getting it and the flu shot...we will probably get the flu shot but not the booster...will see what doc says. Luckily my mom didn't get real bad when she got covid..so thankful for that...she is 83 so was worried...but she tested negative today. 

The weather here is quite nice right now sunny during the day, the mornings and nights are getting cold, and we live near the ocean so we feel it...but it is autumn so expecting that...not looking forward to winter...I don't like the cold...

not much else happening it's hubbys b-day in a couple of weeks so we will just have my mom and the kids down to celebrate with pizza, I have given him $200 to spend on himself as thats what we do for b-days here now they are adults...and we will keep it low key since covid and winter are upon us again...hubby has covid & cancer treatments...its the last thing he needs.

We are voting sometime in the next month once the govt calls a date...has to be before end of may...here's hoping this govt loses and we can get rid of them...I'm also glad our elections are nothing like yours, they start maybe 8 weeks before and then we vote and it is done...

we were going to go our gold prospecting this month but have decided to wait till october hopefully will be feeling better wby then, until then we will buy paydirt and hone our skills.

Well a quarter of the year has already gone...time flies by so fast the older you get. It is payday this weekend so will do an update after we get the bills paid, we will have 2 more in the month which we usually use for groceries/gas, we have had to up our gas amount by an extra $200 a month as it is costing us so much,,,was around $7 a gallon here, slowly going down but will keep adding the extra for now. 

I hate shopping so it has been nice to be able to do a direct to boot for our groceries and it stops a lot of impulse buys from anyone who is doing the shopping, and today I found a green grocer that delivers, we get our first delivery on monday so will see what their produce is like and see if we want to continue with them..hopefully it is good food & service, and delivery is free. We do eat a lot of fruit and veg each week and the weather is cooling down here as we go into winter so will be nice to do a lot of our cooking in the slow cooker and we use so many more vegetables when we do...we have found it hard with my no energy to cook and hubby's stomach since his cancer and meds he can't stomach a lot so this should make it easier...and bonus they use all local produce which I love as well....supporting the local farmers.

I did spend money on an electric blanket since it is getting colder but we haven't bought anything else which is nice that we don't need anything...the blanket is more of a want than a need but I think that we all deserve some wants every once in awhile...

heres hoping we get some money into our accounts this month!!

Well I don't have covid but my mom just found out she has tested positive, she has me worried as she is 83 lives alone and is 6 hours away from us, she has family nearby but my neice has to be careful as she has a 1 year old and my sister and her hubby have both tested positive as well today...none of them know where they got it from...my step son went to the chemist and grocery store to get a few things for her...we will call her several times each day to check on her..she is fully vaccinated plus a booster..so hoping that is enough...fingers crossed

This year was suppose to be about me and my health, trying to get myself better...it has been anything but that!, things are finally starting to settle down with everyone and everything, so the main things were that my nephew who loved school now hates it, he is very bright but he is bored at school, they won't give him extra work or anything so he won't go...so we have an exemption for him till end of april when he plans to join the army..so we will see how that turns out. My daughter moved out of her place and I finally got the realestate agent down from $822.70 to $330, so my daughter has paid that and now is finalised. My step son I threatened them with small claims court, she knew she was in the wrong charging him over $1900 when he moved out, I did get it down to $900 but  I'm trying to get it down in the $800's...hopefully that will be settled this week.

We have changed our house around so that it works better for my hubby and daughter and their hobbies, just have 1 more room to sort out (daughters business room) and finish putting stuff away in my hubbys room which will be done this week and the house will be finished...now I can start focusing on me and my health, I have a 24 hour cortisol test (it was standing at 1004) to do and a ton of blood work which should be done this week....other than that not really going to worry about doctors anymore will try to get myself better and see how we go...after 5 years and no diagnosis I have had enough.

I have been looking at the budget and I think I can reach getting $2000 into my ice account by the end of april, we do have a few more things we need to pay in april that we normally don't but they are 1 offs and hopefully pay off around 1/3 of the CC, which should be paid off in 3 months (june). I have also decided to add extra $100 a month to the ice acct every month starting may just to start boosting it a little each month...after these are done I can start to save for a house, we are still deciding if we will move or not in october, if our daughter is pregnant we probably will but if not then we will probably stay here another year...moving is so expensive and we can't do it ourselves anymore.

I am hoping that our US taxes print outs get here soon as I would love to get that finalised once and for all.

So beginning of april everything starts new and I am determined to get back on track....wish me luck

I am starting over in april, with a new budget as we have had so many expenses lately we are pretty much broke right now, everything is paid but we don't have much extra. So the first thing we are going to work on is getting $2000 into our ice account, do people think that is a good starting point?

We will then work on paying off our CC again, then put away and not use it unless an emergency pops up, once this is paid willprobably add a small amount to the ice account each month to get it up higher, eventually want 6 months of bills/living expenses but that will take awhile.

We will then start saving to maybe move in october, or may stay here, will see...either way it will go into our savings account so we can start saving to buy a house.

I have also decided after my next procedure (it was suppose to be today but wasn't well enough) I am walking away from doctors, will see my regular doctor and in may I have an endocrine specialists to see but that is it...I am going to get healthy and well my own way...after 5 years no-one can give me a diagnosis or help in anyway when it comes to my health, so will try to figure out on my own...and it is way cheaper our money can go towards other things.

Settled my daughters end of lease today, she moved out early and they had to get new tenants, which is fine but they wanted her to pay $822...yep I wasn't having that, quoted some law to them, argued with them for a week and today settled on $330...so that saved my daughter almost $500...and yes I was in the right so would fight them on it...and it worked...still have my step sons that we are working on but that is a much harder one to do...hopefully that will be finalised soon. 

Yesterday and today have moved half the house around trying to get it working better for everyone, so have heaps to put away but that is okay, I enjoy moving things and cleaning things it feels much cleaner and I think what we have done will help everyone more with their hobbies etc.

So we had the car in to be serviced and get a couple of things fixed, it ended up costing $1150..more than we expected but it needed to be done....and the car runs a lot better.

The dog had the groomers today cost $65, it should get him through winter, he looks like a puppy when he gets groomed...we get him done about every 6-8 weeks, will be a bit longer now that it is getting cooler so he will stay warm...but he does have 2 couchs, 3 blankets and plenty of jumpers/jackets if he does get cold...and he does love the electric blanket on our bed to stay warm, our cats also have their own warming blanket to stay warm...so not worried about them being comfortable in winter...they are a bit spoilt!!

Made 3 banana breads today...had some bananas and didn't want to waste them, we don't each that much so took a couple to the neighbours, they have 3 kids and he also seems to mow and edge our front yard when he does his without even asking, it is really nice of him..they are good people, so nice to be able to give something in return.

Not much happening here, had state election here today...haven't watched the results yet...should have the federal election before end of may, hopefully we get this govt out...they are doing a horrible job, we have 5 deaths in as many days because ambos are ramped and can't get to people...its a sad situation, and they just don't care...they need to go!!

Well I have been busy trying to catch up on things around the house. 

Sold a fridge/freezer and washing maching the other day got $350 for them and used that money to add to our stockpile of groceries, in case groceries get short in supply.

Still haven't received anything from the irs, it's been 5 weeks since they said they send it and it's been 8 weeks since we sent this years taxes in so will see how long that will take to process...nothing so far.

The weather here it is cooler and raining today which is a nice break from the hot weather we have been having.

It looks like we will need to go to small claims court to help my stepson with his bond issue, which is more stress that I don't need as I will be the one doing it, I have emailed the old real estate agent and told her what we plan to do so see what she says...hopefully will help come to a better outcome then going to court.

Have a couple day procedures next week in hospital other than that going to try and have a quiet week...my body doesnt cope with stress or medications and I have to have anesthetic and it's going to be hard on my body...so fingers crossed all is going well.

We have our state elections on sat, I am hoping we can elect better people to run our state, 5 people have died this week already because of ambo ramping...it just has to stop and they need to be funded.

Went to get gas today as it was down to $1.74 per litre...but it had gone up to $2.22 per litre (for those in the US thats around $8.20 per gallon) guessing we will be only doing driving that we need to for a bit....wish politicians had to live on what the average person does because they way they do things differently

Well had a lot happening last few weeks, finally got our daughter moved and her keys handed in so hopefully they will have new tenants in there soon. That was a job to get everything moved and the place cleaned...so glad it is done.because I get 

Still working on my stepsons housing tribunal case that I need to do for him, since his stroke his brain doesn't process things properly especially when it comes to contracts etc...so he signed when he shouldn't have thinking it was something else and now has to pay over $1900, I don't think he needs to pay all of it, some yes but not all, so I am putting his case together and hopefully in a few weeks we can have that settled and done with.

It was pay week last week so got most bills paid still haven't changed our phones over but hopefully within the next week, should save us around $35pm, we do however need to get our car serviced and our handbrake done (pretty sure we need a new one) so who knows what that will cost, will find out next week when the car goes in, bonus we can use our youngest DD car as she isn't using it right now till our car gets fixed.

We have had to up our grocery and gas in our budget as food has gone up 25% here in our stores in last 6 months and gas was just at 1.99 litre (approx $7 per gallon) so have had to increase these each month so less in savings...was hoping to pay a big chunk of the cc off but that won't happen with the caretc...so will just pay it off over the next few months and get our savings boosted up again, then get it paid off.

We have our state election next week so my daughter and I went and voted early today, because I get dizzy and can't stand long they will allow it...but lots of people there to vote early...got to chat to our local candidate, so that was nice...I think our federal elections is some time before may I think, we don't have a date yet...but hopefully the govt we have now gets voted out they are hopeless and don't really know how to handle money or care about people....it;s time for a change!

well need to work on budget and housing tribunal, here's hoping the car doesn't cost to much to fix!!

I have most bills paid for this month, I am going to change my cell phone plans this weekend, it will save us $35pm, I have paid for our new car insurance, I pay for it yearly and got a refund from old company for $177 so put that into savings. Have put money into our ice acct but we do need to get our car serviced and also get a few things fixed on the car..so not sure how much that will be, will get it in and then find out, our youngest DD isn't driving right now she is working from home and is moving in with her BF so they do the shopping etc together so if we need to we can use her car. 

Speaking of our youngest DD since she is moving house (literally 1 door down) they are saving money as they can walk everything over..she has sold most of her big stuff as they don't need it and they will keep some of hers and his and get rid of the rest....and she is going to pay me and her sister to clean the house instead of a professional as she likes how we clean...did a majority today and tomorrow should be finished...although will take hours but that is okay..will be done...and the guy to clean the carpets will be there tomorrow, so then it should be done...except a few things that people have bought and will pick up sunday. So that will be some extra money in.

Not much else happening we have a bunch of scripts to pick up tomorrow as our doc calls were on the phone this week not in person, I love our doctors, my oldest DD always go together but she was quarantining since she had wait for her pcr test results..so did by fone and my doc also did some stuff for my youngest DD and my hubby, which she also informed my hubby's doc (which is one of her partners), and he called him yesterday and again today (hubby forgot to ask about his cancer shot) so he called back and it was all sorted...they go above and beyond!!

I have 2 paydays left this month so I am hoping to get our ice acct fully funded till $2000 (fully funded for now), so that is my goal....if we do and have extra I will put on the CC

So my daughter went to the US for  a month holiday and wanted to send a box home instead of carrying on the plane..but they said that all mail going to or being received from Australia is not being accepted anymore due to not having enough staff or transportation due to covid...so she had to take it on the plane with her instead...I am just hoping this is a new thing and my IRS papers have already left...it is so frustrating as I'm not sure anyone in australia even knows that they aren't accepting mail over there...either way it worked out she is on her way home and just put it in baggage...she only took 2 small backpacks over with her so she didn't have much baggage at all anyways...just frustrating not knowing if the irs mail is on its way or not and yet another delay in the 2020 tax saga!!!

I am looking forward to having my daughter back in the country especially with how things are looking around the world...we have taken her car and groceries etc over to her sisters house as that is where she will be staying when she gets back till she knows she is clear of covid...she tested negative but never know on flights and she has 3 seperate flights...so just being cautious and her sister is moving in with her BF so it all works out...and if she does get sick her sister is literally 2 doors away so can help her if she needs it....but we think she will be fine.

It is pay week this week so will do some updates when we get all that done and sorted...and still need to write up a grocery list we still try to do a majority of it once a month but they say food prices are going up again so we want to get more canned goods etc so if it does and we can't get fresh then we are covered more. 

Gas prices have soared over here it has been so dramatic and went up overnight once russia started on the  Ukraine... it went up to 1.99 per litre...which is approx $7 per gallon...so expensive, but our state pays so much we have the highest electricity in the world...a 3 month bill is $600 plus for most people...but paycheck are much smaller than other states..rents have sky rocketed...life is getting expensive....

I have been helping my step son out with his old landlord thats a big story in itself...since his stroke like episode his brain doesn't work properly...but that is another story for another day....we have some bad weather coming in this afternoon and for the next couple of days...australias weather has been bad especially with flooding this year and weird because it is summer..well autumn starting tomorrow

So I sold 5 puzzles a few days ago and made $100, we will also change our phone plans which should save us around $35pm ($420pa) and got new car insurance which should save us around $140 pa... so saving extra $560 pa which is good for us....over time going to see where else we can cut back and save

Have updated my march budget and I should be able to get my $2,000 back into my ice account and pay off 1/2 of the CC ( rest should be paid off in april)....I will then be able to save around $1,000 a month...hopefully more but I am keeping it there for now....see how we go....but that is the plan.

I am researching our car/contents insurance as well as our phone plans to see if we can save money in those areas....we are looking at moving in october when the lease is up as if my daughter is pregnant this house won't fit us and we would really like one that has a big shed so we don't have to pay rent and storage fees...it is expensive....but we will see what is available when the time comes....may be nothing that would suit us and won't just move if it doesn't benefit us.

Can't wait till march, our daughter will be home..although in isolation to make sure she doesn't have covid...the budget is looking good and I think things are looking up...fingers crossed...can't believe march is only a week away...this year is going fast

Happy valentines day...although we never celebrate it, my hubby has a tradition since our girls were born that each year he buys them a rose for valentines day...so we went to our youngest daughters house today and gave her hers...but our oldest daughter is in the US so we will wait to she gets back...but we talked to her and wish her a happy valentines day...I love this tradition for them...hope those who celebrate had a nice day as well...for those who don't I hope you had a nice day as well!!

Today was a bad day (and just so people know these guys live 5.5 hrs away from us)...my mom ended up in the er 2 days ago due to a massive migraine and pain in her head she went by ambulance which took an hour to get there and sat at the hospital for 8 hours without any meds or seeing a doctor....there was no doctor at the hospital..so she left and my sister stayed with her that night...she has been trying to see a doctor in that town but can't get in...so she called me today and said she wants to come down and see her doc...that was at 9am...she wants to get things checked out so we were trying to figure out how to get her here...I ended up getting her on a flight that only takes 50 mins...hoping that her head would be okay, she had called her doc down here in the city and got an appt to see him tomorrow so hopefully we can get things sorted...she made it fine..took lots of meds before leaving and is now at my sister house until her appointment....so after getting her sorted this morning we get a call from my step son...he has some sort of brain injury but they are not sure what has caused it but for the most part he is okay as long as he is on his meds...if he doesn't have his meds he gets really bad in the head, can't think, process, his body starts to shut down etc... well he to lives in this town as well he had a doc appointment at 12..never seen this doc as they just moved there a month ago...he has had no meds for 4 days so is in bad shape he hasn't been able to see a do yet...so he does to his appointment and the doc has closed up shop and not told anyone...so he can't get his meds, hes getting bad and calls us as he can't process what he needs to do...so I call the hospital, they say there isn't any doc at the hospital so he won't be able to get the meds for hours...so I call the doc down here where we go and he use to go explain the situation and see if the doc will write a script and send it to a chemist (drug store) down where he lives so he can get his meds...the lady said she would email the doc and see what he wants to do..the doc calls him and does a phone consult, mad that he hasn't had his meds for 4 days...and gets a script sent down to the chemist for 21 days worth and also send one in the mail that will last him a couple of months...so he was able to get his meds within a couple hours of me calling him, I also called other doc surgeries and managd to get him in to see another doc down there, she read through his history and wants some more tests done as well...once he took his meds he started feeling better...will take a couple days to get better but he is doing much better...all I could think is I love modern technology...2 family members who needed medical attention and couldn't get it and us living that far away we were still able to get them what they needed...so thankful for technology

Hubby and i are adjusting having just the 2 of us here but I have to say I am missing the extra mess and washing etc that our daughter brings to the house as I just have very little to do now...I wash like once a week and it's weird...this is the longest we have lived alone in 30.5 years...yes it has only been 12 days...but we have always had one of our kids around...and it is so quiet....but we are enjoying it as well...miss our eldest can't wait till she comes home...she is having an awesome time...living on a ranch for the month with her friend and other family....I talk to her everyday and she is loving it...hating the cold weather but loving the experiences and meeting new people...

Weather is cooling down here this week which is nice...nothing to report on the financial side, all bills are paid...really don't need to purchase anything...so we haven't....although my youngest is moving in with her bf end of march...so she wants to pay me to clean her townhouse when she moves...as I am great at cleaning houses and she knows it and would rather pay me than someone else...and thats okay...I would do it for free and she said no...she is waiting to move out after her sister comes back from the US as she will stay in her house when she gets back until she knows that she doesn't have covid...then she will come home and our youngest will get everything moved and then give up the place end of march....love that they work together like that

Hope everyone has a great week and if it starts like mine hope it gets better...

So I called the IRS today as they said call if they hadn;t heard from them in a month and I hadn't so I did...it frustrates me as I can never talk to the same person...so the guy today who I am guessing is between 70-80 years old ( he said he has been married 56 years) said that my case has been closed...I'm like but nothing has been finalised...and he said was reading through the notes that the last 8 people have written and said that they can't pay us twice...I said yes we know but once would be nice he could understand what was going on and arguing about the paperwork being different than what we have...he said they don't change anyone paperwork...so he has sent me transcripts of all that has been done on our account for 2020 taxes and then if we need to change anything we have to call them first...but since we haven't been paid our taxes yet it will be an ongoing saga...just wish it was over...can see it being a long saga yet....wish we could do it online like everyone else....if it was a few hundred dollars I would just say forget it but we are talking a few thousand so I'm going to fight it...wish me luck it is hard to do this from the other side of the world!!

Yesterday we made an extra $65...so that will be going into the bank, next time we go.

We made it by selling 2 small cabinets 1 for $10, 1 for $20..and $35 on taking cans back...in our state we get 10c for every soda can/bottle etc that we take back...so a little extra money...I'll take it

I have been trying new things with our budget and trying ways to save money...so I have had many accounts that cover things like car/medical/pom/ice/daily etc...so I have closed 5 of them and will just have our daily acct/ice/grocery/gas/house deposit...hoping this makes things easier...also going to look at ways to cut our grocery budget..even though food prices have gone up...so we will see...gas prices have been sky rocketing as well ($1.89 right now)...but bonus with our daughter away for a month we won't be using much of that money this month...I will also be look at insurances, utilities and cell phones to see if we can get better deals...and hopefully in october we can can find a house that has a shed so we can save on storage fees...so will be a busy couple months adjusting and researching to the changes and hope that they work.

Hopefully we can start getting back to the markets as the fruit and vege is cheaper and better quality and would prefer to buy locally not from grocery store...we buy from a local butcher and their meat can be a little expensive but its worth it...I am putting up for sale some of the things we no longer use or need...so can bank that money...

My plan is to try and save $50,000 in 2 years...I know it may not be a lot to some of you but it is for us considering I can't work...but it gives me a goal to work towards...I will break it down into achievable smaller goals to help me stay motivated...wish me luck!!

First off travelling has not been a thing in australia for a long time....now that people can travel overseas thought it would be good...my daughter had such a hard time getting out of australia...she booked her tickets online and everything was good but then on her way home (in a month) they delayed her flight in hawaii by 24 hours today...which means the 2 connecting flights in australia would have to be changed...because they just let her know like 3 hours before she left they made her buy a new expensive ticket as she had to have a return ticket before she left the country...and their offices weren't open...she was so stressed...the ticket was twice as much...they wouldn't let her just change the last 2 flights which were in australia and then they said that it would take 3 months to refund her money...we are not happy...so she bought the new ticket...and is on her way to hawaii..then to la..etc...she said she would contact them once she got to where she staying in nebraska as she just wanted to relax and enjoy the trip there...but glad she is on her way...and hope she has a great holiday...even if it is winter there.

Now just wondering if people could suggest what they do in the next few questions

1. do you focus just on getting rid of debt and then save or do you do both at the same time?

2. what do you do or use to track you budget (if you have one) and do you attach it to your bank account etc (seen a couple of these)?

3. What are the best sites/books etc to learn how to invest?

4. do you think buying or renting is better?

Thankyou I am looking at doing things a bit differently and just wondered what others have done that has worked for them

Can't believe it is february already...looks like this year is going to fly by as well.

Our daughter flew out today she is on her way to spend a month in nebraska...she is excited to be spending time with her friends...so hopefully it goes well...so many of her flights keep changing so a bit frustrating but she is a good traveller...hopefully will have smooth flights...People can't believe she took 2 small backpacks as she doesn't like to book in luggage so just takes it on the flight with her and she doesn't have to go to baggage etc...she finds it easier and so much quicker....

budgeting has been going well and this month we shouldn't need to spend much on groceries as we have done a big shop before our daughter left so will only need things like bread/milk and fresh fruit/vege...if it looks good lately it hasn't been looking to good any of the fruit and vege...not sure what is happening with it....will still put the money away for groceries but probably won't use it all.

This is going to be the first time in 30.5 years that hubby and I will spend more than 2 weeks alone together since our kids were born...they have always lived with us (our oldest has chronic fatigue) and will live with us for the rest of our lives...so it will be fun and we have so much that we want to get done.

My hubby, my mom and I all got our booster shots on sat all did well with them...sore arm but not much else

We have decided to move in october...this house just isn't working for us and the yard is just to big for us to maintain...it is a nice yard but we don't have the energy to keep it up....so hopefully will find something that suits us better.

On a more positive note hubby got a great psa test where his cancer is non-detectible again (2nd time) so no more hormone shots as they really mess him up...they said if it comes back again then they will try something else as hormone shots aren't good for him..so we will see what the future holds...fingers crossed he stays cancer free for a bit...so for now we are taking the great news...

Still working on the budget and tweaking it to see what works better for us...trying some new things so we will see how it goes

Our schooling is completely different than the US...our kids have 9-10 weeks then 2 weeks off until summer when they have 6 weeks off...and even though our kids don't go to school it has been weird to see them start the kids off at different times...kids in years rec/1..7/8 & 12 all start 2 weeks earlier...than the rest...but my thought is why bother if kids at school are going to get covid they will...they still play sport, work etc so whats the difference if they start school at the same time...I don't understand it...but honestly if I did have kids I would home school them anyways....but am I wrong in thinking this is strange??

Put grocery order in today and pick up toorrow after my hairdresser appt...my daughter will go to the butchers while I'm at my appt and get gas while we are out then we should be good for whie she is away except bread/milk

The govt here as changed their boosters to 3 months now instead of 4 so next sat we have my hubby and mom getting them...hubby was booked in for feb but makes it easier to have while our daughter is still home...so happy about that.

CC is officially paid off again today as I checked the account...weird we never use it for so long then we do...but now it will be for emergencies only...well have to get the dog to the vet so had better get going...it's a hot one here today (the last few days) so hopefully he will be on time 

I was playing games on the computer the other day and I won $5500...yep so I took it out and it was deposited into my account last night....was really amazed things like that don't usually happen to me...so I paid off my CC...this extra money has put us about 3-4 months ahead of where we would be as we put it in the budget to pay off the CC and now we don't need to...so excited...so it means we are debt free again....and now I get to go and play with the budget and put the money into ice and savings...I am one happy chappy this week....and bonus it's pay week but going to do a major shop since our daughter is going away for 4 weeks to the US and then to her sisters for a week to isolate (just in case)....something positive for this month....I'm liking 2022 so much better than last year

Also my mom is coming down to for a few days as her grandson who was living with her is starting school and needs to get uniforms etc...she was suppose to come down this week but he got covid last week so is waiting...she will stay with us so she can go to the hair dressers and then get her booster shot on sat then will go to my sisters...she has teens living with her who go out so I don't want my mom to go back and forth between houses with our health...and she is good with that.

Now I need to go write a list of groceries that we will need for the next 5 weeks...wish me luck

After helping my step son pack up his house and move my body went into melt down...have been so sick...didn't help that we had a few days over 100 degrees...slowly starting to feel better....I am hoping I feel better by saturday as I am suppose to have my booster shot...my daughter had hers last week and had a bit of all over body pain and tiredness this time...so hopefully I won't be any worse...our hospitals are not coping with all the new covid cases...they weren't coping before covid...so don't need to be sick or end up in the ER...we had a child here that poured hot tea over them and they waited 57 mins for an ambulance and another person fell unconscious and they had to wait 4 hrs for an ambulance because they are ramped...same with people having strokes/heart attacks...they are trying to keep them alive in the back of ambulances while they are waiting to be seen....it's horrible. 

Our oldest daughter is going to nebraska for a month beginning feb...it is scary for us for her to be travelling over there amongt all the covid...but she is an adult and it is her choice...when she gets back she will quarantine at her sisters house for a week to make sure she doesn't have covid....if she does get sick her sister is only 2 doors down so she can help her if she needs it...just hope she doesn't get sick over there...that really scares me...I know but she is still my baby and will be so far away....I still worry.

I have a few things budget wise that I am doing but not ready to put up here yet....although this week will probably do a major monthly grocery shop and get meat from the butcher...so we don't have to go out much when our daughter isn't here...I get very unstable on my feet so can't really be left alone due to falls...so will be hard on my hubby if we need to go places....and wearing masks make me really dizzy...but guess we will have to work it out

I am by no means an expert...damn I'm rarely understand your taxes over there and yet the IRS seems more confused than me about what is going on with our taxes after an hour on the phone still no progress only a note put on our account and then transferred me to someone who said they couldn't help me and transferred me back and said I had to wait 30-60 minutes...sorry I'm on my cell phone and just sat there talking to you for an hour I'm not waiting again. So a little back story...we sent our 2019 taxes in and the pandemic hit...so obviously all that went on it never got processed...then we sent in our 2020 taxes in feb 2020...we had called about our 2019 taxes and they said just send them in again as they hadn't seen them..so we sent them in where they had to sign for them...after all we have to send in paper copy and it has all our personal info on it so wanted to make sure they got them...and they did.

So they finally did our 2019 taxes and we got a refund...thought that was the end of that...but found out tonight that they have me as filing as a single not married filing jointly...considering it's my hubby's income...so not sure how we are suppose to fix that now...or maybe we will just wait for them to contact us about it.

So 2020 taxes rolls around and we got $67 refund...which was around $3000 short...so we called them to find out why so low, they said it was because of the stimulus payments etc...which we informed them we never received as we found out that they based it on our 2018 taxes as at the time they hadn't processed our 2019 taxes yet...so they sent my hubby $1800 in stimukus payments (I have an itin so didn't qualify..which is fine by me..we didn't expect anything) but because we didn't get the payment we never had them on our 2020 taxes....after several phone calls we figured out that whoever put our information into the tax system put our address in wrong, they never put the taxes we paid on the computer...so thats why the refund was so low...so I had to send an amended tax return in with the taxes on it...which was apprently filled out wrong but they went line by line with me to fill it out...so again...they messed up....they have now had the amended tax for 23 weeks so they have put a not on it saying it has to be processed ASAP...but no-one could tell me what stimulus credits we have to put on this years taxes whether it is the 1800 plus 1400 or just the 1400...even the lady I spoke said she was really confused...so this weekend we will do our taxes send them off and hope for the best and maybe if we are lucky they will be done by the end of 2022...but they did say if I didn't receive a response in 30 days to contact them...we have never received mail from them in over 2 years....so lets see what happens....I wish we could file them electronically like everyone else...these screw ups are on their end not ours and it is really frustrating....they are frustrated as the info they have is not the same as I have because someone isn't doing their job right...and I am frustrated because they have no idea what they are doing

Sorry for the long rant...but I was hoping this saga would be finished by end of last year and it hasn't been...now we have to try figure out this year...I think I will be putting a letter in the taxes to explain what has been going on....and hope they get the data in right this time...wish us luck...so glad our taxes are so much easier 

I love the beginning of the month I can pay all our bills and then not have to worry about them...then every fortnight we will take out our grocery and gas money...we use to use cash as it was easier to be in control of but with covid so rampant here and doing more ordering online we decided to open up an account just for groceries and gas so we can keep it seperate from everything else....we also only have $300 left to put into the ice account for the month (to reach my monthly goal) , we still need to pay for the truck for my hubby's son to move so won't get as much paid on the CC but that is okay...as long as everything else is paid we will be fine...so far this year things are looking good budget wise

Well it is finally 2022...it seems sureal that it is here already...2021 just flew by so fast...but this year is going to be better than last year...today we are celebrating our grandaughters 17th birthday...yes she is born on new years day...she has decided to do a dinner at home since covid is rampant right now and most of us have compromised immune systems...and they are also moving 5 hours away on the 7th jan...so we will be busy this week helping them pack and move. 

I don't really do resolutions but I do goals that I want to achieve all year...some are small and some are big...some of them are 

In my budget to get more precise of where our spending goes 

pay off the CC AGAIN

big one is focusing on our health this year...

To declutter some 

to move into a better house

to save some for a house deposit

To try be more active (hard with my dizziness)

be more positive on all fronts

Try to get back to at least 70/30 dietary habits

Hope everyone has a great new year...it has been over 100 here this week so looking forward to some cooler weather..

I know mny of you are getting to start the new year but this year I want to start logging in each amount that we spend in each category..right now we just have an amount say for food $1000 per month sometimes its less sometimes its more, then we have other categories of course...so just wondering what programs they use to keep track of that which is quick and easy....I want to start it tomorrow (2022) so hoping to get it set up this week...any ideas would be great..Thankyou 

I want to wish everyone a happy, safe and prosperous new years...ours will be low key as it is over 100 here and with our health we won't be going anywhere

Well it is the end of the year we have no more pay checks but I don't keep track like most everyone and have no exact amounts for each catergories. We now have to pay the CC off again and then we will put it away....we just had so many medical things the end of the year that it just broke it...no matter what how much we put away it seems to never be enough. 

I have done next years budget but we know things will change a bit so it will just means our savings will be down a bit...but thats okay...my main focus for 2022 will be our health not our budget...I have been so off for the last few days...not sure what it is...but one thing I know is that we won't be going out as 5 weeks ago we had no covid cases and now we have almost 5000 cases...its to risky for us so we order our groceries online and do direct to boot...so we only really go to doc appointments now.

We were hoping that our taxes would be done by now but they are no and they are closed now till jan and then it will be time to do this years taxes so that is frustrating...just hope they get their act together in 2022. 

Not really going to look at the budget till I am feeling better so hopefully a few days...have done most of jan grocery shopping all we will do after that is fresh produce and milk/bread...although I am trying to get my hubby and daughter to get off of cows milk (all animal milk) as hubby has prostate cancer and my daughter is prone to breast cancer and has to be tested each year...so that will help as well. 

The weather here is getting warm here this week around 98 plus so trying to stay indoors and cool as this house only has 1 air con

Hope everyone has a safe, prosperous and healthy new years