Free Fifteen

Free Fifteen


I am so happy! There is life after taxes! I pushed the button at 4:45 pm yesterday, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. It has been hanging over my head. I had finished them a while ago, but we needed to strategize about how to lower our tax bill! YIKES! A combination of lower withholding at OSU than the USDA AND some non-deductible (but Kingdom minded) donations made for a much higher bill than normal. Also, we didn't get the child tax credit this year because it only goes up to children under 17, and Paul turned 17 in November.

All that to say is that I talked to Bob K, my mom's broker. He isn't a tax consultant or financial planner, but he is a personal family friend after so many years of handling my mom's funds. He gave me great counsel. So, I begged George to come home so we could just get it OFF MY PLATE. We went to two different institutions and shifted money to our individual IRA's and contributed more to the Oregon College Savings Program. VOILA! Tax bill significantly reduced and even a REFUND for Oregon! WOOHOO!

I am sure Bob thinks I am a total idiot when it comes to all of this. Actually, he knows we are not into money, which is a very good thing. My mom was so good at all of that. She would call him almost daily. I mentioned that I am more like my dad, and he concurred that my dad never called him and didn't want to think about money. It was always my mom. I just don't have time to do it. The good news is that George and I both like to be frugal with what we have! So, even though we aren't "into" money, I think we do pretty well at managing it.

Speaking of managing it, the whole Jesus Community from our first two groups wants to do the Dave Ramsey Financial Freedom course. They asked me if I know anyone who has it. I know who has the high school edition, but I need to figure out how to get the "adult" one. (Just went an wrote someone to ask to borrow them and forgot I was in the middle of a freewrite!)

Speaking of being frugal, we bought a Tempur-Pedic, and the biggest hindrance for me eight years ago was how expensive they are, but I feel like there is a difference between being frugal and being too cheap when it comes to health. So, we took the ENORMOUS plunge and bought two twin extra-long beds.  I am so happy with it. We kept on telling ourselves it was going to be like when we bought air-conditioning for the house when we had to replace the furnace. One was a necessity and the other was not, but every year when Michael's allergies are too bad for us to open the windows on a hot day in the summer, we know that we made more a necessity purchase. Now that I have spent two nights on that mattress, I know that I live with low-level pain every morning that I have to work out of my body before I can fully function!  I haven't had to do my normal routine the last two mornings. I am "unlocked" when I rise!  YAY!

OK, I am not proofreading and hitting the button because I want to use this early morning to meditate in Hosea. My Bible Book Club time has been shorter recently because of having these taxes!!!!

BYE!