Tax Returns!

May I just say tax returns kick BUTT!  Waking up to find our federal tax return deposited already (a little under 2 weeks after our filing) kicks major BUTT!  Putting half of that tax return to Isaac's school loan --- KICKS GIANT SIZE BUTT!  

I think Mr. Dave Ramsey himself would be quite proud of us for our commitment.  

Eek - I get to see him in April! So stoked! Nerd much?? ;)

Way back in September, hubby & I made a deal that half of whatever our tax return was (whether it was $500 or $5,000) would be put towards the car loan.  This was before we learned of getting the loan forgiveness...which moved the school loan to being our smallest debt.  So we will be putting half of our return towards that puppy this next week! HUZZAH!  And all of that beautiful money will be going straight to principal -- loves it!  Boy it feels good to be getting closer & closer to have all our debt paid off.  Once the school loan is gone it'll be time  to get aggressive with that car.  And then, with the exception of our house, we'll be DEBT FREE! Soooo close! We've been super aware of where we're spending our money the last few months - with paying on the loans & putting money away for the two wedding trips we have coming up.  Basically - all this to say that currently the Parkers are kick butt savers! The other half, you might be asking, will be used for those wedding trips, the office makeover, finish a fencing project hubby started...and maybe a couple other fun things.

Alright enough tooting our own horns. It's just so fun to think about & see happen right before your eyes...hard work, dedication & sacrifice DO pay off!
If you're getting a tax return, how are you using it?
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Taxes Suck

That's right I said it!
I wanna give the bird to the IRS and those crazies in Washington (and Salem too) who think that raising taxes is a good idea - even in this kind of economy.

Hey - it's about time to wake up & understand how it really hits the every day person!  Let me just tell you a little of my story from this month.  I work on salary basis, but have the opportunity for bonus each month.  Primarily stemming from working my arse off on working the short sales in our office.  My boss is very generous to offer a bonus for working these files - as they often take months of hounding banks to get them to work with us & approve the short sale.   I also have the blessing of receiving other opportunities for bonuses - again for which I work my butt off.
Now I about killed myself on about 3 files this month of our 7 closings - anticipating my paycheck to be about double what it normally is(base + bonus).  But nooooo....good ol' Uncle Sam took about 40% of that right off the top.  Rather than keeping more money in my hands to then circulate within my local economy, it goes right out the window, never to be seen again.  Where's the sense in that?
Don't get me wrong, I do not subscribe to the notion that having zero taxes is possible - there are things that need to be funded, but my goodness - let's live in reality and basic economics.  When the economy is down, raising taxes and taking more money from every day people will just worsen an already slumped economy.  It's pretty simple - when people have less money, they are less likely to spend that money on things other than essentials (food, utilities, mortgage, gas).
Argh....

One of those fun things you have to deal with when you're an adult!  But even in this situation I am thankful for being responsible, being married to a man who is also responsible & is also just as focused on us being debt free - so we'll continue to live like no one else so that later we can live like no one else (Thanks DR!)!

We're on our way
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What to do...What to do....

I'm facing a small internal battle right now...
And this is where my adult sensibilities are battling against my juvenile wants.
I've mentioned before that my girlfriends & I are signed up for the Nike Women's Half Marathon in a month in San Francisco.  I did this last year and had a blast -- it was such an accomplishment for me (as a short round Norwegian woman, not typically built for running, much less racing).  I was so proud to have that Tiffany & Co. necklace - and it was such a treat to complete it with a great friend!

Here's the battle....with the recent car accident and consequent need to make a new car purchase, the financial picture in the Parker household is on lock down.  We're trying to be super smart with how we spend/save our finances and are putting funds aside for an impending shortfall from Ike's paycheck. 
I really want to go to San Francisco and complete the half marathon again (we've been training since April) but the financial picture does not really mesh with it right now unfortunately.

So do I stick with the adult sensibilities or give in to my juvenile desires and just throw everything to the wind?! What's a girl to do...

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Safety Town

After Friday I feel like I should go back to the days of safety town...  When I was growing up the local churches would always host a "safety town" exhibit where you'd take your bike and learn some rules of the road to keep you safe.

But perhaps I should back up.  I woke up Friday feeling like I just needed to go back to bed, pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep.  But none the less, I got ready & made my way in to work.  All transpired as expected, crazy clients - air head agents - the usual.  And then I ran some errands for work, get some signatures from a builder client, install a lockbox & then pick up my lunch - chicken yakisoba from the BEST teriyaki joint in town.  Finished up by making my way back to the office.  Took my normal route - and then WHAM! Rear ended a lady on 17th...going maybe 15-20mph, but boy was it enough to darn near total my car (the jury's still out...waiting to hear from insurance, cross your fingers!).  Both headlights are busted, bumpers smashed, hood bent up, air bags deployed (scariest thing I've encountered in a while...), smashed windshield, twisted frame (enough to pop up my then-closed sunroof), and a trunk not wanting to open. 
Thank you Jesus that myself nor the other lady was seriously hurt (I was mostly shaken, had a sore neck & a small cut on my finger).  My car got towed & my wonderfully amazing, & calm, mother came & got me. 

Here's the biggest lessons I'm learning from this....my family is amazing (rather than paying for a rental car, my parents are letting us borrow one of their cars until we get a new one) and calm.  My husband is so gentle, I spent the majority of Friday night beating myself up for "putting us in a position" where we have to buy a new car when that wasn't the "plan."  And he spent the rest of the time hugging me, rubbing my shoulders, giving me kisses - and calmly & gently telling me not worry, we'll get it figured out, and there's a reason it's called an accident.  Finally...in the end of it all, the stuff isn't what matters.  It's really all about the people you surround yourself with & living your life doing the right thing no matter what.

So the goal now is to find a car that sticks strictly to our budget, and will work for us in the long haul (we're Dave Ramsey nuts!) so that we steer clear from debt! 
All in all...God is good, He protects, and has surrounded me with incredibly good, kind, & loving people.

Life is good!
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