Total Debt, May 1

$13,673.23

I love...

...three paycheck months! Managed to pay over $4300 on the DS in April. Brings me below the $14k mark for sure!! (I'll post the number when my payment finally goes through)

Things to look forward to next month...getting my promotion at work and my relocation money, almost all of which is going STRAIGHT to the debt!

Also noteworthy next month: possible horse show with Mardi and going to Buffalo to visit Marsh Marsh. All in the the budget of course

I am so close now to walking away
About to walk a path I've gotta take
I am packing up, heading out
I can't sleep I'm dreaming way too loud
I'm so close now, so close now
To getting out
--EYB

}i{

Stupid Tax

Apparently, when you live in PA, you have to fill out federal, state, AND local tax returns. No one told me about the local tax returns until literally 10:30 PM on April 15. I guess whe had to do them in Ohio too, but my mom did my taxes back then, so I was none the wiser. I miss Texas and its lack of taxes.

So I did some digging, found the forms, filled it out, and dropped it in the mail today. But for being late, there was a lovely $20 fee tacked on. Funny thing is, I only actually OWED $14.77. So thats what, 135% interest? Stupid tax...

I'll remember this for next year...hopefully 2010 will be my LAST tax return for split state residencies...

}i{

April

Total Debt as of April 1, 2010: $17,939.03.

March was probably the worst month in the history of the DS thanks in large part to owing over a grand on my taxes. :( I think maybe I got $1200 to the DS. Grrrr.

But April will be MUCH better...its a three paycheck month, and I've started the processing for my relocation money, which is almost all going to the DS as soon as I get it.

I'll be moving back to Texas in the middle of July. I am *so* excited.

In other news...my parents paid off their house!!! Yay Mom and Dad!

}i{

DS Update

I love the last day of the month! Its always fun to rock the DS.

In February I managed to pay *almost* $2500 (51.2% of income) towards those pesky Direct Loans!

I am OFFICIALLY below the $20,000 mark, WOOOOOOO!!

Total debt as of March 1, 2010: $19,081.88

Taxes

Yesterday, I was feeling motivated before the Roadho. So I decided to attempt to get my taxes done.I used Turbo Tax's basic online edition (http://turbotax.intuit.com//) which is between their federal free edition and the deluxe edition. I don't have kids or a house or investments, so maximizing my deductions isnt really an issue for me. I wanted a little extra help, since this was the first time I was doing this truly on my own

Last year, I got over $2000 back on my taxes and used it to make a big dent in my DS, so I was hoping to get something back this year...maybe not as much, but SOMETHING

Yeah, right. Between federal and PA state taxes, I owe over a grand. What. the. HELL!

I called my parents, hoping I had made a mistake, and they're like "You make a lot of money and you have no deductions. Sounds about right. Thats nothing, really." And I guess that all makes sense logically. But it left me feeling really...defeated.

Went to Dave's website and saw this picture...I feel EXACTLY like the tortise...

Last month, it was $1000 for new tires and car maintenance and then I lost my whole budget. This month, its $1000+ for taxes. What's next? Its KILLING my debt snowball! I've been working two jobs for a year and a half and living on a budget and doing all the right things, and I've just reached a point where I feel like I've stalled.

Whining alert: I'm tired of missing out on life. I'm REALLY tired of the Roadho (but thats a different post). And its not just the DS that is melting...I honestly feel like my whole life has stalled. There are other things I want to focus on in life but feel like I can't move onto ANYTHING while I've got this burden of debt on my shoulders. Most of it requires two things...time, which I dont have, and money, which I dont have available. I guess I'm just frustrated at these setbacks, and its seeping into the rest of my life.

I really wanted to be out of debt by this summer, and when I relocated with AP, I wanted to NOT have to get a second job wherever I went. I really don't know if thats going to happen anymore and that makes me sad. I dont know what to do to get my intensity back...

I Suck At Blogging

...but I guess when you work two jobs, you don't have a whole lot of time to do stuff like this.


So life is pretty much the same except that I moved to Allentown PA in July 2009, and here I am for another few months until my job rotates me again. Lucky, lucky me, there was a Texas Roadhouse less than a mile away from my other job, and they hired me, so the Gazelle Intensity continues. Except for riding less than I like, life continues as before...with one difference...


I NOW DRIVE A PAID FOR CAR!!!!!


I paid off my car on 12/31/09. Only took me 23 months to pay it off, and let me tell you what, it drives so much better now that its mine

(And yes, I'm a dork and I made my brother get out of the car and take a picture of me mailing the check!)

I'm *hoping* to be debt free by July 2010...before I leave Allentown. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

}i{