Seeking God Knows What

I went online and downloaded the tax witholding tables for federal, state and how to calculate social security and medicare witholdings. Then I made Excel spreadsheets figuring, as closely as I can, first the net weekly and then the net monthly amount working more would leave us with after my taxes and child care fees for the various child care places I have gotten information from. For witholding allowances, I used married claiming 1 to hopefully keep us from having to pay at tax time.

To make it even more nerdy, I used various hourly wages and 32, 34, 40 hrs per week.  Plus I figured out what it would be if I worked full time and was able to use the dependent care reimbursement program, which deducts the money out of the check before taxes and then the remaining amount is your taxable income.  I don’t think you can use dependent care reimbursement and the dependent care tax credit.  I’ll have to see which one saves more- taking the credit or using the reimbursement.

Once Widget is 2 1/2, it will be easier and cheaper to find care for her as she can start getting into preschool programs. I asked about fees at that age as well, so I have two sets of spreadsheets, one for 2 and one for when she turns 2 1/2.

I like making spreadsheets.

I’m such a dork

we bought a car.  And it’s a 2007 Focus, new.  But we did qualify (we’re not sure how) for the special apr program, so we got 3.9% interest.  And the payment with a 6 yr bumper-to-bumper warranty came out to about $30 more per month than the used one we looked at at another dealership.

I know at least one of you will be appalled that we went this route, considering our current financial situation.  But I figured out that we can make it work, while I’m still getting reimbursed for my prescriptions and a very strict budget for food/gas/misc. expenses (tighter than before) and I cut a few more dollars out by changing internet providers and reducing our landline costs, even while we are still in the house. Though I’m sure that when the first payment is due, I will probably cringe and say why did we do this.  But once we get out of this house and get on the credit card plan, we will have more than enough- even with me working only one day but I am trying to figure out childcare to work a second day.

Plus there is a possibility that I could shift into a full-time position in marketing that sounds somewhat more interesting than what I am doing at Thermoblah, as one girl is leaving.  The pay is roughly what I make per hour now.  So I’m debating on whether I’m ready and want to work full-time, and if the net dollar amount after child care will be worth the considerably more hours.

YAY!!! My brother-in-law K is home from Iraq

it pours. Today I do not have a car as T’s truck died in the garage. It wouldn’t start- ok, it started fine (he’s got a new starter) but then it just dies. He’s hoping it is just some gunk in the fuel lines. Me too because if it is anything else, who knows how we are going to pay for it.

And my arm hurts from my tetanus shot.  Whine. Whine.

that the house that was nice and tidy yesterday currently looks a bit like a tornado went through?

That’s is the worst part about having your home on the market- this constant obligation to leave it in “showing” condition. I’m always late now because I’m scrambling to make sure things are put away, there are no cat footprints on the bathroom counter, and the laundry piles don’t look overwhelming.