If you're looking for wisdom, stop reading now; step away from the computer.
Filed my Federali and CA state taxes last week; man, really cheap this year. Went on the Official IRS website and selected a tax service that promised to do and efile my Federal taxes for free(ah, free, the magic word). Word of caution it is only for folks who don't make a lot of $. As Social Security beneficiaries, we qualify, hoorah. Last year paid the CPA, who had been doing our taxes for several years now, $458.00 dollars to take care of this odious task. This year I figured it should be pretty simple; the income was SS and a little earned interest on our modest savings. Last year was still drawing UI insurance and had cashed in an IRA to get a new vehicle(the Chevy PU had 240,000 miles and wanted to visit the Mechanic often); found a year old Chevy HHR with low miles and great gas mileage.
Yea, boring, no need to read below the squiggle.
Oh yea, taxes. They did the Fed for free and only wanted $19.95 (don't you just love pricing like that? Gas only $4.999 per gallon, damn, a hell of a deal!) to take care of California. Hey, after $458.00, what a bargain.
Thing is, the program walks you through everything and it is really easy to get the taxes out of the way.
Thing is, I am still a bit pissed about getting laid off a job I'd had for over 11 years; I loved that job and it meant we did't have to dip into savings to enjoy life. Was laid off do to"cost cutting"; with the economic downturn the owner was't taking as much to the bank. So they hired a nice young man to replace me; of course at lower pay and got him to agree to work for "salary" rather than being paid by the hour, as I had been. Poor smuck; he was working 60 hours a week (I worked 34 hours a week) and being called in on his "days off" to take care of stuff. Of course, being on "salary" he got no overtime pay. After 2 years, he is no longer there, hate to think what kind of deal the "newbie" got.
Hey, we are doing OK, got a little savings and I can pick up a little work on the side. We don't need a lot;been cutting down monthly expenses like; downgrading the cable, working with PG&E to get a better rate, switched our health care to Kaiser Senior Advantage from the Group plan (even with higher co-pays we saved $6,000.00 last year over the old group plan on our medical expenses). We are doing a Re-finance to bring our house payment down from 6 1/8% to slightly under 4%; that will save us over $350.00 a month.
So, what the hell is the point of all this? Persevere, YOU Can Make it in this tight ass economy; downsize. And hope those Right wing Bloviators don' cut your Social Security and Medicare even more;
Vote for Democrats! Support Labor Unions! They have traditionally had our backs.
Relax, put on a Van Morrison or Bruce Springsteen CD on. Have a beer or glass of wine.
We can make it through the current Madness!