I'm really not sure what to blog about today. This hasn't happened to me yet, so I'll make an attempt and see what comes up here.
Maybe I should talk about what's going on in my life? Not sure if you're at all interested, and I'm not even sure I want to even get into it but I'll give it a shot.
Me and my wonderful husband are attempting, for the first time, to purchase a home. We've been renters for a while now and, really, it's killing us. It hurts us the most at tax time, mostly because we also do not have children. Which means, percentage wise, we pay the most taxes of anybody in the country. And we don't like it!!
House hunting and purchasing your first property is probably the biggest pain in the ass known to man. At first, you get all excited - you're looking at houses and you find stuff you like and you're all in that honeymoon stage of the game. Then you see the prices of these properties that you like and that excited stage is completely gone. Then you realize that you can't get what you really want, so you have to decide where you're willing to settle. We decided that we really wanted to get a house that we can live in for five years or so then sell and move up to something that we really want. Even the houses and/or townhouses that we are willing to settle with are way out of our price league in this area (Chicago suburbs). Then you start talking to your mortgage people and you REALLY realize how broke you are. Right now, we have no down payment. And, the reason we have no down payment is because we pay outrageous rent on the 2 bedroom house we're currently in. And combined with the additional $4,000 in taxes last year we had to pay, on top of the fucking outrageous amount that they're already taking out of our pitiful paychecks, we're pretty pitifully broke. So saving has been completely out of the question. That, and my spending habits over the last year were way off the charts. Which, really, I don't feel bad about in the least. I went years spending absolutely nothing on myself. So, I had some catching up to do.
I figure for us to be able to actually buy a house without going so far into debt that we'll be eating macaroni and cheese for the next fucking 30 years, that it will take us at least two years to save up enough money. And that's just so we can buy a house that the mortgage isn't higher than what we're currently paying in rent. Which, makes no sense to me at all. I thought you bought property so you wouldn't be paying more in rent than you would a mortgage. Which obviously is not the case. Stupid me.
So, things are a little depressing in our household right now. We're not going to be buying any property this year, which means that my end of year bonus will be going directly into the bank to pay for whatever taxes we have left due from this year, plus any taxes that we'll be having to pay next year because we don't own property yet!! It's such a vicious circle. How can you afford to buy property when you can't save money for the down payment because any extra penny you make has to go back to the IRS?? It's the stuff that bank robbers are made of.
Anyway, I got to thinking last night before I fell asleep that I'll probably be working until I'm dead. I currently do contribute to a 401K, but let's get realistic. By the time I'm actually able to collect on that it might buy me a tank of gas. And with social security it might be there, it might not, who the fuck knows. Then I got to thinking about how long I really want to live anyway. I'm thinking maybe to 70 years old, tops. After that, I really don't have anybody to change my stinky Depends undergarments because of my inability to conceive and have children. Which means that the only joy of being an old fart is ruined for us - grandchildren!
So, I won't bore you with any more details about this little house hunting / mortgage groping thing we're trying to do because, quite frankly, I'm boring myself with this nonsense. For today, I would just like to get through the day without thinking every 10 seconds here at work WHAT THE HELL AM I WORKING FOR ANYWAY? And to get through this morning without thinking about that part time job that I really need to start looking for. Seriously, I'm not even sure where to start looking on that one. Where does a 43 year old woman go to make a few extra bucks in the evenings and on weekends? Because I'm obviously too old to be getting naked and having dollar bills shoved down my G-String - and I'm too old to be giving balding even older old men lap dances. Any suggestions from you out there?
I guess no matter how you slice it, life just sucks sometimes.
Suzie - I work 2 jobs. I feel your pain. We have been lucky enough to be almost done with our mortgage (living in the same house for 20 years - I only owe $6600). I, too, had to pay in over $3000 to the IRS for 2005 because I had to cash in a couple 401(k)s and life insurance policies cuz husband only made $7000 that year and we were in debt up to our eyeballs. Vicious circle!!!!
Now to the part-time job. I do party plan for Park Lane jewelry. There is the most awesome woman in your area that is a vice president of that company. And she is your age and gorgeous (she is my party friend at conventions). I do this very part time but have made about $11,000 so far this year. Much better than some retail store wages.
Suzie - I have a board meeting to prepare for this noon. I'll see if I have some contact information for you and give you the web site so that you can browse through that. IF you decide to contact my friend in Chicago - she should know that you got her name from me (it ultimately benefits me - not by much but some).
Just take a look at it and you can decide if it is worth your time to look into further.
Suzie - I work 2 jobs. I feel your pain. We have been lucky enough to be almost done with our mortgage (living in the same house for 20 years - I only owe $6600). I, too, had to pay in over $3000 to the IRS for 2005 because I had to cash in a couple 401(k)s and life insurance policies cuz husband only made $7000 that year and we were in debt up to our eyeballs. Vicious circle!!!!
Now to the part-time job. I do party plan for Park Lane jewelry. There is the most awesome woman in your area that is a vice president of that company. And she is your age and gorgeous (she is my party friend at conventions). I do this very part time but have made about $11,000 so far this year. Much better than some retail store wages.
Let me know if you want to hear more about it.