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Showing posts from December, 2009

Raiding my TFSA

A couple of weeks ago I decided to pilfer my TFSA in 2010, and apply the $1130 or so to my $3500 credit card balance. I want this card paid OFF, ASAP. I know I'll be losing out on compound interest but I think I'm making the right decision. I will continue to snowflake back into it with each paycheque, but I probably won't get it back up to $1000 by the end of 2010. That's ok, because I desperately want to have the CC and LOC paid off in 2011. I have my 2010 budget spreadsheet all ready to go, with all the modifications I could think of based on spending in 2009. Reaching the final column of the 2009 spreadsheet has been a relief, and a real achievement, because I made through the entire year tracking my expenses and debt payments. Here's a bit of a postmortem: After-tax income, including pay, child tax credit, child support, GST rebates, and gifts and miscellaneous sales $35 841 Rent and Food $11 496 Debt re-payments, including interest charges $8209 Car, including

Snow Tire Steal

I was driving myself and my son to the big city on the 23rd to begin our christmas festivities. It was cold and the roads were ok, but as I was driving on the highway I was thinking about my spectacular snow tires. When I started this blog I had a "Car Fund" to save money for car repairs, oil changes and hopefully snow tires. Then I had over a thousand dollars worth of car repairs from which the car fund never recovered. Back in September I was talking to a grad student where I work who is knowledgeable with all things car related. Thinking about my lack of savings and the pending cold season, I asked him if snow tires were really worth it. I had never had them before and was thinking maybe I could get through another winter without them. The grad student was adamant about the necessity of snow tires, and I decided to take his word for it. A couple months later I get an email from the student, telling me that he found a set of snow tires for me at the wreckers, and would char

Chinese Astrology - Predictions for Tiger

DECEMBER 2009 TIGER PREDICTIONS You deserve a truckload of credit for having done so well this past year. If all went as planned, you ought to have accumulated a hefty stash of cash. The one thing you must not do, is spend it on private extravagances or luxurious Christmas gifts. In the stringent Rat year 2008, you took on some private debt. Of course your friend or family member who loaned it to you, said, ""Oh just pay it back when you can." Tigers however are unwilling debtors. You don't like to be constrained. Debt is a definite hamper and obliges one to guilt. So in December, you Tigers must take advantage of the fact that you have some disposable capital and pay down your debt. This way, you will enter the occidental new year smelling like a rose. The holiday season this year will not be lavish. The world is cutting down on the use of energy. Join the effort by limiting the number of energy-sapping baubles and electric lights you drape on your house. Instead of