Tax Day

I heard some people I admire talk about their tax woes today.  I have been fortunate for the last several years, and have had to pay small amounts, or received a tax return.  My father told me, when I was in high school, that I did not want to get a large return, because the government had my money for free all that time.  The best thing to do, was to get close to the amount owed, and pay a small amount, or get a small refund.

Another thing my parents taught me was not to use a tax refund as a savings account.  Many people do this, and use their tax refund for something special that they could not otherwise afford.  I have always had the attitude that I need to save up for those special things, but not let the government do my savings for me.  And, fortunately, I have had the self discipline to be able to save when there was something I needed to save for, no matter how tight my budget was. I learned how to live on a tight budget a long time ago.  I could do it again, if I had to.  I am blessed right now that I do not have to.

I will admit that this year, my refund will help to pay for a trip I am going to make, but would have found another way to pay for, anyway.

One of the things I thought about as I heard my acquaintances discuss their tax woes was that we do not know what the trials and tribulations of the lives of others include. People who travel often, dress fancy, or go out a lot may spend a lot of money that they do not have. They may have to borrow to pay their taxes, take out loans to have work done on their homes, or live with their credit cards at their maximum limits.  They may or may not have savings.

I have chosen my life style which is very conservative in terms of finances. I do not live beyond my means. I try to know how I am going to afford and pay for my expenditures. And I can live on a very sparse budget, if need be. 

So, if tax day rolls around and I owe the government some money, I pay it.  Not happily, but acknowledging what I receive in return for my taxes. 

The Programmable Thermostat

It took me years to decide to install a programmable thermostat.  The cost was not that great, and I wonder why I waited so long to install it.   I do not notice much difference in the summer, in my electric bill, as I never kept the house very cold, and still do not. Also, I often open the house in the milder weather, rather than use the air conditioner.  Sometimes, except for July and August, the rest of the South Plains summer evenings are cool enough that I can shut off the air and open the windows. Which is wonderful. Of course, before I bought the replacement windows, that was not possible.

But, in the winter, I notice the difference.  During the day, I have the thermostat set at 65°.  I suspect Haiku thinks that is a little cool, because I would find her under the covers on the waterbed, before I switched to a conventional mattress.  I am not sure what Taki thinks, but she does not seem to mind the colder temperature. Sake likes it a little cooler.  And, sometimes when I am home,  especially if I am not very active, I adjust the thermostat up. 

But during the late night, I leave the temperature down, and have a very warm bed in which to sleep.  Plenty of warm bedding.  Warm and comfortable, to the point of luxurious.  And, the thermostat is set to warm the house so when I have to get up and get ready for the day, it is warm, again.

Having the thermostat set like this, I have noticed a huge difference in my natural gas bill. The first year I had the programmable thermostat, I calculated it paid for itself less about $20.  So, it now is earning a profit for me.  That is a blessing. 

I have to say, if you do not have a programmable thermostat, it is one expense on which you will receive an immediate return.

Piggy Banks

One of my nieces gave birth to a daughter this week, and we are all thankful that mother and child are well.  This niece now has 4 children.  I have another niece who also has a son.

When my nieces were growing up, I was making a pittance of a wage as a social worker, and did not have much extra by way of funds to gift them.  For the time being, I am doing better, and have been able to send gifts to the children of my nieces, and stepdaughter.

I was surprised to learn that these grandnieces and nephews did not have a piggy bank to their name.  So, when the oldest was several years old, I rectified that. And now, a piggy bank is a gift I send to a new baby born into the family.

I had a piggy bank, a rooster bank, and a horse bank.  My parents were very encouraging and supportive of saving, and that is not a bad lesson to teach today's children.