Just chilling in January (2015 frugal chatter)

[MrsSunshine]

ya, im not sure what to do. my mom hit her 80th and needs to take the test to continue having her license. her birthday was nearly 2 weeks ago.
so is she driving around illegally?
not too mention what will happen if she doesn't pass.
they ask you to bring someone with you jic. it will be DH.
i know that the 'aid' seniors in helping them pass their tests. doesn't seem right.
i've seen two ppl voluntarily give up their licenses. thankfully one is still here.

anyway. life goes on.

[jasperandchar]

Afternoon everyone,

Wishing everyone a great weekend.

Jaden officially slept in his new room last night , he set up his brand new smart tv this am which he got from everyone chipping in on Christmas for his large gift. he moved his dresser down but we still need to hand curtains and install the window trim but that will get done very shortly.

Once Jaden is completely moved out of upstairs and all his belongings are downstairs dh will start the mudding, sanding & repainting in that room so that Logan can move in . Then we will begin the gut job in Logan's old room.

I had a look at the grocery flyers and I must say that the Independent Grocers is the winner for us this week and I'm so exciting to start using my new PC mastercard .

I really need to make my meal plan for the next week and hopefully can come up with enough ideas (lol) to make a 2 week meal plan but we'll see.

February is going to be a very frugal and strict stick to the budget month for us as April & May are expensive months because of the 2 cottage property taxes and school taxes for them are due as well. And then Dh's moose lease & school taxes on that are due also.

My plan is to have my 2014 tax installments all paid up in March.....just in time for due date of April 30th.

I already have my 2015 taxes being put aside so that I won't be in this mess again, what stress and so un-needed, however, I will say I still don't regret taking the tax $ I had set aside to wipe out our loc debt.

Today is budget day (lol) at our house, we'll run threw the numbers once dh gets up from his nap and perhaps have a few adult beverages .

[MrsSunshine]

so. your license does expire ON your birthdate.
she received a temporary until she gets hers.
and of course they went on strike right in front of where she has to go next week.
she s going to call to make sure we can get in still.
fingers crossed that goes well.

so i had to sadly take apart my entire project. i swore i heard him say 60 stitches.. it was 50. those 10 stitches really screwed everything up.
hoping to complete tonite. will post pic when done.

[coupon girl]

mrs.sunshine -I think they changed that rule on your birthday for your license -I think you have to renew the month before so you have it for the first day of your birthday month( i live in ontario )I may be wrong so dont quote me

[bobbiegirl2010]

@jasperandchar I'm feeling the pain with 2014 taxes too... It was my own fault that I wasn't setting aside enough $$$ each month and didn't start saving until May. I'm finishing my income tax paperwork this wknd so hopefully I will know exactly what I owe so I can put that aside then start saving for 2015 (yay lol)

[bobbiegirl2010]

My #1 financial goal (new years resolution) for this year is:

Save enough money EVERY MONTH for 2015 taxes so I do not have to come up with big $$$$ next Jan/Feb. I've been self employed for 4 years now so you would think I would know better but I keep getting into this mess every year at tax time lol.

[Natalka]

Good aft! Just got back from renewing my drivers' license. Often I'll send my husband, but I had to get a new pic taken. Two new odd rules since last time - glasses have to be off and you can't smile. Nice to know there's a bargain even with this - they have a deal now where it's $100 for five years, or $25 a year, so I went for the longer deal.

For us, vehicle registration just goes by whatever month you happen to start registering it in.

Hope you all have a great evening!

Nothing big planned for the weekend - we are heading back into the -20s and lower, so not going out anywhere.

[bobbiegirl2010]

Goal # 2: save and plan for expenses so that we do not incur any more debt or "buy now pay later"

I have my budget all set for the next 3 months (on excel spreadsheet). Aside from the usual bills I have set up savings for the following categories:

2015 Taxes: save 15% of my daycare income every month

Vehicles: $550 per month for maintenance, licensing and to save for repairs needed on SUV

Cats: $60 per month for flea prevention medication and yearly vaccinations

Vacation: $100 per month (saving for summer camping trips)

Sports: $100 per month (gymnastics and swim lessions for kids, driving range membership for DH)

Everything extra will go into debt repayment. We don't have an emergency fund but I think its more important to get out of debt first. The plan is if an unexpected emergency happened we could always borrow from the above accounts first before incurring more debt.

[SassyAshley]

Good Evening Everyone,
Happy Birthday Ciel

Avon so sorry to hear your DH's surgery has been postponed, sometimes dealing withe medical system is so hard.

Well I am back from my week long adventure. Monday I as off to the great North and worked with my cousin and his employees. Spent Monday night at his place which meant I cuddled their baby girl all night. She keep me up until 10:30, she fell asleep in my arms around 9 but than I think she remembered Mommy brought down a bottle she fell asleep before drinking so she had to get back up and have a bottle and some burps.

Tuesday was my travel day, hung at the branch for a bit, chatted with my bro who came up to work the staff on some sales stuff. Tried to leave once one to find a tractor trailer in the snow bank at the end of the road so I went back to hang out in the branch as they are on a one way street so no way out. When that was cleared I was on the road took me about 5 hours to drive down to the next location but had great weather for the drive so I was happy. Went to branch to drop off my stuff so I did not have to drag it to the hotel with me. Stopped and grabbed a sub for dinner so I could just get to my room and catch up on some work.

The rest of the week was spent in our new location working with the staff and it went extremely well they are really catching on. Will probably go back in March as they are going to hire a third person to work in the location. So they will train with their staff for a few weeks and than I will go up and just focus on the new person for a few days.

I am now home for the weekend but come Monday I am on the go again. Monday's location scares me a bit because I have never worked out of this location and have never worked with any of the staff members there before. So I am going in blind which makes me extremely nervous. Wednesday I am back but have been told I need to meet with our controller in another location for some paperwork that got messed up (was told family members do not participate but now we are so I need to go do my paperwork), after I am done with this will head to our retail location an work the guy who was off last time I was there. Than Thursday back to my regular location to train them.

Spoke to my Step Mom this week and have booked a few things to do well we are in Hawaii. Really looking forward to getting away and just relaxing. Do not want to book too many things as I just really want to relax on this vacation.

Off to do nothing but veg at the TV, I got home and my whole body said we are home we are done and we are not moving for the rest of the night.

Hope everyone has a great evening.

[sweet sparrow]

but it doesn't state when the 'expiry date' is on the plate, it only states the month/year.

Well, I "heard" that officially, it is until 11:59 PM on the day of your birthday. A policeman/woman wouldn't know unless he/she ran your plates, which is probably only in the case where you've been pulled over for something else. If you don't get pulled over, you have until the end of the month, 11:59 PM before the police can walk by your car and know it's expired.

[avoncallingu]

Maybe they've changed things but when my mum turned 80, they just did a vision test and a WRITTEN driver's test.

[avoncallingu]

Ashley, you are one busy lady!
I went to Michael's today to buy the yarn and circular needles for an afghan I am going to make for a family member's expected baby. I went through all of the MANY circular needles I have and, of course, I do NOT have the ones I need. Couldn't BELIEVE the cost of needles!

The last time I knitted an afghan, it was a wedding gift. Sadly, I didn't finish it before the wedding and even more sadly, they broke up before I could finish it. I DID, however, finish it before her SECOND MARRIAGE. (Who could make this up?)

Our choir was supposed to entertain today for a senior' s group (which is kind of funny because MOST of our choir members are seniors themselves.)

It got cancelled last night and my brother who is also in the choir was supposed to let me know. Well, after I got ready and phoned him to let him know what time I would pick him up, I found out it was cancelled. So, three changes of clothes later, I decided to go get the yarn.

Oh, I also found the 90% off Christmas arrangements and bought 2 nice arrangements to use as gifts next year for $5 each at Michael's.

[sweet sparrow]

Whoopsie! I didn't read on far enough and see that you got so many great replies already, MrsSunshine.

Ashley, I get exhausted reading your posts. You do so much. I hope you get lots of rest.

One of the moms at LO's daycare has found a spot in a home daycare. It's too far for us, especially for me on the bus, so LO won't be able to go. Still no call from the one daycare we've applied at, and the other daycare that's won reader's choice awards in our newspaper won't return my calls. I've called twice already and left my number and no one has returned my calls in weeks. I wonder if I should make a nuisance of myself and keep calling, or give up. If this is the way they respond when I'm not a customer, I don't want them to give me no response when I am a customer.

On the bright side, the deposit for being on the waiting list hasn't been taken out of my account yet.

[Ciel]

ya, im not sure what to do. my mom hit her 80th and needs to take the test to continue having her license. her birthday was nearly 2 weeks ago.
so is she driving around illegally?
not too mention what will happen if she doesn't pass.
they ask you to bring someone with you jic. it will be DH.
i know that the 'aid' seniors in helping them pass their tests. doesn't seem right.
i've seen two ppl voluntarily give up their licenses. thankfully one is still here.

anyway. life goes on.

The revised process involves that group session plus the vision test. Was certain that the newest change was to a yearly fee but I don't see it online. Will link to the newspaper article (maybe the new annual fee kicks in the spring). http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dri...-program.shtml

I'm wrong-the seniors renew every two years. Change took effect in April 2014.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2...new_rules.html

MTO site does reference expired licences:

How to renew a soon-to-expire or recently expired driver’s licence. You can renew a driver’s licence, online or at a ServiceOntario centre, as early as 180 days before it expires and up to 12 months after it expires.

http://www.ontario.ca/driving-and-roads/drivers-licence

[Ciel]

Good aft! Just got back from renewing my drivers' license. Often I'll send my husband, but I had to get a new pic taken. Two new odd rules since last time - glasses have to be off and you can't smile. Nice to know there's a bargain even with this - they have a deal now where it's $100 for five years, or $25 a year, so I went for the longer deal.

For us, vehicle registration just goes by whatever month you happen to start registering it in.

Hope you all have a great evening!

Nothing big planned for the weekend - we are heading back into the -20s and lower, so not going out anywhere.

$80 for five years' registration in the Hamilton/GTA area of Ontario. Last year was the first year that the health photo could not have a smile. Previously (five years' prior), a smile was allowed but not on the driver's licence photo. Glasses off for both.