On Vacation!

It's officially started - Jordan and I are on vacation.  For the next two weeks, Jordan and I will be hanging out in beautiful british columbia.  Our roommates are taking care of the house - and I think it will be a great break for both of us as we get used to living together.  It's been a good start to the living arrangements - a few hiccups, but thats all settled now and I think we're in a good place moving forward.

It's 8am (ish), and I'm sitting on the couch enjoying my first cup of coffee - Aries (one of my dogs) is at my feet,  my mom is gearing up to make home made buns and all in all - it feels like a pretty awesome way to start the week.

As a follow up to my last post - my overtime pay came through and I was also pleasantly surprised by a $600 bonus.  I usually get around $1,000 but wasn't expecting anything at all this year - so wahoo!  Sure, after taxes it was closer to $380 - but still pretty awesome!  This Thursday we should see Jordan's final pay and vacation pay - his employer basically told us if they weren't organized that he wouldn't get his vacation pay until two weeks following - but we've done everything we can to hand-hold them through this process....so we'll see.

$7,900 in Teeth

Jordan was born with two congenitally missing teeth - every since he was small; his benefits have only provided for a flipper/mouth piece that give the appearance of teeth.  That appliance after 20+ years is now starting to wear on his existing healthy teeth causing more problems.

So...given that for the past year we have been exploring alternatives to the mouth piece.  There are two - either bridge or surgical implants.  For a variety of reasons; primarily longevity, quality and ease of maintenance Jordan has chosen implants.

After many quotes, and many arguments with our benefit providers and dental surgeon...we have a plan.  The total cost of the two implants is $7,900 - are combined benefits will reimburse us $3,000 each calendar year....that led us to the tough decision to plan for two surgeries rather then one.

Jordan's already undergone the first surgery to implant a screw into his jaw bone and now we wait 2-3 months for it to heal. Once healed (end of December), the implant/screw will be fitted with a tooth.  Then, and only then - when the first tooth is considered 'complete' can the dentist submit the expenses to our benefit providers.  So, Jordan and I have had to pay cash (read use the credit card) for the first part of the procedure (and will continue to pay cash each time something happens related to the procedure).  In January we should get our first reimbursement; and then we'll promptly schedule the second surgery.  

Our debt load is getting a bit scary, but we have a plan and will eventually be reimbursed.  Jordan and I would both rather pay the interest now for him to have a happy and healthy mouth before we have kids or anything else when there are more demands for the money.

This Weekend...

Is going to be very full!

My girlfriend just had twins on the 29th and they were super early...They were only at 31.5 weeks and so they are staying in the hospital for at least a month.  My friend on the other hand, was released on Thursday. I imagine there will be quite a bit of back and forth visiting and what not - no one has seen the babies yet, and I would be very honoured if I was able to.

I'm also helping my mother-in-law move.  It's a bit of a stressful time on Jordan's side of the family - a lot of things are not going well with the family dynamic.  That said, I promised I would help before the current sh*t storm, so that is what I'm going to do.  I'm only going to go for 3 hours or so, instead of the all day event because of all the other plans this weekend - but I wanted to make sure I helped out a bit.  I'm hoping that she doesn't bring up any of the family stuff, because then I will have to leave early then planned (the conversation she may try to have with me, is not my conversation to have.

I also really want to go visit my great aunt - she's in an assisted living place in the city and it's been a solid three weeks since I've seen her.  She doesn't seem to phone as often anymore, and life just keeps getting in the way from a good visit.

The big at home job this weekend is painting the bathroom on the main floor.  We bought the paint two weeks ago, but haven't been able to make the time to get the job done...hopefully that will happen on Sunday.

I also want to pull out all of our camping gear and go through it.  My mom got a seasonal camping spot (means you can leave your camping trailer in one spot all year) and Jordan and I are planning on spending a lot of time out there.  So I want to sort out what gear we can bring and leave there as well as maybe some clothes and what not so I don't have to pack a tonne everytime.

If all that gets done - then maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to fold some laundry.

Fun times.

This Christmas

This Christmas was hard.

It was the first without my dad.  It was also the first without my brother (he's moved to Winnipeg).  It was Jordan's first without his mom and his brother (they were on a trip together).

I tried to stay upbeat and positive, mostly I faked it until I could make it.  I think for the most part people believed that I was in good spirits, and that put me in a better mood then I would have been otherwise.

I had a lot of lists.. I always do, but this year it felt a bit more mechanical.  That helped get through I think...task lists...accomplishing things.

To distract myself, I made a lot of Christmas gifts this year.  We also spent a lot - but instead of telling you how much we spent (I don't 100% know just yet... haven't added up all the receipts), I would like to share with you some photo's of my creations...

Homemade Chocolates

Hand Painted Christmas Bear

Home Made Spice Blends

Stocking Stuffer for Jordan

Scarf for Jordan's Cousin

Scarf for my Mom

Scarf for My Cousin 

so...The Summer Happened

I was talking with Jordan yesterday about our financial picture for the last quarter of the year and because we haven't talked about money for quite a while - we covered a lot.  In the beginning of the year, we set aside money for summer vacation, some travel and emergencies.  Since that time, we've spent all that money...and then some.  So it was a good idea to set that money aside, but we didn't forecast very well. As Jordan just said yesterday, 'the summer happened'.

So, Jordan and I have made plan to get back on track before Christmas hits.

1. Cancel allowances for the next three months
2. Increase our day-to-day spending by $50/week
3. Put $50/week in savings for Christmas
4. Continue to pay off Credit Card

We had talked about increasing our day-to-day spending weekly allotment once the card was paid off, but our sense is that it's not getting paid off because we're using the credit card to help supplement our day-to-day spending.  The theory is that we'll use the credit card less because we're giving ourselves a bigger spending budget - in the meantime we'll cancel our allowances (which neither of us have been spending much of lately) and re-direct that to our credit card.

On another positive note, our automobile insurance just went down - woohoo!

Centerpieces & Isle Flowers

This past long weekend I went to my parents place in BC to spend some time with my mom putting together the centerpieces and ceremony isle planter pots.  Other than getting a nasty sunburn, it went really well and was low cost too!

We had gathered the centerpiece pots and painted them a while back and had some excellent soil that we had been given a while ago which was fantastic.  My mom graciously bought some miracle grow as well as the flowers (approx $175) and we had bought some large planter pots from Walmart (approx $30) as well.

All told the total cost was just over $200 for our centerpieces (25) and isle flowers (12).

Here's some photo's of pulling everything together:

Vacation or Banked time - Palm Springs

I've been going back and forth between using vacation time or using banked overtime when I take a week off to go to Palm Springs.  Why the back and forth?  Up until now I was planning on using my vacation for camping trips in the summer/Christmas and using my banked time to pay of my student loan debt (I can just request a pay out if i don't want to use it).

I've decided to use some of each.  With all the upheaval at work right now I'm sure I'll bank a few more hours between now and the trip.  So I think that I'll use 2 days of vacation and 3 days of banked time - That way i can still use a lot of those hours for debt and keep some vacation time for Christmas.

perfect.

Speaking of Palm Springs (again).....what do you all think would be a good way to thank my grandfather?  I said thank you on the phone a couple of times - but I don't really feel like that's enough.  He doesn't really have any hobbies....he still works (even though he's technically retired).  He's passionate about his family and about giving (he still tears up from the donation our family did in his name to Free the Children for his birthday).

So....what do you think?

PalmSprings - Update

I talked to the boss lady last week and althought she didn't outright say I couldn't go, it's not a good time - to take time off.  There's one other person that's taking vacation time that week and we're already short staffed as it is.   I'm going to keep saving and getting things organised - just in case - but it might not happen afterall.

My Best Friend has invited me to Quebec the following month - so that trip may be more feasable - work wise.

Vacation Pay: Carry Forward or Pay out?

I'm sure most, if not all, of you know that my boyfriend/common-law partner is Jordan.  He receives each of my blog posts via e-mail, reads them, and rarely comments - though sometimes we talk about them after work if something was particularly interesting for him.

He's called me - and has a question for all the Jessie's Money reader's out there.

Unlike Frugal's partner H, who's Boss in an Ass,  his employer actually tracks and pays for vacation properly.  He's just found out that he has $527.39 worth of vacation left to take from 2009.  His employer is giving him the option to carry it forward to 2010 or to have it paid out.  He'd like your/my help in figuring out what to do.

I'll break this down for you.

His annual salary is $38,400 (or approximately $18.46/hour).  That means the above mentioned amount of vacation is worth 28.56 hours or 3.57 days (based on an 8 hour work day).

Jordan mentioned that after taxes, his net pay was $30,000 which means his marginal tax rate is 21.88%.  So, if we deduct 21.88% from $527.39 Jordan would receive a payout of approximately $412.

He has given me these five options:

1. Leave the 'money' as vacation, and use it during the year.  I kind of like this idea because I get 3 weeks vacation each year, and Jordan gets 2 weeks.  Keeping the 3.5 days would mean we could take more time off together.

The next four involve having the vacation paid out.

1. Use the money to play - new video games or some other such thing!
2. Use the money to contribute to his newly opened RRSP (currently has about $550)
3. Use the money to contribute to our house fund
4. Use the money to pay down his only debt, the personal loan we took out to get him a truck.

With regards to the debt, I'll give you some details.

We took out the loan for $4,500 a while back, and Jordan was making payments of $216.06/month - which would have the loan paid off in two years, $8 of that payment was also for loan insurance b/c at that time our jobs were uncertain.  In September '09, Jordan increased his payments to $150/bi-weekly which shaved off about 6 months to the re-payment timeline.

The loan is currently sitting at $2514.59 w/ an interest rate of 9.25% - which leaves 17.88 bi-weekly payments left or a Debt Elimination Date of Sepetember, 2010.

If he uses the money to put towards the loan, it would result in 14.95 bi-weekly payments, or give him a Debt Elimination Date of July, 2010.

Phew - okay, so I've obviously put more thought into the debt repayment option - but don't let that sway you (it's just kind of what I do).

So - what should Jordan do?  Should he keep the vacation as vacation or should he request a payout.  If he get's it paid out - what should he do with the $412 he'll receive...

Thanks All!

Hobbies

I asked Jordan for a post idea the other day and he said I should write about Hobbies, I kind of laughed it off because I couldn't really see the personal finance angle. I've been thinking about it the last week or two, and really, what doesn't have a PF angle?

I've been thinking about what my hobbies are and how much they actually cost. Here's what I've come up with in terms of my hobbies/interests:

• Horse back riding
• Fish keeping/breading (we have 3 fish tanks)
• Painting (ceramics or white ware)
• Cooking/baking
• Scrap booking (I have a lot of materials and one have finished book)
• I knit on and off and mostly forget how in between
• Checking out open houses/garage sales/estate sales
• Gardening
• Reading PF (and other) blogs
• Reading novels
• Camping
• Fishing
• I'd like to find ways to use all the tools I recently picked up (erm, I want to build a birdhouse, is that strange?)
• Wondering around home fixit stores getting ideas for my aunts place
• Spending time with family/friends
• Working at my aunts place

At this point, I'm not sure how much my hobbies cost, but wow! That seems like a big list. Some of the items above are free, some had large initial outlays however now wouldn't cost a lot (like camping & fishing). Some have fixed reoccurring costs (horse board), some have variable reoccurring costs (fish food ect).

Do you know how much your hobbies cost? What are your hobbies?