↓
 
Home→Uncategorized→1+2+3=4

1+2+3=4

The New American Digest Posted on by

a story to post from ghostsniper via comments

New Maff

We spent more money today than in the past 6 months.
(house was paid off last Dec)

First, the income tax, both fed and state, went out in certified mail.
20+ years ago we got slammed between the criminal IRS and the criminal USPS with the result being a $1300 penalty for not paying our taxes on time even though we did. We sent them in by the regular mail like we always did before. But the USPS dragged it’s feets and the IRS didn’t receive the payment until after the deadline. We tried, but found out, you simply cannot argue with the criminals. I’ll not disclose how much was sent today because the very though ignites all my fibers.

Next up.

The vehicle insurance for 2 rides. I pay by the year because it’s less expensive overall. Almost a thou. Then, about 2 months ago very high winds tore through here and knocked over 2 white pine trees about 100′ tall. One hit the ground but the other one got hung up on a 40 degree angle in a very large beech tree. Very dangerous, and our power pole was within the arc.

So:
1 cherry picker
2 trees
3 experienced doods
4 thousand of my favorite legal tenders
made the problem go away.

We’re not used to the idea of spending that kinda money, and not getting anything for it. We already owned the trees, and we still have them, but they are now cut up and no longer live and function like the did for all of their lives. So yeah, money for nuthin and the sticks for free. or sumfink like that…

Anyway, the doods did a good job, took only about 3 hours, and though we paid them with a check, I gave them a $100 cash tip.

Further, the owner asked what I do and I told him I’m an arky and he said he may have some work for me. So there’s that.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
GrayDog
GrayDog
8 hours ago

Well at least your house is paid off!
So you got that going for you.
Which is nice.

0
Reply
azlibertarian
azlibertarian
6 hours ago
Reply to  GrayDog

Don’t get me wrong….paying off your house (or other debt) is Yuuuge. I remember what an accomplishment I felt when the principal paid against our mortgage was greater than the interest. And when we finally made that last payment, the weight lifted off of you is hard to describe.

But when you own your home, if that home declines in value, that loss is all yours.

0
Reply
azlibertarian
azlibertarian
6 hours ago

I feel your pain, my friend. We’ve had a very expensive (for us) six months too.

Today the IRS and Arizona Department of Revenue got their slices of my hide. Together, it was nearly 8 Large. My withholding hasn’t been right in some time, but this year the bill was more than usual, although the additional was expected. The financial planner has us transitioning some of our IRA money into Roth IRA which means that the amount shifted from one bucket to another is now taxable income and the Taxman must be paid. I’ve posted this before, but this week it seems apt again…..the 1040 Blues.

Additionally,

  • Our home was built in 2018, but the lovely Mrs. azlib has complained about an odor in the house for some time. So we had the ducts cleaned and a guy come in with fancy schmancy floor scrubber and clean our tile floors. The 2 companies did good work, but it was just short of 2 Large.
  • Like many in AZ, our landscaping is largely gravel. It settles after a while and the full coverage that you used to have just doesn’t exist any longer. So, the lovely Mrs azlib found a place that (finally) had gravel close to our color and size. Twenty tons and a landscaping crew later and I was out 3 Large.
  • Last month, as we pulled out of the driveway on our way to Tucson to see the grands, we saw that the car had a flat tire. We unloaded into the truck and had to start tire shopping. The car was due new tires….we’d talked about it…it was just a matter of deciding which month to do it. Events decided for us. $1200.
  • We had to put a cat down. Mrs. azlib loves her animals and we’ve spent much of the last year acting as a veterinary hospice for the cat and the chihuahua (doing OK at the moment, all things considered, but the congestive heart failure will get her soon enough). The cat finally had a very bad weekend and we called in the Pet Terminator. I think that he’s got a pretty good gig going on: He’s a vet who makes housecalls to put your pet down at home, as comfortably as possible. With the cremation, I think it was $800.
  • We have a piece of land in eastern AZ which is in a HOA community. Anyway, the HOA panicked itself about a bark beetle infestation developing and they decided that any affected trees need to be taken down toot-suite, or else the beetles will turn all the trees into standing dead trees. $1200 for a couple’o yah-hoos with a chainsaw and a large truck.

I am the son of high-school graduates, and I fully realize the position in which I find myself. Every 4-, 5-, or 6-weeks we were spending $2-4000 more than we normally spend. I am fortunate….extremely fortunate….that I can afford these extra expenses, but as I say that, they’re still hard to stomach. They mean that the Bucket List Travel that Mrs azlib wants to get to will have to be put off until next year. And as we’ve seen with our cat and dog, we don’t know how many “next years” that we have remaining.

0
Reply
↑