It is a short sale so it is up to the owner and the bank but I hope it works out!

It is a three bedroom two bath about 1337 square feet and the back yard is nice, not to large but has room on the right side of about 15 feet from the house to the fence line and the left side has about 8-9 feet of clearance so more than the rest of the houses around.

There is a laudry room pass through to the garage so I can do laundry and have plenty of room to set up a lanudry rack. There is a neat little alcove in the laundry room opposite the washer and dryer area. I could almost make the space an office if I needed to. I had a friends dad take a look at the area to see how we could design an office space in there as well as the laundry room area.

It does have an HOA that takes care of all the front yard stuff, watering, lights etc. so no raking of leave for me in the fall and no worrying about taking care of the yard. The monthly fees are $65.

The back yard is another story. I will need to find a reliable lawn mower and learn how to make it work. I am a little afraid of them so this should be interesting.

There are three things I need for the house when I move in: a refrigerator, a washing machine and a lawn mower. I have a gift card to home depot for about $170 so that will help with some of the start up costs. Other savings will come from buying on crigs lists or other services like that.

So....we will see if the offer is accepted and I have bought a house! Then I have to figure out the tax withholding for the rest of the year AND refile my 2008 taxes for the house purchase. I want that money back in my accounts to put toward a house emergency fund.

I have to admit I am scared/nervous that i might have just bought a house. I am a single buyer so buying on one salary is nerve racking. I am just so ready to be out of the place I am living in and own my own place.

Was everyone else nervous when they bought?

I found my house. I have found the one I want to buy. I saw it last week and liked it and saw it again today and like it even more. It is exactly what I want. It has 1537 square feet and a perfect size back yard, a side yards. It is part of a master planned community and has a beautiful pool area and club house for all the people of the community. The mello roos are high (180) and the hoa fees are a little steep (104) but the hoa dues pay for the front yard work, grass cutting, water bills etc and the club house stuff. The mello roos pay for the lighting, sewers and sidewalks etc that the city put in before the houses were built.

So…now I need to make a decision and make an offer. It is in really good condition and was built in 2005 so it is only 4 years old. Of course I am going to go through an inspection and get a pest report to make sure everything is as good as it looks. It is a short sale though so that might take a while and the bank might not take our offer.

The house is perfect because it has the master bedroom/bath on one side and the other two bedrooms and bath on the other. It would make it easier to rent a room or two. The rooms are small but if someone wanted both of them they could have them (for a price) and then they have their own area of the house. It has a large great room concept room for the living / dining rooms and an open kitchen that is open to the large room. I think it is just fantastic and just what I want.
So the decision needs to be made.
I called my tax person to ask what I would need to adjust my with holdings to allow me to take advantage of owning a house but she needs to know the interest I would pay each month and when the payments would start. We also had a conversation about taking advantage of the new tax credits on the 2008 taxes meaning I will get back about 8 k (since I paid 10k in taxes). She didn’t know about being able to do it so I had to tell her and she had to look it up. Turns out I am right and of course now she is encouraging me to do it and to be able to get money back next year.

I know I want a house and am ready but it is still a big decision when you are buying alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I also found out that I came in second rank for a new position with the state. It would mean a nice money bump (about 4-500 a month) but I am not ready for it yet. I want to stay with my boss and the team I work with for as long as possible. They are good, we get a lot of work done and are slowly making progress at this state agency to change the way things have been done to correct them and be in line with the letter of the law for our programs. But it was a nice feeling to know that I placed so well. My position on the list will remain there for a year at which time I will have to retest but I am happy for the time being.

I am having sushi with my friend Amy tomorrow. We have not seen each other in a month or so and I have a gift card from three years ago that I was saving for something special. I think this qualifies.

My nephews going away party is tomorrow. He is going to boot camp and his schooling for the next 9 months or so. I am so very proud of him but also scared for him in the same breath. It will be so hard on my sister to see him go as they have never spent more than 3 days apart in 19 and a half years. At least he will be back in time for my nieces wedding in November. Big changes for the ir family this year.

This has been an interesting week for me. I spent all of this afternoon looking at 10 houses ranging from 170 (short sale) to 215. I have three favorites. The first one is 215k (asking price) and it is exactly the floor plan I want BUT it has Mello Roos fees of 180 PLUS an HOA fee of 135. That one is off my list as I am not adding 300 to the amount I would pay each month (unless they lowered the price significantly.)

The second house (170k, LARGE lot, parking for RV, and room for pool) might have an offer so we are waiting to see and the third I also love is 200K (great patio and yard, good flooring, great storage cabinets in garage, cherry wood laminate floors) which is just over what I want to pay. Both of these have HOA fees of 65 a month and they take care of the front yard, cutting, watering and all. Sees like a good deal to me.
At 170k I know payments on the house would be just about $1180 at 5% which I think is a good interest rate and closing costs at 6300 or a rate of 5.5% makes my payments 1241 and closing costs about 4700. The second rate means I would pay 178k in interest while the 5% means 156K in interest. I want the 5% rate! And to pay it off faster than that!

I spoke to my tax person this week and with the new tax credit for buying a house in 2009 it would wipe out 90% of what I paid the feds based on 2008 taxes but this year I will make about 9% less with the state reductions in pay. I am playing around with my withholding calculator and trying to determine where my withholding would be for the rest of the year. Where would I move it? 5, 6, 7? At 5 my take home is 3659 or so a month, at 6 it is 3705 and at 7 it is 3750. This year with the 10% reduction in pay I will make 57k. So how do I figure where to place the with holding?

Playing with the with holding means that I pay less federal taxes overall so with this new credit, if I pay less than 8k in takes do I get a complete refund up to 8k? for example, if I pay 7k in taxes to feds (salary, new house items, interest on the house etc.) will I get a refund only up to 7 k or the complete 8k? I know usually it is only on what you have paid but at times there is a complete refund. SO…if I bought a hoseu where do I put the withholding to be sure to maximize the credit but not have to pay anything and get the most from my pay check?

I know I will not get the tax credit from CA because the house is not brand new (stupid in my opinion, give a tax credit that helps the builders more than people??) but I am unclear if there are things I can write off for my California taxes…property taxes? Closing costs?
How in the world do people figure out what to do? Buy a house? Where to put the withholding for the first year? What to write off next year?

Mama! I need your advice and EXPERTISE!

It was a quiet day today. I slept late because i went to bed late last night. Am fighting a bit of a cold, coughing a lot is my only symptom. I just wnated to be quiet and get rest.

I did do three quizzes for my online real estate class this morning, watched a little TV, read for a while, talked to one of my sisters, watched a couple of taped Gilmore Girls episodes etc.

I have one more quiz to do to be caught up for the class. I'll do it tomorrow sometime, no hurry.

I did do the budget for the month and i can either put 1425 toward a cc or save it for a month in my house account. I am leaning toward paying off the debt.

I got one of those california state layoff notices but i know it is a mistake because i have twice the time the agency is asking for to continue being employed. It just does not make any sense. I think i am going to pay off the chase card with it. that leaves only two cards left!! For future months i will split the amount half toward debt and half toward house savings. i want to be able to move forward with a house if i find one and i have little in terms of a down payment.

I was contacted by someone who worked as a private consultant with my previuos agency to see if i was interested in doing some side work for her. I said yes! (of course!). Now I just need to fill out the conflict of interest paperwork at work and get it approved. The project actually has noting to do with anything in california so i should be ok with that paperwork.

I sit at my desk at my job every morning thinking one of two thoughts: it is to warm in here or it is to cold. I take off a sweater or put one on thinking, why can’t they do something about the temperature in here?

Then I saw a report on the morning news talking about the homeless tent camp here in Sacramento and I was suddenly ashamed for thinking that I am to hot or cold when there are people who are always to hot or cold. There are children without a place to sleep at night, without a hot meal or something to snuggle as they try to sleep on a cold, rainy night.

With the current struggle in the economy homeless programs are projecting a 10%-15% increase in the homeless population this year and more children impacted than ever before. How many times do we go the store and see one of those buy one get one free items and don’t take the free item or take the free item to our already overflowing pantry or cupboards?

This year I turn 35. I realize how blessed I am to have a roof over my head, a well paying job, friends and family that I can turn to when I need help or support. I have enough money to buy what I need and also what I want.

For my birthday instead of gifts I am asking that people donate something to the Sacramento Loaves & Fishes Homeless program or to those of you far away, to one of your community programs. Many of the items found on program wish lists can be purchased at the dollar store, many for less than a dollar. On the Sacramento Loaves & Fishes website they list their needs:

Toilet paper, Paper napkins, Paper towels, Paper cups, Small Dixie cups
Reading Glass (no Rx, available at the Dollar store)

Dining Room & Food Supplies
Coffee mugs, Metal forks, Large zip lock bags, Fast food coupons, Sugar, Coffee, Tea, Salt & Pepper (Large).

Hygiene Items
Razors and after shave, Q Tips, Tampons/Pads, Depends (adult diapers), Tooth paste and brushes, Shampoos (Large & Small), Conditioners (Small), Lotions (Small), Deodorants, Brushes/Combs, Small sewing kits, Small first aid kits.

Baby Items
Diapers (large & toddler sizes), Baby wipes, Baby juices, powdered formula, baby bottles (plastic), Baby food.

Guest’s Gear
Sleeping bags, Blankets, Small plastic tarps, Backpacks, Towels & Washcloths, Small can openers, Bike tire patch kits, Bike lights, Large candles, AA batteries, Reading glasses, RT bus passes.

Special Clothing
Rain ponchos, New socks, New underwear (Men & Women), New bras, Stretch gloves,
Knit hats, Jackets, Tennis Shoes (Men & Women).

I know my birthday is not until July, but turning 35 has really made me start thinking about those things that are important in my life. I know there are people here who are struggling each and every day but it you have a roof over your head, food to eat, clothes to wear, the love of friends and family, and security to know you are moving forward in your life then you are blessed. I ask each of my friends (in real life or on the saving advice website) to pick up one small item and donate it to one of your local programs before July 24th (my birthday).

There was a report on the news sometime in the past few weeks about how our children are responding to the bombardment of horrible news about the state of our economy. What better way to show your children that your family is doing ok, then by talking with them as you purchase and donate someplace.

Drop me a note or comment here and tell me what you did. I’d like to tally and track what our small community can do to change the lives of those who have very little.

I know it has been a while since I updated, that seems to be the standard thing for me to say!

Things here at the state have been pretty crazy and now we have two days off a month and a ten percent reduction in pay. I did find out today that my step increase (5%) in July should be based upon my regular salary not my salary during these furlough times. Right around the end of the furloughs in June 2010 when our salaries go back up to our regular amounts I also get another step increase so it will be like getting a 15% raise all at one time. I am hoping that if I am making it ok I am going to put 10% toward my 401k (which got cut to almost nothing with these furloughs/10% cuts) and the other 5% toward my 457. We will see how I can live on this salary for the next few years.

I took close to $4350 out of my bank accounts and used it to pay off some credit cards, two of them! Taking those usual monthly payments and putting it toward the final card means I should be out of credit card debt around this same time or a little later next year. Then all I have left is the student loan. At that point I will put the amounts I am currently paying toward the credit card debt and put it toward the student loans, which means I am paying more each month than the minimum payment. If I could up that to $500 then I could pay off 48k in a little less than 10 years. So… we will see how it goes all pie in the sky ideas right now.

Buying a house is a goal in the next 12 months. I want to be able to take advantage of the tax breaks from the state and the feds. It looks like to housing tax breaks by the state are taking 10k and dividing it over three years of returns and the federal tax break is 8k without having to pay it back like last year 7500 credit. That would be awfully nice to take advantage of!! I know the state is limiting to time period and limited to I think 100 million dollars. (?) So my tax person said she would do some more research for me and send it to me with my completed return.

I sent off my tax paperwork and am waiting to hear if I have to pay or if I get money back. I am hoping that I get just a little back and not have to pay anything. Last year I got money back from the Feds but had to pay the state. That scenario would be fine too!

I am waiting for my state union to begin negotiations with the state. One other union has renegotiated their bargaining unit contract and has limited it to one furlough day and only a 5 % cut. That would be so great!

The hard part for me with these furlough days is that I work an alternate work week (every other Friday off) and I just can’t afford to miss every Friday for the next year and a half. It would be nice but realistically when I sit down and see the work load that I have and the expectations of my agency it just cannot be done. But there comes into play the alternate work schedule, what to do? I figured out that I can work half days on Fridays and keep my hours matching the required numbers of hours so that is nice! My boss is happy because I am still here five days a week for the non furlough days but I still have the afternoons off on Fridays and still get that feel of having the time off. It was a good compromise. I will not have to use a vacation day for the next 18 months with this new schedule. Every weekend feels like a mini vacation.

I have been reading all the blogs and keeping up with everyones exciting news!!

Can you believe already 2 months of the year have gone by?

well it has been a while since I wrote a truly financial post. I came up with my budget for january 2009. Today was a no spen day, indeed I did not even leave the house. I am still "house sitting" (read getting a break fromy current living situation) at sisters house until they return sometimenext week. Have been here two weeks and have learned hat living in Folsom means my gas expenses would go up about 50 dollars per month than where I currently live for spending time with friends but I would only be minutes my two sisters and their families. So tough decision. Here isy budget for January 2000:

Rent: 465
Utilities (one third): 125
Cell phone: 75
Groceries: 200
Fun: 225
Gas: 160
Ameritrade: 50
Storage unit: 10
Car: 100
Car insurance savings: 100
Rental insurance savings: 35
Car repairs savings: 100
Netflix: 15
Audible.com: 15
CC#1: 75
CC#2: 100
CC#3: 170
CC#4: 130
Amex (paid off monthly): 59
Sierra savings: 100
Savings #2: 75
Gifts savings: 74
College classes: 90
House savings: 875

Leaving around 100 in the budget from my pay check from yesterday. February house savings goes to 1000 then beginning march will be 1200+ each month. That feels good.

With this same planning I will once again be able to pay off the two insurances from savings, gifts saved for, car repair/new car account getting to 5000 etc. It feels nice to have the plan. I love these kinds of plans and haVe been doing this for years now. I usually am pretty good about sticking to the budget but bad at writing everything down. That Is something I want to work on this year.

Resolutions:
Keep written records and receipts for all purchases.
Hit the gym 4-5 times a week and loose weight.
Pack lunch or have food at desk ahead of time for saving money.
Limit tv time to ten hours a week (not including am news).
Figure out the happiness quotient I am missing from my life.
Keep I'm better contact with friends.

I think those are good to start with. Happy New Year everyone!

The house is just over a thousand feet. I think this is size for a single gal.

Still no other offers. I do know it was a short sale on the market for 276 days before they foreclosed on the house. Now what do I do?

MM-Congratulations!

I am looking for advice now…I live in California, near Sacramento, an area that has been hit with this whole mortgage thing and will continue to be affected because of the bad loans made into 2006.
I walked through the house I want to buy last Friday night. It is perfect and everything I said I wanted 5 years ago when I was dreaming (2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 car garage, gas range to cook on, no large yard to upkeep (preferred a town house like patio with greenery)) just everything perfect. It is in a gated community (although the gate has been open each time I drove by.) The house even has an east facing master bedroom like I wanted. HOA is $115 a month.

Please do not tell me to keep the emotion out of it, there is no emotion as my line of thinking is either I get it or I don’t. This is the house plan I want but if it is not this house—that is ok.

The bank (it is a foreclosure) is asking 250k. Out of my price range but as they foreclosed on the house for 195k, what is a reasonable offer to make? They have dropped the price 10k since it went on the market Sept. 25th. I really didn’t want to go over 200 but might have to to buy this house. It is in a good neighborhood, nice homes less than 8 years old, they are zero lot lines homes so no large yard to up keep just a stamped concrete patio type with plant containers and a small tree and green zone. What sounds like a good offer? Other properties in the area that are the same floor plan as the one I like are asking around 270k.

(270K for a 2/2/2 with no yard? Are you kidding me??)

Anyway I was approved for a mortgage at 5.3% (and am hoping the rates continue to drop-4.5% would be fantastic!)

I also have to wait and see what happens with the state as I work for them and they are seriously in trouble financially. The latest is up to a 10% reduction in workforce (13k positions gone or open positions not getting filled) AND having state employees take somewhere between 5% and 10% reduction in salary. If they did that, there goes my house dreams.

What I cannot figure out is where the withholding should be to equal out at the end of the year. The whole deduction of mortgage interest thing confuses me. Based upon my current withholdings, what does it mean if you paid 10k in federal taxes in 2008 and paid 12k in home mortgage interest? How much would you get to deduct from your federal taxes, a one for one exchange or a percentage of what you paid interest wise on a mortgage? I know you can write off property taxes too, anything else?

MM-do you do any personal counseling? Since your in the area can I hire your company for my taxes this year?

I bake a good chocolate chip cookie if that helps…

On Friday I tried to get a doctor appointment because I knew how sick I was. They could not fit me in but they told me to go to the clinic associated with their office in the same building. I went, told the doctor all my symptoms and requested a cough syrup to help me sleep and let my house mates sleep. I also told him all my symptoms for the bronchitis. He prescribed the cough syrup but did not tell me (or note it anywhere on the papers he gave me) that he prescribed antibiotics. I went to pharmacy to pick up the prescription (good thing here was news that co pays with the new insurance are only $5, yippee!).
Fast forward to Sunday when I knew I was sicker than ever before and had a fever. Managed to get an appointment on Monday with my own doctor who walks into the room and says, so the antibiotics you are taking are not working?.....um…What antibiotics? The doctor I saw on Friday did not give me anything. Turns out after reviewing my files he decided to prescribe some but NO ONE called me or told me. So here I am very sick and barely moving around, trying to get in to see her when it could have been taken care of by a phone call. His excuse? I figure she had not picked up the syrup yet. Right, I can’t sleep or breather without coughing, let me wait 8 more hours before I feel better. I stayed home from work Monday and Tuesday. I am trying to go Wednesday but don’t expect to spend a whole day. My doctor said she will bring this up at the clinic meeting next week because this is something that has happened before. Oh and my fever on Friday? 101.1, on Sunday 102.9 and 102.7 Monday when I say her. Had he read my file he would have seen the previous notes by my doctor. I am so angry. I could have been a lot better instead of being sicker than I have been the past two years. I may not want to visit that clinic again of this is the kind of service. I mean, all he had to do was open my computer file and there it is, everything about me for the past 10 years.

going to be now as i need as much sleep as i can get. toodles!

It has been an interesting few weeks since I last wrote.

First let me say that I have missed catching up with all of you and the blogs. I fear I will have lots of time to read them over the next couple of days as I am home sick, more on that later. Welcome to all the new bloggers!

I left my old job and started the new one. I love it! The people (several of whom I worked with at the old job) work with me at the new one and gave me a wonderful welcome and just made it feel like family. I love going to work, have no problem getting up when the alarm goes off and will start back to the gym in the AM before work once I am not sick. It is so nice to be working someplace where they use your intelligence and believe in you.

I had not realized until I was leaving the last job how much that place had beaten my self esteem into the ground. It is nice to realize that I am an intelligent smart person and to have it recognized. It is also nice to catch an error in a major document your first day of work that might have cost your agency millions of dollars in the event of an emergency. It is always nice to make your first impression with the bosses a good one. The other people at the job are very nice and I am going to enjoy working there.

The only downside is a woman who sits next to me keeps remarking on how young I am. Her first words out of her mouth (and I kid you not) when she picked me up from the lobby on my first day was hello, boy you are young to have this job. (She is right I am about 15 years younger than the next employee but I worked HARD to get here.) Her comments about my age just increased when she read the biography that was sent out by the HRM in our agency. She made one last comment about my age when I wore jeans to the office my first week there. Think dark jeans with great shoes, a professional shirt and jacket and a very polished look. Picture me hearing 10 times a day, including when she introduces me to people that I am so very young to have this job. She mentioned: oh jeans your first week? I would not be caught in jeans my first week at a new job. I just replied: well as you mentioned I am very young and we are of different generations. C’est la vie! But she got the hint and has not mentioned my age since.

She has made it clear she wants to get a promotion from the glorified assistant level, but truly, she is clueless about how to work with people, does not censor herself, she puts herself into every conversation, and generally drives everyone around her nuts. I was warned about her before I started but did not believe it. She also narrates what she is doing. “Now I am calling Roger, asking about the XYZ file, dialing 555-1212, etc.” Thank god for my I-pod and loud opera in a foreign language. It blocks 90% of her narrations.

Somehow between the new job and seeing my sister and her family last weekend I got a cold which in two days turned into bronchitis. Now I am on the watch to see if it turns into pneumonia. I am very susceptible to getting sick with lung issues since the winter I came home from Moldova. I had to finish out the week (big emergency management exercise at work I was evaluating) but am home and bed bound for the weekend. I hope to be better by Monday as I have to go in to finish a project and then I have a day off Tuesday to make up for missing my regular day off Friday. Getting a 9-8-80 work week is just wonderful and if the governor goes through with the one day a month furlough (where state employees get one more day off without pay and lose a little less than 5% of their salary a month) I will have almost 40 days off a year without using vacation. How nice is that? I might never have to take a vacation day unless I want more than 4 days off in a row.

Now that the new job as started I feel like I have gotten my life back. I leave work and have energy and want to go and do something and enjoy it. I have spent more time with friends in the last month than probably 6 months because of how I was feeling for the past year. It is nice to feel like my old self and have friends recognized it and me as the old me. It feels nice to be back.

My niece did amazing at her first state gymnastic competition. Such a wonderful thing but I missed it as I am home. Yeah for her.

I got the job! I got the job!

Comes with a raise and a split 9-8-80 work week. I will get either friday or monday off every other week. (I want fridays personally but we will see what i get.)

I will start approximately the beginning of November with the new pay period.

I already accepted and sent my note to the assistant deputy of my office. It was a very nice note explaning that it was best for me and my current office if i accept a position I was offered someplace else. I think it was nice and i could have been a lot meaner.

I am so excited! Ths is going to be such a better place then where i am currently and i get to be with some of my old team too.

yeah i will have a job i won't be crying about in three weeks!

The sneezes? i seem to have a cold. And i am looking forward to the rain after not having it for 9 months or so!

It went ok. I am not happy about some of my answers after I thought about them in the car on my way to work.

I won't find out until Friday if the job is mine. While it is working for the same supervisor I worked for before and he wants me to work with him now, this is a new agency and all bets are off. I was the first person they called for the interview so I feel good about that.

I really want out of my job but I am not willing to lose the money i make or make a bad decision. I did decided that if this job does not come through I will begin looking to get a job anywhere now that the state budget has been passed.

The other interviewer was difficult. I can imagine this job being hard and wanting the same job but when i started answering the later questions with some material i had used earlier she cut me off and asked if i had new materials.

I was kind of pissed because while i had used part of the project in an earlier answer i was using other pieces of it for the answers to the other questions. i just continued on as if she had not interrupted me as the answers were there if she would just let me. When i looked at her 40 seconds later she was making notes and crossing off things on the work sheet in from of her.

Now, I was given a copy of the questions when i arrived at the interview so would'nt you think i'd note the answers and situatuons from my professional career that would be helpful?

Anyway I won't know until Friday and I hope that it is a good result for me professionally!!

I hate my job. No surprise there but I leave work a couple days a week and cry in my car before I can drive home. That is not a good sign.

I am will interview for the job I applied for 4 weeks ago sometime in the next two weeks. I am almost finished with the 5th major 24 hours training I have written in 15 months and preparing for the 6th.

I have decided on the music I am going to sing for one of the in class concerts and the recital at school: the first one is Danny Boy. Long time readers may say, um...didn't you sing that last year? Um...yes but I forgot the words to the third verse and kind of hummed along until I remember them. I want to redeem myself in my own eyes.

The second song is the Eva Cassidy version of over the rainbow. It is just beautiful and I love it. I hope to be able to do it justice. I am sure it will not sound like Ms. Cassidy as she had an amazing ethereal, jazzy, sexy voice but I am going to try. I practiced for an hour today and got the two rough parts down. There will be one more piece to practice and I have a month or so. The hard part is really getting the breathing down which is why I purchased and decided on this song. Maybe I can post something here and get some comments.

Because I am so unhappy at work I have begun avoiding friends and family. I just don’t want to be around people because I feel like I will snap and say something me because of the pressure and frustration of my job. I also have not been paying attention to spending for the past three months have blown a lot of money I needed to save for a ouse an debt payments. I have not gone to the gym in three months either. I already have a plan of action for getting a new job because a whole new job, new agency, new place of work means a whole change in my schedule and life.

I have two state position exams coming up as well. Both are still in my classification and are promotions (one over the other). While I am prepared to do the job of one, the other is a bit high. I just want to take the exam to see if I can get on the list and see what happens. I believe that I am still a little out of my league for that one. Knowing the people in that sector I would be about 15 ears younger than the next person. How strange it would be to manage people older than me. (and some with more experience.) I have seen the training products that come out of this particular office and it stinks. Maybe I could help to turn that around for the agency. Who knows.
I have a whole chapter of homework and 65 quizzes to do this weekend. It is a lot of work but if I pace myself I’ll be ok. The real estate class if quite boring and the instructor is just horrible but it is pretty easy. The other class is not so easy.

Oh and my friend moved from Hawaii to Michigan! She passed through on Tuesday and it was so nice to see her after almost a year. We are planning for a long visit for me once she gets settled, maybe during thanksgiving week. I could go for a week and only use 2 vacation days so that would be nice. But the frustrating part was that I just saved enough to come and visit her in Hawaii!

I am completly frustrated with the US government for agreeing to these stop gap measure with or money. Currently our national debt stands around 9.4 trillion (yes trillion) dollars. Enough for each person to owe about $32,000 to pay it off. Now we are going to add another half a trillion to it. I made the decision not to buy a house or make poor investments. Now i wish i had. Some of the investment minds think the government may end up makign a profit on the purchase of the mortgages and assisting banks. It just pisses me off that the money is going there. isn't free enterprise mean, if you screw up then you have to

I am going to crawl into bed, listen to a movie for a while and go to bed before 11.

How do you record onto your computer? I want to record an accapella version of a song to send to a friend (as a kind audtion)What do i need technically to do this?

i have a new computer bought last september from dell

Reading MMMMB (Monkey Mama�s Monkey Money Blog) made me realize that I have not pulled the report I get from AMEX monthly since the end of June. Pleasant surprise my scores went up to 784, 780, and 780. Yeah!!

Does anyone know how long items stay on your credit report? I am looking for the accounts I closed, student loans consolidated etc to drop off but they seem to last longer than I thought. Do they not come off at 7years? I�d like to have the report print cleaner that it does.

Another question, when I went through running my financial number for a possible mortgage a couple months ago I knew my credit scores were in the high 770 and low 780�s but the mortgage guy said my numbers were around 740-750. Does anyone know when the discrepancy in the numbers? His for all three credit reporting bureaus were 34-50 points lower than what I saw and I am trying to determine why.

My weekend was very quiet and pretty non spendy. I spent $25 on dinner for Friday for two of us, groceries Monday were $45 (saved 67%) and I think that is it. Most of that was fruit and veggies. I am planning to eat a lot of fruit and veggies this wee. It just all looked really good. Then I realized it was Monday and the farmers market was today although turns out I never got to leave the office for the market after all.

I have class two nights this week but one is a late class so I can still come home and have dinner before I have to go. For tomorrow�s class I need to pack something to eat for dinner ahead of time. Might only be a PB&J sandwich but at least I will have planned for it.

I am applying for two new state examinations and a new job today after work. One exam is a promotion for me (the next level in my current classification) and the other is a similar level to what I am now. It will allow me some flexibility to apply to other jobs in the agency I want to work. The job is with my former boss here so here�s hoping I ace the interview (his boss and bosses boss will also sit in because he was my former boss.) I actually requested it (at his urging) because they want to hire internally but the job description is 75% of what I am doing now AND is working back with people in this agency. I already have relationships with those people, I know their foibles and strength and can work with the as I know how to approach them. What better to say, Look I already have the relationships. Let�s get to work instead of building relationships for a year and making no progress.

And I will have my three year anniversary being here at the end of the month!

So not gonna happen.

I took my sister (and two of her kids) and my ex Andrew to go and see it. Andrew is an architect so while we were looking around the inside he was inspecting the building grounds and area for damage.

While 6 of the units are owned three are rented out. Most people living there are "educators" whatever that means. The grounds are not well kept for the hoa fees and a lot of work needed inside and out. Too much to be real. There is obvious water damage in the kitchen but two of the people who lived there never heard anything about flooding. Then I looked around the side at another condo and found unfinished French drains which mean lots of water issues that are not being taken care of in the community.

Such a disappointment but it needed too much work for me to live there and too much work (finishing work) to be rentable to students or others. Andrew did some rough estimates and just the items we saw (kitchen, bath/laundry, windows, fixing the previous owners construction mistakes etc.) was around 35k. I was so lucky drew called to see if I wanted to have dinner tonight before he leaves to return to Espana. We even called his dad and sent some pictures via cell phone and his dad said: NO WAY! So while it was worth the visit there is just too much to do.

Meeting the neighbors was good but the one I would have shared a wall with was...um...well let us just say the aroma of his condo was interesting...and leave it at that. He was helpful but not what I would want in a neighbor.

So�a big bust on this one.

I am going to look at a condo today with my sister. It is a one bedroom one bath deal in a complex with only 9 units. I am seriously considering it because I think the resale value will hold as it is one block from the major university in our town. I can pay it off in less than 10 years and if nothing else it could become a rental property being so close to the school.

It has a washer/dryer set up in the unit and the area seems nice: pool, gazebo, bbq pit area etc. the unit is listed at 116,500 which is quite cheap. I think it was a fore closure and now the bank just wants to get rid of it. The agent said she might be able to talk them down to 100k which would mean my payments would be about 600/month at 6.25 interest. Even if they want the full amount the payments are only 725 a month. It is something to think about but at this price it will go fast. It needs a new kitchen area and the bath could be updated a bit but overall it looks ok. There is even a fireplace but I can�t tell from the pictures if it is real of gas. Laminate wood looking floors were put in a few months ago and there is a covered parking space provided as well. The only thing is, they were built in 1978. the price per square foot is 156 and ideally i'd like to get it to around 100. (ha!)

I really want to be out on my own and not sharing a space any more. This is totally affordable and won�t stretch my budget at all. We�ll see how they look.

Edited for correct date.

Today was busy in the AM but then slow and relaxing for the afternoon and evening. I was up early for a massage which helps keep the stress and migraine headaches away.

Then I went and purchased books for my classes this semester: $200 and I grabbed two donuts on the way home. I balanced my check book, transferred the money for the books I had to purchase so I can pay the credit card on Monday.

We recently went from cable to direct tv. May I say that I am enjoying direct tv quite a bit. The movie channels have a lot to choose from (we are not sure if we are keeping them. It would raise our bill $15 but it would make it easier for me to stay in.) Our cable source was horrible and half the time I could not get out local channels or the NBC CBS ones I enjoy watching. With this satellite I can see them all in my room clearly! With the dvr thing it is so easy to record the shows I like to watch for the entire season. I really only follow 6 shows: ER, Medium, NCIS, Criminal Minds, CSI (original) and one other I can�t think of. Last season there was no new show I watched for the entire season. I started a couple and got bored. This season looks like maybe a couple of shows will catch my interest. I am more interested in seeing the last season of ER. Many of these shows come on too late for me but it is nice to watch them on my time. I wish I could down load them to y I pod for the gym that would be really helpful.

Tomorrow is pretty quiet. I need to go grocery shopping, make a deposit at the bank, pick up a prescription, get gas, call my mom, clean out my car and wash it, return something to IKEA, finish my book, find my school stuff for classes Monday. Maybe meet my sister at her house and play with the kids. Lots to do and I know I have lots of time but I really want to just veg. I think I can get most of that done in two hours and then kick back and relax and maybe watch one of the movies I recorded today for the times when we don�t have HBOish channels.

What a week�the had been rumors for weeks that my direct supervisor was leaving our office. People were asking when he was announcing his last day. He has been out on medical leave this week and called me yesterday to say that today would be his last day but that he is out. Everyone on my team found out weeks ago but I find out yesterday. Shows real grown up behavior right? And people wonder why I say that we are not a team, morale is low and that there is no communication. Anyway, he is leaving and I am relieved. He tried to give me lots of complements and told me he appreciates me and my hard work, I am brilliant and intelligent, and don�t forget that I am good at my job and he respects me etc. I just said thanks and moved on. I just don�t really believe him, or didn�t realy until he said he would hire me if he ever had a job opening. Considering how we didn�t get along that surprised me but I don�t think I would considering everything that happened.

I did not get the job I interviewed for last week but I lost to an internal candidate so I don�t feel too bad. There are two jobs I am applying for Monday. One is a promotion but only a raise of about 300 per month. The other one is the same pay grade but both get me out of where I am now and that is all that matters. (And free parking!)

I have spent very little money this week until yesterday. SLH being in town and treating to lots of things meant no real spending Mon-Wednesday. Yesterday I got my hair cut and highlighted. I love it and it feels good but it was very expensive. I needed to go to someone I trust and that I have seen good results on other people including my sister and my nieces. I just love the color and she helped to remove the red I had in my hair for the past year or so and gave me the blonde highlights I love. The stylist kept remarking how soft and luxurious my hair is and such great condition. She actually called over other stylists to show them. The secret? I never style it and almost always let it air dry unless it is winter and below 40 degrees when I leave the house (which is rare). I use no products or anything. Now for this new cut I might have to use a little bit of something to help it keep some shape and keep the bangs in place. Yes, bangs. I have not had bangs in probably 10 years. It is much shorter (but still long) and in a cut I can let grow out and just get the bangs trimmed (free!) at the shop. So there goes the cheap week I was having.

Tomorrow I have a massage, lab work to get done for the doctor and then off to buy school books for the semester. Not cheap but needs to get done. I recycled some bottles today or $3.66 that is going into my vacation account.

Sunday is pretty quiet and I am not sure what I am going to do. I just realized that next weekend is labor day weekend. Anyone have any plans for next weekend?

This post might go along with one that BA posted and others have posted in the past few weeks: dating and money and relationships.

I ended my two year relationship this past April. Andrew and I are still friends and talk weekly but our lives are just going in two different directions. He currently lives in Barcelona and has spent most of the past 24 months there for work. His company is transferring him to Hong Kong in October for 18 months then to NYC for what he hopes is a permanent move. He works on large construction of hotels and conference centers as an architect and engineer and loves what he does, but he is never here in the country.

We always shared expenses for things except for when he bought me a ticket to visit him when he first moved to Barcelona, (he paid for the whole trip because I had just returned from visiting my sister and could not afford a second trip that quick with out canceling my next trip to see her and her family.) He makes 3-4 times what I make but I always tried to make sure that we were equals in other ways. He always said just because we make different salaries does not mean that we can�t still have fun. He did not care about paying for things we did and it only bothered me sometimes that I could not pay as often as he did as we were having fun and he honestly did not care. We are and will remain friends.

I have been spending some time with the kid-equivalent of the woman I rent a room from. I have lived here for 2.5 years because it is convenient to all I need and want to do and has great freeway access. He is a nice guy but we are not dating as there is no real chemistry but we talk and laugh and have a great time. There is hardly any dead time because we just talk for hours. Ironically we went to the same college and had classes in the same building but never met. He recently returned from 13 years in NY state so he is getting accustomed to California and seeing his family more than once a year.

In July when he was up he wanted to see something in the area where I grew up and I volunteered to show him. He drove (about 100 mile round trip in a truck with horrible gas mileage.) I bought dinner (less than $25) because he drove and he kept trying to give me money but I refused. He said, next time it�s on me.

Fast forward to this past weekend, he mentioned he still owed me dinner. We talked and decided either state fair or sushi. We decided on sushi because I had little interest in going to the fair this year. Had great sushi (I love Mikuni!) and he paid. He wanted to go to XXX for dessert. I said ok, thinking I would at least pay for what I drank or ate but he would not take any money from me and when I tried to pay the waiter took his money over mine. 5 hours later at midnight I get home. We had a great time and I tried again to pay him for my share and he said the whole evening was on him. The whole evening was about 4 times what I paid.

Last night we went to the state fair and had a great time. The only thing I paid for was parking and that was only because the parking attendant was outside my window and I had the cash out. He paid for entrance fees, dinner, drinks, etc. The only thing I purchased was the funnel cake he wanted as we were walking out $3 and proclaims it better than what he got in New York! I only paid because I was quicker on the draw than he was with the cash.

I tried to leave him money in the truck last night when he was not looking with a simple thank you note. It was back on my car this morning which means he found it and came back from the hotel to return it after midnight last night or early this morning.

This is driving me nuts that he won�t let me pay for anything. We are going to go and see Sheryl Crow near where he lives at the end of September. We both just mentioned we wanted to see her this weekend but both have plans we can�t get out of and don�t relish the trip to South Lake Tahoe, getting hotel rooms etc. He called this morning after I got to work and said he can get great tickets for the show for us. Of course we have to buy them together to ensure we are sitting together but he won�t tell me where they are or how much they cost so I can reimburse him the expenses. What do I do? I am sure the prices will be on the ticket, but how can I get him to accept the money?

It is just a strange situation to be in, as we are not dating and I don�t get those vibes from him and I am not sure I would want to be dating him either. But we do have fun.

Comments and input requested please!

Today was pretty quiet. I slept in and had lunch at home and then went to see the movie swing vote. I thought it was pretty good. Typical ending of everything closed up nice and neat but still was enjoyable. I enjoyed it and it was worth the time and money to sit and do nothing. I also really like Kevin Costner as an actor and I felt he was great as a total slouch who grows up in the end.

I had dinner with my sister and her family: fish, hash browns, cut up melon, srimp (which I tasted to be polite but don�t think I would eat regularly) and a great green salad. It was great to have dinner with them and a great meal. The kids swam after dinner and I left about 7:45 to come home. I still had laundry to do and at least get hung up so that it can dry by Tuesday.

The kid equivalent is here (btw he is 41). He is staying in his towable trailer out by the lake that has no water. Here in CA we are really short of water. This is not new news as we can all see the lakes are bone dry but the powers that be in the government just this last week put out requests to conserve water. Why were they not released months ago? Just take a look at Folsom lake� no water!! I will never understand government.

My house mate did something pretty stupid and it really angered me. She came home last night at 6:30 and turned on the hose to water down an area where she wanted to put a tree today. The directions said to soften the dirt with water. She then went upstairs and did not come down until at 9:30. I went downstairs at 7:15 to make dinner and the water was still running and was now going down into the street. I moved it and watered the back yard because with the contractor person being here it would not get done until Wednesday. When she came down I mentioned that I moved the water and finished it off. She looked at me confused. I said the water you turned on and left running? She said oh I forgot it was running! I needed it to make the dirt soft. I just looked at her and could not believe that she forgot she turned the water on. She was going to have waster GALLONS of water and since I pay for 1/3rd of it, it was coming out of my pocket. This is one of the reasons why I took over watering two years ago. She would just turn it full blast and lose gallons and gallons of water. I make sure it does not go over the flower bed areas and leak anywhere down the alley ways. Since I started doing it our water bill has dropped by over 50%. That seems like good incentive to know where the water is and how much is going literally down the drain.

Time for bed for me! I am up at 5:45 tomorrow.

I stayed home today and spent no money. So I did not have to drive the 50 miles round trip (saved gas) and I did not have to fill up my tank like I need. This saves me money at least until tomorrow when I get gas instead, but one more day is good. I am trying to make sure that I don�t go below half a tank but I am almost empty, I can go about 75 miles more.

There is a good movie on TV tonight that I plan to watch and enjoy. I am also going to go to bed earlier then I have been, maybe flipping between the Olympics and the movie.

It was hot here today and the ac has been on all day. Ug, I do not want to see the cost of the bills in a couple weeks, but the summer has been reasonably cooler than normal and we have not run the ac very much, only a couple hours in the evening then off. My house mate would run it all night and day (says it is better for the aging equipment) but I am not going to pay to run the equipment that much. We could be running the whole house fan if she would just fix the cord that starts it. That takes up only 15% of the energy the ac uses but she still has not fixed it. I am looking forward to the cooler fall weather as our bills drop substantially in the fall and spring with no ac or eat running. I only want to pay $150 per month to her for utilities and in the fall and spring I build up a nice cushion with her for the winter and summer months it is kind of like budget billing with the utility companies. That way my budget for housing stays the same each month with no changes or surprises.

She needs to be better about giving an accounting of the money. When I first moved in it was 5 times a year. We saw the bills and what we pay broken out for each month. Lately because of her personal issues it took a year of me nagging her. She only did it because we lost a house mate and she needed to closer account and be able to show a perspective house mate the monthly previous totals.

Her kid equivalent was coming up for the weekend to work on the house but changed it to Sunday �Wednesday. I was so relieved. After the week I had with mom�s issue and ER visit I really wanted a quiet weekend day without hammering, painting, etc happening around the house. I really wanted the peace and quiet.

Tomorrow should be pretty quiet but I need to go to the grocery store and pick up things for work this week for lunch and dinner, put gas in the car, maybe something fun and cheap, hitting a book store to read a book and not buy it?
This is my last week before school starts and I want to have a nice relaxing week after work. I will be in classes three nights a week for the first 8 weeks then I will only have class one night a week but still have the online course. I am taking a voice class again, a class on weather and a real estate course. I really want to learn CA laws for real estate as I prepare to buy a house in the next year or so.

I bought season tickets to the Broadway series here in town. I think this is something I am going to figure out how to do every year. I take my mom and we have a lunch out, a matinee performance and a lovely day together. She loves the theater like I do so it is a nice, fun activity. Our tickets are on Sundays at 2:00. Our shows this year are: the drowsy chaperone, he color purple, avenue Q, Frost Nixon, and the lion king. I really want to take my nieces and nephews to the lion king but will have to see if I can afford it. The shows are the Broadway touring casts so really excellent. It is an expensive set of tickets but worth the time with my mom and she really enjoys it. I just figured out that the tickets I bought this year totally a little less than 1% of my salary for the year. Add in lunch and I am probably at 1.25% to me, worth it.

It has been a while since i last updated here goes:

The new neighbor has two weiner dogs that bark incessantly when she is not home. I have called the city on her twice (and will do more if she does not do something). She moved into the neighborhood in May and told neighbors that if they don�t like the barking they can move. Some of these people bought new thirty years ago and she treats them like this? She even told me in a letter if I don�t like dogs to move someplace without animals. I love dogs but it is irresponsible, inconsiderate and rude neighbors I don�t like. This has got to stop, anyone know about suing neighbors who won�t keep their dogs in line? The neighborhood association won�t do anything they just say, call the city. If this happens again tomorrow I am going to report them as abandoned because I have not seen her at the house in almost a week. Help if you have an advice about the dogs.

I interviewed for a good job at the agency I want to move to. Not sure if I will get it but my former supervisor was on the panel and he is listed as one of y recommendations. There might be politics at play with internal candidates or something. I hope to hear Monday. The job I really want has come open under him but there is no job posting yet that I can apply to. It would be funny but my whole section from my office has moved to this new agency and works together over there. It would be nice to get back together with them.

Money is ok. I have been spending more than I should but I know I have it and am not adding to debt. I needed to upgrade the ram in my computer as I have vista and it took 5 minutes to turn on and off and forever to do anything. I upgraded to 4 gig and the computer is working marvelously. The best part, I installed it myself. Am so proud of me! Anyone know if I can sell the 2 512 pieces I have and how much they would be worth? Monkey mama, does your husband need any?

Mom had an emergency episode on Wednesday and ended up in the ER. She is home now and resting. They think she had a gall bladder attack but she has no gall bladder (removed 30 years ago) and other tests came back with elevated enzyme levels. More testing next week to determine what is going on. It was scary to get that 330 am phone call and I made it from my house to the hospital in 48 minutes. She lives 40 miles from me. I did not speed much but if I had gotten pulled over, I would have fought it. At 330 am there was no traffic and I think the officers were on lunch breaks.
I think my boss is leaving. Of course based on our relationship I would be the last to hear. I won�t miss him but I am desperate to leave as well, so I am more jealous than anything.

Niece is engaged. Will have 18 month engagement and they have been together for more than 4 years. She is 21 he is 22 and they make a very good couple I just think they are both to young and she is very immature for her age. She works a dead end job and he wants to go to the law enforcement academy next June when he graduates from college. Something else to save for.

I am looking around for a part time job I can take up for the weekends. I live near a mall and I think having a part time job will help me to reach a goal I have by my 35th birthday next July. Am looking around and will start applying all around tomorrow.

Counting change: $156 since I last deposited it in July 2007. This is my vacation fund for the trip to Ireland this November. I also found 50 Euros from my trip a year ago to put toward the trip money needed while there.

I am house-sitting for ten days so that is $300 more to go toward vacation. I am half way there with my savings for my portion of the trip. I know I will have some birthday money coming this month from my Dad. I also have some money in an envelope marked vacation at home but I am not sure how much is there, probably about $100 or so.

I also have an additional $500 at home that is just my savings of any $1 bill that come across my path (not always just when I seem to have a lot of $1 bills.) I might use that for the trip or not. I have to see how I feel a little closer to it.

Got a letter from my student loan company, no payment needed for July as deferment papers went through. I can use what I was going to put there toward vacation. I am only $194 away from my vacation needed. I have some extra sitting in my checking account from other sources (surveys, cat sitting etc.) that I can put toward vacation. I should have my vacation paid for before the end of the month! Then all I need to do is save money for rental car gas, food and any thing I want to buy to bring home which will be no problem. Everything else is already planned including toiletries, misc items, clothing etc.

I do need a different coat as the one I have I received my senior year of high school for a Christmas present. I graduated in 1992, you do the math. I can no longer water proof it or anything. It is ok for running around when slightly chilly but no longer good in rain or cold. Maybe it is time to give it away?

I bought new mattresses. The old ones were killing my back. I�ll try these for a month and if they don�t work then I�ll go back and buy the other ones. (I had a hard time making up my mind.) The second pair is slightly cheaper so if I return these then I get the difference returned.

The sad news is the bed frame I wanted to buy from IKEA is on back order and I have to wait 4-6 weeks until it comes in with the size I want. Ugh. I should have bought it in April when I was there and they had one. I have wanted this frame for 4 years and it is nice and sturdy but also not expensive. A nice wrought iron frame will look good in my room.

My car insurance is due in August and I have the entire amount saved plus the estimated amount of my renters insurance which is due in February ($300). I will continue to put away $180 a month for both in August so that I am covered in insurance through 2010.

My nephew�s birthday is Monday of next week and I have no idea what to get for him for his 11th. He really wants an I-pod (not from me!) or more video games so maybe a game the family could play. I have another birthday happening in September for my niece who is turning 5 (going on 20!). I think she will be easier.

My 5% raise is coming through this month. I am excited but I have just applied for a federal job in my area. I hope to at least make it to the interview part. I know I could do the work (indeed I do similar stuff here at my current job but at the state level not federal level.) I could be debt free except for student loans in less than a year and with student loans in less than 4. I would have to travel for extended times for unexpected emergencies but I could buy a house here in the area and still pay off debt. Crossing my fingers!

I have 800+ saved for Christmas and birthdays this year. I am hoping that I can do what I did last year and do the shopping ahead of time with money from each monthly paycheck but if I cannot then I have money set aside. I am still saving monthly for this as well. I had 3000k there last year but I took 2500k out and used it for debt.

I registered for two classes for the fall: Voice and Real estate. I want to buy a house but I want to know more the language and what an agent needs to know to prepare to buy. It is only an 8 week class two nights a week. I am wait listed for the geography course I am interested in taking. I take 6 units a semester to put my loans in deferment and to study those things for which I didn�t have a chance in college. I still make the payments to my loan company but this way there is no interest accrual against my loans. And it keeps me busy and out of the house. I have met a lot of really interesting people this way too.

Called about the trip. The prices have doubled since i saw it listed. She actually said " oh that was ofnr 48 hours only at that price." Really? Why is it sill listed at that price now? ugh.

The blog has lost it's name and it will not let me ut a new one in. when i do and click update it just erases it again. what is going on?

The blog has lost it's name and it will not let me ut a new one in. when i do and click update it just erases it again. what is going on?

So my mom and I are looking at going to Ireland in November the week before Thanksgiving and maybe staying for 10 days or so. (I found a great deal for 6 nights-7 days plus a 3 day optional extension during the off season for about $990 including airfare and B&B stays so we are considering it.)

Anyone have any must do�s/don�t miss experiences to suggest? I have traveled throughout Europe but have never had the chance to get to the UK or Ireland.

I am very excited to try this out and go someplace new. I have dreamed of going to Ireland for a long time but could never make it when I had a free place to stay with my sister and her family and an easy way to travel the continent. Now that she has moved back to the US I want to branch out. While my real dream is to stay for longer than 10 days, this would give us a quick over view of the country. But I need to save money for a longer trip and I have heard the train situation is a little different from Europe, sometimes difficult to go East to West or vice versa without going through Dublin.

At least we have time to plan a trip and really get a good idea of where we want to go. I am sure that we will take a circle through the country either clockwise or counter clockwise, my mom has no really idea what she would like to see but we have 5 months to plan if we decide to do this trip.

I really want to go to Northern Ireland as well if we had time. I know the train from Dublin takes about three hours and what a great way to see a bit of the country without having to drive all the time.

This will also be the first time I will drive on the left side of the road. I am a little nervous about that and pray I won�t end up in an accident with cars, busses or sheep.

I am really excited to hear some great Irish music. I love the Irish music and wish I could understand Gaelic. It seems to be a pretty melodic language although very different than anything I have studied in my life.

I know it can be relatively cold (~41 average temperature in November/December) but the price, my work schedule and timing for fmaily events it just makes sense to go at this time.

I think I am in the process of buying a condo. I really don�t want a yard to deal with and this condo seems like a good deal. 2 bed/2 bathrooms (separated by the entire condo, almost like two master suites!) 1230 square feet. Now I really want one on the bottom floor because I have bad ankles and I fear the day I break one again (don�t ask how many times!)

Listed price brand new $239,990 as it dropped $70,000 last week because they want to close them out. Third largest floor plan in the complex and attached two car garage with lots of room and storage.

Now, they are offering an additional 10k drop in price if I have 3% (no problem) plus another 10k toward monthly fees (about 250/month), hopefully toward closing costs or something else I can�t remember right now.

Monthly payment around $1390 plus $250 HOA fees plus $250 property taxes plus $69 for insuring all contents and everything from the walls in for the condo. Lots of feature to save energy. One good thing, it faces the sun most of the day, great for winter, harder to keep cool in summer without good window coverings.

This is the model so that means that lots of people have wandered through and I know they will clean the carpets, but is it ok to ask for new carpets or hard wood floors? Complete cleaning of the entire condo (I mean good deep cleaning)? Throw in a washer/dryer and refrigerator? Or at least credits back to get them?

How do I adjust my withholding to reflect the property taxes and mortgage interest I am paying? (I am currently withholding at 0 on 60K a year because I like getting back money at the end of the year.) To keep them at zero I�d have to drop my 401k ad 457 plan deductions for a while (four months only). But how do I know where to push the withholding to, 2? 3? 4? (Mortgage interest will be about 1200 a month for the first couple of years and I have no real write offs other than that.)

I will be advertising for a house mate and since it is bottom floor, two car garage I�d allow someone to park in the garage or use part of it for storage for an extra house fee. Rooms for rent in this town go for about $500/month plus I would ask for half of utilities.
What do you think? Any accountants out there can give advice about buying a home and withholding questions?

April was a hard month. My car was in the shop twice to the tune of 2000. I had half that in saving for car repair and I charged the rest. I managed to pay it off by the end of the month but I ran into other issues this month called: buy me buy me syndrome. It seemed every time I went someplace something there ended up walking out with me. I am back on track for saving now but the end of March and April was really hard.

I started a new repairs account and already have 400 there. I opened a house down payment account and dropped 500 plus my stimulus package check of 600 plus a little extra I had left over from Wednesday�s paycheck and I am already at 1400. That feels pretty good right now.

I have had to sing several other pieces in class and they were ok but I still missed the words in one of them. I lose my concentration part way through then get lost in the song until I can get back on track. Ugh.