This is my least favorite time of the year. It probably is for many people. It's tax time. I think it go through the same emotional roller coaster every year. First, November hits and I get excited for the Holidays. For the next 8 weeks I get to enjoy the cooler weather, lots of food, time with friends and family and the warm feeling you get from all the Holiday cheer. Then we get to kick off the first of the year with a bang also known as our annual New Year’s Eve Party. And then it hit between the massive headache and bubbly tummy from too much food and alcohol- I will have to file taxes soon. I then spend the next four to six weeks worrying about taxes. Did we have enough withdrawn this year? Did we save enough to pay what we owe the government? Why is it that no matter how hard we try we always have to pay the state of Oklahoma?
This isn't a pleasant time of the year. We have to wait weeks to get our W-2's, our interest tax forms, and any other document that we need all to make an appointment to see it an office that always makes me feel uncomfortable. Then we watch them put in all our numbers and hold our breath until we hear the judgment. Will we own this year (most likely)? Will we have enough money to cover what we owe? Will this be the year we get back money (less likely)? Then after it is all done and our accounts have been settled I feel we can breathe again and start all over. It's just frustrating.
This year it was less frustrating in that we got a bit of money back from the Feds which was enough to pay for our state taxes and leave just a bit in our pockets. I love breaking even. That is always my goal not to overpay the government but not to underpay them either. I want as much money in my pocket throughout the year as possible. This year we will get a $200 refund from the Feds after paying our Oklahoma taxes. We are excited for it but at the same time I wonder “what can we really do with $200”. We can't really pay a bill off with it. We could put it in savings but it won't go far. It isn't enough to start the home renovation projects we would like either. So we will probably take it to SAM'S club and buy some bulk items for the house. Aren't we exciting? I mean who doesn't love to have extra paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, cups, laundry soap and dish soap on hand? (Man, we are so lame...)
I sometimes wish we could be like so many of the people I see when filing taxes--Leaving with a big smile because they are getting quite a bit of money back. When we were getting our taxes done this morning we heard a family say they were getting back $7,000 this year. How does that happen? How do I get that much money back? I think we need to have a billion kids or something?! If we got $7,000 back we would be able to get everything on to do list for the house done this year. We have about 10 things that really need to be completed and that would be just enough to do them all and not have to prioritize. Wouldn't that be great! Or we could put it in savings and enjoy knowing that whatever came our way this year we would be okay. Unfortunately, that isn't us. Instead, we will continue to be frugal with our money and hope that we are able to relish our savings soon (since it took a big hit when T moved in with us).
But for now I will just relish in being relieved that we are done for the year and the damage was not bad.
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