Just a 46-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH). **Before I forget, friend won a seat on the School District Board. Woot!! It took the county 30 days to count all the votes. We had a feeling for a while as votes rolled in, but nice to make it official.
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**Dh mentioned the new "Walking with Dinosaurs" type show - this time is a "How to Train Your Dragon" theme. He was working the public TV station when they were giving out the really expensive tickets. (Bummer, because on occasion we have gotten free tickets leftover - but not this time!) Anyway, he bemoaned how expensive they were and I said, "Um, did you look?" Seems there are always some cheap seats. The arena is literally within walking distance from our home, so besides the tickets should be absolutely of no expense to us.
Me and my big mouth!! Should have just let him think they were all crazy expensive.
We were eyeing the $30 tickets (which I doubt were bad seats), but waiting for the credit card to close so we could charge them this month and pay next month.
In the meantime, I received a unexpected $50 birthday check from my mom, and so decided we could use toward tickets. Then I later remembered Florida grandpa usually sends us $100 every year. I checked, and that is what he *always* sends us. & then my mom told me she had sent us a Christmas check. (My guess is another $100 - might get it today). I had forgotten Florida Grandpa $$ when thinking about Christmas, and my folks I suppose more regularly give us cash these days, but I am not used to it. So I didn't think about it and certainly didn't count on it!
We reviewed the tickets again checking different days hoping for cheaper tickets or more availability in more off times. It took a while, but I finally found the perfect seats. We ended up paying $62.50/each with fees and everything. We are about 5 rows behind the $200 seats and right next to the $100 "hot seats." We figured that was probably the best value. Actually, I think that is what we almost bought, but then we realized if we moved over about 10 seats we could just take the front row of the second tier (& have no head in front of us!!). Which puts us sitting right next to the $200 seats. I figure being one seat over can't be that much worse - ha.
DH took BM to the Walking with Dinosaurs when he was 4 and BM remembers it very fondly. I suppose it's pretty neat - really life-like dragons. Breathing fire and everything.
Every time I see a show I keep meaning to look into it but never do. I've been to the arena a few times, but never with my family. Which is fine - seems this stuff adds up fast. "Once a decade" is probably just fine!
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**When it rains it pours. Seems we have had lots of extra money trickle in the last week or so. I received a $15 insurance discount because my "rating" changed on my auto insurance policy, after renewal. I will take it - but for whatever reason I can not deposit it with my phone. This is the first check I have ever had a problem with. So I set it aside to deposit in person later.
**I redeemed $100 credit card reward to my ROTH this month. We have been averaging $50/month, but I suppose vacation and medical expenses pushed us over this month.
I got paid and made my regular ROTH contribution, and then double checked online what our contributions had been for the year. They were what I thought and as I planned, so, phew! My 1/1 paycheck will be advanced 12/31, and so I will make my final ROTH contribution at that time. Or I may do it sooner - with next paycheck. Knowing I will have that extra check and some Christmas money to pay the rest of the bills this month.
This may be the first time we ever maxed out by 12/31. I usually decide how much to put in with the tax returns, BUT, without a work retirement plan we are now focused on just maxing out - the sooner the better. Before the IRAs were more extra/gravy/tax breaks. & this way, if I feel tempted to move some over to a regular IRA for an immediate tax break - too bad. This way really makes sure we put it in our ROTHs and don't get tempted by a bigger tax break.
Next year we will work on maxing out even sooner in the year. As well as adding another $500/each with the higher contribution limits.
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**The crazy has begun at work. So I haven't been too bloggy!
Crazy Week
December 6th, 2012 at 03:09 pm
December 6th, 2012 at 04:53 pm 1354812808
December 6th, 2012 at 05:23 pm 1354814635
December 6th, 2012 at 05:59 pm 1354816791
All my work retirement money (earned from current job) is in a traditional IRA. It is a large sum and so I will probably just leave it, especially since all new money goes to our ROTHs. Gives us a little tax diversity. I have it on my peripheral to consider a ROTH conversion if the market tanks (lower value/cheaper conversion). But it's large enough would have to be done in parts - as it would significantly push up taxable income to do it in one year.
I converted over all our old IRAs in some of our lowest income years, when the taxes were very minimal. (We never contributed to ROTHs on two incomes - taxes way too high - were young without a lot of cushion - give me the current tax break THANKS!).
December 6th, 2012 at 06:11 pm 1354817478
December 6th, 2012 at 10:55 pm 1354834520
I took my son to see that "Walking With Dinosaurs" at (Used to be Arco) Arena. He must have been 11 or 12 at the time. He loved it. Hope you and your family enjoy the dragon event.
December 7th, 2012 at 02:30 am 1354847417
December 8th, 2012 at 06:23 pm 1354991014