Snowboots and Tax Refunds



January 28, 2011

Part-time income: $163.94 (weekly)

Expenses:             $38.48 tax filing software
                                 30.00 groceries
                                 37.80 gasoline
                                 18.00 fast food

The extra gasoline was due to an impromptu trip to visit our son on his college campus. Turns out the boots I had bought him last fall were cheap for good reason, and were now falling apart at the seams.  We took him shopping since he doesn’t have a car on campus and the nearby outlet mall is not on the bus route.  We found a better pair of boots on sale and had to put them on the Visa card.  Sorry Dave Ramsey, but it snows a lot where he goes to school and I'm not going to let my kid freeze!   We also bought a second pair of shoes for me, because they were bogo ½ off, and I’ve been having some foot problems that I’m hoping might be rectified by wearing more supportive shoes (and without an expensive trip to the doctor).   Other than that, we haven’t used the charge card since before Christmas, and hopefully will be able to pay it off shortly.   Mr. Struggle has been working on our taxes and has informed me that we should receive a tax refund that just about equals the Visa balance. 

We realize financial advisers recommend setting up your withholding so that you don't receive a large tax refund, and we didn't do it on purpose.  There were new tax law changes that affected us last year and it was impossible to have known in advance.   At least the surprise is in our favor!

Will you be getting a tax refund this year, and if so, what will you do with it?

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Struggle Family Members

  • Mrs. Struggle: early-50’s, mother of three, college graduate, freelancer
  • Mr. Struggle: mid-50’s, father of three, college graduate, looking for full-time work
  • Miss S1: working out-of-state and applying to more grad schools
  • Miss S2: under-employed college graduate and boomerang child
  • Struggle, Jr. : university sophomore
  • Princess Struggle: mixed-breed, middle-class mutt