Winning

Me vs. Credit Line:

Payday

The changes I made to my RRSP deduction took effect today. As expected, my take home pay is now higher. When I changed up the appropriate cell on my tracking spreadsheet this morning, I learned that I had freed up $250 to apply to my Line of Credit.

I have just reduced the amount owing to $1750, after reminding myself that I had intentionally reduced the RSP deduction for this purpose. I must confess that I was very strongly tempted to indulge in non-budgeted items when I saw the new amount.

Recap on my reasoning: 
The RSPs are currently earning 0% interest. Maintaining a credit line debt costs me approximately 6% in interest. I did not eliminate the RSP contribution entirely; rather, I just reduced it to the amount that my employer was prepared to match.

In reviewing my credit line statements this evening, I noticed that my credit line debt also costs me life insurance premiums. If there's no balance, then I don't pay them, but there is.

Next steps

1. Organize receipts and statements from last few weeks.
2. Submit massage receipt to work insurance for $85 refund.
3. Expense last week's farewell-to-coworker lunch for $100 refund.
4. Chase down unpaid invoice for 2 hours of consulting work, done earlier this year.
5. Remind self that the $883 spent to date on insulin pump supplies is reimbursable and will eventually be covered by work insurance and government grants.
6. Roof repair, sooner than later (some shingles are loose, but not off).
7. Car maintenance (but not yet, because I might still need the snow tires).

Update, April 17:
My neigbour dropped by this evening. Some shingles are now off.

Update, April 19:
My first $600 grant cheque has arrived! I'll be submitting the remaining $283 to my work insurance plan in the morning.

Update, April 27:
I took advice from my neighbour and bought shingles from Home Depot. The vent blew off my roof.

Update, April 29:
We had a big windstorm last night, which compounded the problem: many shingles blew off. Holding off the repair turned out to be okay. My neighbour bought more shingles last night, and we hired a roofer to do the repair. We shared the expense of the roofer across four attached shared-roof neighbours, and we all had the work done at the same time (keeping the cost down). When I bought this home in 2006, my real estate agent suggested I eventually replace/upgrade the vent. It went missing in the storm. Now is the time. $337.

Row by row

I just transferred $5000 from my chequing account to my credit line, reducing the balance currently owed to $2000. I have also updated my tracking spreadsheet.

Tax refund: $5550.

Miles and miles

In anticipation of scary Visa bill, I continue to look for other ways to cut back and reduce costs. I am consciously trying to limit my use of the car to situations where I am pressed for time or traveling with children. I've stopped idling too (which was pretty limited to waiting for kids to do up their seat belts). While it probably won't save much, it might save a little.

I've biked to and from the office twice this week and walked my daughter over to her daycare on those days. This week has been a good one for planning and combining trips. There wasn't much in my trunk, but I emptied it. It might help. I also set the Trip Meter to 0 km when I last filled my gas tank (45 L for $57), for a better understanding of fuel economy.

I carpooled with a coworker to a lunch event today and let him drive for a change. Lunch itself was kind of nice too - the friend we were meeting at Pesto's decided to treat!

Update, April 14:
I missed a turn (daydreaming) on this morning's drive in. I thought I could recover with an alternate route, but then I got lost and had to turn around. Sigh.

Back in the saddle

Yesterday was a really nice day here. I hauled the bikes and accessories out from the garage into the driveway and started the spring tune-ups myself. (Last year's outsourced tune-ups contributed to May's Visa statement spike.) I needed an Allen key set for the project ($5 at Canadian Tire). I went to the bike shop first, but they wanted $20 for it!

My five-year old is nearly six now. I have an old Trail-a-bike in the garage that I acquired for my eldest years ago, but I'm not sure we ever used it. I got it second hand. I wonder what I was thinking when I decided to move it from my old house to this one. My eldest would have been to big by then to use it. My youngest would not yet have been on my radar.

I was successful in locating all of the components of the Trail-a-bike and determining how they should fit together. I removed the fender from my older bike to free up space for it, but then I got stuck at the bolt for the seat post. While it seems I might need another tool to release it, I also think it's been bolted too tight.

The post needs to come off temporarily so that I can slide the hitch for the trailer onto it. At first I thought the hitch worked more like a clamp, but it has no give to it. I'm going to have to ask for help to remove the seat post, or pay someone at the bike shop to do it for me.

I ran out of wine on Thursday. I am going to let that slide for a few days and see what happens. The coffee supply dropped dangerously low as well, but I've restocked it. I have managed to cut my coffee consumption in half since starting this blog in November.

Asking for help always seems to come at a higher price.

Change of venue

I left the $40 NAC Gospel and Blues concert at intermission tonight, after paying $9.25 for parking. Not my scene and not my crowd. The pianist was fair enough, but the crowd was mostly comprised of the aging Baptist congregation from his church. I found it depressing.

From there, I headed over to the Raw Sugar Café (with free street parking), to check out their $10 act. I poked my head in the door, and it wasn't my scene either. It did not help that the bouncer hesitated when I asked if I could come in. I didn't. Sigh.

So I texted a male friend and availed myself of his white wine and a spot on his sofa. He's good company. No more, no less. Safe to say NAC is out of budget for a while.

I paid $30 for the sitter.