Thursday, February 24, 2011

Taxes started

So far, so good! I'm using TurboTax, and it's really easy to work with. I did have to ask my dad one question (and was a little surprised he couldn't claim me as a dependent considering I didn't start working full-time until September, he paid some of my tuition, and I have lived at home since graduation). Otherwise, though, I'm doing just fine on my own. I saved and stopped for the night because a) I think I have another form I need that didn't make it into my taxes envelope, and b) it's after 1 a.m. (oops! lost track of time). I also want to stop at the bank tomorrow and possibly set up an IRA, so I don't want to finish filing before I do that.

One thing's for sure: few things will make you feel as grown up as filing taxes on a Wednesday night. Few things I've encountered so far, at least. :)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Real World: Taxes

My next step in this whole "real world" transition: filing my own taxes.

This is the year I stop having my dad file them for me. This is the year I collect all the papers I need on my own and learn what they all actually mean.

This should be interesting. I'm not a big fan of numbers, and financial stuff has always gone way over my head. I'm actually not worried though. All I need to do is try to understand it. Knowledge is power, right? I've been looking for new things to learn now that college is over, so why not learn about taxes?

Anyway, I'll be keeping track of my progress here. So far I have learned that taxes are based on a calendar year, Jan. 1-Dec. 31. That's really nice. I always thought, since the deadline is in April, that it was some weird fiscal year that I'd have to try to remember. I think I can keep January-December organized.

This also means that I should start keeping track of 2011, as long as we're only 2 months in.

So, here goes!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Some things never change

Last year, I dealt with feeling overwhelmed by reminding myself that I wouldn't be so busy after graduation. People tried to tell me otherwise, but I couldn't imagine how it would be possible without my dozens of activities/meetings, the newspaper, and classes.

Oh, it's still possible.

Not that I'm complaining, exactly. I'm just acknowledging that I'm still always busy.

I work 9-5, which means I'm busy from the time I wake up until at least 5:30. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays I have just enough time to eat and change before dance. I usually get to watch an episode or two of How I Met Your Mother while I eat. After rehearsal, we sometimes go out for a bit, and then I get home and go to bed.

Sundays there's church at 11:30 and dance at 5. The time in between never seems to turn into particularly productive time. It's either family time or errand-running time. Sometimes it's lazy time. When I'm motivated, it's running time. I need to make it motivated running time a little more often...

That leaves three open days each week. Fridays and Saturdays should be crazy go-out-be-young-and-party days (let's face it, I'm 22). More often than not, though, I'm either tired from the week and need a chill night, or I have running to do since the middle of my week is all dance, or I have some sort of event or fundraiser to go to. Saturday afternoons are good for those too, when I'm not judging a speech meet or staying at the gym for a bit after yoga.

Mondays would be ideal yoga-and-me-time nights, but they're also the only nights available for spending time with people.

So the juggling game continues. I think I'm going to be very busy for a very long time....