I know there is that saying about giving a man a fish. I believe it and know it is true. However sometimes a person just needs a break, a moment to regroup. A person needs to find their faith again, in others as well as in regards to themselves.
Actions always speak louder than words, always.
Me-53(and learning!) S24, S21, D18, D17 Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming. Dory
You and Gabe can likely both find clinical trials in which to participate. Look for health subject trials or trials for any conditions you have or might have. You should never have to pay to find such opportunities.
A little late to the party.... but you can always file your taxes the old fashioned way! That still only costs a stamp!
Out here the United Way is advertising doing and filing taxes, don't know if they have strict requirements or not, but I kind of doubt it.
I thought that if your only deduction was a child you could use the EZ form, though I haven't looked at that in a long time. Also, if he's the only deduction, the standard deduction might work out better anyway, it sure doesn't hure to calculate both ways.
Since you are working, it seems to me that Gabe should be doing a good bit of the legwork to figure out how to get the ends closer together. What's he doing with his time?
Hi, mishka, one thing we do to save money on gas for heating, is to use small electric heaters. If you have a family member who could spare one or two, you can take them from room to room to heat up the space you are in. And you can buy them for less than twenty dollars, and they have a tip over switch. If you can get some heaters, let the gas bill go, they can't kill you. And I hope the sleet we are getting now doesn't head your way tomorrow. If you have a cell phone, cut off the home phone. If you can't pay the electric, ask for an extension.
I'm sure you already know all the inexpensive meals to fix. I try not to spend more than four dollars for the meat for any meal, for three people. And I use pasta, rice, beans, canned tomatoes and potatoes a lot. Cheap, but fantastic meal starters. Dollar Tree has started carrying some good stuff.
And, desert_rat is right about doing your own taxes. I started doing our taxes myself about eight or nine years ago. My older sister is a whiz with it and I took her out to lunch one day, and she helped me learn to do it, and it really is easy. I will never pay H&R again! And we do the long form. I actually really enjoy doing them. And we are getting more back than when we had those lazy H&R folks doing them. And I think the United Way thing is for those making 50,000 and under. vc
Yes, I use space heaters in just the room I'm in but on those super cold days it just doesn't seem to catch up. Those are the days I have to flip on the heat just to knock the chill out of the air and then I shut it off and let the space heaters keep it at a reasonable temp. I can't let the gas bill go though if I want hot water so I'll have to keep paying it! I refuse to take cold showers.
The electric is ok right now since the air conditioner doesn't need to run. That's a huge energy cyphon but it's only necessary in the worst of the summer. Trust me, I attempted a week this last summer without running it and we sat in the house in a pool of constant sweat. Georgia is not friendly without the AC. I got rid of the home phone a long time ago and we only have our cell phones (just me and Marc).
I do my own taxes every year and have had no problem. I do pay the electronic filing fees through H&R Block so it get those double checks on everything but that's minimal. This year is a little more complicated though because I got a 1099-R from the payout of my mom's IRA and Marc got one too for his portion. That is what I'm confused about what to do with. They say I can claim it as part of my income or I can file taxes for him separately on that amount. I can't figure out all the ins and outs though. I hate numbers and legal ease (i.e.-IRS regulations and their double speak that I just don't understand). I'm not the brightest tool in the shed when it comes to that stuff.
I can definitely say though that Gabe is scrambling to get as many extra hours as he can at the restaurant. It's hard to pick up shifts but he's managing. It's not much, but it's something!
There are amazing people in all of our lives and you people here are some of the very best! I come here to read about what you are all up to, how your lives are coming along, and to get inspiration from your successes. I thank you for sharing so much. There are blessings around every corner if you look for them and people will surprise you by their generosity so often. I have been especially blessed this week by someone very special and close to my heart. I think of her like the sister I never met. She's amazing and she knows who she is! I'll never be able to thank her enough but I do have plans in the works to pay forward the kindness by helping my elderly neighbor with her garden. She's not able to take care of it anymore by herself and I'm able bodied (somewhat)....LOL
T19 M15 S19 XH47 M43 bomb12/4/07 PA5/07 S12/26/07 D final 11/17/08 Back together with no defined R 05/2010 confused....to say the least!!!
Well, darn, I wasn't thinking about a gas water heater! We changed ours to electric when we moved into our house years ago, because the gas co. would not turn the gas on until we put it on a stand for safety. So, we thought we should just get the power co. to put in a free one. So, I guess I though everybody else had electric, too But, hey those little space heaters are wonderful. Yeah, summer in the south, here in Bama, too, we could NOT go without air conditioning. We would melt!
Call the IRS, they will help you figure out what to do with the 1099-R. I had to figure out some capital loss years ago, and called them and they walked me through the process. Maybe you have had expenses that at least can offset what you may be out. What about expenses paid for your S?
Maybe there is something part time within walking distance of your full time job, for maybe an hour or two after you get off work. That could be enough to get through this. Maybe on your lunch break you could walk around and ask.
I love the "pay it forward" thing. It's like after the tornado, we came home to find a bag of goodies, including some carrot cake on the front porch. I kind of think I know who done it, but there was no note. So, now I want to do something anonymous for someone else.
Paying it forward is definitely a blessing. You never know what your act of kindness could mean to someone. You could actually be saving a life without even knowing it.
Call the IRS? UGH! Nightmare!!!! LOL Even those three letters in that order make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. They are bloodsucking monsters!
T19 M15 S19 XH47 M43 bomb12/4/07 PA5/07 S12/26/07 D final 11/17/08 Back together with no defined R 05/2010 confused....to say the least!!!
I got rid of the home phone a long time ago and we only have our cell phones (just me and Marc). 
But, hey those little space heaters are wonderful. Yeah, summer in the south, here in Bama, too, we could NOT go without air conditioning. We would melt!