We’re snowed under around here taking care of tookie-tail stuff. It’s that time of year for new beginnings and self reflection and spring cleaning, both real and metaphorical. Every year we do the following (in no particular order):

*Get the taxes together for our CPA. Reevaluate tax position and make changes for next year. We’re not getting as much back this year because we made so much lovely positive cashflow. Yes, I know… such a shame

*Go over the household budget and stop up any leakages. This week, a call to the cell phone company reduced the bill by $20/month ($240/year!) This was no small accomplishment as the bill was written in hieroglyphics which also  turned out to be the operator’s native tongue. Thirty+ minutes on hold plus an equally frustrating amount of time with a customer service rep finally revealed $5/month insurance on phones worth less than Zippo and a $10/month ‘Multi-media Bundle Package’ for a phone who’s owner doesn’t know how to use the camera, much less the multi-media’s. Sadly, the mister will no longer be able to randomly text his posse, but we all must sacrifice for the greater good.

*Look at the big picture for any major financial issues. We’re in the midst of a re-fi of our personal residence which should save us $200/month. (IF we can ever get this puppy to the closing table. For some odd reason, the mortgage companies are a tad bit skittish these days…) Also, the 401K got A Serious Lecture as well as A Firm Talking To. If Mr. K doesn’t straighten up and start behaving more like his big brother (the rent houses), he just may well find himself unfunded.

*Going over all business practices, reorganizing, re-evaluating, etc. This year, the mrs. resolves to finally learn to run those stupid Excel spreadsheets (sorta) and convert the finances from Stone Age to QuickBooks (snarky laugh inserted here.)

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…

At which point, our attention turns to mundane thingies such as lawn care and chickens, neither of which are actually getting much. The chickens are not here, nor are they ordered because the mister has not fixed their coop. The mrs. is not overly sad because chickens stink. And she once calculated that those lovely yard eggs are costing about $8/dozen.

Nonetheless, the mister insists upon the smelly things because they (I kid you not) spread cow poop about in a decidedly poultry-like fashion that makes the mister happier than Friday Night fried chicken. (The mrs. has failed to mention the lack of chickens as she thinks the younger Brz’s can spread poop just fine with decidedly less reek-age. They also do not stand on the back porch beneath her bedroom window at 5 a.m. and crow like strangled cats in heat.)

JoJo does not crow like a strangled cat. He does, however, bang his food bowl against the siding and shove his sandy nose against the window screen to see if the mister has arisen.

More stuff on background checks very soon…

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Tags: 401K, budgeting, organization, spring cleaning