Winter sun

I've actually had this post queued up for a week or so, I just haven't bothered to write it.

So I ran into a bit of good news recently. A week or so ago, when I felt particularly motivated to do something really boring, I decided to do my taxes. I had been dreading doing them this year because I thought one of the choices I made last year would come and bite me in the butt this year. You see, last year was tough, but it ended well. But when times were tough, I had to make tough decisions. It sucks that sometimes, though you were able to stay afloat and win the day, there are still some tax penalties for tough decisions.

Well, to my surprise, my taxes turned out a lot better than I had planned. Not only did I get to avoid the dreaded tax penalty I had prepared for, but I got perhaps the largest refunds I've ever gotten from the federal government. Hooray! What a surprise!

I'm sure we've all been in this situation before. What always happens when you find you have more cash than you anticipated? Invariably, you think of the responsible decision. There is a pile of debt that always needs to be tended to, why not put the money there? But where does it always ultimately end up? Ha, not on your credit card. In the past I'm pretty sure I've blown tax rebates on speeding tickets, clothes, and consumer electronics. But not this year.

I did some tabulating, and it turns out if I do put my money toward my credit card, I can get out of debt about three months earlier than I planned. This is huge. I have had my eye on the get-out-of-debt ball since I finally regained gainful employment and resolved to mend my hemorrhaging finances. The thought that I'd have to wait a year to get where I wanted to be was painful, but I have kept making the right decisions to get there. Now I find I get to take a shortcut and could be credit-card debt free in just four months. This is so huge!

So, yeah, I've had to reapportion some of the funds so far, but I haven't splurged. Basically, I needed a new laptop battery, a wheel for my bike, and some new shoes. Maintenance stuff, that's it! And I think I'll draw from my meager savings to make sure I can make my July get-out-of-debt goal so these unanticipated expenses don't knock me off the fast track.

But come on, more responsible decisions? It's great and all, but why do I keep having to postpone enjoying the fruits of my labor until months down the road? It's really no fun, I feel like I've been OD'ing on responsibility this year. But, like I've said time and again, this is what I feel this year has in store for me. Progress is so slow, but I'm getting there, right? A setback here and there isn't the end of the world, but I gotta keep pushing toward the light at the end of this tunnel. Nothing worth having is ever easy.

So no shopping sprees. No spontaneous iPads or gorgeous 27-inch Apple displays (damn, I want this one so bad!!) Just a frugal March and a shrinking interest payment. Sigh...someone save me from doing the right thing.

:-/

...oh, and I will mention something about the picture I took for this blog. I've been biking a lot by myself on the weekends and I snapped this beauty on Wisconsin Avenue. I know spring is above those clouds, you can see it's trying so hard to burst through from the other side.