By: Revanche

Net Worth & Money News: March 2015

April 1, 2015

Change from January: 3.3% increase

On Money

I’m working away at Swagbucks to earn Amazon money for household, Little Bean, and dog things we need. Feel free to join using my referral link if you like!

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Seamus racked up another $450 550 in vet bills.

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I’m only getting half my normal income in maternity leave benefits and surprisingly this hasn’t wrecked our cash flow. I’m not saving anything, and neither am I setting aside the previously budgeted Little Bean money for the moment but we’re doing OK.

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Little Bean money: PiC is still contributing to hir fund and ze has received generous Happy Being Born gifts (called lucky money in our cultures). Kid’s making a killing off being born!

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Childcare costs: this was already budgeted and we’re using some of that savings to pay for trials with potential help. More on this later.

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We haven’t broken even on the rental cash flow yet but it’s starting to head in the right direction. We need several good months of steady renters without problems, please!

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If you can believe it, I still haven’t filed our tax return yet. More specifically I hadn’t gotten all the information to the accountant to file for our extension until the end of March! There’s always a bit of complication thanks to a family thing that I can’t talk about, and I haaaaate having to wait til October to be done. I had gotten my hopes up that it was finally resolved this year but alas, no such luck. Maybe next year.

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Retirement: I’ve only been contributing the max to my IRA each year which tweaks me but we’ve managed to max out PiC’s 401(k) at least. Thanks to his efforts at work being recognized, he got a nice bonus, most of which goes into retirement and that frees up cash flow for us during the year as well.

On Life

I’m FINALLY healing from much of the Little Bean related trauma. It felt like that took forever. The pain and fatigue took a serious toll though, and since sleeping enough isn’t in our near future, I’m having to experiment with new medications to manage the pain so that I can benefit from whatever rest I do get. It’s not ideal but as my pain doctor says: it’s just as important for my pain to be managed effectively as it is to breastfeed. If I can’t do the former than the latter won’t be possible or beneficial, and that goes double for if depression sets in.

PiC remains stalwart. He’s tired but has really started adapting to the lack of sleep thing way better than I would have expected. We spell each other out as best we can but he definitely goes the extra mile trying to spare me when possible. He’s toted LB to Costco alone and survived!

I did take note that people pitied him and even offered help when ze was having a fit – this confused him. I don’t think people are that kind or forgiving to moms in that position, though.

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There’s been a ton of streaming tv for background while we’re up late or just getting through tough days. I’ve rediscovered shows I once enjoyed (Psych, Bones, Hawaii Five-0) and play new ones I love on loop (BBC’s Sherlock). I have to partake of Bletchley Circle very sparingly.

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There have been some phone calls home lately. There usually aren’t. Right on schedule, the nightmares starring a belligerent and aggressive Trainwreck Sibling started up. It’s amazing how toxic he can be on third hand contact. Dad doesn’t bring him up but my aunts will relay news either from their own encounters or as heard from Dad and that’s enough to give me hives. He may have finally agreed to go to the doctor once but then he refused all subsequent follow up treatment and was basically a total jerk to the medical staff so they sent him home again. I don’t like to say it’s hopeless but I should because I keep experiencing false hope during the day and horrific dreams at night.

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