another what a month!

[Zoe Girl]

So between my son not being a deduction anymore and my increase in rent it is almost $300 a month. Last month I was finished with the month and I had enough to buy a few things I needed like shoes and be fine, and I thought that was a big deal.

Just breathing, does anyone know if someone like an HR person can help you go over the deductions on your paycheck. I am sure it is all required however nearly $1,000 of my paycheck is in deductions and I get a stipend for my health care. I need to look at that.

[sweetana3]

There "might" be someone in HR but then again, they might only have the knowledge that you have.

Why don't you list the types of deductions and we can give you some initial info and then you can get into specifics. However, unless you are getting a big Federal and State refund, payroll department takes the deductions for that right off tables. FICA is just a percentage of income so unlikely to be wrong. Do you file as Head of Household or Single? The withholding tables usually don't make that distinction so it can cause a bigger refund. Does he still live with you?

[sweetana3]

And Denver is getting the reputation of Austin, TX and Portland, OR. Popular places are becoming more expensive.

[Teacher Terry]

That's terrible about your rent increase.Ugh! If you are getting a refund each year perhaps you can lower your deductions so you are close to even.

[Zoe Girl]

I broke pretty much even this last year, federal refund and state payment. Both under $100 so I feel good about that. I adjust my deduction so I don;t get a bill next year, from 4 to 2 and no head of household. Maybe I will get a nice refund or maybe not, but I feel better being pretty much assured I won't get a big bill.

The traffic here is awful, as bad as any big city I hear, in addition to the rents. My daughter who is having a baby is thinking about Wyoming. Her MIL is moving there to get married and so they will visit and are just starting to think about it. They have a great low rent, money in savings, but it is a basement apartment without a separate kitchen. Very nice family but I am not sure they want to be there long term. Of course I don;t want them to go anywhere.

On the good side I ended the month with some money, son's girlfriend got a good job so I am going to add $100 to what they need to pay for rent, and I have 1-2 months left on my bankruptcy. If there is money in the district for raises that comes in September. My goal really is to pay for this apartment without my son needing to pay rent and put that money in savings so that if he wants to move then it is fine. I am in no rush to have him move however,