The good and the bad

Whenever someone asks me if I'd like the good news or the bad news first, I always opt for the bad news first.  It is easier for me to take when I know something positive will follow to help cushion the blow.  So today I will follow my lifelong philosophy and tell you the bad news first.

1.  GJS did not make $1400 in his last paycheck of the month like I thought he would.  His take home pay was $1307.31.  No biggie. 

2.  GJS's employer is still taking out money for his old dental insurance.  He only was paying $1.08 per pay period for his dental insurance.  How is that even possible?  We're paying a lot more going through my insurance but whatever, I do not want to deal with it again and at least my job is secure until December 2014 whereas his job is supposed to last a year, but who knows.

3.  This amount includes the refund for his medical insurance that was taken out of his last check so we wont be getting $1307.31 from here on out, it will be less.

4.  Union dues were taken out of this check and the last check to the tune of $25 a pop.  I'm all for paying your dues but I thought it was a yearly payment and then we would be done.  I'm not at all happy about this.

All right, the negativity will find it's end here.

Onto the good stuff....

1.  I was able to send out tithes to our two churches and community today.

2.  I also transferred $6,511.34 to our mortgage to bring our total mortgage debt down to $50,000.  This is the joy of my month thus far.  It is a lovely round number for at least a couple weeks.

3.  We received our Financial Peace University packet in the mail yesterday and I'm psyched to start reading it and doing my homework from the workbook.  It even came with a little box with an eraser for the dreamer and a pencil for creating the budget for the nerd.  Love it!

4.  Best of all, today is my Daddy's 65th birthday and we'll be able to take my folks out for a nice dinner in the D to celebrate because we have over $400 of extra money.