Menny Hapee Returns

Hi everybody, tax time!  I went through the hassle of filing all of my many W-2s, 1099’s and multiple state returns.  After all was said and done, I ended up paying about $100 to TurboTax for all of the various extra calculations the program had to do. Something to keep in mind, if you are working as a “non-employee” and will be filing a 1099-MISC, (or any other 1099) is to save your receipts religiously.  All of your receipts.  When filing, you can claim your purchases as deductions, including your expenses for travel, cell phone costs, food (in certain circumstances), supplies, hotels, clothing, electronics, etc.  This can really make a difference, especially if you made a decent amount from the job.  Without these deductibles, you will likely be paying a hefty lump sum in income tax, since you haven’t been automatically paying over time in your paycheck as with a W-2.

$500 should be magically appearing in my account in the next few days.  I’m looking forward to using $75 of the money to jump start a gym membership (as a little birthday gift to myself!  Here comes 26), $100 to kill a chunk of my private loan,  $200 to my parents for having shipped my jalopy of a car to Florida a few months ago, and the meager remainder to go into my savings, where I hope to leave it alone and let it magnetize more cash.  I had hoped for a lot more money because I still need a computer, and I am getting itchy feet for more education and a fresh new lifestyle.  I suppose this is just one more fire under my rear to get me looking for additional income.

Windfall

Miracles fall at random, must be Uranus in my chart.

A few bits of great news: I am in uncommon disbelief that I actually got payed on time!  Also, I was tipped an extra 10 bucks for the gig I did this evening, which I quickly used on a chocolate milkshake with fries to celebrate. Finally, some beautiful saint absolved me of late fees and outstanding payments for 2 months in my student loans!!!  A clean slate!  AMAZING!  Granted, I applied for a reduced income payment plan and was rejected.  But at least they helped me out a bit!

Updates are in order.  With my paycheck I was able to pay my remaining balance for last month’s rent, and now my student loan fees have disappeared.
My current outstanding debts now amount to $533.13 from $1426.36 at the start of the month.  Tomorrow, I intend to pay my private loan balance of $92.13 which will leave me with $48.87, 20 of which I intend to use to buy delicious groceries.  I will then have to wait until the end of the month to make my rent payment for July to the tune of $412, and pray that the ice cream shop actually puts me on the schedule.  As these things go, I’m starting to get nervous that I fell through the cracks with this job, hopefully this isn’t the case, and I will be notified soon of my situation.  Regardless, I have the job working the King Richard’s Faire, which will snag $100 per weekend for several weeks.  It works out to only $5/hr, but it seems totally worth it in the long run.

Haven’t mentioned it, but I’m also working on a solo show that I’m installing in 14 days.  I DON’T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW I WILL FINISH MY WORK IN TIME.  I’m optimistic though.  The show is called FENCES, and explores a number of heavy, frustrating stumbling blocks in my life…not least of which being my mountainous debt.

By the way, thanks for all the likes and follows, you guys really put a smile on my face and hope in my heart.