Friday, January 4, 2013

Laughable



My husband and I are fortunate in that we both have jobs.    So, I am not complaining about that.   However, like a lot of you, we struggle every month to make ends meet.    We have resolved ourselves that we will never be "rich," never be "well off," nor will we ever have "money to burn."    We will feel very blessed if we are just able to pay our bills every month.

So, the fact that payroll taxes have gone up beginning NOW is distressing.   I just texted my husband about our paychecks being smaller, and the automatic spellcheck changed "paychecks" to "laughable."    I'm not sure why spellcheck did that, but it did seem a fairly accurate description. 

So, that's the word I will remember when we are handed our next paychecks - -  laughable.  It will be better to laugh than to cry.  No one will have to know that my laughter will be covering up my anxiety and stress.

So, laugh.  And then laugh some more.   And if I have to I will cry in my pillow at night.

25 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, this is probably just the beginning of the pain. I think we are all going to have to get a little tougher. Put on our rhino skin, so to speak.

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    1. I think you're right Robin . . . laughing helps you stay young, right??!

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  2. Social Security really shot up as well.

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    1. Thanks, Alex. Happy weekend to you too! lol

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  3. I think the gvmt will need to cut spending. I don't know why the computer age has made businesses run much more effeciently yet government can not find ways to reduce spending.

    Love the cartoon...One of my favorite cartoons was pretty much the exact same scene with the caption:

    "Ok, here is my plan"

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    1. And Congress just got a raise - - holy crap!

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  4. I got a tiny raise on SS on and on my retirement from civil service. My supplemental insurance went up so much that even with my raises I am making $39 a month less than last year. And life goes on.

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    1. We got tiny raises in July, which now will be nullified by the increase in taxes!

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  5. Autocorrect makes the randomest changes.
    You're right to laugh about it though. What good will crying do? Might as well have a laugh.

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    1. Crying will do no good . . . and besides, I look really unattractive when I cry :)

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  6. Funny,I am taking a break before writing my first paycheck of the year (I work for my husband) after wrestling through trying to understand the bracket changes (tables aren't up yet). I don't make a lot, but at least my take home pay only went down $4. Funny finding this post! Laughable - pretty ironic. Hoping good fortune finds you and unexpected financial blessings come your way.

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    1. I am so glad I am not an accountant or in personnel or human resources - - I would get way too confused!

      And thank you - - the same to you!!

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  7. Well at least now I know what to expect if/when I go back to work. AND I also live in Taxachusetts. We have state income tax taken as well. Be thankful the good people of WA defeat the state income tax measure in every election. Yet Olympia tries it every year.

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    1. Yes!! That is a plus - no state income tax!

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  8. When they lowered the payroll taxes, we didn't see much more money. I am hoping since it went back up we don't lose much.I don't know. I do know when the FICA tax went down, my husband had more taken out for the regular income tax.

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    1. I am just going to hold my breath and keep my fingers crossed! lol

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  9. Spell check, cutting through the crap to get to the truth!

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  10. I had heard about the payroll chanes, but it didn't hit home until my husband saw his weekly check today.. $20 less than previously, or $80 a month! I was due for a small raise this month after a year's employment, that raise will now be eaten up by his tax increase and mine, and we will actually have less take home pay and yet the cost of everything increases. Just lovely. Thinking about it makes me cry too! Something very wrong with this system for sure! HUGS

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    1. yes, and it seems even more wrong when finding out that Congress members were just given a raise - free!

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  11. My husband just got me talked off the ledge so to speak for the same stress how can we as average Joes continue to be taxed and stay above water?? I just get so defeated when I see the small increase then BLAM the slam of taking it back for some other B.S. tax or insurance increase blah blah blah notice they drop gas prices before Christmas and now one week into the New Year they already jacked them up 10+ cents??? ergh I hope you can find some happier thoughts this weekend and thanks for the vent subject it is nice to have others to sound off with :)

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  12. Politicians robbing people blind yet again? Not surprising really, but we have wealth in so many other ways... or at least that's what I tell myself as I squeeze one more cup from the tea bag. ;-)

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  13. Yeah - month to month and resigned to never being rich! Isn't it the truth (especially when your work is in the public sector - as in education - like your husband and me!) -- Here;s the funny thing. For all my la-di-da independence, I just hand the paycheck over to RR at the end of the month and let him deal with money! In this marriage, I have abdicated the role of financier so I don't even know the impact of the payroll tax-- though I suspect he will inform me.....

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  14. Erg. We have direct deposit, so I haven't looked at Joe's check yet. Perhaps it's better this way?

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