Finances – b.rox

Since I spent so much time bellyaching here about our cashflow problems, I thought I should at least report some recent tidbits of good news. We did not run out of money at the end of February. Granted, it’s a short month, but I think our austerity measures are paying off. I did our taxes […]

While politicians in DC wrangle with cutting the federal budget, I’m trying to do the same thing here at home. It ain’t easy. I suggested to Xy we might cancel our newspaper subscription — she was not happy about that. Well, neither am I, exactly. But a part of me relishes the challenge. First a […]

We’ve been having a bit of trouble making ends meet ever since Xy changed schools and took a $20K pay cut. Sometimes it’s that last week of the month, sometimes, just the last couple days. A number of times I’ve had to draw off our savings to make up the gap. It’s occasionally embarrassing and […]

I feel like I’m exhaling and relaxing for the first time since — when was it? — late July. That’s when the idea of moving first entered my head. We’d learned our daughter had lead poisoning and then a few days later I had a close encounter with one of the guys from the corner. […]

I’m gearing up to sign a bunch of papers in about an hour and a half. First we’re closing on the sale of our old house. Immediately after that we’re closing on the purchase of our new house. The latter is predicated on the former. I have power of attorney so I can sign for […]

Back in June 2006 we had some extra money lying around from our insurance settlement. I’m hesitant to name dollar amounts publicly. Let’s just say it qualified as “a lot” in my book. More than a month’s salary, less than a year’s. I hope that is sufficiently vague. So I decided to invest in the […]

We got our 2009 Real Estate Assessment from City Hall Friday. Last year, I didn’t understand property assessments, but now I think I do, kinda sorta, so I’m actually able to make some sense of this notice. Last year, our assessed value was $720 (land) + $1000 (structure) for a total of $1720 — the […]

I left my daughter with a bunch of strangers this morning. Kind of an odd experience, but not as upsetting as I might have thought. The folks at the daycare seem to know what they’re doing, and the whole scene inspired confidence. This is teacher prep week, so Xy’s not quite back at work full […]

Thanks to Carol G for getting me in touch with the very helpful Christopher Elliott. He’s the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. Today he published my case. I found it in the Arizona Daily Star, though not, strangely enough, in our Times-Picayune which usually carries his column in the Sunday Travel section. I can […]

This story in the paper made me feel ever-so-slightly vindicated about our decision to renovate. A new study of home prices around the New Orleans area shows that buyers rewarded sellers who gambled and rebuilt in devastated areas like Lakeview, eastern New Orleans and Chalmette. Renovated homes in those areas recovered much of their pre-storm […]

We got our “gold letter” from the Road Home today. The letter states that we did not qualify for any compensation. Or, as they so cleverly phrase it, “your compensation grant was zero.” This is because they estimate our damage at $34,050.53. Our insurance company paid us $82,294.03. Both these figures are stated in the […]

Xy and I had our initial appointment with the Road Home program this morning. Yes, that’s right, initial. We’re only just now getting started. For once this tardiness cannot be blamed on governmental ineptitude or bureaucratic bungling. It’s our fault. We’ve dragged out feet and postponed this because we don’t really expect to get any […]

Tag: Finances

Some Good News

Austerity Program

Damn

Exhalation & Disclosure

Closing In

Maybe It’s Right to Be Nervous Now

Assessment

Drop Off

Christopher Elliott Writes About My Case

Vindication

I Got a Golden Letter

Initial Appointment