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Comment by Kat (MM Nuke) on January 31, 2011 at 11:35pm

How old is her car Mary?  Sounds like my son's 1997 Ford Ranger that we'll be taking to him.  Hey, it is in perfect condition, except for some hail dings now, and it's paid for, so he says yep, i'm keeping it.

Once we get it out of the driveway we will start looking for a car for our 16 year old daughter. We make them buy their own vehicles.  She has $7000 saved, but I don't want her to spend more than about $4000.  Of course she also needs a job to be able to pay for her insurance.  She will be a senior next year, right of passage, so needs to get a car at some point.

Comment by Kat (MM Nuke) on January 31, 2011 at 10:47pm

ya, good point Emily.

 

Comment by Emily-aaronsgirl11 on January 31, 2011 at 10:28pm

Your son is going to want that leave. He's been working his butt off studying and such. There's no guarantee of when he'll get leave again.... Take it while he gets the chance. He'll have time to come home, relax, unwind, and just be away from the Navy. I can't tell you how many times I had to wake Aaron up after I was done for school in the mornings when he was home on leave. They need that time to rest before they start Power School!

Comment by Kat (MM Nuke) on January 31, 2011 at 10:24pm

mn linda - I wonder if he could not take leave after A school and save it for Christmas.  I think he will end up being between power school and prototype then, so probably wouldn't have stand down.

If he's on t-track when we go at the end of March, he'd have a little more time after watch duty to spend with us, and probably a couple of days off sometime during that week.  Plus, just being on t-track maybe for a couple of months would be a break, so maybe he should save leave for Christmas.  I don't know, I guess there's no guarantee he'd get it then though.

Comment by Kat (MM Nuke) on January 31, 2011 at 10:14pm

I know Mary, just when you think you are getting ahead.  i tell you, we got hit a lot in the last few months.  Small things that all added up,  mysterious hail storm with golf ball size hail, so unusual for Phoenix. I was out driving and got caught in it.  $4500 damage to my car, $1000 deductible.  Then went to PIR in Nov., then it finally got cold enough for the house heater in December, which wasn't working.  another $750 for that repair.  Then Christmas, daughter's 16th birthday, refinancing house so had to pay $400 for appraisal.  Husband was house/horse/dog sitting for some friends back in Aug. and one dog went crazy and bit him on both hands (very out of character for the dog, plus he's watched the dogs before so they know him).  medical bills, missed work, etc.  Finally got a little settlement on that, so that helps.  Last week we found out there is actually a little damage to the roof from hail storm in Oct. Estimate is $3100, thankfully only a $500 deductible.  Daughter started playing lacrosse.  $350 fee because it's a club sport, not a school sport.  I had no idea when I said she could do it. Coach just advised us today there is a tournament coming up in Vegas soon, another $200.  YIKES.  I bet we all have this stuff don't we.  It gets scary at times.  We do our best and I'm thankful we don't get further in debt, but it is sure hard to get ahead.

Comment by mn linda (nuke MM ELT Groton CT) on January 31, 2011 at 10:08pm

Kat, my son didn't take leave after A school which ended Oct 22 and he chose instead to take 2 weeks during Christmas stand-down while he was still on T-Track.

Comment by Kat (MM Nuke) on January 31, 2011 at 9:54pm

Dor - I hear you.  We can still claim our son for last year as a dependent but he had no school tuition last year.  I think this is the last year we get the child tax credit on my daughter too.  Isn't it if they are UNDER 17?  She turned 16 in Nov.

So next year no deduction for him and no child tax credit for her.  Dang.  We need to do something about this.  

The financial planner wants us to buy an investment rental home.  I keep saying exactly how will I do that with no money.  UGH.  We need that stinking down payment.  Have a lot in investments, but that is 401K and we can't touch it.

I do not know how my son's taxes turned out so well.  I am totally confused.  He owed about $500 last year so don't know how he managed so well for this year since he made twice as much.  I definately am double checking them.

I'm thinking if they are correct, then he will have lots of money to come home right after A school at the beginning of March, so maybe he and I can drive his truck back there for him then I'll fly home.  Although the whole family was planning on going back at the end of March.  Doesn't make a lot of sense to do it then if he comes home during his leave.  He said they got leave papers today and that time frame is set in stone, and since he will be getting a new PO after A school he doesn't know if the new one would let him take leave later if he declines taking it at the beginning of March.  It would only be delayed by 3 weeks so he can be off when we were planning on going.

Anyway, we are now up in the air about what to do. I woudl hate to see him sitting there for 10 days with nothing to do since everyone else would be on leave from his class. 

 

Comment by mn linda (nuke MM ELT Groton CT) on January 31, 2011 at 9:44pm

I just ordered some microwave singles Hamburger Helper and 2 types of Hormel complete meals from Amazon and had it shipped right to him.

Comment by BunkerQB on January 31, 2011 at 9:33pm

I just paid bills. Started on 2010 taxes. CA has state income tax of 9.3% on top of fed. tax. I am setting up for a day of staying in bed after we do our taxes - it's so depressing.

@Dor I understand divorce is good for Medicare (cal) too? Let's do it.

I am counting on an old family tradition - both my sons must each contribute 10% of his income to us for our retirement. Future DIL's income excluded.

Comment by Emily-aaronsgirl11 on January 31, 2011 at 9:02pm

ahhhh! You moms have been busy while I was at work today!! And apparently I am in high demand. Wow. I need to tell Aaron to get going on some good Valentine's day gift so that I don't get the names of a few of your sons ;) just kidding! Aaron and I both tell each other we're "stuck" with each other. :)

Looks like I have some major looking to do for some Daughter In Laws! Aaron did tell me that I need to go get my college degree and then create a teleport machine so we can visit each other whenever we want. Guess the next project will be a cloning machine. ;)

Mary, I think it was... Tell your daughter to look into post-secondary options like we have in Ohio. I take one class a day at my high school (AP Calc) and the rest of my credits are done at a local college campus. It's all paid for by the state (except gas and parking costs). It really is a great way to get some major college credits paid for while your still in high school. I think a lot of states have similar programs... Sometimes you just have to dig to find them!

Dor- You always crack me up! And I've already tried my hand at the Air Force a little. I met a girl at a summer camp this past summer who's boyfriend was in boot camp for the Air Force. We became best friends throughout the week and compared branches. :) I've done a little research for her, and tried to answer her questions... I'll stick to Navy though. :)

Penny- Welcome (back?)! You were here earlier weren't you? Before your son PIRed? :) They don't really have a rhyme or reason to the roommate thing... Aaron's first (2!) roommates were both married and only stayed in the room during indoc until they went back to move their wives. His third roommate in A school (and his same roommate now) is an MM and was on T-Track for several more months than Aaron. It seems to be the "luck of the draw" 

 

And I do know about the military families being on WIC and food stamps. I agree with the fact that some do it just because they can... But money can get tight with kids. You definitely have to be money smart... I'm still trying to work on that with Aaron :/

I think I need to get a microwavable package put together for Aaron... Meals that he can eat in his room instead of going out all the time. :)

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