I’m really careful with my money these days. I wasn’t always. I hate to admit it, but I was a spoiled princess and I really didn’t pay much attention to how much things cost. If I wanted/needed something, I just bought it. I didn’t pay much mind to grades of quality other than to buy the best I could afford. I still adhere to that somewhat, because I firmly believe you usually get what you pay for. I am much more accommodating when it comes to sacrificing a little bit of quality for a good savings. I also hate to admit, I’m learning most of this from Mr. FixIt. He’s a frugal man and, while I have gotten him to spring for a little better quality sometimes, he has done a wonderful job in teaching me to pay attention to prices.
I went out yesterday to pay my property taxes and get my tags for my truck for another year. It really chaps my hide that I pay taxes on my earnings, then I pay taxes on what I buy, and ultimately I pay personal property taxes on those items I purchased just so I can own them. In West Virginia, in order to get your tags on your vehicle every year, you have to pay your personal property taxes. You pay on the vehicle you owned in June two years prior. I owned a 2011 Ford F-150 pickup truck and my 2015 camper. My taxes and tags were a little over $800.
Mr. FixIt and I were having dinner last night when I told him how much my tax bill was. He thought that was a little high so he went and got his. Now, he pays for two vehicles, two campers, and a utility trailer. Granted they are a little older than mine, but all five of his totaled less than what I paid, so I had to dig in and figure out why.
It turns out, I have been using my post office box as my address, even though I physically live in a different county. If I would have changed my address to Mr. FixIt’s house, my taxes would have been at least $250 less! It never even occurred to me there would be that much of a difference. And, now that it’s been paid, I can’t do anything about it. But, trust me, I’m changing my address ASAP. This is just another lesson for widows to check on these things. If Mr. FixIt would have been with me, he would have noticed the taxes seemed high and we could have investigated. And, if it weren’t for him, I never would have known about this.
The upside, if there is such a thing as an upside in spending $250 more than you needed to, some of that money went for a school bond in the little town I grew up in. So, I’ll just look at is as a non-tax-deductible contribution to the betterment of my old hometown. They’re on their own next year!
❤️
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Proverbs 15:22 NIV