My Other Job

Published by Laurie on Tagged Financial, Goals, Life, Anxiety

As some of you may have noticed, I have been online infrequently lately, I’ve been busy with my “other job” as personal assistant to myself.  It used to be a part time position, but lately, the hours have increased exponentially.   I feel like I’m holding down two full time jobs now. (but only one of them pays).  My head aches with all of the managing that life seems to need anymore.  There was a time when the most complicated task was preparing my taxes, but now, the financial matters alone can take a few hours a week of my undivided attention.  (that’s a feat in and of itself since the last time my attention was undivided, I was giving birth)

This past week or so, my husband and I have been doing a sweep of our “life stuff”.  Trying to get all of our ducks in a row. Addressing everything from financial concerns, to health care, to the basic reorganization of our schedules.  Trying to re-organize our time, our budget, setting goals, etc.  My brain hurts.  Everytime we do this, I realize that maintaining a well-managed life is really full time job.  You have to go through your bills with a fine tooth comb, you have to read each and every line on credit card agreements, cell phone bills, school correspondence, car insurance papers, health care contracts, everything.   You have to be constantly aware of better deals out there for services, andbe constantly aware of when the “better deal” you just signed up for reverts to the “you’re screwed now deal” after the initial honeymoon period ends that sucked you in in the first place. 

Interest and Credit and Mortgage, Oh My!
Credit cards are a big albatross around our neck.  We have just completed, yet another restructuring of our debt.  Moving debt from varying interest rates to one rate that should save us a few bucks each month, but huge bucks in the long run.  Although, each time I plan for the long run, it somehow turns into a series of short runs.  Something always seems to come up totally screwing up the best laid plans.   Our home mortgage is one of those screw ups. 

You would think we would have this mortgage thing down, since we have two of them.  Our first mortgage is a VA mortgage, and the second mortgage, originally taken out to consolidate bills and make major home improvements.  Well, we did the improvements and finished them, just in time for the housing market to take a dive.  Now we must sit tight and wait to refinance the two together as our house, though improved, still does not appraise up for what we need it to.

We are combing over our natural gas supplier choices.  With all of the impending news about the rise in natural gas prices, and the winter ahead, we don’t want to get slammed with huge gas bills this winter.  There are so many choices, but I really don’t think it has helped as far as costs.  It has just created more back doors for hidden taxes and fees.  We can easily change to another company that charges substantially less for natural gas, yet we will get financially raped by the transportation costs of using another provider.  The same goes for the phone companies, both the land lines and the wireless providers.  Customers now have the option to bundle their services, potentially saving them a fair amount of money, yet they fail to advertise the installation costs, the cost of breaking any contracts that may already be in place, and also, the true cost after the special introductory offer.  You practically have to project out all of the costs for the entire year before you can calculate any significant savings or not. 

I need a Crystal Ball
Now, to add to all of the math involved, one also has to become a psychic of sorts.  Trying to predict any upcoming expenses, predicting what fuel prices may be, predicting if this recession is just beginning or if it will be thwarted early on.  Oh, and don’t forget taking care of yourself.  Eating right, exercise regularly, taking care of your family.

Throughout the years, I have never been very successful at long term projections.  Most likely the reason I am here today.  Even with my best guesses, I have been blindsided many times by unexpected expenses, divorce, car accidents, health issues,etc.

Who’s got that kind of time
Even with all this being said, I have always been able to manage my personal life reasonably.  Recently it has become more labor intensive, and much more time consuming.  Time is not an asset that I have ever experienced an abundance of.  Now, with companies trying to cut corners and piling more work on fewer workers, my job has begun to invade my personal space, leaving me less time to manage my personal schedule and my financial matters while both have become increasingly more complicated.

I smell smoke
I can’t even begin to imagine what my “retirement” years will be like.  I see myself working well past 65, while trying to understand the Medicare plans A,B,C, D… (and that depends if Medicare is still viable in twenty years, and if so, we may very well use the rest of the alphabet, complicating Medicare even further)  I can’t see myself trying to understand the supplemental policies or the tax laws as they apply to the elderly.  My brain is sizzling as it is now.  I can safely project that it will be completely fried by then. 

How has all this become so complicated?  Why do I need to spend more and more of my time pouring over bills, financial statements, insurance policies, health care policies?  I miss being able to go to the doctor and trusting his judgement on what specialist I need to see, rather than go home, make 10 phone calls….Are they in my network….do I need another opinion first…..do I need a different referral….  I want one phone company, one utility company, a health care plan who’s policy is smaller than a phone book, and for God’s sake, stop sending me credit offers at variable rates with the default rates of a loan shark.  Stop offering to give people money before they get paid.  (going to places like pay day loans is tantamount to kissing the ring of the Godfather and asking for a favor)

It used to be the only time you really had to beware of the fine print was when buying a home or reading the MSRP disclaimer when buying a car.  My filing cabinet at home is bulging at the seams with contracts in which the entire agreements are in fine print. Even sending in a warranty or rebate consists of jumping through countless hoops, then ,even if you jump through each and every one of them, it’s still up to you to follow up endlessly to make sure you get what’s coming to you.  

I need to take vacation time from work, and work at home as my personal assistant, reading, reorganizing, and re-assessing where my time and money is going. But, like my employers, I may just need continue to squeeze out more work from my one and only underpaid and overworked employee, me.

This document was prepared as a service to the Midlife Perspective reader community. Neither Midlife Perspective nor any of its employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness. The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Laurie’s husband, her children, or any other persons who generally have their shit together. These opinions are solely those of the author. (again, that would be me)

Stumble it!

October 26th, 2007