money

Taxes

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This weekend, my wife and I finished filing our taxes. This is the first time as well that all three of our kids had to submit taxes. Lucky for my wife and I- we were able to use some of the money we spent on our children’s post secondary towards our own taxes. Thank goodness for spending money on their futures…

Last year, after me having to pay taxes, I went to my payroll and had them take more taxes off each paycheck. In the end, I got quite a good tax return. However, my wife was not as lucky. Of the five of us, she is the only one having to pay taxes. At least it wasn’t like Monopoly and she doesn’t owe 10% or even $200. But I still get to rub it in that she has to pay taxes.

What will I spend my refund on you may ask? Property taxes! Yay! The government giveth and the government taketh away. Oh well, it was nice to feel lucky for once, even if it was for a fleeting moment.

Twelve Days of Appreciation: Day 1-Work

Posted on by Josef Havelka

We are twelve days until Christmas. So I am going to use that as a prompt over the few blog posts to share my top twelve things that I am grateful for leading up to the holiday season. I know the twelve days of Christmas start on Christmas Day, but I want to lead up to that day instead. So here goes with day number 1 of Appreciation.

I appreciate my job.

It’s kind of obvious that in life we do need some sort of income to be able to afford a lifestyle that we enjoy. Over the past 15 years, CN has been wonderful in this aspect. CN has allowed me to enjoy and deliver the best things in life for myself and my family. I have made many good friends along the way and have had some great experiences that are one of a kind because the railroad helped me to get there.

I’m thankful for my previous jobs also. Without working at a movie theater, Chuck E Cheese’s or even pumping gas- I never would have made the friends that I have kept for a lifetime. A job isn’t always just about making money- it’s about creating friendships and bonds that go beyond work.

As I grow older I have come to appreciate my past and how it got me to where I am today. I have also enjoyed the decades of watching my friends succeed in life and grow their families as well. From career changes to marriages to pets to kids- everyone has had a different path than mine and each one is beautiful to behold.

Without work, none of those things could happen. I am truly grateful for where I am in my career and wouldn’t change it for the world.

Spend or Save?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

In a few days it will be the Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday. As usual many of us are searching for deals to be had. This is the time to do one last push for those big ticket Christmas items.

But is it necessary? Do you or the person you are shopping for really need what ever is on sale? Have we gotten so wrapped up in “savings” that we overlook the “necessity” of our purchases? I know I have bought many things just because it’s a “deal you can’t miss” or “won’t last long” even though I didn’t need it. Some things I have bought over the years and never even used. (Don’t judge me. I know you have too!)

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to search online for stuff. I already have a plethora of items in my Amazon cart over the past few months. Those are the items that I’m “contemplating” or waiting for a deal. I have even removed items after they have sat for such a long time because I just decided to change my mind.

I do have a few things I am hunting for. But the deals need to be worthwhile. Like really worthwhile. Who knows. Maybe by the end of the weekend I’ll have spent nothing.

Hahahaha. Yeah, right… I’m a sucker for a deal.

Shopping Woes

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today my wife and I were looking forward to a day of shopping. We even went cross border into Washington State to try and find some deals, just like the old days pre-Covid.

The border wait was minimal. When we got to the Costco across the border, we saw numerous BC license plates in the parking lot. We assumed everyone was there saving money. Boy, were we wrong.

We had hoped to save some money on early Christmas shopping. But with the exchange rate being $1.37 CAD for each $1 USD- we really needed to do the math before buying anything. Some of the items said the same price as they do in Canada. Which meant we’d be paying more money and then have a possibility of paying duty coming home.

After Costco, we tried our luck at Fred Meyer and then Walmart. Same sort of results. No savings to be had. We did pick up a couple items that aren’t available in Canada, so at least we came away with those.

At the end of the day, I do not recommend wasting time and effort to travel southbound for my Canadian friends. But with the exchange rate the way it is- my American friends will find good savings coming up to Canada.

Amico No Show…

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Back in January of 2020 I put down $100 as a deposit on a video game system that was slated to come out in October 2020. (Read about it Here: Mio Amico). The release date came and went with a new day slotted for April of 2021. The reason was the computer chip shortage.

Well, April 2021 came and went with a promise from the company that a system would be out by the end of the year. Well, we are now into the second month of 2022 and still no system or tentative release date. Am I disappointed? Of course.

I am at a stage now where I am debating what to do. I still have the opportunity to get my $100 deposit refunded. Or I can keep waiting and hope that a physical system may actually get released. $100 is essentially how much I spend a week on gas for my vehicle. So it’s not all that much. However, not having something to show for the money is sucky.

I do think that the will be out eventually. My hope is that the games they release will be worthy of renewed gameplay and fun. For now, I’m going to give them until the middle of March and decide by then. There is currently about half a dozen games they have shown that I really want to play.

Maybe I’ll continue to be disappointed. Or maybe I’ll give up and move on. I’m not sure quite yet.

Frugal Christmases of Yore

Posted on by Josef Havelka

When I first met my wife, I didn’t have much of anything to my name. A bed, an old stereo, a tv and a DVD player was pretty much it. We slowly began to acquire items from family friends. A couple couches, a deep freeze (which we still have to this day!) and some old dishes were sent our way. And we appreciated everything about it. That year, I chose to donate almost all of my Star Wars action figures to the needy. I kept a couple basic characters in hopes that one day we’d have a kid to pass them on to.

A couple years after marriage and our first kid was born in 2002. They were spoiled that year by everyone in the family because it was the first grandkid on either of our sides. Two years later and kid (grandkid) number 2 arrived and was equally spoiled. Same with our third who showed up two years after that. By this point I was still making a fairly low income and my wife was a stay at home mom doing her best to add extra income in any way possible. But my job at the time had one great perk.

I was a manager at a Chuck E. Cheese’s. I was in charge of ordering all those prizes on the back wall. My boss at the time told me I could always add an extra few toys for my family whenever I wanted. So I did. I accumulated these bigger ticket items throughout the year to stockpile for Christmas. My kids also got treated at least twice a week to dinners and unlimited games and small prizes. In their eyes- this dad had the greatest job ever!

Not everyone has loads of money to make the holidays “special”. Sometimes we rely on the kindness of those around us to make it feel better. I was not ashamed to thank family, friends and coworkers for their generosity. The joy I felt from their kindness far surpassed my need to go it alone.

If you see someone needing a hand, emotionally, financially, even spiritually- try and help out. I’ve been doing my part to “Pay it Forward” over the years.

Helping people financially isn’t always giving money. Sometimes it’s offering a home cooked meal, or helping them get better jobs, supporting their art, or buying their handmade wares. Getting that internal smile always made me feel good that someone out there cared. And in turn, I know they felt good as well.

Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This past year I have been doing my best to work on all aspects of my health. Drinking alcohol less, enjoying the fresh air more, and swimming almost daily. I’m looking better (Dad Bod is diminishing) and feeling better. This has helped in my mental health as well. This past weekend was time to work on one more piece of the puzzle.

The Dreaded Finances!

It sort of started at the beginning of August. My wife and I sat down and wrote out an updated budget for the household. We decided to use Google Docs so we can edit spending in real time so that we can keep on top of spending. This past Friday, we met up with our financial advisor and talked about our future, and the future of our family. I highly recommend an outside source for financial planning. Free advice with a knowledge of the industry. We have been using the same advisor for nearly twenty years, and feeling successful as we grow.

Yesterday we went through our old bills and paperwork. It was time to shred as much as we could. With everything going digital and paper free, there really isn’t much need to keep a physical copy any more. We have kept copies of vehicle maintenance and income taxes, but almost everything else turned into paper streamers.

That was a good feeling- shredding old credit card bills. It makes me feel bad for old me and how much my wife and I struggled at times to keep the debt load down. Using credit cards is a luxury and a curse. Getting back on track is a challenge.

So my health in all aspects is improving. Including my future financial health with my wife. I’m happy with how things are working out and where our future is going.

Finding Fanny Pack Money

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Discovering forgotten money is a great feeling. Any denomination over a dollar feels like you won just the lottery. You can often find money in an old jacket, purse or a pair of pants. Once I found a twenty dollar bill in a jacket after buying it from a thrift store. That was a good sensation- essentially the jacket was free.

Last night I discovered three $5 bills and some loose change in an old fanny pack… A late 1980’s Fanny pack, with 1980’s money inside. A crazy blast from the past moment for me. I was excited like a kid again- reliving moments of when I sported a fanny pack. Hanging with friends, going to the corner store, wandering around Playland, carrying cassettes for my Walkman- all those memories hit me at once when I saw the contents of this satchel.

After this brief moment down memory lane, I put the money back into the bag and showed it to my family. I asked my three kids if any of them wanted the fanny pack- for some reason they each said no. I zipped it open and showed them the money.

They still didn’t want the bag. But the money on the other hand…

My son asked if it was fake money since he had never seen this version of a Canadian five dollar bill before. I told them they could each take one of the bills. I also said that if one of them had taken the bag, all of the money would have been theirs as well.

They didn’t seem to care- each of them was still getting some money for nothing and didn’t have to take a fanny pack. I thought for sure that one of them would have wanted it. But I guess The Rock can’t impress my kids enough to become fashion icons.

Pay It Down

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Once August is passed by, my paychecks seem to get bigger. All my taxes and Canadian Pension gets paid up for the year. It feels refreshing.

Today I paid off one credit card. That felt great. In two weeks I’ll be paying down another card. I figure by November I’ll be able to splurge a bit for Christmas. Although with the world the way it is, I may have to start ordering some gifts earlier for shipping.

I have always been the type of person who likes to pay bills as soon as they arrive. Not waiting until the due date. There are times that I will set the payment to come out on the day before the bill is due. Having access to online banking is one of the greatest things when watching your money.

I’m not good with money by any means. I honestly think our oldest is smarter with money than I am. She saves and squirrels away her hard earned cash for big ticket items. Like a laptop or schooling.

How are you with money? Ever feel the pinch of too many bills?

Mail Call

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I picked up the mail today. It seems we are only getting it delivered every few days. I’m not ever expecting much to surprise me in the mail. Once in a while a package we order will show up. But we know of its arrival. Except a couple weeks back when the one day I didn’t check the mail, our community box got broken into. The gift we had ordered for our daughter’s birthday had been stolen.

That sucked. And it wasn’t possible to go out and replace the gift, because Quarantine and such. So our daughter went giftless for her 16th Birthday. Ugh. We were out $80 and felt awful.

Why couldn’t the thieves steal our bills and pay them? Do a good deed for the bad that they had done? Or something along those lines. I’m not getting a break financially from the Government or any of those bill collectors. I’m stuck paying my bills.

Our Hydro bill is up and so is our gas bill. We are running the dishwasher more often. Same with small appliances. And the heat is on more while everyone is home. Time for everything in the house to get shut down!!! No more lights. No more heat. No more Netflix.

Not going to happen. Perhaps we can limit our usage? Ugh. This adulthood and isolation stuff sucks more than ever after seeing those bills. I need to take my mind off these bills.

I wonder what’s in my Amazon wishlist?

Bingo!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

19 years ago I needed some extra cash in order to pay for our upcoming wedding. Working part time at Colossus wasn’t making me enough money to start my new life. Since my wife and I didn’t want to do anything extravagant- starting that new life would cost us under $5000. But we still needed a bit of money.

So I got a job as a Bingo Caller. I worked Friday and Saturday nights for three months making some damn good money. And I was really good at the job. Spinning plastic balls every three seconds and calling out the numbers with my modulated tone made me a fan favorite. A favorite to the gamblers that were there every weekend.

I don’t gamble. It wasn’t because of being a bingo caller that I don’t gamble. I just never felt the rush. I’ve bought lotto tickets, tried casinos, and even did bingo on occasion. I’ve had some small winnings. ($50 in slots and $250 in luggage one time.) I don’t look down on anyone who enjoys gambling. It’s just not my thing.

But Bingo Players… they are a strange breed. The “Regulars” has numerous dabbers and rows of good luck troll dolls. 30-50 cards at a time. Their ability to scan these cards as quick as I called numbers- every 3 seconds. A game hardly lasted five minutes before someone yelled “Bingo”.

My job had me sitting on stage. The audience was silent as I spun the balls around to show the camera. After a brief moment, I called out the number shown. At which point, the gentle dabbing on the players’ cards went on. Like working in a library until someone yells “FIRE” “BINGO!” Then the crowds moans and groans. My name gets cursed.

Trust me, at the end of the night- people would literally come up to me and tell me how much they hated me for not calling their numbers. Some would come up and tell me how they loved coming in the nights I worked because of my pleasant demeanor. The place was so bipolar.

I hated that job, but after my wedding I didn’t need the money anymore. So one Friday night, two weeks after my wedding, I quit on the spot before my shift was to start. It was the most satisfying career move I ever did.

Throwing in the towel is sometimes gratifying. Quitting a toxic feeling job made me happy. Money isn’t always the answer. Job satisfaction is more important to me. I also emotionally grew from that job and learned my limitations.

What Does $1000 Look Like?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Recently I finished a set off doors for our home. I’m really happy with the results. But it got me thinking about how $1000 can look differently every time. With each and every purchase or experience being worthwhile.

I treated my wife to a night out on the town at a spa and hotel. We needed that time off. Wedgewood Hotel and Spa

We bought tickets to Queen for the five of us. Such an amazing show. Queen

We now have a back up generator for when the power goes out. Like it does every year… sometimes for days on end.

My son got a pair of Long Track Speed Skates. Chasing that Olympic Dream! Fastest Ice

We bought a couple of kayaks and accessories. Gotta stay in shape as we grow older. Kayak Adventure

That’s all from this year. In the past- a thousand dollars bought three iPad Minis, or a video game system and accessories, or tickets to Disneyland, even a new mattress…

Like they say, a thousand here and thousand there- pretty soon it adds up to real money.

I’m starting to feel broke. Maybe it’s time to slow down on the spending. The kids need a post secondary education. A thousand bucks might buy a couple of textbooks.

Work vs Vacation

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I make the most of my vacations. My days off are full of fun times and experiences. I came back to work after ten days off this past vacation to find an abundance of emails.

That was probably the hardest part of coming back to work. I enjoy the job itself, but there is often excessive emails that I need to sift through to find what I need to do my job.

Coming back to work and I’m already thinking towards my next vacation. Planning ahead is tough when you’re not sure how much you could spend.

I’d like to try and not go into debt to enjoy some time away from home. Pinching pennies and returning empty bottles for refunds may be how I pay for our next bit of fun. Back to working in order to afford my vacations I guess. Like a vicious circle.

Wealthy Ego

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Is it at a certain age or a level of income that people begin to feel comfortable financially? I feel like there are times that I’m chasing a dream- just not my dream. Is there a point where being financially secure is equal to the lifestyle I want? Or will I keep dreaming bigger and grander?

For the most part- I love where I am in life. Sure, I could lose a few credit card bills and have more money in my savings set aside. Will that day ever come? I dunno.

Have I hit rock bottom before? You betcha. But it was my rock bottom. A place I didn’t like and got out from it. I hope to never lower the expectations of myself again.

Do I have an ego? Maybe a bit. I’d like to think it’s more a sense of pride. Proud of my family and friends as well. They look like their lives are doing well.

But shhhhhh, we don’t ever discuss wages. We can talk about drugs, alcohol, sex, racism, politics or religion. But how much money we make? Nope, that information stays locked up in a box. Instead people show off their toys, adventures, and purchases to the world. We all know the cost of a new car or tv because of “The Price is Right.” Going into debt overspending isn’t smart though.

Finding a healthy wealth balance is tough. I want to make enough money that I forget that it’s payday and that my bills are covered. Maybe a little extra for a nice vacation.

What are your goals?

Bonus Money

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today my bank account was bigger than it’s been in quite some time. All because I received my work bonus!

I was excited to see it until I looked at my paystub statement and realized that nearly HALF disappeared in taxes. Ouch. No wonder they call it Gross Income. It’s gross to see how much I should’ve had. But money is money and I knew exactly what to do with my bonus this year.

I paid some bills.

With a few clicks of the mouse button, all that “extra” cash was gone. In part I am relieved. The washing machine that I threw on my credit card is paid off. As well as our trip to Disneyland from last October. I also set aside money for our property taxes this year instead of cashing out my shares. This last one is a game changer for me. It means that my shares will remain untouched for longer.

Financial freedom is getting closer. Our mortgage renewal is due in the next few months. Only 20 years left until that’s done. And only a couple years left on my car payments as well.

As they say, “Everything’s coming up Milhouse!” Or they don’t say that. Whatever. Things are starting to look up. Bye bye money…

Trust and Kindness

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Trust is something that you can’t come by easily. But to have a complete stranger trust you is even more scarce. Especially when it comes to money. My story here is a simple one, but made my heart smile nonetheless.

Yesterday as I was driving home from the school with my kids, I stopped at a person selling flowers on the side of the road. She has set up in the same location for a couple of years now selling flowers out the back of her van. We often drive past without thinking twice. Yesterday I finally decided to stop and surprise my wife with a bouquet of flowers.

As I was talking to the lady, I realized I had no cash on me. So I asked if she takes debit or credit cards. Since I’ve worked conventions- many people set up a Square account to be able to make such transactions, which seems to be the trend nowadays. Unfortunately, this lady did not have a card reader. I was ready to thank her for her time…

Immediately she asked me which bouquet I wanted and told me to pay her back another time. Even with my repeated objections, she insisted. I chose a lovely full arrangement of flowers. The flowers looked great when put them on our table at home.

But it gets better.

My daughter this morning texted me that she put $20 in my wallet to cover the cost of the flowers. I was not expecting that from her. It seems that kindness can rub off on people. Seems like our parenting skills are paying off.

But wait there’s more!

I returned today to pay the flower lady the $20 for the bouquet (which is a good deal for the amount of flowers btw). She was smiling and thanked me for the payment. Before we walked away, she handed my son a large yellow daisy.

Just because.

Kindness is contagious. This stranger trusted me. I could have chosen to not pay her back. But the guilt would have eaten at me every time I drove past her. Because I’m not that type of person- I could never have done that.

Instead, I will have a smile in my heart when I see the back of her van propped open and buckets of flowers placed around her feet.

More Than Just Making Dinner

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Last night our middle daughter helped me to make dinner. She peeled and cut the potatoes while I prepped the schnitzel. During that time we did more than just prepare dinner. We talked.

She had questions about credit cards, loans, mortgages, interest rates, RRSP’s, and taxes. Interesting topics for a girl about to turn 14. But ones that I tried to explain over dinner prep.

It made me realize that money is a topic that isn’t taught as well as it should be. Even I don’t always think clearly about my spending.

Sometimes I spend frivolously. Other times I save pennies. But the hunt for big payouts and wads of cash are long since behind me. I work because I enjoy my job and it pays very well. Our mortgage is being paid down and one day we should be debt-free.

Explaining to our daughter that some debt is “good debt” was important. Telling her to save up and buy products without going into debt is also important. Having to explain taxes, sucked, but is important as well.

I hope that our daughter understands a bit more about finances now. As well, she made good mashed potatoes for dinner.

I Wish I Was a Sellout 

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The idea that people work hard to become successful isn’t something new. What I find frustrating is people who call them “sellouts” when they do become successful. 


I have zero chance of becoming a “sellout”. I work hard at my job, but that’s so I can pay my bills. I enjoy my blog posts, but I don’t think I could make money off of them.  Mostly because I’m not trying to sell anything through my writing. My posts are mostly for me- like a diary of sorts.


Occasionally I add in a link or a reference to a company or show that I like. I’m not expecting kickbacks or money. But I wouldn’t say no… you gotta start somewhere. Maybe I can get promoted by Swiffer? I may have to change the title of my blog post though. 

Swiffer presents: Cleaning It Up As I Go.

It’s doable.

What is the Balance of My Time?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Time is precious.  My time is extremely valuable to me and especially to those I care about. My children, my wife, and my friends all get a piece of my time. Work also gets some of that time. But have I achieved a balance?


I have 168 hours a week to offer up.

Work gets 48 hours a week of my time. Two full days out of the seven.

8 hours is devoted to driving to and from work as well for the week.

56 hours is spent sleeping. Maybe more. Maybe.

That leaves 56 hours for my friends and family. That is exactly 1/3 of my time. That time is extremely valuable to me. In fact, I cannot think of a price to put on it. I would gladly give up my job or sleep before I give up the time I have for those I care about.

At the end of every week, my family comes first.  At the end of every workday, I walk away proud of what I did that day. At the end of every sleep, I am ready to do it all again each and every day. 

I feel I have created a healthy work/life balance.

Six

Posted on by Josef Havelka

It happened suddenly and without warning. It wasn't until I looked at my salary that it actually hit me. After all is said and done, I somehow make six figures a year. No, it's not a brag in this day and age either. It's just an observation really. A fact I never tried to accomplish.

I am far from educated so that never got me very far. Life has always been a push or even a struggle to get up that hill into adulthood. Pinching pennies, spending long hours working, having a plan, sticking to a budget. All of it with goals in mind. Not all of the goals involved money.

I never sought money as a reason to work. Of course money is noice and affords me the lifestyle I want to live. But working for money? Not my thing. I have been enjoying work because of the challenges it presents me. Jobs lose their luster and thrill after a while but my current job has so many avenues available to me, I really don't know where I may end up.

So, I set my goals. Next year? Travel as much as possible. The year after? Put money into upgrading the home. The year after that? Help our oldest with post secondary education. The year after that? More travel. The work I get paid to do helps promote my plans. Sixth year? Seems like it will hit me fast.

Work goals? Learn as much as possible whenever possible. Share my knowledge with others. Help others achieve their goals. Make a difference in how the work environment feels. None of that sounds too lofty. Nor does it feel like a corporate ladder to climb. I figure if something interests me, I'll work towards it.

Debt Shouldn’t be Embarrassing.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

On my drive home from work tonight I was listening to SiriusXM Insight and they were talking about student loan debt.  I caught the last 30 minutes of the program, but the stories all shared a similar tone.  Debt is embarrassing and really hard to get out of. Which holds true for the majority of us who have debt.

I never took out student loans.  But I also never *really* attended post secondary school.  I had started, but was in a car accident a couple of months in and fell behind.  That’s my excuse that I tell people. The real reason is that I couldn’t afford to go to school.  My parents hadn’t set aside savings for me, and I didn’t see the need to go into debt.  Quickly in the first semester I realized that the instructors wanted us to buy their $200 books and then regurgitate their thoughts back at them in order to get a diploma or degree. I wasn’t ready to conform to society at that point.


So I left post secondary school to work and have fun.  But being a gas station jockey didn’t bring in enough money to live and have fun. I wanted to see friends and party whenever possible.  So I did the next logical step.  No- I didn’t become a drug dealer. I got a VISA card.  I even wrote about debt a while back in Monday Money. Accumulating debt isn’t fun.  Maybe for a brief moment as you enjoy a new toy or experience.  But paying it off years later sucks.


My wife and I have debt. Some of it I consider “good debt” like the mortgage on our home. Some is “necessary debt” like needing to replace the roof on the house. Most debt isn’t good.  We could have done without a new piano ten years ago.  Even though we took out a loan for it, it was paid in full only two years later.  We tend to buy a new vehicle every few years. We would take out a loan for 5-8 years but pay it off in 3. But we carry credit card debt from time to time.  And that sucks. Compound interest sucks.

But why can’t we talk about debt with our friends?  Why can’t I tell people about the times that I’ve felt overwhelmed?  Is it pride?  Is it a fear that I’ll be found out?  Is it that I fear that I’d appear to be a disappointment to my children and family? I don’t know.  Debt sucks.  I don’t care if I die in debt.  It’s not a goal mind you, but if it happens, oh well- I’d be dead.


As I write this up in my bedroom, my daughter is playing on the piano downstairs.  She is playing near perfection a song I’ve never known her to play.  And I love it. A song I recognize as “Take That Look Off Your Face” by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It resonates through our home.  It pulls from my memory all of the wonderful things I have done and bought over the years. If the cosmos had aligned properly, she’d be playing “Memories” instead.

So I stand corrected, sometimes going into debt is good for you.  I bought an Andrew Lloyd Webber CD as a young adult. We bought the piano years ago. And now, I am typing this post on a cellphone (that I wanted because I love technology) I’m completely in love with everything about this moment.  All of this accumulation of my feelings isn’t embarrassing debt.  

So why should we be embarrassed?

Train Garden

Posted on by Josef Havelka


Back in the summer of 2008, a year after we had moved into our home, we decided (mostly with my influence) to build a trainset in our garden instead of a pond. We cut down some trees and built up the ground to lay the tracks. It was a lot of time and a lot of fun.  The kids were happy to help out in building it and watching it run.  Plus at ages 2,4 & 6 playing in dirt is always the best.


Over the years, many changes have occurred to the train garden.  Some of it was just trial and error as I figured out how to make it look good and continue to run. Some were just for fun.  I’ve reconfigured the loops twice, built new bridges, placed bricks under the tracks to keep it level and even added in a small tunnel.  We have had issues with moles, birds and even a snake trying to make a home out of the garden. 


But the biggest hurdle is that I haven’t figured out how to keep the engines running smoothly. The tracks are outside all year and the electrical connection drops in various parts.  This has caused excessive wear on the motors on both of my engines.  I’ve had to replace the motors a few times now.  My next option is to buy a battery pack- like the type used for RC cars. And of course a remote control to help run them. A remote that can eventually be used to control every aspect of the railroad.  From lights to sounds to even lining switches. That way I can use the power source that I currently have to add some lighting to buildings or other structures. I love scale models of scenery shots. They’re so much fun to set up.

Our next biggest hurdle is money for my project.  It would seem that whenever a bit of extra fun is wanted, something more serious rears its ugly head.  Unfortunately this time it appears that our washing machine has decided to leak from who-knows-where.  I’ve tried to take it apart to find the source of the leak, but to no avail.  Looks like a new washer is about to be purchased in a couple of days.  


Or we can just enjoy stinky, dirty clothes and have a cool trainset for the summer.  I’ll let my wife decide.  I know my choice. 

Woo-woo!

Mo’ Money

Posted on by Josef Havelka

“I don’t know what they want from me.  It’s like the more money we come across the more problems we see.”

Thank you late 90’s for such a classic song lyric.

I don’t think I have those problems.  Simply because the mo’ money I come across, the quicker it disappears from my bank account.  Since I am aware that this happens- it’s not creating mo’ problems. But then the song wouldn’t sound as good if those were the lyrics.


Pretty sure if my wife and I liquidated all of our physical assets we would have plenty of money to spend… on buying stuff to replenish what we sold.  The fact that money doesn’t really exist anyways is a strange concept.  Money is just numbers used to add value to a product or service.  

Perhaps one day the term “money” will disappear.  Along with banks and corruption.  But I doubt it would happen in my lifetime unless Tyler Durden became a real person.


The first rule of Fight Club is You do not talk about Fight Club.  Even 18 years later, should that rule still apply?

This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time.

The Yearly Pilgrimage 

Posted on by Josef Havelka

It’s upon us.  The US Thanksgiving followed by Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

The sales ideology has slowly spread into Canada.  More and more stores are offering deals on many things from clothing to electronics in order to compete with our southern cousins.  It really is the first (or last) big push to drive sales before Christmas.  Door crashers and limited time offers for this weekend only.

I admit to being involved in this as well.  However, the one or two items I researched or desired did not truly grab hold of my attention, let alone my money.  Simply because of two things that I decided to process prior to tomorrow taking hold.

  1. Do I really need it?
  2. Is it worth going into debt for it?

After answering both those questions with a NO, it occurred to me that the hype was pulling me in too much.  I don’t need stuff to make me or my family happy.  If we don’t get something that isn’t a necessity we will survive just fine. Even if an item is a good deal, does putting it on credit or dipping into my over draft really going to save me any more money?


I’m not telling you how to spend or save your money.  If you’re like me and have a family, sometimes the pressure of supplying a fantastic Christmas or birthday can stress you out.  But it’s not all about how much you spend or how much you receive.  It’s about sharing joy. Joy that can come from a simple hand made item and a hug.  Joy that you see in the eyes of the ones whom you love.  Joy is what you make it out to be.

So remember if you partake in Black Friday deals, you are helping to boost the economy.  You are probably also saving money on those electionics and toys.  And whomever is on the receiving end of the gifts will probably be grateful in some way.  Just do your best to remain calm and kind to everyone else out there this weekend.  

Monday Money

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Saving money is tough.  My work offers shares to the employees.  I take advantage of this and use it as a savings/emergency fund.  It’s a great way for me to pay off lump sums towards bills or entertainment.  However, I do wish that I could just leave it alone and let it accumulate for my family’s future.

So how does one save money and pay down debt at the same time?


There are many at my work that use the funds from our shares/stocks and move it around into other stock.  My knowledge of those markets is poor to say the least.  My other fear is that I’ll take a few thousand dollars and lose it all on a gamble.  Since I don’t play lotteries or go to the casino, gambling isn’t in my nature.  So quick gains like that won’t happen for me.  Even though I listen regularly to the Financial News, they say hindsight is 20/20.  So how do I get my money to make me money?

I really despise having credit cards.  There is no set interest rate. I’ve had cards at 12%, 18%, even as high as 28%.  So for every $100 of accumulated debt I would be paying back $128 if I can’t pay off the entire balance for a year. This is the rut that most people fall into.  You pay only part of it down, but the interest goes on top of the accumulated interest and debt.  Making your debt grow.  At first it starts off small, but then it can get overwhelming.


I got my first credit card in 1996 at age 20.  It had an $800 limit.  As soon as I got it in my possession, I used it.   I bought a brand new Nintendo 64 and a bass guitar.  I do not own either of those things anymore.  It took me years to pay off that debt.  But it started a cycle in my spending habits.  Rack up debt, freak out about not having money, get a windfall of some sort, pay off debt, plan on never doing it again, get a new card, rack up debt…  But why?

My wife and I try to teach our children abut saving money.  They have each earned money and saved for months/years to get something they really wanted, then start the savings process all over again.  But why can’t we follow our own advice?  I really don’t know.  Sometimes it’s just the convenience of pulling out a credit card to buy gas or groceries.  Other times it’s the sudden unexpected cost of a repair or incidental.  But rarely is it a spontaneous purchase of a luxury item.  We save up for those.

But if saving for a new iPhone or TV is easy to do, why can’t we live without that for an extra year or two and get our finances in control?  That seems to be the age old question.  The balance of want vs need.  The idea that life won’t really pass us by if we just wait a bit longer.

We’ll just keep trudging along, trying to gain a foothold in this crazy world, much like everyone else.