The past week has been a flurry of lawyer visits, paperwork gathering, and overtime. The lawyer has advised us to basically refile EVERYTHING all over again, because that is the only way to prevent a deportation trial. If things go so far as a trial there is a very good chance we could lose and be forced to file for voluntary leave. And we seriously considered moving to England without a penny to our name just to avoid this hassle! But Darling desperately wants to complete his renewable energy degree, so we're fighting tooth and nail to stay.
Re-filing costs about $1500 (excluding lawyer bills). So we had seven days to earn that, seven days before a trial might be scheduled. I was in practical agony yesterday when it came to deciding who to call on for help. On the one hand, family loans are sketchy; it's so easy to burn bridges and hurt relationships. On the other hand, I consider myself an anti-credit industry activist. Wandering down to the Money Box and asking for a PayDay Loan felt like inforgivable hypocracy. I tried to cash out my ING investment account, but couldn't for the life of me figure out HOW. Finally, I called my brother and sister-in-law, who happily delivered $1000 cash (which they insist was sitting in their bank account) to my doorstep this morning. They should be paid back by the 15th. I can't express how grateful I am to them, especially since will also most likely co-sponsor Darling for me.
Immigrants require sponsors to come to the country in any situation (as far as I'm aware). The sponsor is responsible for making sure that immigrant doesn't become dependent on the state for support once offered residency. Since I don't have proof of a yearly income of over $17,000 the government considers me incapable of supporting my husband. Despite the fact that we've survived just fine for the first four years...
So in the past week I've worked 40 hours, spent quite a bit of time collecting sheets of paper, having passport photos taken, and basically flipping out. Hopefully by this time next week this will be sorted ONCE AND FOR ALL. And in three months my precious husband will be legally permited to enter the workforce (on a part-time basis) and we will have some emergency funds put aside!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
INS Rears Its Ugly Head...
Television and movies make immigration look laughably easy. So many of my friends and coworkers, whenever I mention my expensive battles with Homeland Security, are surprised that even temporary residency is such an ordeal. "You're married," they point out, "Isn't that the beginning and end of it?"
Ah, no. No it is not. Smuggling gay figure skaters into the country via Vegas weddings is slightly more challenging than episodes of Friends would have you think. Legally living with the love of your life is far more challenging than I ever imagined. I'm beginning to think of INS as a layabout, distant cousin who calls every once in a while requiring another few hundred dollars "just one last time." This bureaucratic machine has lost and double charged us for paperwork while being slow, unresponsive, deceptive, and confusing. Not only has it cost us thousands of dollars in lawyer bills and fees, but it has pointlessly barred my husband from working for more than two of the past four years of our marriage.
And that was before we slipped up this February and filed the wrong paperwork!
Since no one informed us of our mistake, we missed the deadline to file the correct paperwork, and now we need a lawyer to sort the mess out. I talked with a promising candidate on the phone yesterday, and Darling is going in for a free consultation today. I really hope she will be understanding of our situation and know how to solve our problem quickly, and be okay with the fact that we just don't have any extra cash this month...
Ah, no. No it is not. Smuggling gay figure skaters into the country via Vegas weddings is slightly more challenging than episodes of Friends would have you think. Legally living with the love of your life is far more challenging than I ever imagined. I'm beginning to think of INS as a layabout, distant cousin who calls every once in a while requiring another few hundred dollars "just one last time." This bureaucratic machine has lost and double charged us for paperwork while being slow, unresponsive, deceptive, and confusing. Not only has it cost us thousands of dollars in lawyer bills and fees, but it has pointlessly barred my husband from working for more than two of the past four years of our marriage.
And that was before we slipped up this February and filed the wrong paperwork!
Since no one informed us of our mistake, we missed the deadline to file the correct paperwork, and now we need a lawyer to sort the mess out. I talked with a promising candidate on the phone yesterday, and Darling is going in for a free consultation today. I really hope she will be understanding of our situation and know how to solve our problem quickly, and be okay with the fact that we just don't have any extra cash this month...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
On Learning New Skills
I've been shuffling my life around a bit trying to find more time to relax, organize, and enjoy my home. A friend has taught me to knit, and I've received more than a few strange looks on the bus and during work breaks as I practice my first scarf. It may be 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but drought or no drought it's practically fall and time to start thinking about holiday gifts...
I've decided to try and learn one skill a month (until I know how to do everything ever). This month I learned to drive a standard vehicle and knit, and both experiences were extremely empowering. Granted, I haven't mastered either yet, but learning new skills won't preclude developing old ones.
The best part? Learning can be free. Crafting friends enjoy sharing their knowledge and tools - my knitting buddy is ecstatic to have someone to sit, chat, and work with. A friend on the verge of getting his Aikido teaching certification has offered free lessons to Darling and myself so he can practice leading a small class. Last week our neighbor discovered her young son is learning Flash in art class. She discussed with his teacher her desire to learn this tool in order to improve her resume, and was offered free one-on-one lessons! FLASH courses at the local college cost over $200 for only four classes of instruction! (She could also learn Flash, and other web developing tools, on this amazing website). Some skills can be learned at the library - that's how I picked up most of my budgeting, gardening, and cooking knowledge.
Many volunteer jobs offer great learning opportunities: The Yellow Bike Project offers volunteers the tools and knowlege to build and maintain their own bicycles, and an East Austin group called Blackland seeks sustainable builders (awesome experience for my NABCEP husband).
In some instances it's possible to get paid to learn. My first job at an exotic bird aviary taught me everything I could want to know about caring for, breeding, and training feathered friends. Working as a Barista taught me to trully appreciate, select, and prepare quality coffee drinks. Darling's job in a Virginia game store taught him more than he ever wanted to know about E-Bay and the American postal system.
And if we wanted to spend a little cash for a good grounding in a more obscure area of study? Most college offer "inforal" courses in topics ranging from Private Pilot Airplane ($76 at University of Texas) to Basic Blacksmithing ($100 at Austin Community College).
The only real financial drawback when it comes to developing new skills is the inevitable collecting of new tools. I hinted at my desire to knit for years, just waiting for someone to offer me dusty needles from their grandmother's storage unit, or to uncover a kit at a Goodwill. Didn't happen, and I'll be investing in needles and yarn early next month. And it's not likely I'll find a cheesemaking kit on the way to work, or a sewing machine on Craigslist free advertisements. However, if my lessons are primarily productive in nature, it's possible they'll pay for themselves in the long run.
I've decided to try and learn one skill a month (until I know how to do everything ever). This month I learned to drive a standard vehicle and knit, and both experiences were extremely empowering. Granted, I haven't mastered either yet, but learning new skills won't preclude developing old ones.
The best part? Learning can be free. Crafting friends enjoy sharing their knowledge and tools - my knitting buddy is ecstatic to have someone to sit, chat, and work with. A friend on the verge of getting his Aikido teaching certification has offered free lessons to Darling and myself so he can practice leading a small class. Last week our neighbor discovered her young son is learning Flash in art class. She discussed with his teacher her desire to learn this tool in order to improve her resume, and was offered free one-on-one lessons! FLASH courses at the local college cost over $200 for only four classes of instruction! (She could also learn Flash, and other web developing tools, on this amazing website). Some skills can be learned at the library - that's how I picked up most of my budgeting, gardening, and cooking knowledge.
Many volunteer jobs offer great learning opportunities: The Yellow Bike Project offers volunteers the tools and knowlege to build and maintain their own bicycles, and an East Austin group called Blackland seeks sustainable builders (awesome experience for my NABCEP husband).
In some instances it's possible to get paid to learn. My first job at an exotic bird aviary taught me everything I could want to know about caring for, breeding, and training feathered friends. Working as a Barista taught me to trully appreciate, select, and prepare quality coffee drinks. Darling's job in a Virginia game store taught him more than he ever wanted to know about E-Bay and the American postal system.
And if we wanted to spend a little cash for a good grounding in a more obscure area of study? Most college offer "inforal" courses in topics ranging from Private Pilot Airplane ($76 at University of Texas) to Basic Blacksmithing ($100 at Austin Community College).
The only real financial drawback when it comes to developing new skills is the inevitable collecting of new tools. I hinted at my desire to knit for years, just waiting for someone to offer me dusty needles from their grandmother's storage unit, or to uncover a kit at a Goodwill. Didn't happen, and I'll be investing in needles and yarn early next month. And it's not likely I'll find a cheesemaking kit on the way to work, or a sewing machine on Craigslist free advertisements. However, if my lessons are primarily productive in nature, it's possible they'll pay for themselves in the long run.
Friday, September 19, 2008
4-Day Vacation
After realizing I'd worked over 20 days in a row, I took a few days off. Well, four to be exact! I had a lot of errands to run and people to catch up with, not to mention a house to knock back into shape. I'm trying to get back into flylady, so the fast couple of days I've worked on developing a morning routine which includes checking all of my e-mail and phone messages (I habitually go weeks without checking my phone messages) and meditating, basically making myself shape the day instead of chasing panicked thought after sudden desire from morning till midnight and never getting anything done.
This morning I planted chard and, tomorrow I plant a lettuce mix and we will officially have 50 sq. feet of salad growing in our back yard. I can't wait to have fresh veg for our green smoothies, which I've been making every morning since a friend gifted me with her old blender last week. Who knew something so green and sludgy could taste just like raspberry orange juice?
Financially we are no longer in a hole, but sort of barely scraping by. It will be something of a relief to get back to work tomorrow and bring home some rent money. But these days of catching up with my non-work life have been a huge relief!
This morning I planted chard and, tomorrow I plant a lettuce mix and we will officially have 50 sq. feet of salad growing in our back yard. I can't wait to have fresh veg for our green smoothies, which I've been making every morning since a friend gifted me with her old blender last week. Who knew something so green and sludgy could taste just like raspberry orange juice?
Financially we are no longer in a hole, but sort of barely scraping by. It will be something of a relief to get back to work tomorrow and bring home some rent money. But these days of catching up with my non-work life have been a huge relief!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Hurricane Ike
My news from Hurricane Ike comes from my Mom, noontime phone calls placed two hours from the disaster zone. Entire towns have lost electricity, she tells me, though fortunately not hers. The town I grew up in has totally shut down: no schools or grocery stores, and no banks. Very few people have jobs to go to, even fewer can get to whatever money they have. The many, many families living paycheck to paycheck are tentatively evacuating the area in search of short-term employment. The streets of Austin are crowded and has almost a festive atmosphere...Here, the weather is cool and breezy, sunny and and perfect.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Great Debt News!
This morning Darling's sister called and said our debt is forgiven. Even though we still owe her $800 (out of the original $2,500), she feels we have repaid enough. Considering that money paid for our wedding (mostly Darling's plane ticket to the states and my mom's ticket to Virginia), we will never actually be able to really repay her. But she no longer wants any checks.
Which means we only have my student loans left to pay back! When we married, we owed $1800 in immigration lawyer bills, owed Darling's family $2500, and owed my college $2300. None of these creditors charged us interest, but we paid as much as we could without neglecting my student loan debt (originally $15,520). Now we only have $13,500.28 in debt and we can start hitting that hard! Since we started paying back debt in August of 2006, we have paid close to $10,000. That's about a quarter of our net earnings for that time period! And now, for the first time, I can really see the light at the end of the tunnel :)
Which means we only have my student loans left to pay back! When we married, we owed $1800 in immigration lawyer bills, owed Darling's family $2500, and owed my college $2300. None of these creditors charged us interest, but we paid as much as we could without neglecting my student loan debt (originally $15,520). Now we only have $13,500.28 in debt and we can start hitting that hard! Since we started paying back debt in August of 2006, we have paid close to $10,000. That's about a quarter of our net earnings for that time period! And now, for the first time, I can really see the light at the end of the tunnel :)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Diary Of A Gig
A couple of weeks ago I was contacted about my personal "chef" ad on craigslist. Although my potential client did not fit my target audience, he and I agreed that I'd cook for him as long as we both felt good about the situation. Basically, I wanted to cook lots of food for lots of money, and he neither wanted to cook for himself at all or go hungry. We acknowledged from he beginning that our priorities were a little asymmetrical, as he didn't want to devote much money to the deal
I went out of my way and worked on the cheap for J because I liked him, his energy, and his kitchen. But his price range was too little to replace my waitress income. I had to juggle both jobs, totally neglecting my non-work life in the meantime. By Thursday I was torn, tired, and mad with guilt. Taking the counsel of my friend R, I e-mailed him a letter to resign, but offered to come in one last time Friday.
Without R and Darling's encouragement, I never would have offered to do that. I felt guilty and shamed: like a failure. Loved ones insisted on proffessionalism, but I didn't see anything proffessional about the situation. I felt like a dumb kid who bit off more than she could chew and wanted out. I was convinced there was no way I'd actually go in for my last day after quiting, but somehow I did. I did the job like I had all week, with special care and consideration and yes - extreme enjoyment - because I really liked the gig.
And J took it really well, listened to my honest expalanation and seemed to totally understand and appreciate my position. He then mentioned that his bed and breakfast - located in New Zealand - is lacking the "breakfast" bit and he would love to have me and Darling help rectify that, if we should ever want to spend time there.
So in the act of admitting my limits and honestly acknowledging my needs, I may have landed a great job in a beautiful foreign country. I told J to keep in touch, my husband and I might be planning an extended trip upon graduation. In the meantime, I should work on further developing my domestic skills.
I went out of my way and worked on the cheap for J because I liked him, his energy, and his kitchen. But his price range was too little to replace my waitress income. I had to juggle both jobs, totally neglecting my non-work life in the meantime. By Thursday I was torn, tired, and mad with guilt. Taking the counsel of my friend R, I e-mailed him a letter to resign, but offered to come in one last time Friday.
Without R and Darling's encouragement, I never would have offered to do that. I felt guilty and shamed: like a failure. Loved ones insisted on proffessionalism, but I didn't see anything proffessional about the situation. I felt like a dumb kid who bit off more than she could chew and wanted out. I was convinced there was no way I'd actually go in for my last day after quiting, but somehow I did. I did the job like I had all week, with special care and consideration and yes - extreme enjoyment - because I really liked the gig.
And J took it really well, listened to my honest expalanation and seemed to totally understand and appreciate my position. He then mentioned that his bed and breakfast - located in New Zealand - is lacking the "breakfast" bit and he would love to have me and Darling help rectify that, if we should ever want to spend time there.
So in the act of admitting my limits and honestly acknowledging my needs, I may have landed a great job in a beautiful foreign country. I told J to keep in touch, my husband and I might be planning an extended trip upon graduation. In the meantime, I should work on further developing my domestic skills.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Opportunity missed, Priority Shift
Yuck! I was so excited about that gym interview tomorrow - and I got a message today informing me that the position is already filled :(
Cooking for someone else all for the past few days, however, as well as reading 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, has me thinking about my real priorities. My plan was to work both jobs, possibly full time, in order to maximize my earning potential. Now I'm wondering what's keeping me from cooking good meals everyday for my Darling and focusing on doing really well at one job and schoolwork. The things I really love to do - gardening, hanging out with friends, blogging, visiting with family - have taken less and less precedence in my life. I'd like to take steps to amend that, and maybe seeking more income via longer hours is not the way to go.
Cooking for someone else all for the past few days, however, as well as reading 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, has me thinking about my real priorities. My plan was to work both jobs, possibly full time, in order to maximize my earning potential. Now I'm wondering what's keeping me from cooking good meals everyday for my Darling and focusing on doing really well at one job and schoolwork. The things I really love to do - gardening, hanging out with friends, blogging, visiting with family - have taken less and less precedence in my life. I'd like to take steps to amend that, and maybe seeking more income via longer hours is not the way to go.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Sleepy, soon to be insured
Yikes, it's been a mad couple of days. Up at 6:30-7:00 in the morning, back to bed well after midnight. I miss spending time with my Darling!!! I am, however, becoming quite skillful with my friend's standard vehicle, though I still stall at red lights sometimes. Only when there's someone behind me making me nervous, of course. I need bumper stickers that say, "back off, this is my 3rd/4th/5th day driving stick."
Today I got my employee insurance paperwork, which is very exciting. I'll be reading that information to help me sleep tonight. Health, dental, and life, oh my! It's a good thing I'm looking to increase our earnings. I'm not opting out of anything. Now if only HR would just schedule that 401(k) meeting I'll be all set...
Today I got my employee insurance paperwork, which is very exciting. I'll be reading that information to help me sleep tonight. Health, dental, and life, oh my! It's a good thing I'm looking to increase our earnings. I'm not opting out of anything. Now if only HR would just schedule that 401(k) meeting I'll be all set...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
3rd Party Charges
My cooking gig starts tomorrow and I have still have yet to receive confirmation on transportation nor pay rate! Watch me purse my lips and determine that everything will work out...
For Christmas last year I took charge of my Mom's telephone situation. My mother had little difficulty in this area until she helped my little sister get a cell phone. My little sister never paid a single bill, and is now pursued around the world by collectors at the devil-may-care age of 18. When Mom couldn't cover my sister's excess, her own phone line was deactivated. When Mom tried getting a new connection, she was told her credit was too appalling and would have to pay hundreds of dollars in deposits. While this wouldn't likely happen in many parts of the United States, certain companies still do hold monopolies in rural areas with high levels of poverty.
So I stepped in, had a new line set up in my own name, and take full responsibility in billing to protect my own credit. Mom pays about half of this bill, so it's not that big a deal most of the time.
This month was frustrating because the bill practically doubled for no reason. We discovered fraudulent 3rd Party Charges, and have had to call these sham companies to demand credit to our phone account. The most annoying part is that it is totally free to "block" third party charges. The only downside is that Mom won't be able to accept collect calls. Still, you'd think the company would have mentioned that when setting up an account. Imagine opening an account with a bank, and finding out a year later that it has neither password nor verification process. "You mean you didn't want just anyone to come in and take money from you? You wanted a lock on your assets?" the bank gasps when you demand to know why they let total strangers wander into your vault. Then the bank suggests you find those thieves and demand your money back - and to please pay this overdraft fee!
For Christmas last year I took charge of my Mom's telephone situation. My mother had little difficulty in this area until she helped my little sister get a cell phone. My little sister never paid a single bill, and is now pursued around the world by collectors at the devil-may-care age of 18. When Mom couldn't cover my sister's excess, her own phone line was deactivated. When Mom tried getting a new connection, she was told her credit was too appalling and would have to pay hundreds of dollars in deposits. While this wouldn't likely happen in many parts of the United States, certain companies still do hold monopolies in rural areas with high levels of poverty.
So I stepped in, had a new line set up in my own name, and take full responsibility in billing to protect my own credit. Mom pays about half of this bill, so it's not that big a deal most of the time.
This month was frustrating because the bill practically doubled for no reason. We discovered fraudulent 3rd Party Charges, and have had to call these sham companies to demand credit to our phone account. The most annoying part is that it is totally free to "block" third party charges. The only downside is that Mom won't be able to accept collect calls. Still, you'd think the company would have mentioned that when setting up an account. Imagine opening an account with a bank, and finding out a year later that it has neither password nor verification process. "You mean you didn't want just anyone to come in and take money from you? You wanted a lock on your assets?" the bank gasps when you demand to know why they let total strangers wander into your vault. Then the bank suggests you find those thieves and demand your money back - and to please pay this overdraft fee!
Friday, September 5, 2008
On The Subject Of Earnings...
Darling does not have his green card right now. His original expired in February, and although he has jumped through all the necessary hoops, his application for renewal is "pending." Although he finished the job he had when his card expired, job hunting without a card is generally frowned upon. So that is why he is not contributing financially. My experience with Homeland Security leads me to suspect it will "be in the mail" for six months, and he should receive it in January of 2009.
I have no problem with this whatsoever. The man cooks most meals and cleans, pampers, and cares for me. He supports me in every conceivable way. Despite totally depending on me financially, he never discourages me from taking time off or risks, exploring tentative opportunities or considering lower paid, less stressful jobs. He never complains when I put large sums of money in savings and declare it "$10 grocery bill week" or whines about not having enough money to have fun with. He has made many, many sacrifices to be my involuntary stay-at-home husband, and I love him so much for that.
I have no problem with this whatsoever. The man cooks most meals and cleans, pampers, and cares for me. He supports me in every conceivable way. Despite totally depending on me financially, he never discourages me from taking time off or risks, exploring tentative opportunities or considering lower paid, less stressful jobs. He never complains when I put large sums of money in savings and declare it "$10 grocery bill week" or whines about not having enough money to have fun with. He has made many, many sacrifices to be my involuntary stay-at-home husband, and I love him so much for that.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Bright Side: Opportunities
Last week I received a response to my craigslist ad offering home-cooked dinners. The wife of a very pampered and wealthy man is leaving the country for two weeks and needs someone to feed him three meals a day five days a week. The past 72 hours have been a flurry of physical and mental activity as I worked to arrange meetings, menus and transport for this gig. Everything seems to be coming together nicely. I'm basically hired, I just need to learn stick (for the car I'm borrowing while a friend is at work) and remind myself I do in fact know how to cook.
I've also been asked to interview at a posh gym cafe downtown. The pay rate isn't too exciting, but one of the perks is a VIP gym membership. I just need to arrange time for an appointment between my new client's meals. I know I have this job already, I've never been denied employment after an interview. A nice morning job at a gym during the week would compliment my weekend waitressing nicely during the restaurant slow season.
I haven't been this busy in years, and it's wearing on me a little, but it is so exciting to be reminded of how many opportunities are available if I just look.
I've also been asked to interview at a posh gym cafe downtown. The pay rate isn't too exciting, but one of the perks is a VIP gym membership. I just need to arrange time for an appointment between my new client's meals. I know I have this job already, I've never been denied employment after an interview. A nice morning job at a gym during the week would compliment my weekend waitressing nicely during the restaurant slow season.
I haven't been this busy in years, and it's wearing on me a little, but it is so exciting to be reminded of how many opportunities are available if I just look.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
A Little Exhausted, A Decreasing Net Worth
Today I was sent home from work and told not to come back until Friday. Why? Because I've worked every day since coming home from Louisiana, which amounts to over 70 hours in nine days and overtime - which my employment does not take kindly to (even though a server's overtime pay is $3.18/hour!). I barely, baaarrrreelly managed to make rent last night, and Darling got it in the bank today. Thank goodness for long weekends!
We are, however, still in a very deep overdraft hole. We also haven't bought groceries since we left for vacation. We still need to pay Mom's phone bill, which is a ridiculous $105 (she is so getting a cell phone soon), and haven't received our utility bills for last month (apparently my landlord is also behind). So the situation is not pretty, but I am being forced to take two days off. And I'll relax whether I want to or not!
We have $604.97 in savings, tied up in our tiny IRA where it is unavailable for emergencies. I'm sure we'll appreciate that someday. In the meantime we owe an immediate $228.26 before we can even think about meeting this month's needs. That plus the $14,307.28 we owe our student loan company and Darling's family brings our current debt to $14,535.54. I have $85 in cash I earned today which will go into the bank tomorrow. I'll also receive a paycheck tomorrow, which will hopefully cover the rest of that overdraft. At the time being, however, our Net Worth is -$13,845.57, $69.41 less than last month. Yuck.
My primary goal this month will be to put aside at least $300 for emergencies. Not the IRA, not debt, nor school, travel, or parties, but EMERGENCIES.
We are, however, still in a very deep overdraft hole. We also haven't bought groceries since we left for vacation. We still need to pay Mom's phone bill, which is a ridiculous $105 (she is so getting a cell phone soon), and haven't received our utility bills for last month (apparently my landlord is also behind). So the situation is not pretty, but I am being forced to take two days off. And I'll relax whether I want to or not!
We have $604.97 in savings, tied up in our tiny IRA where it is unavailable for emergencies. I'm sure we'll appreciate that someday. In the meantime we owe an immediate $228.26 before we can even think about meeting this month's needs. That plus the $14,307.28 we owe our student loan company and Darling's family brings our current debt to $14,535.54. I have $85 in cash I earned today which will go into the bank tomorrow. I'll also receive a paycheck tomorrow, which will hopefully cover the rest of that overdraft. At the time being, however, our Net Worth is -$13,845.57, $69.41 less than last month. Yuck.
My primary goal this month will be to put aside at least $300 for emergencies. Not the IRA, not debt, nor school, travel, or parties, but EMERGENCIES.
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