2006 Happy New Year!!!

Well the New Year is here and it is beginning just like the old one ended ... buried in paperwork ... Mine ... Yours ... and everyone else's ... LOL

End of the Year, time to work on my Quarterly Networth Spreadsheets, time to work on Income Taxes for 2005, time to gather all that information and then do something with it. It is also time to look at what was spent and figure out how this year's budget will fare. It is also that time of year when the annual bills come due - County Taxes ($1,005.52), Long Term Care Insurance ($567.12), along with the usual credit cards, utilities and so on and so forth.

Plus National Grid (power company) has announced that everyone's electric bills will rise by at least $10 per month beginning in January due to the high cost of natural gas to generate electricity and this past year's supply disruptions. This on top of scheduled rate increases of 3.6% in April '06 and 1.3% in June '06. The thing is - National Grid does not supply me with electricity, I buy mine from a third party. All National Grid does is deliver the electricity to me, yet I think I will still be hit with all the increases and that does not sound logical to me. I can see the scheduled rate increases since they concern the delivery side more than the supply side, but the $10 increase is primarily the supply side and if my supply does not come from them why should I have to pay the increase? As it is my monthly budget is increasing to $157 from $121, now they are saying it will go to $167? Sounds like I am being screwed. I guess I will have to wait and see what the January bill says.

Still have to decide about Texas...whether I shall travel there for a visit or not. Again it comes down to money. Even though my Mutual Funds did very well - last quarter's payouts - those funds if I am careful will last me for the next four months and I won't have to sell anything...if I spend wildly then I will have to sell something. I probably should wait until I do my Taxes before deciding...we'll see.

I have three options (actually four) now;

#1 - fly to Texas for a week or so, meeting Gypsy* there too as sort of a Family Reunion, then returning to New York, or...
#2 - fly to Texas for a week or so, meeting Gypsy* there too as sort of a Family Reunion, then fly to California spend a week or so there with Gypsy* & her friends, then return to New York, or ...
#3 - fly to California and then drive to Texas in Gypsy's* truck, spend time in Texas and then drive back to California before returning to New York.
#4 - do nothing stay in New York and don't go to Texas.

All but #4 will cost me money. Money I'm not sure I want to spend as of yet. I shall have to weigh the pro's and con's and decide.

* - Name withheld on request.