CB in the City

A new store has opened up in my neighborhood. It's called Wild Fork. I checked it out yesterday on my walk. Turns out it sells frozen food exclusively. Many specialty meats, but there were a lot of fruits and vegetables and desserts as well. I was interested because it's a 15-minute walk away, and if I were to lose my car in the future, I could easily get there on foot. Between that and Walgreens, I could get pretty much everything I need except fresh produce. That would be a little trickier. But for that, I could take a free train ride to a Mariano's. This is all speculative.  I DO have a car, and I'm not planning on getting rid of it. But with the way things are now, you never know, I might have to somewhere down the road.

So anyway, since I spent a lot of time looking around in the store, I felt I needed to purchase something, since helpers kept asking me what I was looking for. I bought a $5 pint of sorbet, which is delicious!

I went to GS1's away game yesterday. I did not ride with DS, because GS2 had been exposed to COVID, and DS was being super cautious. Well, he picked up a nail in his tire and got a flat, so he didn't make it to the game at all. It was just me, holding down the cheering section. And it was a great game! We won by one point in a cliffhanger. Such fun. But it was awfully cold. I was wearing a hoodie topped with a lightweight winter coat, and I was freezing. There is another game today, and I'll dress more warmly.

I swept $1000 into savings yesterday. That officially tops off my emergency fund. Now to save in earnest for the bathroom remodel.

It is one of those gloomy, rainy days.  There hasn't been much letup. I went out this morning to do my routine at the gym and then to the senior center to pick up my frozen dinners. I came home and after lunch, fell asleep. It's just that kind of day. There was a baseball game scheduled this evening, but it has been postponed. I'm sure the field is drenched.

I haven't spent anything today, but yesterday I went to Aldi and spent $32. $25 of that was on groceries, and I also spent $5 on flowers, to dress up my entryway, and $2 on personal-size pizza pans. I will use those for pizzas, but also they will fit well in my toaster oven, when I warm up things.

My mortgage payment was automatically withdrawn from the bank on the 1st, but it didn't appear on the online credit union account. My mortgage has been sold to Fannie Mae (I knew that), and another mortgage company is servicing the loan, but I didn't know where to track my payments and new balance. I called the credit union today and I was directed to web address where I registered and got access to a nice snapshot of the new loan. Whew! I was afraid I was going to be in the dark, making payments to a black hole!

Since I won't be spending anything today, I decided to do my April recap.  It was really a low-spend month -- $1624 total!

Housing - $460 (No mortgage payment due to refinance - it will kick in tomorrow. This is assessment fees.)

Vacation/Travel - $337 (Mostly train tickets)

Utilities - $218

Fees/Services - $110 (Tollway pass, Sam's Club membership fee, license plate renewal)

Groceries - $95

Gifts/Charity - $90 (Charity donation & Easter gifts for grandkids)

Medical/Health - $83 (Premium, co-pay for specialist, probiotics)

Gas - $58

Furnishings/Equipment/Decor - $51 (Bed pillows, spice organizer)

Phone - $31

Household Supplies  - $22 (Toilet paper)

Eating Out/Takeout - $19

Personal - $18

Entertainment - $17

Laundry - $14

Parking - $1

Variables - 106%

So it's weird. My overall spending was low but variables were a little high. I believe that's because my savings were in fixed spending -- most particularly not having to make a mortgage payment.

Not with oranges or bowling pins, but with my budget.  I had previously logged my train tickets as "big ticket" items -- not coming out of variables  -- but after finding out yesterday that my dentist visit was totally covered by insurance, I decided to transfer the train tickets into variables.  That brings variables to 106% -- but my average for the year so far is only 84%, so I think it's a good move.  Big ticket items come out of savings, and I want to preserve that as much as possible.

There was one more cost that went into that variables percentage -- I renewed my license plate registration. It was only $25. As a "senior below a certain income" I get this nice discount. Otherwise, it would be $151.

My bathroom needs a major overhaul. I'm saving for that. Most people would take out a loan, but I'm determined to save for it -- or at least save a big chunk of it. I don't want to pay interest, and I don't want to have another monthly payment. It may take a long time, but I'm patient! And it's always good to have a goal.

After a really awful night's sleep (too much stimulation!) I managed to get up this morning and get to the gym. I also stopped at the doctor's office to pick up a stool testing kit -- so much better than a colonoscopy. On the way home I went through Burger King's drive-through and bought an Impossible burger for $7. And I got gas at Sam's for $27. Variables are at 64%. Tomorrow I go to the dentist, which will not be cheap, but I'm going to try to cash flow it. I'm also going to pick up a beach pass, which is free for the first time this year! Yay! And I'll get my five frozen meals at the senior center.

May just take a nap this afternoon.....

I bought my train tickets this morning. I opted for coach, because it was SO MUCH cheaper than a sleeper. Maybe I'll regret it, but right now I'm looking upon it as an adventure. BFF's SIL has taken this same trip by coach, and she said it wasn't bad at all. Yes, I would prefer to have the privacy of sleeper. If I were rich, that's what I would do. But I'm not rich. I have to do what I can afford. The two tickets, with insurance, were $332. That will come out of savings. It doesn't affect my variables, which remains at 57%.

I picked up my free lunches this morning after my gym routine. There are some repeats and some that are new. I asked the woman who distributes them whether lactose-free milk was an option. She said she didn't have any, but thought it was a good idea, since lactose intolerance is so common, and she's going to ask about it. Since I don't take the milk, I get juice instead, which is fine.

I already ate today's meal. It was spaghetti and meatballs, with peach cobbler on the side. A repeat. It's pretty good.

For some reason, I am unable to submit comments today. So I want to say welcome to Comicguy, and kudos to Amber for cutting down on social media -- it's a rabbit hole! I avoid it, because avoiding it is good for my mental health.

I went out for lunch with my kids and grandkids yesterday. Our tradition is to go to a Mexican restaurant -- they are not so busy on Easter! They wanted to pay for me, but in the end allowed me to contribute $12.

I talked with my Oregon son yesterday and we determined that the best time for me to visit is July. So today I'm going to be looking for a train ticket. The Empire Builder, which travels from Chicago to Portland/Seattle, also stops in Pasco, WA, which is about an hour away from where they live. Wish me luck! A train trip is something I've always wanted to do -- especially now when air travel has become so stressful and unappealing. And I have the luxury of time, so no reason not to take the train.

I have run out of frozen meals (I pick up a new batch tomorrow), so today I actually have to cook something! I think I will make chili. It is cold -- some areas had snow last night -- so it's chili weather.

Okay, that's weird -- I was just able to comment on my own blog, but still can't comment on others.....

On Friday I went to the gym and then to Aldi, where I spent $57 on groceries, and $9 on a tiered shelf to house my spices. Some of them, anyway. I also have a drawerful.

This morning I walked to Walgreens and spent $9 on brow color, and $3 on a package of hot dog buns.

This is the latest of many attempts to find some viable solution for my graying eyebrows , which really don't look good. But everything I've purchased is too dark -- I don't like my brows to stand out in sharp contrast to my hair -- I just want them to look normal! Hoping this time is the charm. I bought a root touch-up with a comb-like applicator in medium brown. I haven't tried it out yet. Fingers crossed.

As for the hot dog buns, when I checked out my free frozen meal for the day I saw that the entree portion was an all-beef hot dog -- but no bun! I simply have to have a bun with my hot dog. Now I have 7 buns in the freezer. I trust that bunless hot dogs will appear on the menu again, and the buns will eventually get used up.

I am giving my local grandkids $10 each for Easter tomorrow.  Netflix has hit my credit card, as well as my annual Sam's club membership fee.  All in all, variables are up to 56%. But I am more than halfway through the month, so that is about right.

Yesterday I went shopping for a winter jacket on clearance. I didn't find one, but I did find bed pillows on sale, so I bought a couple of Sealy Cool Touch pillows. I slept on them last night, and I love them! And they're washable. They were so reasonable -- $42 for the pair.

This morning I walked to Walgreens and bought coffee creamer ($4) and then mailed Easter cards to my Oregon grandkids with $20 in cash inserted.

Variables are at 37%, approximately halfway through the month, so I'm doing well.

I ate my second free frozen lunch yesterday and it was much better than the first -- turkey, sweet potatoes, and peas and carrots. 

I picked up my first batch of free frozen meals today, and I had one for lunch. It was "Mediterranean pork" with Brussels sprouts and escalloped potatoes. It was pretty much like hospital food, before hospital food improved. I'm not complaining, though. Now I know, having tried it, that I need to repurpose it. Today's meal, for instance, could have been used to make stir fry and potato soup.

I was surprised to receive, in addition to the meals, fruit cups, graham crackers, juice boxes and saltines. Those will find their uses as well. I will make a fruit salad tonight, with the free fruit cup and some I have on hand. I do think this will eventually make a dent in my grocery spending.

Yesterday's baseball game did go on as planned. The weather cleared up, and it was actually pretty nice. DS and I arrived late, however, because first of all, the traffic was horrific, and second, the field at this particular location was tucked away in a place where you couldn't see it from either the street or the parking lots. We ended up walking a lot just hoping to stumble upon it. Which was fine -- I needed more steps! The game was lost, but GS1 played well, and that is what is really important to us.

There are games all week, because so many were cancelled due to rain.  Another one today, but it's a home game, so there will be no trekking around.

The other day I went to Sam's after my stint in the gym. I spent $20 on raspberries and apples.  Variables are at 29%.

I received $39 from a class action settlement from State Farm.  I had already received over $100 some time ago, but the letter with the check said I was entitled to more. Yay! Every little bit helps! I can't even remember what the claim was about.

Today GS1 has a baseball game, but we have had so much rain lately, I don't know if it will go on as scheduled.  It is at another suburb, and is scheduled before DS gets off work, so I don't know if he will go.  (He is still working from home.) If he does, we will ride together. If he doesn't, I doubt that I will make the drive.

I got my second COVID booster yesterday at Walgreens. Since I had made the trip, I decided to get anything I was getting low on, to save another trip later. I bought razors ($9) and prebiotics/probiotics ($12).

Today my arm is quite sore and I can only lift it so far. And I am definitely feeling under the weather. But I'm not discouraging anyone from getting the booster! This is a small price to pay for protection, and I'm sure I'll be back to normal tomorrow.

I am just lying around, reading and taking it easy. It's good to have a day like this once in a while!

In other news, I stopped at the senior center to apply for the congregate meal program. I selected the option to pick up 5 frozen dinners once a week. I was inspired to do this by Wink, who has received such wonderful benefits from her senior center! I do wish we received groceries rather than frozen meals, like Wink, but I am willing to take anything to help with the grocery budget. This is a federal program I am eligible for based on my age and income.

So this coming Tuesday, I'll be picking up my first five meals.  I hope they're good!

Yesterday I had a couple of medical appointments. One was an ultrasound, which will cost me $143, but I haven't paid it yet. I will pay it on my payday. The other was a checkup with the surgeon who operated on my ankle 12 years ago. My ankle has been giving me some trouble and my primary care physician suggested I meet with the surgeon. He took x-rays and determined I have arthritis in my ankle. He said I may need to have more surgery in the future, perhaps to replace the pins, but it wouldn't be for a while, as the ankle is holding up well. For now, it's better to just live with the discomfort. I was glad to know nothing was seriously wrong. As for the ultrasound, it was to determine the state of my gallbladder -- which appears to be fine -- but I do have a fatty liver (gross, I know!) It is not necessarily dangerous and is reversible with diet and exercise, so I guess it's back to that again. The best news there is that rapid weight loss is counterproductive, so I need to take it slow. That I can do.

The ankle doctor visit cost me $45. There will probably be another charge for the x-rays.

Shortly, I am going to get my second COVID booster shot. That, at least, is free!

I got home from my friend's house yesterday. She is doing well after her cataract surgery, and we had a good time together. I didn't sleep well the night before my trip home, so I was very tired upon arrival. I didn't do much. I'm trying to catch up on things today.

The cost of my "vacation" was $60, most of it for gas. I spent $18 on food, but BFF provided most of the food.

Here is my March recap:

Housing: $462

Utilities: $218

Furnishings/Eqipment/Decor: $194 (mostly for new phone)

Fees/Services: $189 (Ancestry.com)

Personal: $139 (Haircut, conditioner, Poise pads)

Vacation/Travel: $128 (two trips, one to Michigan, one to Indiana)

Groceries: $97

Medical/Health: $79 (Premium, prescription, probiotics)

Car Repair/Maintenance: $43 (Minor body work, wash)

Eating Out/Takeout: $38

Entertainment: $36 (Board game, streaming)

Phone: $31

Vet/Pet Supplies: $24 (Aquarium supplies)

Gifts/Charity: $23

Gas: $20

Clothing: $17 (Underwear)

Laundry: $16

Household Supplies: $12 (stamps)

Fares/Parking: $3

Grand Total : $1769

Variables: 100%

It was a low-spend month because I didn't have to pay my mortgage. I actually don't have to pay it again until May 1. I have signed up for automatic payment. The housing expense listed is the new adjusted assessment fee.

I have already done a little April spending -- I spent $5 on the way home for breakfast at McDonalds. I've done a load of laundry ($2). I donated to a charity run my DIL is participating in -- $50. And my tollway pass replenished to the tune of $40.  That puts this month's variables at 11%.

I wasn't able to click into entries or add a new entry for several days. I wonder if anyone else had that problem. Anyway, it's working now.

So, in the last 8 days since I posted last, I have done a little spending. 

Eating out - $27 (but I may get $19 back -- my son said he would reimburse me for GS1's lunch)

Groceries - $53

Stamps - $12

Laundry - $4

Aquarium Supplies - $24

Variables are at 91%.

Tomorrow I am heading to BFF's house in Indiana. She is having cataract surgery on Wednesday, and I'm going to chauffeur her and help her out until she feels up to par.  So there will be some travel expense. This is the first time I've been to her house since the pandemic began -- we've met in the middle quite a bit, but it will be nice to actually spend a few days together.

My son and GS2 came over yesterday with a new legacy board game for the three of us to play. I had told my son I would pay for it -- he didn't allow me to do that, but he did accept half, which was $20.

I forgot to mention I got a real expensive lunch at Sam's the other day - $1.50 for a hot dog and .25 for a bottle of water! And today I ran a load of laundry. Variables are now 77%. (I forgot to count the body work in my previous variables report.)

GS1 has a baseball game tomorrow, but it is early afternoon and almost an hour away. I assume my son won't go because he has to work -- unless he has asked for the time off. If he is going, I'll ride along with him, but otherwise I'll pass on this one. Gas is too costly these days. And GS1 will probably not play. 

Today I was put something away in one of my closets and the bar full of hanging clothes collapsed. It's done that before. I decided not to try to fix it. Instead I did a big purge and reshuffling, and now I only have hanging clothes in one place. I have one large bag and two small bags to take to Goodwill, next time I get out in that direction.

I picked up the inhaler yesterday at Walgreens ($30) and also bought two packages of Poise pads for $29. I have re-learned that Poise is the best way to go -- the cheaper brands just don't work as well.

My doctor told me to use the inhaler before bedtime, since that is the worst time for my cough.  I tried it out last night -- it was my first ever go with an inhaler. I'm not sure I did it just right, but I did have a pretty good night. My doctor did not say the word "asthma" but I wonder if that's what's going on with me. If so, I'm happy to pay $30 a month to alleviate this eternal cough.

GS1's baseball started up again last night.  He's now on the high school freshman team.  He was not in the starting lineup so that was a bit of a disappointment.  I left at the fifth inning -- not because GS1 wasn't playing -- I'm happy to support the team -- but because it was SO COLD and I really wasn't dressed for it after such a deceptively warm day.

I got the body work done on the car and it was only $40.  I was pleased.  Also pleased with the work. They did manage to find matching paint so I don't have to worry about ordering some and doing it myself.

Variables are now at 69%.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday -- my annual checkup.  Everything is mostly good but I have some things to follow up on. I'm to make an appointment for an ultrasound of my gallbladder, and to see the surgeon who fixed my broken ankle -- ten years later it is swelling, sometimes painful, and sometimes numb. I'm picking up a prescription this morning for an inhaler to help with my chronic cough.  As for my kidney disease, my GFR has dropped somewhat but the doctor doesn't seem concerned.  I am still in the upper half of stage 3.

I noticed yesterday that someone had scraped my rear bumper, so I went to the body shop to see if it could be buffed out.  The guy I talked to said he could do it, but I have to bring it in today and leave it for two hours.  The shop is within walking distance of Planet Fitness, so I'll go over there and do my strength training.  If I still have time to kill, there is a restaurant where I can hang out with a cup of coffee.

There are a few little spots that need to be painted.  I'll have to order some paint; the shop I went to doesn't carry it.

Speaking of restaurants, I went to Five Guys yesterday and spent $15 on lunch. It wasn't as good as I remembered.

I also spent $3 on a car wash, and $3 on parking.  Variables are at 62%.

So I finally got my letter from the IRS.  Though it still refers to bogus info -- wrong income, dependents that I don't have -- I have figured out that it is actually correct that I received $537 and the $1400 difference is the stimulus payment (DUH!) which I mistakenly claimed as a credit, thinking I was just reporting income. I would like to talk to a live person about the wrong info, but the new phone number is no better than the other, and I can see I will never get through. So I'm letting it go. They have -- somewhere -- my letter in which I was assuming there had been an identity theft, and all the accompanying documentation. I don't know what they'll make of it, since now it doesn't look like identity theft but more like some confusion on the part of the IRS about why the $1400 was denied. I'll let them sort it out. I have the money in hand, and it's the right amount, and that's what counts.

Also, I forgot to report that my refinance was completed last Wednesday! So nice to have that out of the way. I don't have to make a payment till mid-April, which gives me a little break this month.

On the way home from Michigan, my windshield washer fluid stopped squirting. It was snowing and spitting, and I had to stop and clean my windshield manually at a gas station. Today I took the car to Midas -- where I got my oil changed last month -- and had them check it out.  I assumed someone forgot to top it off when I got my oil changed. But not so -- they said there was plenty of fluid in the receptacle, and the mechanism was working fine.  I don't know what happened! It certainly wasn't working on Saturday.

While I was out, I stopped at the gym and did my strength training and then went to Sam's, where I spent $41 on probiotics, bread, hair conditioner and underwear. Variables are now at 59%.

The new phone is working fine, though I did lose all my progress on several games I play. And the $50 late fee was indeed removed from my account. All is well.

I'm home from my short trip to Michigan. It was great to visit with my brother and his family, and I also got to see an old friend who is in assisted living now. His health is precarious, which is hard to see, but I hope the visit brightened his day.

I'm not sure how much I spent on gas, because I forgot to grab one of my receipts, and Discover is only showing the pending amount of $1 for the time being.  So I'm guessing it was $42.  I made two gas stops, because I wanted to fill up before I got back into Illinois. Good move on my part -- gas is about .50 higher per gallon here.

My other spending was $2 on road food, $14 at an antique store, $19 on wine and hand soap (bread & butter gifts) and -- here's the one that makes me sad -- $159 for a new phone. Yes, it turned out to be true that the 5G-compatible phone I bought just a year ago did not weather the 5G upgrade because it is not voice-over LTE (?)  So it was apparently using the 3G network. The guy who sold me the phone at Target said it's all been a big mess, very poorly handled, and he has been selling new phones to a lot of unhappy people.

And of course when my "old" phone conked out, I was on a trip.

What happened was -- the phone was working perfectly except suddenly I could not call or receive calls.  Ironic, huh? Did everything except what a phone is supposed to do. My replacement phone, I was told, is not quite as good -- though I can't tell the difference -- and it is using the 4G network, which I was promised will be viable for several years at least. A truly 5G-compatible phone would have been at least $500. I just couldn't do it.

So the carrier that kept hassling me to get a new phone was right after all. I am quite annoyed because switching over to a new phone is never quite smooth. There are new things to learn and I was happy enough with the way things were. But Consumer Cellular did provide a nice discount on the phone, and it's a Moto G like my old one, so I'm happy about that.

The other annoying thing that happened -- just before I left home, my property management company sent out an email that they goofed up and gave us the wrong numbers on our new monthly assessment fee.  Mine is $2.44 more.  The problem is, two days later, they charged me a $50 late fee because I hadn't changed the automatic payment -- which I didn't do because I was traveling and then transitioning to a new phone. I wrote a scathing email after I managed to get my new phone up and running to pay the flippin' $2.44.  I did not pay the $50. It looks like the late fee has been removed from my account, but I'm going to keep checking. No one actually answered me yet. How annoying is that? Their mistake -- two days notice -- ridiculous. I hope it was something automatic that was corrected.

Well, that's it -- the good, the bad and the ugly. Overall it was still a great trip.

I had a really good time yesterday with BFF in our halfway city. We had lunch at a little diner we hadn't tried before. My lunch was $13, including the tip, so it was very reasonable. Then we shopped around the square. She bought some things, I didn't. But when we went to Goodwill, I did buy three small crockpots for $15. I have found they are ideal to use as humidifiers, much easier than a real humidifier, and I can tuck them into small spaces in various rooms. Winter is almost over, but it was worth it to make this purchase. I also ran into a BOGO sale for the melatonin I use, so I spent $14 for two bottles, and I bought gas for $20. I got it for $3.95 a gallon -- that's about .10 less than the cheapest gas in my area.

My Ancestry.com subscription hit my credit card yesterday. It's $189 and I'm logging it as a big ticket item rather than as a variable.  Variables are at 25%. 

After a beautiful, unseasonably warm day yesterday, it is cold and blustery today. We had thunderstorms all night, but I'm not complaining -- Iowa had it a lot worse.

A couple of things to report ...  I bought some Burts Bees toner for $11 yesterday, and also, my subscription to Ancestry.com renewed for $189.  Variables are already 41%.  It's going to be hard to stay under budget this month.

In about a half hour I'm going to meet BFF in our halfway city. I'll get gas there, as it is cheaper than it is in Chicagoland. I'll try to keep my lunch tab as low as possible, and nix the shopping. The real point of this get-together is to have some face-to-face time together.

Next week I'm driving to Michigan to see my brother, and, again, I will get gas in Michigan. The savings might not be spectacular, but every penny will count this month. I always take something there -- I think this time I might just make some brownies, as I have all the ingredients already.

I'm glad my mortgage payment will be lower after the refinance. I need a little bit of the pressure off the budget. Did I mention the electric bill shot up? Not because of anything I'm doing, but because I have a new meter, and they are no longer estimating my bill. I am turning off lights, etc. whenever I can.

I will close next Wednesday.  My new rate is 4% -- very close to what I had before, but now it's fixed. My new payment is $57 less than it was.  I'm glad to know that my payment will not change no matter what interest rates do.

I'm going to meet my BFF for lunch on Saturday at our halfway point, and next Thursday I'm going to drive up to Michigan to visit my brother.  I know gas prices will be up there, but these are things I gotta do.

Early this morning I found info on the TurboTax website about where to mail the Identity Theft Affidavit if you have not received a letter from the IRS. I sent it, along with copies of my SSN, driver's license, 1040-SR, and I also shared my IP-PIN in the text of my statement. I walked to the post office and mailed it, feeling like it was a job well done.

But when I came home I looked at my bank account and the reduced amount of my refund has been deposited in my bank account!  If that happened, does that mean another person did NOT file using my SSN? And if not, how did all that false information get onto my record? I don't know -- maybe I made a mistake and I am not entitled to the extra $400 -- but not for the reasons they stated! I still did not claim any dependents, and I didn't say my income was more than $75K.  Where did that come from? Did the IRS mess up? I'm completely confused now.

Anyway, I have to say I'm somewhat relieved.  I don't know what they will make of what I sent this morning, though, since at that point I was assuming the refund would be deposited in someone else's account.

But on to normal stuff -- I went to Aldi yesterday and spent $39 on groceries. I also got $15 worth for free, because I had a gift card from the UnitedHealthcare House Calls program.

I am still awaiting final approval on my refinance. Any day now.

I have to admit, in the past few days I have entertained thoughts of "Why am I trying? All this economizing and budget attention doesn't even matter in the face of theft." But yes, I know it still matters, so I am carrying on.

My February recap is as follows:

Housing: $806

Property Tax: $516 (Semi-annual)

 Utilities: $209

Clothing/Accessories: $133 (Boots, PJ Pants)

Car Repair/Maintenance: $124 (Oil Change, Alignment, Tire Rotation)

Groceries: $122

Gifts/Charity: $110 (Birthday, Valentines Day)

Medical/Health: $106 (OTC items, Premium)

Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $61 (Snow Shovel, Organizers)

Phone: $31

Gas: $24

Entertainment: $16 (Streaming Services)

Laundry: $14

Eating Out/Takeout: $10 (McDonalds)

Household Supplies: $2 (Sandwich Bags)

Grand Total: $2284

Variables: 89%

Yesterday I tried to get help on my tax problem at our senior center (no dice) and I contacted my senator Dick Durbin's office by email -- I had forgotten Lots of Ideas had so nicely provided a telephone number.  But I don't know if telephone is even a viable tool anymore.  You just get a runaround, if you get anything at all.  I hope they will attend to their email. All I'm asking is information on how to get my story to the IRS. So far I haven't been able to share anything with them. As far as they know, the person who used my SSN to steal my refund is me.

My hope now is that a letter from the IRS will actually come to me so I can get the ball rolling on proving identity theft.

All these worries pale against my concern about what is unfolding in Ukraine and what that monster Putin is capable to doing to the world. He is appalling, and I believe we are all in real danger. But I am trying to carry on and enjoy my life.

All right, getting through to the IRS by telephone is clearly like winning the lottery.  Odds seem to be greatly against it. I called at 7 am and was already shut out, told my call could not be handled due to high volume and to call later or "next business day."  When it will be so much better?  I've tried several times since then, but it's a brick wall.

SO.... I have filled out the Identity Theft Affadavit (Form 14039) and the Identity Theft Victim's Request for Copy of Fraudulent Tax Return (Form 4506-F).  I was just getting ready to prepare a fax cover sheet when I realized that no fax number is provided, nor is there any mailing address except a generic one to Department of the Treasury in Fresno, which is to be used if I have "no current tax-related issue." Duh. Why would I fill out this form if I don't have a tax-related issue?

Anyway, for my issue ("Someone used my information to file taxes") I am supposed to use the fax number or address provided to me by a notice or letter from the IRS.  I don't have one.  I found this myself online, I did not get notified! They say that I will be sent a notice explaining the reduction in the refund, I am assuming by mail, but who knows if I will get it? If someone stole my SSN to file a return, no doubt they supplied their own address and I will get NADA.

My question is, do I wait to see if I get a notice and then fax these forms to what I think is less likely to be a black hole?  I am already reconciled that this is going to be a long, long struggle and I may never see the money.

If I consult a tax expert, will the fee make it not worth doing?  I don't know what to do.

I wrote a little about my tax problem in comments yesterday, and again I'd like to thank those who have provided helpful information.

I thought I'd just update you all on just how terrible my day was yesterday.  After learning I may be robbed of my tax return by a cybercriminal, I had quite a head of steam and I went to the gym to work it off. I was on one of the machines, when I heard yelling. A member was yelling quite loudly and angrily at one of the workers (someone I know to be very calm and reasonable). I couldn't tell what he was yelling about, but he got louder and louder until the worker told him he had to leave. He went and got his coat and bag, and came back screaming even louder and meaner. His demeanor was very threatening. At that point all the workers told him to leave -- forever -- his gym membership was cancelled, and the police were called.  He did leave. I went to the front desk to ask what it was about and they said they didn't even know, but that he had threatened to come back and kill them all, and so they were waiting for police protection. Yikes! I left, too, after I was sure he was not lurking around. I had no desire to be there for Act Two! No one else left, though, which I thought was strange, but maybe they didn't realize what he had said.

When I was driving away, I met the police car coming in with its lights flashing and siren wailing. It was very unsettling! I was worried about the staff and the people who were still working out, but I heard no news about it, and I have to assume he was just venting and didn't return with a gun.

So I came home, very upset, but my son and grandson came over to play games, and they made me feel much better. Today I'm just hanging around home, but soon I'll head out for a walk. I'm not sure when I'll go back to the gym!

I got my state tax refund this morning. That prompted me to check on my federal return, since it usually comes first. To my great surprise, I learned that my refund was changed from $1937 to $537.  I thought I must have made an error, but when I checked the details page, it said the SSN of one or more individuals claimed as a qualifying dependent was missing or incomplete, that the last name of one of those individuals did not match their records, that one or more of those individuals exceeds the age limit, and that my adjusted gross income exceeds $75K.  (I wish!)  FRAUD, FRAUD, FRAUD! I did not claim any dependents at all, and my AGI is $5,377!

I cannot call to complain until 7am Monday morning.  I am beyond furious.  Any suggestions?

The PJ pants I got the other day were so perfect, I decided to stock up a little. They are not just PJ pants, but lounging pants and workout pants for me. Since the pandemic began, I've worn PJ pants pretty much all the time. Of course all that wear that has taken a toll on the condition of my supply. I bought three more pairs yesterday for a total of $48.  Now I'm set. I will probably weed out a few of my shabbiest old ones.  Variables are now at 88%. But I think I can stop spending now. Food, gas, meds and household supplies are all good.  I could use a haircut, but I'll put that off till March.

I am getting impatient for my tax refund, and also for the resolution of my refinance. I'm pretty sure it will go through, but I'd like to get the final word.

Oh yes, got the lid organizer today.  I love it! It fits the cabinet well and there is plenty of space for all my lids. I am now anxious for the bakeware organizer so I can feel like everything is in its place -- neatly.

Popping in to report yet a little more spending.  Yesterday I went to Walmart (first time in a long time!) and bought two pairs of pajama pants ($30). I also spent $28 on groceries -- things I can't get at Aldi or Sam's -- and $3 on Easter cards.

This morning I ordered two different vertical cabinet organizers -- one for pot lids, one for bakeware -- from Amazon. $42 for both. I had previously ordered a lid organizer, but that shipment was lost and I cancelled it. I think I will like this one better, anyway. It's adjustable. This was a bit of a splurge, but I am so tired of wrestling with things that are improperly stored.

I forgot to mention previously the $40 I gave to the grandkids for Valentine's Day ($10 each).

So with all that, variables are now up to 82%. Eek!

In other news, my refinance is going along well; I will report on that if and when it's approved.