Could you critique my Schedules I & J?

[mb10240]

re: Income in schedule I

After 10 months, the temp agency finally called me for a 2 day assignment... I made about $114. This is by no means regular income (seeing as how it has taken them 10 months to even find anything for me!)... how should I handle it when it comes to Schedule I, and if I were to leave it off, would I just address it by saying it's not regular, monthly income?

[mb10240]

Unless you can justify why custom guards need to be made vs. over the counter - you're going to be hardpressed for added expenses.

I may be able to use the OTC ones for an expense -- a month's worth of guards runs anywhere from $15.99-$34.99 at Walgreens, depending on the quality.

Here's another question for expenses... I have an opportunity to practice law pro bono and at a reduced fee for my local legal aid office, which would be very beneficial to my future career. However, malpractice insurance would not be provided, so I'd have to provide my own. Does anybody think I could justify this as an expense?

[backtoschool]

me too!!! and let me tell you i am a heck of a shopper...DEEEEEEEEE....where the heck have you ever seen a potato for $1.69 a pound????

that's like 2 dollars a potato...divide that into a family of 5.....LOL!!! NOT so funny...and when we do get fruit locally..it rots...because most all the good stuff i guess gets shipped out...because WHERE IS IT????

how about all the fatty meats...OMG...really i have been living on greek yogart...no joke...i can't take the fatty meat cuts here.

maybe i should scan a bill from publix and let everyone see what NOTHING you can buy for $200 bucks...ahhhh...all we can do is laugh about it, since it's so sad!

I eat organic mostly and my food bill is outrageous. $200 a week just about covers it, and I am only feeding two and we eat out a couple of times a week. An organic tomato (which are grown here by the way) costs me $2.00. Coffee has doubled in price over the last couple of years for the good stuff, and the one thing I miss about nyc is the seafood. The seafood in the Midwest looks like it will kill me if I eat it, and it is double the price of what I used to pay in nyc for fresh seafood.

Often I will get the pre-made salads at Whole Foods because the price comes out cheaper than if I try to buy the ingredients to make the salad myself.

[Okieblue]

I am claiming $91 a month for 2 dogs. One has to be groomed every month as she gets horrible mats in her ears and the other one can go to the groomers every 2 months, they both get a yearly, flea and tick treatments, heartworm medicine and dog food, I buy a grain free type due to Yorkies allergies. Yorkie also has a dirty mouth, needs his teeth cleaned.

[tobee43]

LOL! What a great idea! It would make everyone else feel so much better about their situations!

wouldn't it...then maybe they would believe us??? LOL!!

[Dee]

me too!!! and let me tell you i am a heck of a shopper...DEEEEEEEEE....where the heck have you ever seen a potato for $1.69 a pound????

that's like 2 dollars a potato...divide that into a family of 5.....LOL!!! NOT so funny...and when we do get fruit locally..it rots...because most all the good stuff i guess gets shipped out...because WHERE IS IT????

how about all the fatty meats...OMG...really i have been living on greek yogart...no joke...i can't take the fatty meat cuts here.

maybe i should scan a bill from publix and let everyone see what NOTHING you can buy for $200 bucks...ahhhh...all we can do is laugh about it, since it's so sad!

LOL! What a great idea! It would make everyone else feel so much better about their situations!

[tobee43]

yeah, they're expensive but well worth it. I bite right though the OTC ones, and they're uncomfortable *frown* made my TMJ worse by jutting the lower jaw forward in most instances. I felt like Billy Bob Thornton in Slingblade..."Ought not be doing that to the boy..."

LMAO

Sorry... lack of sleep makes me giddy..

LOL!!! we must have had the same person make MINE!!! it's so tight....i didn't think it possible to squeeze teeth...did you!!

LMAO x 2!!!!

[Pandora]

right on that pandora...i had to have one made it was over $400....certainly not over the counter and we added it in as well...

yeah, they're expensive but well worth it. I bite right though the OTC ones, and they're uncomfortable *frown* made my TMJ worse by jutting the lower jaw forward in most instances. I felt like Billy Bob Thornton in Slingblade..."Ought not be doing that to the boy..."

LMAO

Sorry... lack of sleep makes me giddy..

[tobee43]

Unless you can justify why custom guards need to be made vs. over the counter - you're going to be hardpressed for added expenses. I have severe TMJ and had custom guards made (they look like the Invisalign braces) and insurance didnt cover them, for upper and lower it was $200 - one time expense (orthodontist can make them). I've had them for 7 years now and no issues. Its not a recurring expense however.

right on that pandora...i had to have one made it was over $400....certainly not over the counter and we added it in as well...

[tobee43]

Yes! I totally agree about Florida prices! OMG - it's horrible! We moved from out of state and I can't believe how much our food budget has gone up. You would think that we could get great prices on fruits, veggies, fish, etc since so much of it is produced here, but noooo...and don't even get me started on prices for organic products...

I'm seriously envious of those of you who can spend so little on groceries!

me too!!! and let me tell you i am a heck of a shopper...DEEEEEEEEE....where the heck have you ever seen a potato for $1.69 a pound????

that's like 2 dollars a potato...divide that into a family of 5.....LOL!!! NOT so funny...and when we do get fruit locally..it rots...because most all the good stuff i guess gets shipped out...because WHERE IS IT????

how about all the fatty meats...OMG...really i have been living on greek yogart...no joke...i can't take the fatty meat cuts here.

maybe i should scan a bill from publix and let everyone see what NOTHING you can buy for $200 bucks...ahhhh...all we can do is laugh about it, since it's so sad!

[Pandora]

Well, I found something that will definitely increase our "Medical / Dental Expenses" -- turns out my wife's TMJ just got a whole bunch worse in the past few days and she's going to need some prosthetics made (such as a mouth guard).

Sounds awful, but "yay!" lol

Unless you can justify why custom guards need to be made vs. over the counter - you're going to be hardpressed for added expenses. I have severe TMJ and had custom guards made (they look like the Invisalign braces) and insurance didnt cover them, for upper and lower it was $200 - one time expense (orthodontist can make them). I've had them for 7 years now and no issues. Its not a recurring expense however.

[Dee]

dee .....

back2school is right and that is really an excellent idea...it would be good or actually GREAT to have the doctors note...it will help!

i want to tell you about my experience here in Florida and "food". bts knows a bit about it...since i have complained before.

we moved here to and live, and of course filed here...i used my old numbers from where we moved from for food costs...which to me, actually i put as what i thought was "high" at $400 monthly.....

well, of course when i actually began to "live" down here...OMG...it was over double!! i have never ever seen food more expensive than in florida...and also to find healthily foods is nearly impossible...we have to take a day alone, just to go MILES to get fresh fish and good veggies and fruits. it's really terrilbe...and please all your Floridians do not take offense.

anyway...here's the kicker....i kept the $400 on there for food...and the trustee.....she asked me how i feed us on SO little monthly and joked about how NOT to tell her husband!! LOL! i guess a joke of sorts to break the heat...(usually i would say ice), but we are in florida here.

i think it may depend on what part of the country you live. i to this day cannot believe the northeast ...nj, ny...etc cost 1/2 or less to feed your family. it's really terrible here...we just went shopping yesterday...it was 258.00...really i was sick...just for some fresh fish and veggies some other needed....nothing luxury items. we eat NO junk food (my poor husband hasn't eaten a burger ...or has BETTER NOT in i hope the last 10 years...LOl).

anyway....on and on i go here...sorry...but it was so absolutely shocking to see the food prices here.

so dee..i totally understand....also...go to whole foods ...and see that! you'll spend $200 just walking in the door!

Yes! I totally agree about Florida prices! OMG - it's horrible! We moved from out of state and I can't believe how much our food budget has gone up. You would think that we could get great prices on fruits, veggies, fish, etc since so much of it is produced here, but noooo...and don't even get me started on prices for organic products...

I'm seriously envious of those of you who can spend so little on groceries!

[tobee43]

I have a budget of $500/mo for our family of 5 for all food & all household supplies (incl. diapers/paper products, bathroom supplies, cleaning products, batteries, anything you can think of that we'd need during the month, etc.). My oldest son is allergic to gluten & eggs. My daughter is allergic to dairy. I also tend to be rather health conscious and insist on tons of fresh fruits & veggies. That said, I have to home cook EVERYTHING, and I am a hard-core couponer, but I am proof that it can be done.

i agree in calif it can be done....i was born and raised there and was out taking care of my parents a few months ago....i was able to "double" shop the food amount in calif than that of florida...and better yet...put me in a nj grocery store and i'd be hard pressed for anyone to out do my cheapo shopping skills....LOL!!!

once again..it truly depends on what part of the country you live in....and i'm most certain you do a wonderful job feeding your family on that budget.

[tobee43]

Good to know - I'll have his doctor write a letter. Some of them are life-threatening allergies, not just intolerance. The worst is dairy - all forms. Any idea how hard it is to avoid even trace amounts of milk, cheese, whey, casein, etc? Grocery shopping with me is an all-day outing.

dee .....

back2school is right and that is really an excellent idea...it would be good or actually GREAT to have the doctors note...it will help!

i want to tell you about my experience here in Florida and "food". bts knows a bit about it...since i have complained before.

we moved here to and live, and of course filed here...i used my old numbers from where we moved from for food costs...which to me, actually i put as what i thought was "high" at $400 monthly.....

well, of course when i actually began to "live" down here...OMG...it was over double!! i have never ever seen food more expensive than in florida...and also to find healthily foods is nearly impossible...we have to take a day alone, just to go MILES to get fresh fish and good veggies and fruits. it's really terrilbe...and please all your Floridians do not take offense.

anyway...here's the kicker....i kept the $400 on there for food...and the trustee.....she asked me how i feed us on SO little monthly and joked about how NOT to tell her husband!! LOL! i guess a joke of sorts to break the heat...(usually i would say ice), but we are in florida here.

i think it may depend on what part of the country you live. i to this day cannot believe the northeast ...nj, ny...etc cost 1/2 or less to feed your family. it's really terrible here...we just went shopping yesterday...it was 258.00...really i was sick...just for some fresh fish and veggies some other needed....nothing luxury items. we eat NO junk food (my poor husband hasn't eaten a burger ...or has BETTER NOT in i hope the last 10 years...LOl).

anyway....on and on i go here...sorry...but it was so absolutely shocking to see the food prices here.

so dee..i totally understand....also...go to whole foods ...and see that! you'll spend $200 just walking in the door!

[LaurieM]

I know that we have included a non-filing spouse's student loans in Schedule J in a number of petitions.