Single Mama Artist And That Dreaded Thing Called MONEY...

I moved back to the Kootenays for many reasons (top 3 being):

1-I utterly missed the Mountains

2-Small town life

3-To start working my way out of DEBT

City living was a hard hit on my wallet.  Not only was the cost of living high in Chicago, but the zillions of restaurants were almost an addiction to me.  I ate out probably at least one meal a day, and that takes it's toll on the monthly income.  I also had student loan debt and credit card debt up the wazoo, so it was difficult to make ends meet.  So difficult, that in January 2010 I was looking for options for a second job, and somehow stumbled into Mary Kay.  It was definitely an experience, but it didn't turn out to be the job for me.  I decided around May that at the end of the summer I would make my move back to beautiful BC.  I worked hard at making sure I had jobs lined up before I moved, and my parents agreed to let me stay in their basement until I could save up enough money to rent the log house in Fruitvale.

Fast forward to September 2010...back in BC, working 3 jobs to keep up with my debt payment and trying to save a little.  I was teaching dance and musical theatre at Steps Dance Centre, Acting classes through the City of Trail, and also working as a barista at The Alpine Grind.  I went to my Credit Union and got a personal loan from them in order to consolidate my debt, lowering my monthly payments of $900 to around $525.  That definitely helped out.  

In January 2011 I found out I was expecting a baby in September...and was thrilled beyond belief!  The only stresser was the money issue...the fact that my partner had been out of work since the previous April, and didn't live in Canada.  My parents have been super generous and offered to make the basement into a mini-suite by adding a kitchenette, and converting the guest room into a nursery for baby.  

A few short months later, my partner was still in Chicago, jobless, when he said he was going to be back in about 3-6 weeks, and I had just had a horrible first trimester.  I finally realized that part of the reason I was so stressed was that I was worrying about taking care of two children (one being my partner).  So I cut the ties, and realized I would be better off on my own.

When I found out I was getting $600 back from my U.S taxes I was thrilled because I knew I could put that directly toward my debt, and that's what I did.  I did my research about going on Mat leave through EI, and Child Tax Benefits, and so on, and came up with a monthly budget i could live with for the first year of my baby's life.  My parents have been a steady support, and are always willing to help (even though sometimes I find it hard to actually ask them for help).

September 2011: baby Malakai is born!!!!

I applied for sick leave in August and then had it transferred to Maternity, then Parental of course.  Dealing with EI has been quite a hassle.  Every time they say they are going to do something, they don't, and i have to re-do it, and then over the past couple months they've been so backed up that they don't even put you on hold anymore...they say to try again later.  I tried for 2 months to get through, and finally when my bank account was severely suffering from not being paid in 2 months, I called my local MP's office to try and get some help.  They were awesome and within a week i was paid for the past 3 pay periods!  I honestly don't know how minimum wage employees make it on maternity without the support of someone else.  If i wasn't living rent free, id have to be on welfare!  I was worried because I also realized that I was receiving "extra" money from Child Tax Credit and Universal Child Tax Benefit and was worried because I hadn't been reporting that.  While looking on the website to try and find out if I was supposed to be claiming that as income I noticed something about Family Supplement for families with low income.  This would raise your weekly wage if you qualified, and  I had never heard of it!  Yesterday I made my way into Service Canada to ask my questions.  THANK GOD!  I don't have to claim my tax credits/benefits, and they automatically changed my wage on my last few pay periods (I obviously didn't check the numbers)!  So yay!

At the beginning of January I received a letter from the IRS stating that I owed $850+.  I was furious!  My dad helped me check everything over, and they were actually correct, man that stings when they gave you $600 eight months before, now they want it back PLUS!  I am having a really difficult time with this whole U.S. thing.  Now they are saying that every U.S. citizen has to file taxes in the States, even if they live in another country and file taxes there.  They are just trying to squeeze money out anywhere they can! Thankfully I have done my taxes in the states every year since I applied for citizenship, so I don't owe anything there, but this year I have to file taxes in the States and Canada, even though I did not live OR work in the states at all in 2011.  Stupid if you ask me.

I just want to remind you that the government (in Canada OR the U.S.) doesn't want to just hand over money to you.  So if you are having to jump hurdles to get it, don't give up.  That's what they want you to do.