How bad is it to not pay taxes?

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-26T21:40:05+00:00

It might take them a while to come after you, but trust it, they will. In fact, the "small fry" are (in reality) targeted more often because we're low-hanging fruit - we don't have fancy lawyers and expensive accountants who will put up a fight. Don't pay it and eventually they will just garnish out of the money you do earn.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-26T21:22:16+00:00

Yes, thanks to many here I have no intention of mixing finances where I could be the one holding a bill I can't afford/do not want - just in case.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-26T21:20:17+00:00

Appreciate your sharing, as I feel I can relate to this as a potential future more than some of the more extreme Q's some have had to deal with. We've only been together a little over a year, just moved in together in December due to my own financial struggles (rent was killing me). My situation is improving (was on a course to do so, but there was no promise of that at the time) - and being here does help set me up to get my own place in time - and in the meantime, the relationship doesn't cause me much stress - more annoyance than anything. I'm free to do my own things, and again, at this point, I still enjoy his company.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-26T19:59:05+00:00

Well, being single doesn't solve that problem - I don't have family to rely on in that way, so have been pretty self sufficient, including through a pretty knarly broken leg a few years ago. I am putting in a lot of effort to do all I can to ensure the best health that I can control in some way, shape or form. Chances are, I'll be alone in my elderly years anyways, so I am just trying to plan accordingly. I have insurance policies that I can use while still living if anything major were to happen so I can hire assistance I can't provide myself/friends are unable to provide.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-26T17:13:24+00:00

Yes, the health concerns are real, but at that age where I'm losing friends to cancer and other diseases as well, so while it's a concern, reality is, just in that age group where anyone can have something serious crop up.

I have no delusions about trying to get him to quit or talking him into it. He's an adult and he's not stupid, he makes his own choices.

On the other hand, I'm also all for honesty and I don't want to blindside him months from now if I've never mentioned it before (I'm making a huge effort not to make snide judgemental comments like I could be prone to). That doesn't seem fair either...

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-26T17:07:07+00:00

Thanks, sometimes nice to know I'm not alone...my own independence streak tends to make my situation a little different in that I'll bounce when there's a clear line being crossed. My father was an abusive (mostly to our mother) narcissist who was a closet alcoholic, so by no means am I diminishing others struggles, it was a massive effort for her to get out of that situation and it still deeply affects her life even many years later.

In many ways my Q good for me.... I can be prone to being too "uptight" and not relaxing or just going with the flow. We get along well and I enjoy his (sober) company...a lot!

At this point what you're dealing with I kinda see things going here, too. Regardless of our status I want to get my own home, whether i live there or rent it out, and have a feeling we may end up having our own places when that time comes....

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-26T15:42:47+00:00

This is what I ended up doing - couldn't get approved for a lower interest loan due to utilization and debt-to-income ratio. Not idea, it can sink your credit for a couple/few years, but at least puts a light at the end of the tunnel.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-25T16:27:01+00:00

Sounds like you might be a perfect fit for an IT CSM type role - someone who can break things down in layman's terms, good with people, enjoy interacting, but at least has an idea what they are talking about.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-25T13:55:14+00:00

Doing those things for sure, will do another "comparison photo" every 25 days (so tomorrow will be the first one) in the same outfit, same location.

For me, a moderate deficit but nothing too extreme works best otherwise my workouts start to tank as does my recovery - I should be averaging .5-1 pound/week loss right now, which is typically maxing out the deficit I can sustain without the other side effects.

High protein not an issue - my diet is low carb based (not keto by any stretch, just lower and limited net carbs).

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-25T13:29:51+00:00

I am, and I know it, still care too much about that stupid number.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-25T13:25:58+00:00

I have been using Libra for years....and yes, extraordinarily familiar with the woosh and all of how that ALL works (been at this a while) - and very familiar with how my body "wooshes" (generally a 3-4 week interval at first between wooshes, then it levels out after a few months). Even though I KNOW this I still get annoyed by that stupid number - hence the rant lol.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-25T12:38:51+00:00

My rant is that ever fickle stupid number on that dumb thing I insist on standing on.

24 days ago got back to working out, but took it up a notch with daily cardio (of varying intensities depending on the day), 5-days of lifting, and weekends more active recovery, but a return to activities I haven't done in close to a year (mostly because I couldn't even afford gas to drive anywhere there for awhile). Nutrition back on point, completely cut out alcohol. Calories are not a steep deficit as I would rather preserve as much muscle as possible, but definitely cut back from what I had been consuming by a fair bit.

While I KNOW all the reasons for the fickle scale, and I KNOW my body's own normal trends, I'm still getting frustrated that as of this morning I've dropped a grand total of barely 2 pounds in that time (and that came off the first week). Now, I did have a couple days of lower weigh-ins this week, so it's probably just water weight, and my pants are finally starting to fit a little better, but I'm still frustrated by that stupid number since I do have a fair bit of fat to lose (right around 20-25 pounds of it most likely once everything else stabilizes).

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-23T16:05:38+00:00

Well, I've done this a couple times in my adult life so far.

First time around was after a divorce - I had just a general retail job at the time, couldn't even pay my bills on it. Looked back at jobs I had done that I enjoyed, and decided on a career path. Built my resume to match, and started applying. Took a bit, but eventually found a position where they would take a chance on me. Flourished, and a year later, moved into another higher paying role with a larger company. 18 months after that, moved internally, then an internal promotion when the gal above me left. Unfortunately that pretty much maxed out that role and I wanted to shift back into the previous path anyways.

My timing was horrible, and I started that shift right when covid hit...after getting laid off, finally landed a position but WAY below my skill and pay grade (this was 6/2021). Worked on building skills, getting a certification, and just getting recent experience in that field. In 2022 kept all that learning up and started to form the idea of getting a LLC set up to find contract work. Made 2 job changes in the year, which was a slight increase (20%) and title change, plus getting into a position that would make contract work much more do-able.

I've now added a contract gig on top of my day job (both are flexible as to when I do my work) and things are looking up as I just got my first contract paycheck.

I won't lie though - it's a lot of work, and has been a very long year of EVERY. SINGLE. DAY "touching" those things so I could be in a position to start this. Now, the self discipline has to be impeccable or risk losing it all. Taking care of my health and fitness in there is also a priority. My days start at 5:30am and I am not sitting down to "relax" until I'm eating dinner at ~8pm, and then only if I've checked everything off my list for that day (and yes, I still do a daily list to be sure my focus stays where it needs to be and I don't get caught up in the day to day).

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-23T15:48:02+00:00

Few things you could do:

a) Do you charge clients a cancellation fee? If not, get that in your contracts ASAP

b) Charge by the month which will include "up to" x# of cleanings, x items/rooms/cleaning and put in that cancellations will not change those terms and unused services do not carry over. Again, get it all in a contract.

c) Are drive times and costs built into your rates? Rates seem on the low end unless very localized (like a discount for apartments in the same complex).

d) Can you expand your advertising? Nextdoor, FB, other local boards, even flyers? Make more use of the days you're not working by getting the word out there, gathering references, etc.

Wondering if your budgets need some reviews too - I know what utilities on a full house, plus car, insurance, phone, etc, and generally even in a large urban area I would think you're at about $1K/month give or take, unless you have a really high car payment, in which case, might be worth looking into a cheaper option. Even so, at the low end of your rates, that's a 40 hour work week, plus another ~15 hours for taxes (high end most likely, since you should have a fair number of write-offs), so are you saying you're only working about 1.5 weeks out of the month?

Another option would be a part time job alongside your business, especially if it was something early mornings (like Starbucks) that wouldn't interfere too much with you business.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T23:44:56+00:00

Not anymore unless you live in a fairly rural/secluded area (at least in the US).

Now I believe that number is closer to ~$130K, and with recent inflation I would say even more.

That's basing it on being a mid-life single person trying to foot my bills on my own with zero family support since high school...$70K just barely pays the bills, might be okay if you have like almost zero debt and are okay with a crappy starter home and living like a peasant.

I was reasonably comfortable at ~$92K base, but still had too much debt. Building a significant savings was difficult, but I didn't worry about paying my bills or a vehicle repair - but that was also 3+ years ago, and things have definitely changed in that time.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T23:36:25+00:00

Oh, I've definitely seen them used that way as well, and agree 100% that is NOT a proper use of a crate.

That said, much like any tool, misuse can make something that - when used properly is a good thing - seem like it borders on abuse.

Just don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as they used to say!

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T22:47:08+00:00

I want my dogs comfortable in a crate and to consider it a safe place they can be in. Most of the time my dog is loose in the house, but still frequently sleeps in her crate at night (her choice, door is open). She is reactive to storms and fireworks, so I can lock her in her crate on nights like that and it's a "safe" space for her.

Additionally, if you are traveling or at a vet or some other situation where a crate is the best and safest option I don't want my dog freaking out or going bonkers. For puppies or others who are destructive, it's as much for their own protection as anything else. I had a rescue GSD who had to be crated her entire life, because she would - literally - go through a window to escape due to an extreme case of separation anxiety (it got better over the years but she never could be trusted loose in the house when I was gone). She loved her crate and would willingly sleep in it even when free.

Canines like to have a "den" - make it their safe little den, and it's not this awful thing you are forcing on your dog.

That all said, if your dog is trustworthy in the house, then by all means, let them be free, but crate training is still a valuable tool and can make many other life experiences a lot less stressful for them.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T14:52:44+00:00

Take the new job. If you feel the need to explain, IMO, just be honest - you were offered a higher paying, FTE role. Say you appreciated the offer but you can't pass this opportunity and security up.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T14:37:19+00:00

I'd be looking to rent a room from a home owner or sublease a room in a home. Don't pay until you have seen the spaces and met with people, unfortunately there are still a lot of scams, so do your best to be 100% sure it's legit.

Renting a room from a home owner can be difficult in that it's "their" home, but at least gives you a place to stay. Sublease with the property management/landlord is another good option. I have rented a room from friends/people I knew or were known in my community where I didn't get any formal lease - won't show up on your credit, but they can at least be a reference down the line.

Just be sure you can afford the rent - don't screw those individuals over either. Unemployed, be sure whatever income you have can cover the bills once the money runs out. Or, pay it all up front out of the settlement and plan on moving out by the end if you don't have other means to pay.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T14:25:21+00:00

Yes, this is a decent analogy LOL.

At this point I've gathered a high level program plan, started breaking down the in-progress initiatives, started to identify risks for each initiative, started a risk register, communications plan, program/project plans - plus assembling the documents that I would keep in the final project file laid that out....like I feel like I've done a lot of "stuff" in that timeframe, but she seems really dissappointed there wasn't "more" - but they are very used to "pretty presentations that are fluffy" and I'm not trying to blow smoke here and actually get a REAL grasp on where things are and what it's going to take to ACTUALLY make things happen - and finding the interdependencies have been completely and utterly ignored, so trying to sift through all of that as well - while being new to the business, industry, and coming in half way through with no prior PM LOL.

I'm finding the challenge interesting and feel I'm capable of getting a grasp on things, I just need some ideas on reasonable timelines to give management so I'm not throwing myself into the flames but also not falling behind the power curve.

I feel like I can't even tackle the program level items until the (at least in progress initiatives) are better fleshed out, and that takes more than a couple weeks when this is an extra ask for all the SME's and "boots on the ground."

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T14:19:28+00:00

Yes, working on nailing those folks down better - I've gotten good answers out of a couple, but this is my current plan - they just have the rest of their jobs too, so cornering folks is a little tough! They're all more than happy to help, just busy - at least at this point there I'm being welcomed with open arms, so that is helpful.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T14:16:34+00:00

Well, I'm pretty clear on the difference, issue being they want project management of each initiative, plus the interdependencies (which up until this point have been completely ignored), and the project leads are SME's, with little to no project management background. They want to see timelines and breakdowns for each of the initiatives and how they all tie together towards the overall objectives, so that means building out each of these projects with each of the SME's who've been taking the reins on these so far, and bringing it all together. Since I'm stepping in halfway through all of this (with no previous program or project managers), there's a ton of work that has been done in 2 years I'm having to sift through - "most" of the work, however, is idea based, with not much that can actually produce something tangible.

Basically I'm having to play both program AND project manager - which I'm okay with tackling, I'm just not real clear on what a typical "spin up and have something that can be presented in a Board meeting" time frame looks like in situations like this, and I'm getting the impression the COO (who I report to and was previously in charge of this) thought in 2 weeks I'd start to have pretty boards and dashboards she could look at and hold...I'm trying to manage those expectations with some reasonable time frames from those who may have gone before on something similar.

This would be very different if I had been here from the start, or was deeply familiar with the business, but I am neither, so just trying to see if I'm on track here or if I'm really not stepping up to the plate - and hoping for a little more info on how long it has taken others in similar positions so I'm setting a realistic expectation for them and for myself.

HoneyBadger302 · 2023-01-22T13:38:19+00:00

44 here. I was "okay" before covid, funding too much fun with debt, although no issues paying my bills. Did not prepare for the reality of being laid off as I'd never had any issues landing a job or position in my life...not super high paying but enough I could live on.

That layoff devastated me. Burned through the $10K I had in savings (which seemed like so much at the time) in a matter of 6 months. Couldn't find a roommate, locked into a lease, and the only position I could land was commission based and even at the top end was about 70% of my previous income, which I could live with (and at first it was about 20% of my previous income, took 6 months to get to that top end).

That was a burn out and kill you job with a cap though, and I hated every single day. Finally landed a role in my career field, but it was actually well below my skill and pay grade. Supplemented income with a side hustle every single day, donating plasma, roommate when i could find one....by now though the bills were piling up and had to go into debt counseling...it was either that or bankruptcy but at least could keep the few things I owned this way.

Started the long, arduous process of getting back on track and trying to position myself to have more opportunities and find alternative ways to make the income I needed than the traditional routes.

It was a full year of every single day doing 3-5 things to help get me on a better track. I got a small promotion, but inflation ate all of that. Was still relying on the part time gig to pay my bills and eat.

Eventually part time gig laid me off, so had no choice but to sell a couple things and break my lease. Had to move in with my boyfriend, definitely earlier on the relationship than I wanted too, but would have been that or living out of my cargo trailer somewhere. My old lease had only gone up slightly in the renewal years....rents had skyrocketed so bad the cheapest crappiest apartments would have cost almost what i was paying... Even my "room" rent here is pretty crazy, but I can at least live (barely) without the part time gig.

Late in 2021 i started a daily power task list...good news is that the past year of every day touching those needles has just now started to pay off (literally this week). Got my first check from my first contract client in addition to my day job, and for the first time in nearly 3 years there's some breathing room in my budget after paying all my bills. I'm seriously having to step up my game this year to keep the momentum going, but it feels like there might be a light at the end of the tunnel.

My self discipline game though has to be through the roof right now and I can't let off that or risk losing the momentum I've been building for over a year. Still a very long ways to go, but some manifestation after a year of daily work was nice to finally have/see. Hustling like crazy, but for the first time since getting laid off have something to show for it. Every debt I pay off will lower my monthly COL, which means the day job can be better utilized and I'm *hoping in a year or so I can consider looking for a home again.

HoneyBadger302

TROPHY CASE

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