June 1st, 2010 -- Posted in work/career |
So, time to share some important “mompreneur” info…
… file it away for next year’s “tax time”!
This year was the first year that I filled my taxes as a small business owner. And I really wish I’d not been so overwhelmed by the idea before! I feel the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages and it was easier than I thought.
There are many things you can claim if you are self-employed, including:
* a portion of your home space
* a portion of the costs of running your home (keep those electricity, water, and heating bills handy!)
* a portion of your internet and phone line costs
If there are things you need to buy to run your business, keep the receipts (and/or run them through a flatbed scanner) because you can claim those against your income as well. I actually wish I’d saved *more* of my receipts because I only managed to chip away a few hundred dollars off my income. Still did not need to pay any taxes, but I could’ve taken a larger chunk out of the amount of my income that went towards reducing my spouse’s taxes.
These business expenses can be things like office supplies (paper, folders, writing supplies, printer ink, labels, etc.) or things that you use to create your products (cardstock and ribbon, photo splits, etc.). And of course any membership or registration costs (such as the first-time business registration I paid last year to make KStar Design an official little company) count as well.
I don’t think I’ve ever remembered to post a picture of my home office, even though I took one a long time ago! Here’s my new little spot in our upstairs “4th bedroom”:
It still needs a lot of setting up (and I think may actually be messier now than in the picture, taken 1 month after we moved in last summer), but it’s coming along well and everything I need very often is at my fingertips. It’s a huge step up from our old office basement and I really feel very motivated when I’m in there to get as much work done as I can in the short times I’m able to attempt to do all those magical things that used to come so easily when I was able-bodied (sit up, focus, have a decent posture, not be distracted by pain, etc). I still have some hope when it comes to making my online work count for something, one way or another.
Signing off for now, your small-business-savvy “mompreneur”! 
July 31st, 2009 -- Posted in family, future / dreams / goals, hill to haven, pain / disability |
… as the time runs out, the bank account dries up, and I get sicker and in more pain from having to do way more than my current body seems to be able to!
I am back and forth about what I’d like to keep up on this blog with regards to my disability and what I want to keep locked. I already feel so abused by “the system” that I worry about what will happen next. But an update is due…
Here’s a basic snapshot of my current situation:
- Since my complete benefit cut-off in May, I’ve now missed out on about $4K of income that I should have been receiving. That’s on top of reimbursements for expenses related to my disability. I don’t have enough funding to justify continuing any of my treatments, including the aquafit class I did for 6 months.
- I applied for the Ontario Disability Support Program’s employment supports in May – I still haven’t been accepted. And that program is to get help finding some type of job that I could possibly try, not even to get any income replacement!!
- I did check with the “financial support” (welfare) side of ODSP though finally, and sure enough our family income is too high for me to qualify.
- I’ve had many calls from workplaces and recruiting agencies since updating my CV. I’ve even applied to a couple postings that mentioned flexible hours. None would be possible – even if I did make it past the first few weeks I’d either be fired or have to quit.
- I’ve been chasing after my lawyer with no luck reaching her. This is the new lawyer since the old one told me after 3 months that he had a conflict and was dropping me. The whole idea of a “save my house” settlement seems soooo far away right now!
- I’ve been chasing after the car accident insurance for info about the type of doctor they would allow to do a rebuttal exam on me and they’ve stonewalled me. It’s now passed the deadline when I could submit the appeal.
- We’ve saved money by having the kids either home with me or with family members but a) it sucks! and b) my parents go back overseas after the summer’s over so Avery is here full-time… how can I possibly look after this busy little guy when I can’t take him outside?!
Needless to say, I’m still miserable and on my way to being broke and miserable.
And my headaches have gotten worse, especially since stopping my migraine meds (I should really go and get a refill but it’s expensive and also I don’t want to go for an MRI like I know I’ll be sent for because it freakin’ hurts so much…)
For now, here’s a copy of the most recent letter to car accident insurance people… and really, if you’re reading it, think about the people who don’t have a university degree and writing/typing skills! How the hell do they fight back against all these bureaucratic nightmares?!
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July 11th, 2009 -- Posted in domestic engineering, family, hill to haven, life as a mom, pain / disability, painkillers, pics, work/career |
It doesn’t take much to make me feel as though I’ve lost my footing somehow. Any big change – new job, new school, new relationship, new pregnancy, new house – will have me re-evaluating all aspects of my life and my reality around me.
I imagine many people feel the same sense of disorientation after a move or other change, and I hope my children are coping OK with this really big one we are all going through. With all that we’ve struggled with over the years, I’ve actually been hoping that this move will be a new beginning for us… a chance to put old issues behind us and commit to re-building the family.
My daughter has actually been away a lot the past couple weeks, and although I want to give her some space and not be pushy or intrusive, I also want her to face the reality of moving – yes, you will miss your friends, and you have to unpack all these boxes, but it will be OK.
Paul, Avery, and I at a Canada Day BBQ a few days after the big move – we so needed the break from all the work to just chill with friends!
At the same time, I’m also adjusting to the end of the school year and the new role of being a full-time Stay-at-home-mom, something I’ve dabbled in off-and-on over the past 11 years (the “full-time” part of it I mean) but haven’t considered my long-term professional status!
With so much on the go here at the new house though, I actually don’t feel many of the negative emotions that can sometimes accompany this underpaid and undervalued job. The kids are busy and have many needs right now – they need reassurance and lots of TLC. And being a “homemaker” (a term I’ve often taken offence to when being labeled with it) has never been as big a job as it has for me right now.
Avery makes us some “tickets” with my Cuttlebug in our very disorganized dinning/living room area
Unfortunately, with the homeowner + SAHM + homemaker roles and all associated tasks taking up so much of my time and energy, my ability to look after myself has faltered. Despite all the positives, I’m regularly very miserable because of my physical condition. I am still waiting for just one day without pain. There’s so much I want do – for me, for the family, with my life!! – and it’s all on hold or going so slow.
Speaking of pain, that’s about all the sitting I can do for right now – my back is killing me. Time to top up the meds again and try to get a good night’s sleep (hopefully my wonderful soak in my big warm tub earlier this evening will help!!).
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