Uncle Sam is not my friend, today anyways

[Danielle]

Ahhhh...the virtues of savings. It makes me not have a panic attack when I get mail like I did tonight.

Several years back I filed my taxes like a good little citizen. Had my W-2, had all my other forms...did everything I should have. Except, I somehow failed to pick up on the fact that my employer amended my W-2 after they paid a one-time bonus...I didn't even notice that I had received two different ones.

The result? I got a nice little letter from the IRS telling me I owed them several hundred more dollars. Luckily, I had savings to cover the unexpected event. I wrote Uncle Sam his check, and went on my way.

That was months ago.

So you'd think I should have expected the letter that was waiting for me tonight from the Ohio Department of Taxation telling me that because of the W2 issue...I also owed *them* several hundred more dollars. Must have been wishful thinking on my part. It hadn't occurred to me that I would be hearing from the state as well as Uncle Sam.

Luckily, because we live beneath our means, we had the money to pay the additional taxes. It was painful, and I think I have $.27 of usable funds left in my checking account, but we did it. And we did it without debting.

Once again I am thankful for having a spending plan, for abiding by it, and for making savings a priority. I remember years where that letter from Uncle Sam would have absolutely devastated my budget and had me rationing those ramen noodles.

Here's to savings habits.