budget my tax refund instead of blowing it

I’m getting $991 back this year. Hooray… but why couldn’t I have gotten nine more dollars back to break four-figures? And it annoys me that I get $900+ back from federal, and only a measly $36 from state. Stupid taxes.

Not going to spend any of it once it comes in, until I know what I’ll be needing to spend on moving to a new house. Then, the remainder will be budgeted instead of blown, I swear! No going to Target or Kohl’s for new home decor because I’m all excited about a new house.

My W-2 and student loan documents finally came, so I’m filing my taxes tonight. I don’t think I’ll get a chance to “budget” the refund, though; my boyfriend and I are looking for a house to rent together, so I imagine that the majority of my refund will go toward the deposit on a new place and stuff we’ll need for it. Guess we’ll see; fingers crossed that I somehow get a huge refund! Think I got about $900 last year, though, and I didn’t get a very big raise this year, so it won’t be anything earth-shatteringly good.

Well, I wish my W2 would come so that I can get my tax filing over with! Lord knows it would be nice to have the money, since I’m probably going to have to move to a new apartment at the end of the month (unless my boyfriend decides to move in with me, but that’s another goal entirely). This year, however, I am determined that I will not fritter the refund away when it comes. In the past, I’ve been irresponsible with my refund, thinking that I need to treat myself to something nice with the extra money (iPod two years ago, for example)... only this year it won’t be extra money, it will be sorely needed money! I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck (which is another goal to conquer) and it’s getting old. I need to put some toward debt and some in the bank. So as soon as I get my W2 and figure out what my refund total will be, I intend to sit down and make a plan for it… then stick to it!