Hi At this time i am cancer free ,at least according to my last tests lol Ofcourse will have to keep up tests for the rest of my life but hopefully MUCH longer between them?? Have some "suspicious " areas but not receiving any treatments at this time . i had a series of treatments called "Cyberknife" which have proven to be very effective . This was done locally and I feel I got excellent treatment. Results seem to indicate that . This involves very high radiation rather than surgery which means I can't have more of this type and will not have chemo though so far there has been no need . Both of my brothers and both parents died of cancer so i seem to be very lucky?? lol Thanks for the good wishes !!! gary

In talking to a young couple regarding how to develop a good money management system, I suggested that a good way to start is to keep track of every expenditure, to assist in evaluation. I suggested that they set up a page, probably in a loose-leaf binder, to deal with their cash operation, with date, description, and three (possibly 4) columns, with one for individual expenses, (possibly a second to add several expenditures). One column for cash income as withdrawn from bank account, or other source, etc., and a column at the right for keeping track of balance. It's important to check amount in wallet against recorded balance on hand frequently at the start, as often there appears to be more cash reported in record book than wallet ... as one (or more) expenditures had not been entered. I was informed that they didn't do much cash business, but dealt extensively with debit card. I was going to suggest later that they set up several columns to the right, to break out the expenditures into the various types, with a column for each. How to deal with the debit card transactions? I thought that it might be wise to enter each transaction, either as it happens (which I thought preferable), or as they get their monthly report from the bank relating to date and description, but not into the cash columns, as it was directly paid from the bank. To record each transaction only in the columns related to category. But - many pay bills also by cheque and by credit card. The reason for the cash columns is to ensure that every transaction is accounted for, but this is not an issue with the debit card transactions, for they show up totally in the bank report. Then when the bank report comes in, ensure that each transaction that you made is entered, and checked with the bank report, entering any that hadn't been earlier. That way, each of those two types of expenditure shows on the detailed page. I suggested that they keep a report of their bank account transactions on the back of last month's record, on the page to the left. The cheque register would show the various expenditures during the month on the full financial report of expenditures and would be entered either as they were written, or, I thought preferably, after the cash transactions for the month (possibly including the debit card activities, as well), had been finished. Then, one gets a report from one's credit card transactions and each transaction would be entered in the various relevant categories. As many report that Quicken is easy to use, and quite comprehensive, I'm quite sure that it'll have an easy way to deal with the debit card transactions. ole joyful

gibby3000, So - he's not too interested in money management(?)(!). Learning how money works - is an interesting hobby - that pays well. Next time he sits down on the commode, suggest that he look at the roll of toilet paper ... ... and imagine that the top sheet, sitting there staring him in the face, is a $50.00 bill. That he's about to flush down the toilet. Same for the time after that. And the one after that. If he asks how long he should carry on doing such visualizations, tell him that you don't know - it rather depends on how many stupid mistakes he might make in managing your family's money ... ... after possible expenses related to your final illness, plus funeral costs are paid ... ... when you're no longer around to ask what's the best way to fly. Depends on the size of your assets. And how they are invested. And a number of other things. Like I said - learning how money works is an interesting hobby. That pays well. That they shoud teach more of in school - but don't. That we should learn more of at home - but (often) don't. Some years ago when I showed a display at a Fall Fair in a nearby town, one guy asked me what right I had to call myself a financial planner - and I said I learned how to manage money differently than most town folks ... ... when I grew up on the farm. He said that had nothing to do with it. Oh, yes, it does. And I told him of some of my other qualifications, as well. Have a glorious weekend. Save and invest 10% of your money ... ... and ... ... retire early. An article in what I consider Canada's pre-eminent personal money management magazine carried an article recently by a guy who retired at 34. He's happy - he says. I'm not about to dispute his word on that. ole joyful P.S. Also suggest to hubby that you don't recommend that he develop a habit of becoming anally retentive, O.K? o j (not orange juice)

I am not sure about a 401K, but you can take money out of an IRA to put down on a house without penalty. You still have to pay income taxes on it. If you take the BF's take-home income and subtract court-ordered child support, whatever he is required to pay for daycare, if anything, one half of his daughter's medical bills, and one half of her extracurricular activities (I would estimate that half would be at least $50 a month), then subtract whatever he spends on his vehicle and on his hobbies and any remaining debt, the remainder is what he has available to contribute to the household. Also keep in mind that private independent schools and some colleges will take your income, subtract about $30,000, subtract whatever you pay in student loans, and then compute the expected contribution from your income as 30% of the remainder. (There are a few other things they subtract, but that is most of it). If your income is $200K, that amount will exceed the cost of a private school, so the daughter can forget going to a private high school and likely forget getting much financial aid for college either, even if she is living with her mother. Unless of course you are willing to pay for it. On the other hand, if neither parent is remarried, and the mother earns, as an example, $30,000, the schools will estimate their expected contribution at somewhere around $10,000, I believe, making her eligible for quite a bit of financial aid. Of course these figures are far from exact, and would be affected by any additional children or medical bills, etc, and you obviously shouldn't take my word for it because I am not a financial planner. A prenup will not affect what the schools or the government determines is the Expected Family Contribution. In my opinion, if a wealthy prospective spouse is not prepared to pay for independent school and for college for the stepchildren, then it is unfair for them to marry and screw up their stepchildren's lives, financially speaking.