May has not been a good month! We were nearly back on track financially, when we were informed of the following:
- our heating, hot and cold water use in the studio last year has been double what they had predicted. Please, cough up an extra € 900 ($ 1,275). The landlady has kindly picked up more than half of this bill, but that still leaves us to pay € 400 ($ 567)
- the insurance company informed us that they will not pay for the car repairs. Our car was stolen, but not in the way they define 'theft'. So, no refund of the € 850 ($ 1,205) we paid.
- the Dutch tax authorities want their € 287 ($ 407) back before July. I was given this as a help to pay my rent last year, when I had no income. I thought that when I told the tax authorities that I officially moved to Belgium they would stop paying me this money. Apparently, they just continued paying into the only bank account I do not have online access to, so I did not notice soon enough.
And finally, some good news: the company I work for initially wanted every employee to take 10 days of unpaid leave this year. They have now changed that to 'persuade' and 'unpaid leave opportunity'. Good! I cannot afford to loose half a month's salary, and will work as normal.
We'll manage, as usual.
- our heating, hot and cold water use in the studio last year has been double what they had predicted. Please, cough up an extra € 900 ($ 1,275). The landlady has kindly picked up more than half of this bill, but that still leaves us to pay € 400 ($ 567)
- the insurance company informed us that they will not pay for the car repairs. Our car was stolen, but not in the way they define 'theft'. So, no refund of the € 850 ($ 1,205) we paid.
- the Dutch tax authorities want their € 287 ($ 407) back before July. I was given this as a help to pay my rent last year, when I had no income. I thought that when I told the tax authorities that I officially moved to Belgium they would stop paying me this money. Apparently, they just continued paying into the only bank account I do not have online access to, so I did not notice soon enough.
And finally, some good news: the company I work for initially wanted every employee to take 10 days of unpaid leave this year. They have now changed that to 'persuade' and 'unpaid leave opportunity'. Good! I cannot afford to loose half a month's salary, and will work as normal.
We'll manage, as usual.