So I got a nasty shock the other day when I came home to find my residence tax envelope waiting like a bomb in my mailbox. It wasn't that much more than I thought it would be, but I was surprised at the payment options I had: pay the amount in full all at once, or half and half. Didn't some people get to pay it monthly? Or 6 times a year? or some other far more reasonable pay plan? My old company used to take care of it, so this was my first time of having to deal with it by myself.
I went to work this morning in high bad humor and vented to all and sundry about it. Someone suggested I go to city hall and ask them to change my payment options. Brilliant! Wait, can I do that?
The timing couldn't be any better because at school all the kiddies have Eiken or make up exams today, so I talked the vice-principal into letting me leave early to attend to "urgent matters". He grudgingly said yes, and I was out the door by 1 p.m.
It takes about 1 hour to get from the station near my job to home, and another 20 minutes on the bus, but somehow everything arrived exactly when I needed it. The bus pulled up just after I got the the bus stop, the train was leaving 5 minutes after I got to the station, everything was awesome timing. Fate, man, fate. I got out of my station at 2:30, ran up to my apartment to get my stuff for city hall, and had an epiphany.
My big beef was the size of the split payments, not the total amount, so.....if I payed off the whole thing? Lucky, lucky, lucky me, I started saving money this year and had enough in my special savings account to pay off the whole year's worth. Except, the time savings account could only be accessed by going in to the bank in person and withdrawing the money from the window. I had 30 minutes to get my ass out to the nearest branch of Mizuho.
Like the wind, I located my bank book, grabbed my inkan and ran like the dickens to get myself there before closing time. I got in 9 minutes before closing. Mwahaha!
Like magic, the teller took care of it all, only made me fill out the minimum of forms (another shocker) and then said that although I would usually have to go to the other windows across the bank and pay my residence tax there, she would take care of it for me so I wouldn't have to wait in line again. And when I left, I got not one, but three free presents from the bank. Did I not mention that I love omake?!?
Just when I was going out of the bank, my eye alighted on the Docomo store next door. Perfect timing to find out if I could change my cellphone while still mid-contract. I have wanted to change phones for about 6 months now. Turns out the lovely people at Docomo make it so easy to change phones that it cost me absolutely nothing (that day). I walked in, picked the model I wanted (Prime series F-09 if you're interested to know) and then signed on the dotted line. I got more free goodies too!
So let's recap shall we?
I payed my entire year of residence tax without affecting my main bank account, got myself a new phone AND I got free stuff. Also, I just got three emails from people saying they would LOVE to take my table and chair set off my hands (operation "de-clutter your f*cking apartment" is well underway!), so I am walking on cloud nine!
A P.S to concerned readers: I got a letter today with instructions on how to return that defective DVD player, I won't be keeping it! (Like I would anyways! I've never been the "bad girl". Didn't I say I'm not cool?)
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