What I have found is that there is one product (corned beef hash) that I pay more for the big brand, and it is only because the store brand does not taste as appealing, but the house brand of most of the processed foods are suitable substitutes.
In fact, at regular price, you usually pay less for the house brand than brand names on sale, and sale prices are ridiculously low on the house brands, that you would have to be insane to pass up the savings.
Yes! We have done our own for years ever since an accountant friend told us that they use the same tax software that the public buys in stores. Saves a lot of money - can do at my convenience - no gas spent with multiple trips to an accountant when another piece of information is needed. And in the end, if there is an error, the accountant is never held responsible so there's not the safety net paying by a professional that some imagine.
I have a stable job, so I often build up a three-month emergency fund and then periodically deplete it for investment opportunities, etc. It is hard to watch it sit in a savings account with next to no interest being earned (though perhaps I need to find ways to better store, as you indicate in your fourth point). Once I use it, I begin to build it again and then I repeat this cycle periodically.
I see your point, but in my experience, I always pay a lump sum at the end of the visit to cover the host's expenses. I feel like it is a good way to end the visit. But I guess that might make the host feel the way you do, like I am not going to pay for anything during the stay. It's just that I feel it is over-doing it by offering to pay every time money is being spent during the visit ... that could be hundreds of offers and the hosts I stay with always politely say that it is not necessary and refuse to accept money! So I don't want to just go out an say "Oh ok but I will pay you before I leave." I just like to save it as a surprise at the departure. Is that wrong? What's a better way to do it??
I like at least part of Dave Ramsey's approach here. He suggests starting with a $1000 "baby emergency fund" to make sure you don't go back into debt on an unexpected repair bill or accident. After you have the $1k set aside, THEN pay off your debts is what he recommends.
I'm going to H&R Block to file my taxes. This is my first year ever filing taxes and I don't want to get it wrong. It's also a little complicated with my college tuition, loans, donations, and work. Maybe I will do it online for free next year when it's less complicated.
I think point #4 speaks to that very case -- money that can be used as an emergency fund, yet is still earning decent interest. Typically though, emergency funds are kept separate from a person's regular investment vehicles (following the 'make sure it's always-accessible' mantra) and, therefore, earns very little interest. Not always the case, but often. Thanks for your comment.
I highly recommend checking out Regina's book (get the kindle version if you have trouble with book clutter). She addresses those issues and so many other things.
Also, check out her website. She posts different decluttering projects every month that focus on different parts of your life and home.
With regard to things that still have life in them--have you tried just putting those things out on the curb in a box marked FREE? Curbing stuff really helps me keep my house clean and I'm not stuck waiting around for people to show up to pick stuff up!
Every year I use the TurboTax online free edition to prep my taxes and check for any changes. After I have a healthy idea of what my return should look like I make an appointment with my CPA. I bring all my yearly financial files and my CPA and I review everything. Sometimes she finds things I can't claim that I thought I might and sometimes she finds other items to give me better deductions.
We have always done our own taxes. We used paper and a calculator then switched to Turbo Tax. Five years ago we switched to Tax Act, it's only $18 for the deluxe version with preorder.
From personal experience, this is horrible advice. Besides, you say one thing and mean the other. Since when does an emergency fund have to mean "no interest earned" (my words, not yours) on your money. There are fantastic ways to save money and designate it an "emergency fund". I've found that always saving is preferential to not and paying all to creditors. It leaves you with nothing when you reach the end of paying your debts. And using a vehicle like a Roth IRA does give you the advantage to pull out principle invested without a tax penalty, but raiding your funds for retirement is never a good thing if you can avoid it though other means.
Thanks for the comment. I know a few people who use the batch cooking strategy. For those who overspend because they're pressed for time during the week, it can be a great solution.
I have an emergency fund but it is not so much set up to be one. Growing up, I had a weird obsession with investments. My neighbor and I would pull the stock quotes from the newspaper and look through to see how much each was up or down as if we could call up a stock broker and tell them to sell! sell! sell! When I would get a bond or inheritance from a family member, I would invest it. It was never much money but over the years (and even with the economy) I have been able to make some money which is now in a mutual fund. I can pull the money when I need it and other than that i have no reason to touch it. It is reassuring to me that I could live off of that money for a few months with out panic.
Great tips! I myself follow the one about putting everything on your credit card and using the rewards after I have paid it off. Both of my credit cards offer cash credit for a certain amount of points and even better, for a few amount of points, I can get a credit towards my bill making my payment lower. I love it.
Used TurboTax to file my own taxes again this year. It was a bit pricey since I had 2 state return to do this year, but definitely worth it. I did it all electronically, and received my refunds last week! I will definitely do it again next year.
well my sister (the accountant) is... =)
What I have found is that there is one product (corned beef hash) that I pay more for the big brand, and it is only because the store brand does not taste as appealing, but the house brand of most of the processed foods are suitable substitutes.
In fact, at regular price, you usually pay less for the house brand than brand names on sale, and sale prices are ridiculously low on the house brands, that you would have to be insane to pass up the savings.
Yes! We have done our own for years ever since an accountant friend told us that they use the same tax software that the public buys in stores. Saves a lot of money - can do at my convenience - no gas spent with multiple trips to an accountant when another piece of information is needed. And in the end, if there is an error, the accountant is never held responsible so there's not the safety net paying by a professional that some imagine.
Yes, I'm doing my own taxes.
Yes, I filed my own taxes this year, always have. I don't make a lot and don't own property, so it's no big deal for me to do them.
I have a stable job, so I often build up a three-month emergency fund and then periodically deplete it for investment opportunities, etc. It is hard to watch it sit in a savings account with next to no interest being earned (though perhaps I need to find ways to better store, as you indicate in your fourth point). Once I use it, I begin to build it again and then I repeat this cycle periodically.
Scott,
Did you take the leap? How did it go?
I am in a similar situation and would like to find out about your experience with house sitting!
I see your point, but in my experience, I always pay a lump sum at the end of the visit to cover the host's expenses. I feel like it is a good way to end the visit. But I guess that might make the host feel the way you do, like I am not going to pay for anything during the stay. It's just that I feel it is over-doing it by offering to pay every time money is being spent during the visit ... that could be hundreds of offers and the hosts I stay with always politely say that it is not necessary and refuse to accept money! So I don't want to just go out an say "Oh ok but I will pay you before I leave." I just like to save it as a surprise at the departure. Is that wrong? What's a better way to do it??
I like at least part of Dave Ramsey's approach here. He suggests starting with a $1000 "baby emergency fund" to make sure you don't go back into debt on an unexpected repair bill or accident. After you have the $1k set aside, THEN pay off your debts is what he recommends.
I've filed my own taxes for the past couple of years. The software available these days makes it pretty easy.
This year, and in the last several years, I've done my own taxes using TurboTax. Very easy to use and covers the gamut of deductions/credits.
I'm going to H&R Block to file my taxes. This is my first year ever filing taxes and I don't want to get it wrong. It's also a little complicated with my college tuition, loans, donations, and work. Maybe I will do it online for free next year when it's less complicated.
I think point #4 speaks to that very case -- money that can be used as an emergency fund, yet is still earning decent interest. Typically though, emergency funds are kept separate from a person's regular investment vehicles (following the 'make sure it's always-accessible' mantra) and, therefore, earns very little interest. Not always the case, but often. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Olivia!
I highly recommend checking out Regina's book (get the kindle version if you have trouble with book clutter). She addresses those issues and so many other things.
Also, check out her website. She posts different decluttering projects every month that focus on different parts of your life and home.
With regard to things that still have life in them--have you tried just putting those things out on the curb in a box marked FREE? Curbing stuff really helps me keep my house clean and I'm not stuck waiting around for people to show up to pick stuff up!
I used to use a program. But my tax situation is so consistent from year to year, it's not worth the money.
Ours are too complicated this year - gonna outsource to an accountant. :)
Every year I use the TurboTax online free edition to prep my taxes and check for any changes. After I have a healthy idea of what my return should look like I make an appointment with my CPA. I bring all my yearly financial files and my CPA and I review everything. Sometimes she finds things I can't claim that I thought I might and sometimes she finds other items to give me better deductions.
We have always done our own taxes. We used paper and a calculator then switched to Turbo Tax. Five years ago we switched to Tax Act, it's only $18 for the deluxe version with preorder.
TMI
I do my taxes every year using turbo tax because I just cant see paying someone who is using the same software to do it.
From personal experience, this is horrible advice. Besides, you say one thing and mean the other. Since when does an emergency fund have to mean "no interest earned" (my words, not yours) on your money. There are fantastic ways to save money and designate it an "emergency fund". I've found that always saving is preferential to not and paying all to creditors. It leaves you with nothing when you reach the end of paying your debts. And using a vehicle like a Roth IRA does give you the advantage to pull out principle invested without a tax penalty, but raiding your funds for retirement is never a good thing if you can avoid it though other means.
Thanks for the comment. I know a few people who use the batch cooking strategy. For those who overspend because they're pressed for time during the week, it can be a great solution.
I have an emergency fund but it is not so much set up to be one. Growing up, I had a weird obsession with investments. My neighbor and I would pull the stock quotes from the newspaper and look through to see how much each was up or down as if we could call up a stock broker and tell them to sell! sell! sell! When I would get a bond or inheritance from a family member, I would invest it. It was never much money but over the years (and even with the economy) I have been able to make some money which is now in a mutual fund. I can pull the money when I need it and other than that i have no reason to touch it. It is reassuring to me that I could live off of that money for a few months with out panic.
Great tips! I myself follow the one about putting everything on your credit card and using the rewards after I have paid it off. Both of my credit cards offer cash credit for a certain amount of points and even better, for a few amount of points, I can get a credit towards my bill making my payment lower. I love it.
Used TurboTax to file my own taxes again this year. It was a bit pricey since I had 2 state return to do this year, but definitely worth it. I did it all electronically, and received my refunds last week! I will definitely do it again next year.