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Post by SAR01 on Jan 29, 2019 16:09:27 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Job-Hunting Costs
If you were among the millions of unemployed Americans who were looking for a job last year you can deduct job-hunting costs as miscellaneous expenses if you itemize. Qualifying expenses can be written off even if you didn't land a new job. But such expenses can be deducted only to the extent that your total miscellaneous expenses exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income. Deductible costs include; Transportation expenses incurred as part of the job search, food and lodging expenses if your search takes you away from home overnight, employment agency fees and costs of printing resumes, business cards, postage, and advertising.
WH OverstockMoving Expenses to Take Your First Job
Although job-hunting expenses are not deductible when looking for your first job, moving expenses to get to that job are. And you get this write-off even if you don't itemize. To qualify for the deduction, your first job must be at least 50 miles away from your old home. If you qualify, you can deduct the cost of getting yourself and your household goods to the new area.
Child-Care Credit
A credit is so much better than a deduction; it reduces your tax bill dollar for dollar. So missing one is even more painful than missing a deduction that simply reduces the amount of income that's subject to tax. You can qualify for a tax credit worth between 20 percent and 35 percent of what you pay for child care while you work.
Refinancing Points
When you buy a house, you get to deduct in one fell swoop the points paid to get your mortgage. When you refinance, though, you have to deduct the points on the new loan over the life of that loan. That means you can deduct 1/30th of the points a year if it's a 30-year mortgage. That's $33 a year for each $1,000 of points you paid--not much, maybe, but don't throw it away.
Student-Loan Interest Paid by Mom and Dad
Generally, you can deduct interest only if you are legally required to repay the debt. But if parents pay back a child's student loans, the IRS treats the transactions as if the money were given to the child, who then paid the debt. So as long as the child is no longer claimed as a dependent, he or she can deduct up to $2,500 of student-loan interest paid by Mom and Dad each year. And he or she doesn't have to itemize to use this money-saver. (Mom and Dad can't claim the interest deduction even though they actually foot the bill because they are not liable for the debt.)
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Post by SAR01 on Aug 6, 2019 13:02:41 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: You keep overdrawing your checking account. If you are constantly overdrawing your checking account - even once a month - you need to get your financial act together. You are likely spending too much money and possibly accumulating too much debt. Build a monthly budget and stick to it.
Your credit card payments are shrinking. If you can only afford to make the minimum payments on your monthly credit card bill, you've got a borrowing problem. pay at least twice your minimum card payment. That should keep you out of credit card trouble.
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Your emergency fund is 'zero.' If you don't have an emergency fund, you're courting big financial trouble. Experts say you should have at least six months worth of income stashed away in a savings fund.
You have to choose which bills to pay. If this is a monthly occurrence then you need to revisit your budget and see where you can cut.
Your credit score is below 620. The lower your score, the more expensive it becomes for you to get credit. Read your credit report at least twice a year and address problems right away.
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Post by SAR01 on Aug 27, 2019 19:44:05 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: 1. Go Cash-Only. Credit cards make it easy to overspend, but you can't use them if you don't have them with you.
2. Set Long-term Goals. Pick something that you really want a vacation, a fat emergency fund, to get out of debt and remind yourself of this goal each time you feel tempted to blow money on a non-essential.
3. Distinguish Between Needs and Wants. Do you need those new shoes or do you just want them? Ask yourself this question each time you find yourself contemplating a purchase.
4. Shop with a List, then only shop for the items that are on your list.
5. Give Yourself an Allowance. Look over your budget, and decide how much money you can afford to blow each week.
6. Institute a Cooling Off Period before buying any big- ticket item. This will give you time to decide whether you really need and can afford the item.
7. Find a Shopping Buddy. Designate a friend or family member your "Voice of Reason"; and only shop when they can go with you.
8. Shop without a Cart. You'll be less tempted to shop when you don't have anywhere to put your selections.
9. Let Someone Else Shop for You. Make out your shopping list, and then hand it off to someone you trust. You won't be able to add impulse items if you're sitting at home.
10. Survey Your Selections. Before you head to the check out line, take a minute to look over your selections. Do you need everything that you're about to buy?
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Post by SAR01 on Oct 1, 2019 12:37:27 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Earnings on investments within a Roth IRA are neither subject to income tax nor are they included in the IRA owner's income. Instead, they accumulate on a tax-deferred basis and are tax free when withdrawn from the Roth if the distribution is qualified.
If a 25-year-old contributes $5,000 each year until he or she retires and makes an average annual return of 8 percent on his investment, he'll have $1.4 million saved by the time he retires at age 65. If he invested that money in a taxable account, however, he'd only have about $1 million if his earnings were taxed at 15 percent -- that's 28 percent less money.
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Post by SAR01 on Nov 12, 2019 14:04:00 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: The number of electronics and appliances in American homes and offices that have stand-by modes, always on displays and controls, or devices are connected to the Internet 24/7, has proliferated. They are called 'energy vampires' because they are surreptitiously but constantly sucking power, little by little.
The first and most obvious step toward minimizing this effect is to unplug devices when they are not in use, such as during the night or when the home's occupants are away for any lengthy period.
Another option is to plug energy vampires, such as game consoles, entertainment systems or computers, into smart power strips, which employ timers and sensors that turn devices off completely until their next use.
Most electronics retailers sell them. Some local utilities provide discounts, or even rebates on utility bills, to customers who buy and use them. Check with yours!
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Post by SAR01 on Nov 20, 2019 16:34:41 GMT -5
Ragged cuticles?
Pour 1/4 cup of almond oil into a bowl, then soak nails for 10 minutes; massage in the residue. The vitamin E rich oil moisturizes cuticles and protects them from the peeling, cracking and drying that result in painful hangnails.
Yellow nails?
In a bowl, mix the juice from half a lemon with 1 cup of warm water, soak nails for 15 minutes, then buff them with the leftover lemon rind. The fruit's citric acid lifts stains embedded deep within nails, while its vitamin C further brightens.
Brittle nails?
Mix 2 Tbs. of minced kale with 1/4 cup of olive oil in a bowl; microwave until warm, then soak nails for five minutes. Thanks to its vitamins A, C and K and calcium, kale boosts keratin production to strengthen nails, while the oil's vitamin E helps repair damage.
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'Go Green' Hint: Go Organic The food we consume has a profound effect on the global environment. The issues around food production, supply, and consumption are extremely complex, but there are some considerations that could help reduce the environmental impact of what you eat while also offering a healthy lifestyle include:
- Choose local, seasonal produce.
- If you eat meat, reduce the number of meals containing meat you eat each week.
- If you eat fish, choose sustainably-sourced species and fishing methods.
- Avoid food with unnecessary packaging, as this just leads to additional, unnecessary rubbish for your bin.
- Always look for sustainable, fair-trade, environmentally-friendly food, as this helps the economy.
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Post by SAR01 on Nov 26, 2019 19:33:04 GMT -5
November 26, 2019 Greetings Thrifty Friends, When you are buying your Thanksgiving bird this week, you will encounter a variety of labels and prices. Labels like 'Heritage' and 'Free-Range' can cost you significantly more, and it may be worth it to you, but before you go blowing an extra $2, $3, or even $4 per pound over a frozen Butterball, you should know what you're buying.
Please scroll down for a easy guide to what all of those different types and labels actually mean.
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. Did you miss an issue? You can read every issue from the Gophercentral library of newsletters on our exhaustive archives page. Thousands of issues, all of your favorite publications in chronological order. You can read AND comment. Just click GopherArchives
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TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Natural: According to the USDA, turkey containing no artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, chemical preservative, or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient and is minimally processed (a process which does not fundamentally alter the raw product) may be labeled "natural." The label must explain the use of the term "natural" (e.g., no added colorings or artificial ingredients; minimally processed).
No Antibiotics: These turkeys were raised without antibiotics. Poultry antibiotics can be passed through to the consumer, and can cause bacterial resistance.
No Hormones: This is a label you can ignore. Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in poultry.
Organic: Organic turkeys are free-range birds that have fed strictly on organic grains that contain no pesticides, chemicals, hormones or antibiotics.
Fresh: This label means your bird has never been kept at a temperature below 26 degrees Fahrenheit. Purchase a fresh turkey no earlier than two days before Thanksgiving. If you must pick it up earlier, be sure to freeze the turkey until you're ready to cook it.
Frozen: This means that the turkey has been flash frozen at 0 degrees F, which will ensure freshness when it is defrosted.
Heritage: Heritage turkeys are an older breed of bird that closely resembles what the Pilgrims would have eaten at their Thanksgiving. These turkeys have a slower growth rate, and must have a long outdoor lifespan, as well as the ability to mate naturally. They also have "superior flavor, texture and tenderness."
Free-Range: Don't be fooled by this label. "Free-range" only means that the turkeys must have access to the outdoors, but does not necessarily mean they can roam wild and live a life like a conventional bird.
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Post by SAR01 on Nov 27, 2019 16:21:38 GMT -5
November 27, 2019 Hey Everyone! No matter how well you plan your Thanksgiving, you know problems are going to pop up. Following are a few helpful tips and tricks to help you tackle some of the most common problems every family faces on Thanksgiving, from no fridge space to not enough pots and pans. Who knows? You might even discover a trick you can use all-year-round!
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Throw away your chopping board...
Ice Chest As a Fridge
In the lead-up to the big feast, refrigerator real estate is precious. Clear out those space-hogging bottles of dressing and pickles, and stow them in a cooler filled with ice packs. It's also great if you want to brine your turkey overnight (make sure to add plenty of ice).
Aluminum Foil As a Roasting Rack
The point of a rack is to hold your bird above the pan so heat can circulate evenly. Who says it has to be made of wire or cost a lot of money? If you don't have the store-bought variety, crumple some sheets of foil into thick ropes and wrap them in coils on the bottom of your pan. Or go biodegradable and place the bird on a bed of halved onions, carrots and celery.
Slow Cooker As Mashed Potato Keeper
The only thing worse than lumpy mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving is cold, gluey ones. To keep your spuds warm when every burner of your stovetop is in use, butter your slow-cooker insert, add a little heavy cream and spoon in the potatoes. Set the temp to low and stir every hour or so to keep your potatoes smooth and silky.
Measuring Cup As a Fat Separator
The secret to great gravy is skimmed - not greasy - pan drippings. If you're without a fat separator, pour your drippings into a large heatproof measuring cup and pop it in the freezer. As the drippings cool, the fat will rise to the top and solidify, making it easy to skim off with a spoon.
Salad Bar As a Sous Chef
Shave hours off your prep time by picking up ingredients from the supermarket salad bar that are already cleaned and ready to go - think chopped onions, trimmed beans, sliced bell peppers, hard-boiled eggs and even crumbled bacon.
Chicken Broth As a Turkey Reviver
Overcooked the bird? Before you bring that platter of dried-out meat to the table, drizzle it with a little warm chicken broth. It'll help moisten the meat and add flavor. This is also a good trick for perking up slices that have gone from room temp to cold.
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'Go Green' Hint: Turn down the heat. With a turkey roasting away in the oven for 4 or 5 hours and potatoes and veggies bubbling away on the stove top, Thanksgiving day is the perfect opportunity to turn your thermostat down 5 or 6 degrees. A crowd of people gathered around the dinner table will be puttng off enough heat of their own, so don't forget to save yourself a few bucks on the gas bill.
Make sure you use reuseables. With a big crowd of people it is tempting to go disposable, but Thanksgiving is a special occasion after all. So pull out the cloth tablecloths and napkins, and the 'real' silverware and plates, and save all the waste from disposable plates, cups and utensils.
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