Nowadays you often hear about how bad the economy is. Unemployment is high and everything costs more. Many people are looking for alternative means of earning extra money.
I recently came across a new website titled Inboxdollars.com. This site provides individuals with an easy way to earn extra money. As an additional incentive, there is a $5 sign up bonus. Best of all, It is free to join.
Inboxdollars.com has several ways for you to earn money. Individuals can be paid to read emails. Another option is to get paid for taking online surveys. The money generating opportunities do not stop there. There are opportunities to try name brand products, play games online, and even shop online. Some of the most popular brands come from stores such as Target, Wal-Mart and Netflix.
Inboxdollars.com is a free and easy way to make extra money. Give it a try today.
The IRS frequently issues tips to taxpayers on various topics. One topic of interest is tax benefits for job seekers. With so many people in the job market, the IRS feels that is imperative for job seekers to understand the tax benefits related to their job searches.
Job seekers are able to deduct most costs incurred during their job search if the costs are incurred for a job within the same occupation. Eligible expenses include:
- Employment or outplacement agency fees
- Travel expenses incurred while looking for a job
- Mailing copies of resumes
A key point to remember is that these expenses can only be incurred for a job in your current occupation and the costs cannot be for a first time job seeker.
More information is available by reading IRS Publication 529, miscellaneous expenses.
Have you ever wondered what government resources are out there? Well, don’t keep wondering, simply click and take advantage of these great resources.
- Mymoney.gov-This site provides a wealth of resources for businesses and individuals alike. Whether you are looking to educate yourself about personal finance or looking for financial management ideas for your business, this is the site to check out. Topics on this site range from credit cards to retirement.
- Money Matters-This is another great site. A unique feature of Money Matters is the Scam watch section. This section provides insightful information to educate consumers about the latest fraudulent scams. Other unique features include personal finance advice and job hunting advice.
- Money Smart-Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation created Money Smart as a tool to educate new business owners. This is a great site for financial education. There are a series of courses that can be taken online.
Now that you are aware of these resources, don’t delay. Take advantage of them today and get on track with your personal finance goals.
Should you date someone who makes more or less money than you do? This is a tough question because we can’t help who we end up falling in love with. But personal finances are a big part of any relationship and are a topic that we can’t avoid.
I’ve been in situations where I earned more than the person that I dated. Of course in the beginning it is not a big deal. But as you get to know each other, it does become a topic of discussion and sometimes can cause conflict. My advice is to discuss it up front. The best time to discuss is when your relationship is no longer a matter of dating but a matter of being exclusive with this other person. Once you two become comfortable with each other, bring it up in a professional and respectable manner. Then have a game plan for when you go out. Decide up front who will pay and maybe even share the bill. If you’re going out, select the location together. Discuss any fees and decide together how it will get paid. Be consistent and talk together about the finances. Don’t rely on him or her to make any of the decisions. But do it instead as a team.
If you follow this approach, I’m sure your relationship will go a long way. The best thing to do is to discuss personal finances openly and honestly. Do not ignore it. If you discuss it up front, I think your relationship will be better off in the long run.
What are your thoughts on money and dating? What has been your approach?
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On Friday April 16th, in honor of the end of tax season, become our fan on facebook and we’ll give you a free Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks gift card towards a free coffee. The first 50 people to become our fan and email us at fca@fcallc.biz will receive a gift card. Our facebook fan page can be accessed by visiting our website at http://www.fcallc.biz.
It has often been said that a penny saved is a penny earned. This phrase has been passed down from generations. But sometimes it gets lost and not passed down from a parent to a child. But how do we teach our children to save? I learned from my frugal mom and from personal finance courses that I took in high school. Your child’s savings habits do not have to be this formal. However, I do believe that the education starts in the home. Do you discuss the bills with your children? Do you give them an allowance? Lastly, do they have a savings account? If not, start today. All of these habits are great ways to teach them about personal finance.
For more tips and suggestions, visit the For Youth Information (FYI) section of our website at: www.fcallc.biz/index.php/for-youth-information.html.
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The first quarter of the year is almost over. And if you are like me, you haven’t been keeping your New Year’s Resolutions. Of course we are all human and so far this year has been full of surprises and challenges for the entire country. These challenges often force us to take our eyes off of our goals. But in order to be successful in life, it is important to try and refocus even if it means revising our goals.
How do I refocus you might ask? The first thing I like to do is ask myself why I created the goal in the first place. Was it that important to me? Is the goal for myself or is it someone else’s goal. Let’s say that your goal was to stay within your budget. This is a personal goal and staying within your budget will be better for you financially. Therefore this is your own goal.
Another option is to revise your goal. Perhaps the goal was too broad. It can be helpful to revise the goal and break it down into smaller more achievable goals. If we use the budget example, you can try to break it down into smaller goals by first creating a list of all of your expenses. Then use an Excel spreadsheet to calculate the expenses and obtain a total. Another step would be to break out the expenses into categories such as variable and fixed expenses.
Lastly, once you have revised your goal, go ahead and set a new goal. Perhaps you can give yourself a shorter deadline. Using the budget example again, we revised the goal to stay within my budget for the variable expenses and review my budget quarterly. This is our new goal.
In summary, no matter what your goals were for 2010, do not lose sight of them because the first quarter of the year has been challenging. Revisit and refocus on your goals because the year is not yet over. There is always plenty of time to start over and make a fresh start.
The tax filing deadline is only a month away. If you are like many Americans, you haven’t filed your taxes yet. But do not delay. April 15th will be here before you know it. What can you do now in order to stop procrastinating? Listed below are some quick tips to help you meet the deadline:
- Organize your receipts in envelopes in order to easily categorize them.
- Visit the IRS website www.irs.gov and be familiar with your specific filing requirements.
- Efile your return to safely and securely file your taxes.
- April 15th is the deadline to pay your taxes. However an extension to file can be requested using Form 4868 Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
What are some of your tips for meeting the tax deadline?
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Join First Capital Advisors along with several organizations across the county as we participate in America Saves Week, February 21 – 28, 2010. The purpose of America Saves Week is to encourage, individuals and families to set savings goals and to improve their financial goals and financial education. Several organizations across the country will be participating and will be hosting various financial literacy programs. A full list of participants can be found on the America Saves website at www.americasavesweek.org.
The America Saves Week Website has some unique features to get participants started on their savings goals. Some of the unique features include:
- Short financial survey
- Listing of participating organizations and events
- Downloadable Financial literacy materials
- Savings messages
- America Saves Week Build Wealth Not Debt e-mails
- Access to the In Charge® Education Foundation Mind Your Finance program
This is a critical time for everyone to participate and become encouraged and empowered. Our nation is still struggling and unemployment is still very high. It is my hope that participants in the program will be enlightened and encouraged to save for the future.
Will you be participating in America Saves Week? If so, what activities do you have planned?
