Archive for December, 2009

  • Still Filing Your Tax Returns On Paper? Go For E Filing Instead!>
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    Still Filing Your Tax Returns On Paper? Go For E Filing Instead!
    Electronic documentation of data is already practiced by many of us. So a suggestion asking you to specifically file your tax returns electronically might sound cliché to you. But then, there are so many of us who also keep clinging to the old systems unless it becomes imperative for you to adopt a new one. My endeavor is to convince those who belong to the latter type. Here are some good reasons why you should switch loyalties to the more modern method of filing your tax returns: Because IRS Wants You To You might not do it if I tell you to, but you have to listen to IRS which wants about 80% filing of tax returns electronically by 2014. The reason is simple- Electronic filing makes it easy for it to work upon your data. Yes, like many other computerized systems, an electronic tax filing  [...]
    at December 29th, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • Don’t Overload Your Kid With Extra-Curricular Activities; They’re Simply A Waste Of Money!>
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    Don’t Overload Your Kid With Extra-Curricular Activities; They’re Simply A Waste Of Money!
    About a couple of decades ago when we were kids, after school, we’d have a gala time with friends for at least a couple of hours before settling down for doing homework or self study. These couple of hours was precious as we’d recreate ourselves by playing games and socializing with friends. They were enough to rejuvenate us mentally and physically for the rigorous academic sessions of the entire day. But now the scene has changed drastically. School kids seem to be busier than corporate executives. In the mornings they go to school with heavy bags, come back in the afternoon and attend private tuition classes and extra curricular activity sessions after that without a break! I hardly get to see any kid spending some leisure moments with friends. Even weekends are packed with special classes  [...]
    at December 25th, 2009 at 05:12 am
  • The Deal Or The Strategy- What Is Important While Making Investments?>
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    The Deal Or The Strategy- What Is Important While Making Investments?
    What is the factor that attracts you into making an investment? Is it the recent performance graph as in the case of the stock market? Is it the predicted profitability? Or, is it the number of buyers who are forming a beeline to invest in a deal? It may be one or more of these reasons, but if your decision to make investments is based on these and other such factors, you should know that these factors change over time and therefore should never be reason enough for you to take your investment decision. Rather, it’s your approach towards investments in general that actually matters and makes you a successful investor permanently. At the end of the day it’s not actually the deal that you have bagged but the strategy that you’ve used to buy the deal along with your portfolio and how you  [...]
    at December 23rd, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • Top 8 Last Minute Tax Deduction Strategies For 2009>
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    Top 8 Last Minute Tax Deduction Strategies For 2009
    When it comes to tax deduction strategies it’s never too late. 2010 is just round the corner, but you still can apply some last minute tax deduction strategies and welcome 2010 with more tax savings. Here’s how you go about it: Make Contributions to Your 401(K) There’s still time to make contributions to your 401(k) for this year. The traditional IRA contribution deadline is the 15th of April, 2010 for the 2009 year. The maximum you could contribute is $16,500 for both this and the coming year. If you are over 50 the limit is $22,000. Consult your employer to see if you could still make contributions for your 401k. Wait Till Next Year to Make Roth IRA Conversions If your modified gross income is less than $100,000 you can convert it to a Roth IRA. From next year, this $100,000 limit will  [...]
    at December 22nd, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • Who Says You Cannot Party If You Are On A Budget?>
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    Who Says You Cannot Party If You Are On A Budget?
    Usually when you decide to go a budget, you tend to slash your expenditures related to entertainment. Along with dining out, going on a visit to theaters and splurging on your favorite junk food, partying is one of the first things that are thrown out of the list made for budgeted expenditure. The latest economical epidemic has made partying an unaffordable luxury for most of us and many families are settling down for low- budgeted modest gathering with friends. If you are one of them, here’s some good news for you. You really don’t have to compromise with your enjoyment by slashing down on most of the entertaining features of your party. A party will not be worth calling a party if you do that! So just enjoy …but know how to by not burning a hole in your pocket. Even celebrity party  [...]
    at December 21st, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • What Has Buying Green Got To Do With Morality?>
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    What Has Buying Green Got To Do With Morality?
    A few years ago, green consciousness was what only environmental scientists seemed to have, but with the growing concern of the impending environmental disasters owing to non-eco friendly human practices, the common man has taken the initiative to go for the green(of course under media influence). Nowadays, almost every supermarket has a number of shelves reserved for organic products. People, carried away by the notion of buying healthy, are picking up these products by the dozen from the supermarkets and retail stores almost everyday. But, now according to new lines of thought, the worthiness of the organic products, as available in the market today, is a highly debatable topic. The question that seems to be gaining significance in many people’s minds is about whether green is really good  [...]
    at December 18th, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • Know The Shopper Psyche, Don’t Get Trapped By It!>
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    Know The Shopper Psyche, Don’t Get Trapped By It!
    The magical spell of anything attractive and brand new strikes one and all like Cupid! The most mentally evolved amongst us is not quite immune to the charm of these gorgeous things that we come across in retail outlets or shops in general. It may be a small pack of cookies or a huge sports car, the effect is the same – you are filled with a desire to possess it. Is it the item itself, is it the way it is displayed, is it the ambience, or is it the knack of the sales executive that makes an item crave worthy; is something that I often wonder about. Apparently the reason may be any one or more of these factors, but in reality it is a complex interplay of your senses and your motivation to satiate the desires generated by these senses that actually makes you fall for the temptation of buying  [...]
    at December 17th, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • Drive Into The New Year With A Pair Of New Tires>
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    Drive Into The New Year With A Pair Of New Tires
    When it comes to cars, the tires are the most important. But, towards their care, most of us show the same attitude that we would for dental care- I mean, though the teeth are an important part of the human body, most of us don’t get them attended to unless a devastating toothache is experienced. In fact during the recession, many of us had put back dental care as a low priority issue as we could not afford to ‘waste’ money on non-essential issues. Tire care is often an issue of low priority when considering car care. So, owing to the recession and high price of tires, many people had put off tire care this year due to which the sales of tires has fallen down badly in the recent times. According to the Rubber Manufacturing Association, tire dealers are offering year-end discount sales  [...]
    at December 16th, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • Business Bestsellers That Are A Must Read>
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    Business Bestsellers That Are A Must Read
    If you think books are meant to be nothing more than diet for silverfish, you are grossly mistaken! The modern professional times are those in which good performance and nothing else counts for one to reach the pinnacle of success. For performing well, you need to constantly polish your skills, as amazingly as it is observed today, the skills become outdated in no time. These are times when not only skills, but concepts too have limited lifespan and in order to survive, you need to constantly keep updating your knowledge database. This makes reading literature, most often worthy books, imperative. The leading personal finance blog Smartmoney has come up with a collection of 5 books that are worth giving a read. AfterShock authored by David Wiedemer, Robert Wiedemer and Cindy Spitzer is a book  [...]
    at December 15th, 2009 at 01:12 am
  • Let’s Teach Santa Some Frugality This Christmas!>
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    Let’s Teach Santa Some Frugality This Christmas!
    Christmas is just about three weeks away! Your kids, family and friends must be eagerly waiting for Santa Claus to gift them some really good goodies! That is quite understandable, but it seems Uncle Santa needs to be taught some frugality this year, because of the financial depression that most of us are suffering from. Here are some inexpensive items that you could consider for gifting. They are cheap but at the same time interesting and useful for the recipient. Most importantly they are different and you can personalize them before gifting so that the recipient gets to know that you really care for him/her Scrapbooks and Collages Let your kid or spouse receive a fully personalized scrapbook this Christmas. Fill it with personalized snaps and messages which are going to convey to recipients  [...]
    at December 14th, 2009 at 01:12 am
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