The earlier the better when it comes to adopting a strategy to reduce your taxes. But even if time gets away from you, there are some year-end actions you can take to help improve your 2011 tax return. Although all of these tips may not apply to you, you may find a few useful. Review your income and deductions. It's all in the timing. If your income is high, deferring receipt of more income at the end of the year can save taxes. If you're close to the line on itemizing deductions, accelerating payment of deductible expenses might save … [Read more...]

Black Friday. You either love it or you dread it. Either way, there are amazing deals to be had and easy ways to navigate all the mayhem to save an incredible amount of money. HOW do you plan ahead and stay organized? Websites like Blackfriday.com will have the most  black Friday fliers available to the sales. You can also use sites like PriceWatch.com to determins where to find the best prices on an individual product.  Some retailers even offer apps to help you organize your shopping trip with their stores. Be a shopping opportunist.  … [Read more...]

Christmas is around the corner, just 74 days away! As a single mother, I have always had to come up with creative ways, presents, etc.  And my creative thinking had to kick in, their lists were endless and quite expensive.  Two years ago, I devised a new tradition to propose and at the time the kids were 9 and 12.  I explained to them since I was the sole provider, they received "things" year round and I would like to start a new tradition.  The new tradition was everyone would get three gifts each: One would be something they needed; One … [Read more...]

Summer means vacations, swimming, picnics and high electricity bills! That's right, summer is the time that we dread opening the mailbox to find that bill from the electric company. Here are some tips to help lower your electric bill and create a bit more wiggle room in your summer budget. Turn off the lights When you leave the room, always be sure you turn out the lights. During the day time, leave blinds and curtains open to let in natural light. Purchase energy efficient light fixtures and light bulbs. Turning off the lights seems like a … [Read more...]

Every time I drive down the street, it seems the price of gasoline is higher.  Gasoline coupons are not very common, so we all need to take a few steps to conserve gasoline and get the most out of each fill up.  Here are a few tips: Drive the speed limit (or slower). The faster you drive the more fuel you burn. Even slowing down just a few miles per hour can save you a few dollars at each fill up. Check your tire pressure. When they are under inflated, tires are not only a safety hazard; they make you burn more gasoline. Don't top … [Read more...]

Some cell phones let you pay for anything— from sneakers to lattes —with money stored in virtual apps or by waving your phone, equipped with a tiny credit card sticker or chip (Visa, Discover, and Mastercard offer them), in front of a scanner.  But before you get caught up in all this gadgety coolness, consider these issues: Bills may be harder to dispute. Companies may route charges to your cell phone bill, which could lower federal protections that help you challenge bogus fees. Check policies before clicking "Buy." Digital … [Read more...]

Credit.  How much do you really understand about it? People toss around your credit score, your credit report but are you sure you know what they are talking about.  Today, we will focus on a few tips on keep your credit clean.  My hope is that you take away from our time together the importance of managing your finances in a manner that protects your good credit and future financial well-being. 1. Saving is essential to avoid unwanted and often problem debt. If you don't have an emergency savings aaccount of six to 12 months of income … [Read more...]

How many of you would like some extra cash in your pocket?  I know I sure would for a pedicure or a nice cold beverage from my favorite coffee shop! As you are “spring cleaning” this year, let’s make some cash at the same time.  Here are some wonderful treasures you have that can put cash in your pocket. 1) Receipts – This is for 2012 – always nice to plan ahead for next spring. I keep ALL my receipts because I never know when I am going to need them and I let my accountant assess them when it comes to tax time.  At the … [Read more...]

Raise your hand if you have kids. Raise your hands if you give your kids an allowance. Raise your hand if your kids have a checking account. My daughter is ten and my son is thirteen and I am not sure how things are in your house, but they are like night and day, oil and water, they simply are two completely different people. One is lazy, the other is a worker; one is a giver, the other is a taker; and attempting to balance the two is challenging. One day, as we were having a family meeting, my son asked if they could get am allowance … [Read more...]