Taxes!

Taxes

It's almost Tax season.  Do you ever question should we do it ourselves  or should we hire someone?

I myself (Shelley) hire it done every year for the last 20 years.  I am with the same person.  We love him!  I hate being stressed out about even gathering the tax information.  Look for someone who has experience and will help you out if you are audited.  Make sure they are a CPA .  It costs between $100-$300.  If they are not a CPA you might as well buy a tax software and enter the data in yourself.



I love using stuff like this.
http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2014/02/how-to-organize-your-taxes.html

I have a special treat for you.  I have a guest blogger in.  Please welcome Jordan Gilmore.


Turbo Tax Review

Yes. The dreaded season will be upon us in few short months-Taxes Season. And Turbo Tax is one of the more popular ways to prepare and e-file Federal and State taxes.  Let me start by stating that I am an amateur user of the product, and am not an Accountant.  With that said I have used the product for several years.  Using the same account each year provides some advantages.  It remembers what income and deductions you had the previous year, and can streamline the experience using that information.

While I won’t say that completing the filing in my experience is fast, the amount of time it takes does depend on how many dependents and deductions and life events you have.  One of the reasons that I have returned to the product several times is not because the amount of time it takes to complete the filing but because of the thoroughness that is built into it.  If you choose to explore every possible type of income and deduction they are available for you to do so.   There are also definitions provided for nearly every choice you are asked to make as you walk through your tax form. 

While I’ve almost always chosen the itemized deductions, the choice to use the standard deduction is available within the program too, and it will help you determine which benefits you more.  Another plus is that the amount you owe or will be refunded changes with each section completed, so you can see which items give you a larger deduction as you work, or you can tell if skipping the trouble of itemizing will bring you the same sized refund.  Nothing is set in stone until you submit your return to the IRS. 

Can mistakes still be made? Yes.  But, I find it’s more relaxing to review and correct them at home on the couch while reading what portions of the form mean before hitting send than to wonder why certain numbers were entered by someone whose office is only open for six months. 

And if speed is what you’re after, once you have filed you can have a notification within hours (depending on how busy the IRS and your state office is) letting you know that your filings have been accepted. 

Taxes can be stressful, but I find that the way that TurboTax walks you through the process tend to each the tension.

-Jordan  Gilmore

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelley

*Disclaimer  I was not compensated in any way.  These are just Tips!

Editor: Alyssa Johnson-Glassel  AKA 2 Dainty Crafters

Coupons!

How to Obtain Coupons 

1st it's pronounced Coupon not Qupon or Kupon.  English is our 1st language use it properly.  

Lets start with the easiest.  

1.  Clipping Newspaper Coupons.  Only clip what you need!!

Find the Skinny on that here 

http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com/category/sunday-coupon-inserts/  

Print the list or check every week to see if it's worth buying the Newspaper.

Please check the newspaper before you buy it, to make sure people have not stolen the coupon inserts.

No,  I am not kidding!  

Coupon abuse and fraud is rampant in the USA.

Here is some helpful info:

http://couponinformationcenter.com/consumers.html

 Make sure you follow the rules on the Coupon please.  Do not be mad when the cashier (who is already underpaid) refuses it, due to coupon and store policy.  Courtesy & Kindness go a long way.

If you think you have been wronged.  Take it up with Customer Service and the Manager on duty.

We all make mistakes!!

2.  Catalinas are Coupons the store prints out at the register.  Make sure you read those instructions carefully.


When you are signing up for these free sites.  Make a junk email account 1st.  
That way your cluttered email box, does not get anymore overwhelming.

3.  Printing coupons online and where to find more coupons.  I love sites like:

www.coupons.com
www.redplum.com
www.smartsource.com
coupons.target.com
www.stockpilingmoms.com
thekrazycouponlady.com
mambosprouts.com

4.  Store cards, are the most difficult to use for myself.  Sometimes sites are down and do not work.  You spend an hour picking and loading the digital coupons on the card and bam not there (sigh).
So I will be honest I do not care for them that much.
Maybe you will have better luck than I.

I have 1 App that works best for me Target's Cartwheel
cartwheel.target.com
It works great on a smart phone and you can print up a sheet at home if you do not have a smart phone.  I have saved almost $600 dollars this year with it in conjunction with the Debit Red Card.
I also stack that with Target Coupons I print at home and Manufacturer Coupons.  My biggest savings yet is $122.00 in 1 shopping trip..
If you go to Thekrazycouponlady.com web site.  You can read more in depth about Digital couponing.
  I am not a hoarder, a shelf clearer, or an extreme couponer.
I cannot stand it when people buy it cheap and then resell it at MSRP.  It is illegal, so don't do it.
  I am here today just giving you a quick tutorial on the basics.
I could spend hours talking coupons with you.  But who has that kind of time.  We write about our lives for creative outlet not money making right now.  Though we like money!  We ladies have very busy lives and are lucky enough to include you in it:)

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to stop by and check out Coupon Organization at
2daintycrafters.com

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelley

*Disclaimer  I was not compensated in any way.  These are just Tips!

1st Chalk Paint Furniture Make-Over

My 1st Furniture make-over in ages.

So I was talking to my friend Brandy, about finishing up a kids room with her.  So she had wanted to do a really cool thing to an outdated dresser.

So have you ever seen the Junk Gypsies on GAC?

It is worth 30 minutes of your day.

What a great looking crew I have working with me!

1st they sanded with orbital sanders.  That really cuts down time. (I Supervised)

We wiped everything down with dry rags.  It was so humid, no water necessary.

Then with an old rag we applied Denatured Alcohol and wiped everything down.

We then started applying Junk Gypsy Chalk & Clay Paint.    Available here: http://gypsyville.com/

This color is called Flower Child. 

After 2-3 coats and a lot of dry time.   

You must then seal Chalk paint with Wax or Junk Gypsy Clear Coat.

The beauty of the clear coat is that you only do it once.  Wax you have to reapply every 2 years and it also takes longer to dry because of humidity.

I had some really wonderful instructions given to me at

Riverbridge Resale & Consignment Conroe, TX.

http://www.riverbridgeresale.com/ 

I couldn't believe how great this paint and sealer worked.  It was so much fun doing this with my friends!

I love how it turned out!

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelley

*Disclaimer  I was not compensated in any way.  These are just Tips!

Editor: Alyssa Johnson-Glassel  AKA 2 Dainty Crafters