Taking His Emmy Back

Do You Need to Make Estimated Tax Payments?

photo credit: jelene

By Kristine McKinley

The second quarter estimated tax payment is due in less than two weeks (June 15). Do you know if you need to make estimated tax payments?

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So Many Ways to Save!

If you are anything like me, you have trouble saving money! Just like most folks I guess. After a lifetime of trying I have finally figured out how I can save some money and not even notice it’s missing and with almost no effort at all. That’s the best part. Here are some ways that might work for you as well:

1. Limited access to your funds

Open a high interest yielding online savings account, one that is linked to your account but not part of the same bank. Why? Some online banking services (i.e. ING DIRECT) offer you a bonus for signing up at times it’s $25 and sometimes it’ $50 just depends. That’s the start of your savings. Referral bonuses get you more money. Always, a good thing. When your bank account holds your checking and savings it’s very easy to transfer money from one account to the other. Sometimes too easy. If we impulse buy and think “Oh, I’ll just transfer the money from the savings over - it’s an immediate transfer” Stop right there. We’ve just taken a step in the wrong direction. Easy access doesn’t help you save. So, if your savings account requires a few days to transfer over to and back and may even keep a hold on the funds for a few days you will be less likely to impulse shop thus eliminating your need to transfer funds out of your savings.

2. Make the most of your coupon clipping

Coupon clipping is great and it helps you save on the products you normally buy. But if you buy a product just because you have a coupon for it chances are you are spending more money than you need to. Want to make those coupon savings really count? Total your coupons used or sometimes it’s on the receipt and put that amount into a savings account or piggy bank instead of just leaving it in your checking account to spend later. If you need to, make a check out to yourself for that amount and deducted it from your checking and slip into the piggy bank. (Since I know some banks charge fees for too many transfers in a month.)

3. Keep the change

My bank has a program set up that allows them to round up to the nearest dollar on every debit card charge I make. Then at the end of the day all that spare change gets transferred into the saving account. So you are making a daily deposit into a savings without even noticing the difference in your checking account. If your bank doesn’t offer you this type of program, set one up yourself. Round up all of your receipts to the nearest dollar for the day and put that money into a savings account or piggy bank (which ever works better for you). Even $1.50 a day adds up. In a year’s time you will have saved $547.50 just from spare change.

4. Make some extra money and voice your opinions at the same time

Paid online surveys pay you for your opinions. It’s not a lot of money but even a few bucks a month here and there will add up. Remember it’s all the little extra cash (not regular income) that helps you save.

5. Free Rewards Programs

Sign up for free Rewards Programs at local stores that you frequently shop. I think I’m signed up for every free rewards program in my hometown. I’m also signed up with Upromise to start saving for my children’s college when I shop.

6. Skip that last trip

Skip that last trip to the vending machine or convenience store. (Your waistline will be grateful too if you skip these ones.)

Coupon College

If I scrutinized my college papers with the same intensity I utilized for this week’s drugstore circular, I would have graduated with straight A’s.  During the initial examination of the flyer, I mentally noted worthy sales and free after rebate items.  As I observed the sale price, I considered potential coupon combination scenarios.   Once a final game plan was completed, I composed a list of items, paper clipping the corresponding coupons. 

 

Prior to exiting the car, I scanned my list reviewing the products, sale prices and coupons.  This mental preparation would have aided me immensely for the SAT’s.  If only I loved coupons back then. 

 

After laying all of the items on the counter, my adrenaline increased as each product passed across the red line and beeped.  With my loot in hand, I inspected the receipt:

2 Scrub and Bubbles for $2.49 each
used $1 off coupon on each
received $2 coupon for next visit
including $2 off next visit–only .49 cents each

2 Chex Mix for .99 cents each
Used $1 off coupon
received 2 cents for purchase

1 Excedrin–free after rebate
used $2 off coupon
received $2 for purchase after rebate

1 Chemistry Hair product free after rebate

After rebates and coupons I EARNED $1.04 for $18.94 worth of items—Definitely an A+ for me!

SNL: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

Who Pays in Today’s World of Dating?

photo credit: f_mafra

Equal pay for equal work is a great idea in the workplace. Do you also believe in equal pay for equal good times on the dating scene? It’s a question that bothers many women. Do you offer to pay for your own dinner or movie ticket? Read more

Have Fun Signing With Your Baby

As I’m sure you have found out, babies just love to be sung to and with. After learning the basic first sign language signs such as food, milk, etc. you will want to move on to some fun signs too.

Sing & Sign

Try learning some signs for animals. Although that may not seems like fun signs to you, your little one will sure enjoy it. It doesn’t have to be a huge slew of animal signs just a few farm animals will do such as cow, pig or duck. I know you know “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”. To a sign a song you don’t need to sign all the words, just some of the keywords, in this case, sign just the animal signs as you sing.

You can start out with just 2 or 3 animal signs depending on the attention span of your baby, then add more animal signs and make the song longer as your baby’s attention span grows. He may even start signing right along with you. Come on, I dare you to try this and not have fun doing it.

Need some other song ideas? You might want to give these a try: One Potato, Two Potato, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Six Little Ducks. I’m sure you can come up with several more.

Make Story Time Come Alive!

Story time is a most loved time and wonderful bonding time too. I enjoy it with my kids. Want to really hold their attention though, give this a try, animate the story. Animating a story will hold your child’s attention better than just reading out of a book most times. What a great opportunity this is to continue or teach your baby sign language. Try short little stories or nursery rhymes to start out with. Personally I try to see what stories my kids enjoy me reading to them then we incorporate the signs into the stories. We read and sign for such stories as The Three Little Pigs, The ABC song (which not only helps them learn the alphabet signs but also helps them learn their alphabet by hearing the song and each letter). Nursery Rhymes are great fun too. Pick out a few and give it a try. I’m sure both you and baby will enjoy story time a lot more with a little action going on. Have fun signing!

Sarah Palin on CBS

Have Fun With These Halloween Games & Activities For Children

The majority of kids love all things Halloween. As adults, we assume it’s because Halloween means candy and kids generally love candy. But many kids love more than just the abundance of candy at Halloween time. They really get into the ghoulish aspect of the holiday and delight in the displays of goopy brains and squishy body parts. Read more

OMG! I’m Pregnant! : D

photo credit: chimothy27

YES!

This is not just an article about pregnant women.

This is a blog entry about my newfound pregnancy.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Baby! Baby! Baby!

I found out two days ago and after hours of shock, finding the best way of popping it to my husband, and telling it at work and to my friends and family, I get to write it here.

I guess this blog is not just “Diary of a Newly-wed” anymore, but something more like “Diary of a Newly-wed-Newly-pregnant woman”!

I swear I did not have a plan for this; it is completely unnexpected. And yet, I have never felt happier with what is happening right now to me with the man I love. We are both producing new life and we are going to be the best mommy and daddy. I suppose I was just living the life away as best as I could and this only exponientialy magnifies the level of happiness I feel. We’re going to have a baby. My baby. And I’m gonna love him or her with all my heart.

I feel bunnies and rainbows and butterflies and birds and little elves and candy and flowers all over inside and around me.

Watch Out Mommies Magazine, You have another Mommy on her way!

Yay!

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