It's nearly impossible not to be excited by a bargain. Whether you've cut back tremendously because of the economy or you're going about your shopping business as usual, there's a thrill in finding deals on everything from garbanzo beans to Gucci. Take a moment to boast and brag, and tell me, what's the best deal you've scored recently?
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Meeting your emergency fund goal is a huge accomplishment. So, when it comes time to spend the money for an urgent or unexpected purpose like paying a big tax bill, draining the fund you worked so hard to build can be extremely disheartening. Having to fork over funds you've spent several months saving is a letdown and it's easy to lose momentum. The best way to stay on track is to revise the road to rebuilding your emergency fund; here are simple guidelines for doing just that.
- Set a two-part goal: how much money you want to save, and a deadline to squirrel away that amount.
- Play around with my savings calculator to help you determine the specifics.
- If you'll need to save more money per month than you have been, consider tracking your spending for a month for a clearer picture on where you can cut back.
- Adjust the amount you have automatically transferred from your checking to savings account each month to reflect your new savings goal.
- Redefine what is an emergency, and only use your fund for those predetermined purposes.
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We got to know Jen Schefft back in 2003 when she became engaged to Andrew Firestone as winner of The Bachelor's third season. After they broke up and she appeared on The Bachelorette with another unsuccessful love story, Jen met her soon-to-be husband but was laid-off from her sales job a month after he proposed. Us Weekly got the scoop from the unemployed lady-in-love about how she's planning a low-cost wedding. Here are the highlights.
- The details: Instead of renting chairs and linens and ordering a cake from an outside source, they're "going with everything that comes with the venue [an Italian restaurant]," saved money by booking a DJ instead of a band, and isn't worrying about matching ribbons on the programs and invitations. She said, "Even saving $200 is saving $200."
To see more of Jen's tips for keeping costs down, read more
If you're like me, there's not just one tax day; it's more of a long, drawn out process. But April 15 is the deadline all US taxpayers share, and lucky for us many businesses take pity and present the opportunity to get goods for less — sometimes even for free. Give yourself a few extra minutes out of the office today and load up on the freebies and discounts that suit you; some of the offers are even good for a few more days. Start the slideshow to see 7 places that will reward you for stopping by today.
The deadline for filing your tax return is tomorrow, April 15. You haven't time to spare toying with elaborate calculations, so use this simple test to determine whether you should take the standard tax deduction or itemize your deductions.
Bob Scharin, senior tax analyst from Thomson Reuters' Tax & Accounting business, recommends concentrating on four figures: mortgage interest, real estate taxes, and the amount of state and local tax withheld (if your state doesn't have income tax, substitute the sales tax deduction amount found on the IRS website).
If the total of these four numbers is less than the standard deduction, opt for the standard deduction amount on your tax return. If the total is more than the standard amount, you're better off itemizing your deductions.
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Tory Burch