Tax time already?

Hi everyone!
It’s only January but tax time is already on my mind. I guess with New Year’s resolutions and all, I’ve been evaluating all of my family’s expenses again, trying to cut back. It’s a good idea to annually review your bills and compare other options that might be out there. If you’re thinking about tax time too, you’ll be happy to know the free filing program from the IRS is available once again. So, who’s eligible? If your income is more than $60,000 a year, you might not qualify. So, it’s a good thing to figure out your adjusted gross income (AGI) before you start the process. Your AGI must be less than $52,000 a year to use the free program. That covers about 70 percent of all income earners. And there is a special rule that applies just for this year. You will get an extra tax break if you wait until after Feb. 3 to file. Waiting specifically benefits people who live in states with no state income tax. The IRS free tax filing has changed every year for the past three, so read the fine print carefully.

I found this little web site that could help you trim expenses on meal time: www.eatingonabudget.com

I hate getting charged for calling 411, so I was thrilled to find this nugget of information: Call to get phone numbers to businesses or residences for FREE! It is for anyone who doesn't have information directory on their phone but anyone can use it. Here is the number 1 800 373 3411. An easy way to remember it is 1-800-FREE-411.


Still getting those pre-screened credit card offers in the mail? You have the option of opting out of those offers for 5 years, or permanently. You can go to www.optoutprescreen.com or you can call 1-888-5-OPTOUT. Requests are generally processed within 5 business days, but it can take up to 60 days for you to stop receiving offers.

Produce prices are on the way up. Weather is hitting us hard these days, and our crops have suffered. Many crops were wiped out by the freezes going on around the country, so demand is high. If you like fruits and vegetables, or you enjoy eating a salad every day, you’re going to pay a lot more for these.

Student loan rates are dropping! What’s up with the current student loan system these days? Well, federal subsidized student loans are dropping to about 3.4 percent! Interest rates had been bumped up to more than 7 percent by the last Congress, and it was part of a corrupt, political move to pad the pockets of bankers. Thankfully, the new Congress is reversing that. As you probably expected, banks are livid. They want rates to be higher so they can make more money. But the outcry of the people will hopefully prevent them from winning out. This is for people taking out money going forward, so shop around before you settle for a rate.

Several of my friends are considering out-of-state moves for job offers. I found this cool Cost of Living Calculator that helps evaluate how far your money will go if you move. I found a huge difference in our expenses when we moved from Georgia to California!. Give it a try.
http://swz.salary.com/costoflivingwizard/layoutscripts/coll_start.asp


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Free coupon for free Tropicana
http://www.tropicana.ca/indexFlash.html

Sample Of Fibersure
http://www.fibersure.com/index_flash.shtml

Free Travel mug from GM
http://www.whygas.com/

Free Sample Healthy Futures Snack Bar http://healthyfutures.net/nlrc/products/free_sample.php

Free Wake Up In The USA Stickers
http://www.wakeupintheusa.com/friend.html

Free Almond Snack Tin From California Almonds
http://tinylink.com/?vVMlkogYdp



Have a great day!

CENTSerely,

Sister Thrifty