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Saving some bucks can be a thrill and also a big boost to the bottom line. But did you know that a little bit of math could help you save even more? Take a look:
For the Day or the Year?
Your four kids have been clamoring to see the baby seals at the local aquarium all summer long. But dang! Those tickets are pricey! You spot an online deal: 10% off each child’s ticket. Can you do better?
Here’s where looking at an annual membership might be a better deal. Let’s look at the numbers. If an adult ticket is $25 and a kids ticket is normally $20, you’d pay $25 + $20 + $20 + $20 + $20 or $105 normally. With the discount, each child’s ticket will be $20 – $2 or $18. That brings your total down to $97. But if a family membership costs $75, you’ve saved cash without the reduced ticket price.
Fly Me to the Moon—with My Luggage, Please
You found a great deal on plane tickets online, but is the best deal? To find out, check the additional fees.
Most airlines today are charging for each bag of checked luggage. So, if your discounted ticket costs $250, but you need to check two bags (at $20 to $25 each), you could be paying up to $300 for the ticket, not including airport taxes and security fees. Another airline, without checked bag fees, could cost you less in the long run.
BOGO May Be a No-Go
By one, get one (BOGO) is always a good deal, right? Not so fast. You’ve found an online coupon for orange juice. If you buy a 64-oz container, you can get a second one at half the price. Take a look at the other options when you get the store – before you buy.
At your local Piggly Wiggly, you notice that the BOGO orange juice is $3.48. But there’s another brand on sale for $5.53 per 128-oz container. First off, the second brand is twice as large as the first. So, whether you use your coupon or not, you’re getting the same amount of juice. But how much would you pay, if you use the coupon? Half of $3.48 is $1.74. (Use a calculator, if you want!) And $3.48 + $1.74 is $5.22. Turns out, BOGO is the better deal.
You may not want to do any math, but if you’re looking for the best deal, a few calculations—and some creative thinking and common sense—can mean the difference between saving and spending.
Laura Laing is the author of Math for Grownups, a funny, easy-to-understand and practical guide to the ways we use math in everyday life. She blogs at www.mathforgrownups.com.
The Washington Council on Economic Education is proud to offer The Stock Market Game™ (SMGP) a free online program for the fall and spring school semesters. Due to the generosity of Merrill Lynch, the Washington Stock Market Game is available to elementary, middle school and high schoole teachers and students at no cost. Find your local SMGP program.
- Teachers have discovered that The Stock Market Game™ program can boost attendance and reduce dropout rates. Students who participate in the program gain confidence, build self-esteem and have fun while they see how classroom lessons apply to the real world.
- Students learn core academic concepts and and essential skills such as critical thinking, decision-making, cooperation, communication and research.
- SMGP uses real research and news, making the simulation a mirror of the real marketplace. Starting with a virtual cash account of $100,000, students strive to create the best-performing portfolio using a live trading simulation.
Free File is the fast, easy, and free way to prepare and e-file your federal taxes online. IRS e-file offers the fastest, safest way for people to receive their tax refunds. By using e-file and direct deposit, taxpayers can get their refunds in as few as 10 days. Taxpayers even can opt to have their refund deposited into two or three financial accounts or purchase a U.S. Savings Bond.Go to Free File Home for Your Link to Free Federal Online Filing.
File your taxes online quickly at H&R Block. Free Federal Edition + E-file. It’s as Simple as Free.
e-File for free with TurboTax Online, and get your refund in as few as 8 days. (IRS typically estimates 8-15 days for efile with direct deposit.)
Anyone who contemplates arguing on legal grounds against paying their fair share of taxes should first read the 80-page document, The Truth about Frivolous Tax Arguments. The document explains many of the common frivolous arguments made in recent years and it describes the legal responses that refute these claims. It will help taxpayers avoid wasting their time and money with frivolous arguments and incurring penalties. Congress in 2006 increased the amount of the penalty for frivolous tax returns from $500 to $5,000. The increased penalty amount applies when a person submits a tax return or other specified submission, and any portion of the submission is based on a position the IRS identifies as frivolous.
IRS highlighted in the document about 40 new cases adjudicated in 2009. Highlights include cases involving injunctions against preparers and promoters of Form 1099-Original Issue Discount schemes and injunctions against preparers and promoters of false fuel tax credit schemes.
Before filing your return, review it to make sure it is correct and complete. A few of the most common errors are listed below. Visit IRS.gov for a more detailed Checklist of Common Errors When Preparing Your Tax Return. Before filing your return, review it to make sure it is correct and complete.
- Incorrect or missing social security numbers.
- Incorrect tax entered based on taxable income and filing status.
- Computation errors in figuring the taxable income, withholding and estimated tax payments, Earned Income Credit, Standard Deduction for age 65 or over or blind, the taxable amount of social security benefits, and child and dependent care credit.
- Missing or incorrect identification numbers for child care providers.
- Withholding and estimated tax payments entered on the wrong line.
- Math Errors. Both addition and subtraction.
It is important that you review your entire return because any errors may delay the processing of your return.
The IRS offers free assistance by computer, fax, telephone and in person. The IRS can help taxpayers get forms and publications and answer a wide range of tax questions. The IRS can also help find free tax preparation services for those who qualify. Many IRS offices offer walk-in tax help for technical or tax questions about tax forms and tax returns. Check the federal government listings in the telephone book for the IRS office nearest you.
From February 1 through April 15th each year, the AARP Tax-Aide program offers free one-on-one counselling, as well as assistance on the telephone and internet to help individuals prepare basic tax forms, including the 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ and other standard schedules.
The Seattle Public Library, United Way of King County and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) are collaborating to offer free tax preparation service through April 15 at 11 locations of The Seattle Public Library. This service is free and available to everyone. Registration is required at some locations. The free service is not available for business tax returns. Click here for available times and locations.
File your taxes online quickly at H&R Block. Free Federal Edition + E-file. It’s as Simple as Free.
The IRS provides free publications and forms as well as other tax material and information to help taxpayers meet their tax obligations. Here are four great ways you can get the information you need to file your tax return. For more details, visit http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=107930,00.html. The best thing about these four options is that they won’t cost you a dime! For more information about free services provided by the IRS, review Publication 910, IRS Guide to Free Tax Services (PDF) available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
1. IRS.gov The IRS Web site is a one-stop shop for a wide array of tax information. You can even prepare and file your federal tax return – for free – through Free File, a service offered by IRS and its partners who make available free tax preparation software and free electronic filing.
2. Telephone Call the IRS Tax Help Line for Individuals, 800-829-1040, to get answers to your federal tax questions. To order free forms, instructions and publications call 800-829-3676. To hear pre-recorded messages covering various tax topics or check on the status of your refund, call 800-829-4477. TTY/TDD users may call 800-829-4059 to ask tax questions or to order forms and publications.
3. Taxpayer Assistance Centers When you believe your tax issue cannot be handled online or by phone and you want face-to-face assistance, you can find help at a Local Office in Washington or find your local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.
4. Community Resources Free tax preparation is available through the following community resources. Volunteer return preparation programs provided through IRS and its partners offer free help in preparing simple tax returns for low-to-moderate-income taxpayers. Call 800-906-9887 to find the VITA or TCE site nearest you.
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income (generally, $49,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Certified volunteers sponsored by various organizations receive training to help prepare basic tax returns in communities across the country. VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations. Most locations also offer free electronic filing. To locate the nearest VITA site, call 1-800-906-9887 or check this partial VITA site list online. (This list does not include every VITA site.)
- Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE). The TCE Program provides free tax help to people aged 60 and older. Trained volunteers from non-profit organizations provide free tax counseling and basic income tax return preparation for senior citizens. As part of the IRS-sponsored TCE Program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program at more than 7,000 sites nationwide during the filing season. Trained and certified AARP Tax-Aide volunteer counselors help people of low-to-middle income with special attention to those age 60 and older. For more information on TCE, call 1-800-829-1040. To locate the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669 or visit the AARP website.
If you need forms for filing your income taxes, here are five easy methods for getting the information you need from the IRS.
1. On the Internet. You can access forms and publications on the IRS Web site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at www.IRS.gov.
2. By Phone. You can call 1-800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) Monday through Friday 7:00 am to 10:00 pm local time – except Alaska and Hawaii which are Pacific time – to order current year forms, instructions and publications as well as prior year forms and instructions. You should receive your order within 10 days.
3. At Convenient Locations. During the tax filing season, libraries and post offices offer free tax forms to taxpayers. Some libraries also have copies of commonly requested publications. Many large grocery stores, copy centers and office supply stores have forms you can photocopy or print from a CD. Pick these up soon, supplies tend to run out.
4. By Mail. Order your tax forms and publications from the IRS National Distribution Center at 1201 N. Mitsubishi Motorway, Bloomington, IL, 61705-6613. You should receive your products 10 days after receipt of your order. Mail early, as supplies tend to run out.
5. At Taxpayer Assistance Centers. There are 401 TACs across the country where IRS offers face-to-face assistance to taxpayers, and where taxpayers can pick up many IRS forms and publications. Visit www.IRS.gov and go to Contact My Local Office on the Individuals page to find a list of TAC locations in Washington (including Seattle and Bellevue plus 9 other locations), or another state. On the Contact My Local Office page, you can also select TAC Site Search and enter your zip code to find the IRS walk-in office nearest you as well as a list of the services available at specific offices.
Related IRS tax publications:
Publication 910, Guide to Free Tax Services(PDF 40K)
Publication 2053A, Quick and Easy Access to IRS Tax Help and Forms (PDF 636K)
Tax information can be tough to understand in any language, but it can be even more difficult if it is not in your first language. To assist Spanish speaking taxpayers, the IRS provides a wide range of free products and services.
Here are eight ways you can seek help from the IRS if you need assistance with your federal taxes in Spanish:
1. Get answers 24 hours a day seven days a week. www.IRS.gov/espanol has a wealth of information accessible all day, every day for individuals and businesses. You will find links to tax-related information, disaster relief, identity theft and warnings about common tax scams that victimize taxpayers. You can also check the status of your tax refund through the online tool ¿Dónde está mi reembolso? and even find out if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable tax credit for people who earned less than $48,000, using the Asistente EITC on our secure Web site.
2. Find out all about electronic filing. Virtually everyone can prepare a return and file it for free. You can e-file from the comfort of your home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. E-file is fast and safe and available in both Spanish and English. Last year, 2 out of 3 taxpayers used e-file. Additionally, about 70 percent of taxpayers are eligible for the IRS Traditional Free File. Find out more at Presentación Free File.
3. Get up-to-date at the Multimedia Center. Watch YouTube video tax tips and listen to audio podcasts on various IRS topics in Spanish and English by entering the keywords “Centro Multimediático” into the search box of www.IRS.gov.
4. TeleTax is a toll-free, automated telephone service. TeleTax provides helpful pre-recorded tax topic messages and refund information. You can find a list of over 125 TeleTax topics, available in Spanish and English, in the instructions for Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. TeleTax can also help if at least four weeks have passed since you filed your return and want to check on the status of your federal refund. Having a copy of the tax return handy will help you respond to the prompts on the automated system. TeleTax is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 800-829-4477.
5. Toll-Free Telephone Assistance is available from Spanish-speaking IRS representatives by calling the IRS customer service line at 800-829-1040 and then pressing 8.
6. Get tax forms and publications. You can view and download several tax forms and publications in Spanish directly from www.IRS.gov/espanol at any hour of the day or night. You can also get them by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
7. Visit the IRS Spanish Newsroom. Find the agency’s most recent announcements, tips and information on recently implemented tax law that could affect you. Avoid missing any benefits and keep up to date by typing the keywords “Noticias en Espanol” into the search box of www.IRS.gov.
8. Multilingual Assistance at IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers. Don’t let a language barrier prevent you from getting the face-to-face tax assistance you may need when you believe your tax issue cannot be handled online or by phone. Multilingual services are offered to taxpayers in more than 150 languages, including Spanish, through bilingual employees and an Over-the-Phone Interpreter. TAC locations, hours and services are available at www.IRS.gov/individuals by clicking on the link for Contact My Local Office in the left tool bar section.
Related Links:
IRS en Espanol
Derechos del Contribuyente (Your Rights as a Taxpayer), Publication 1SP (PDF 26K)
Centro Multimediático
Noticias en Español
Survival Jobs for Actors is a job board that helps actors find a way to pay the rent, audition, take class, AND have a little fun in the process!
Actors can put up to 5 resumes on the website and use them to apply to jobs that employers post. Actors can also sign up for job alerts – which is an e-mail whenever a job is posted that they would be interested in – either by keyword “catering” or by city.
Employers can search through the resumes on the site, and if they want an actor’s contact information for a specific job, the actor has to approve it, before any contact information is sent out.
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Greater Seattle on the Cheap is a member of Living on the Cheap, a network of websites published by frugalistas, journalists and consumer advocates. Find another cheap city and get advice from experts on how to live the good life for less wherever you live and travel.
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