MyCouponsBlog

Merry Christmas!

mycoupons — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 06:52:54 -0400

After spending my Saturday visiting several Target stores in my area, I have made a corporate decision.

From here on out, my children will be celebrating all major holiday’s one week after the calendar date.

My children cannot even read, how will they know that Christmas should be celebrated on December 25^th? It will be celebrated on January 2^nd around these parts now.

Why?

Because 75% clearance is the BOMB!

I spent a little over $50 at Target yesterday and filled the trunk of my car to the brim. I have enough peeps to carry me until NEXT Easter, adorable outfits for my daughter, next year’s baskets, Kelly Barbie Dolls, dye kits for next year, socks, hair ties, and more pastel colored M&M’s than I can eat. (Although I am going to try!)

It amazes me how on April 7^th, a pair of Capri pants in pastel colors were $9.99, but on April 13^th, they were $2.50.

After Christmas this year, I bought enough wrapping paper to wrap gifts for my great-grandchildren, and plenty of ornaments to decorate next year’s Hannukah bush.

If you are not an after holiday clearance shopper, you should be.

A little foresight and proper planning, and your holiday budget can be drastically reduced. All you must do is get a year ahead.

Shop after THIS year’s holiday’s for NEXT year!

After Christmas 2006, I purchased new lights for my house, 10 boxes of Candy canes and a Santa that blows bubbles out of his butt. Total price? $4!

All holiday related toys are usually on clearance too, so gathering up a bounty for next year will save you bucks too!

I bought enough toys at Target to fill Easter baskets for next year AND the year after.

When it’s time for the actual holiday to come, I am going to be all set. Of course, the neighborhood kids will refer me to me as the lady who gives out stale candy at Halloween, but I am now a converted after holiday clearance shopper!

Target should be marking all the Easter stuff to 90% off on Monday- the only thing better than a .24 box of peeps is a .10 box of peeps!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until we meet again,

Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com

Hey! If the grocery store is closed...so am I!

mycoupons — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 20:51:31 -0400

I am taking a day off to enjoy the holiday with my friends and family.

I hope you will do the same!

Happy Easter!

We will return to our normally scheduled programming on Monday.

Until we meet again,

Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com

Hop to the Extra Care Bucks!

mycoupons — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 06:28:45 -0400

The news is bad. Mr. Audio Visual is leaving for college in August. Charlene and I are very broken up about this unfortunate turn of events. I know he can’t work at CVS forever, but what will I do now?!!

Think of a new topic for Saturday’s…. I guess.<sigh>

Here they are..enjoy them while they last.

The bad news just got worse. CVS got cheap this week- nothing to get TOO excited over.

Extra Care Buck deals for 4/8-4/13 are as follows:

Get 2 ECB when you buy three Pepsi fridge mates
3/$10- LIMIT ONE!
Get 5 ECB when you buy two Jergens natural glow products- LIMIT ONE!
Get 2 ECB when you buy Dove cream oil body wash 10 ounce size.- LIMIT ONE!
Get 5 ECB when you buy ONE Acne free or face lift product- LIMIT FIVE!
Get 2 ECB when you buy Garnier 100% Color- LIMIT THREE!
Get 6 ECB when you buy Revlon colorist expert color & glaze system-LIMIT THREE!
Get 4.27 ECB when you buy Tresemme Thermal creations stylers –LIMT ONE!
FREE!
Get 3 ECB when you buy Bic soleil razor-LIMIT ONE!
Get 4 ECB when you buy Aleve liquid-gels 20 pk. –LIMIT ONE!
FREE!
Get 3 ECB when you buy Excedrin back & body 24pk.- LIMIT ONE!
FREE!
Get 2.77 ECB when you buy Crest nature's expressions toothpaste 6 ounce size.- LIMIT ONE! FREE!
Get 3.77 ECB when you buy Listerine tooth defense fluoride- LIMIT ONE!
FREE!
Get 4.99 ECB when you buy Oral-B pulsar pro health toothbrush-LIMIT ONE!
FREE!

Don’t forget to sign up at CVS.com/email for a $4/$20 Coupon!

Happy Shopping!

Happy Easter!

Until we meet again,

Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com

It's just as easy to love a rich man as it is a poor one!

mycoupons — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 06:42:30 -0400

Today we did something that every parent dreads doing. We had no choice.

We went to Toys R Us.

With our children.

After they had stuffed their faces full at lunch.

Thirty minutes later, we were dragging two kicking, screaming lunatics by their arms into the parking lot. I will not be surprised if local police show up at our door later, after running a search of our license plate. To an outsider, it looked like we were kidnapping these two children. Putting my son in his car seat was like wrestling a lion into a too small cage.

We have a birthday party to attend tomorrow, we needed a gift. Toys R Us was next to the restaurant where we ate lunch. A much wiser choice would have been to get a gift from Home Depot or a tackle shop, but convenience won over reason.

Within seconds of walking inside, my daughter was asking for every toy she saw. My mother used to call me ‘BuymeLetmeGetme’ and the torch has now been passed.

Lauren was oooing and ahhing over the latest Barbie’s, board games and water guns. Her brother, not even two years old was pointing to everything Dora and yelling “DOWA!” at the top of his tiny lungs.

When my husband decided to explain to Lauren that we were here for her friend’s birthday present and not for her, she went into uber brat melt down mode.

I sprinted to the checkout with a gift for the birthday girl, and was reminded by my daughter that I NEVER buy her anything!

In the car, once the baby cried himself to sleep, I explained to Lauren that money is not never ending and just because we want things does not mean we get them. I explained that daddy goes to work and his boss gives him money for working. Lauren then told me she was ‘going to get a job!’

What a fabulous idea!! Five seemed old enough for an allowance, so as soon as we got home, I put her to work. I explained an allowance, and how she could save her money up for something special. I was so proud of myself for being so very ingenious!

First, I had her clean the playroom. Once she completed that task, she asked for money. I then had to explain that she is part of our family, and we all pitch in. I am not going to pay her to do things that are expected of her. She then asked what she could do to earn money, and I told her we needed to clean out her drawers and re-fold everything.

She was an eager participant for all of five minutes. Once her panties and socks were organized, she put out her hand. I explained that we had not finished working yet and bosses didn’t pay for half a job. A worker must finish all their work if they want to get paid. And since we need money to buy things we want, we must work hard.

Lauren, always full of gems, stated the obvious.

“But YOU don’t work mommy- and you have lots of nice stuff!”

Ahhh. Dear daughter. You have found the secret of life. Find an unsuspecting man to fall in love with you and pay your way through days of watching soap operas and eating Bon-Bons.

But, she is only five. Way too young for me to taint her with the truth.

So, we made a chart. I listed all of the chores, and the going rate for completing them.

I explained to Lauren that I would take her to the bank Monday morning and help her open an account. I told her she could put her allowance in her piggy bank for buying small things she wanted right away, or she could put it in the bank for big things she wanted in the future. My husband even offered to match her bank deposits dollar for dollar.

She seemed to grasp the concept and is very excited to open her bank account!

This was at 2:30 this afternoon. By 8:00 P.M., Lauren had earned $2.25. I was so proud of her!

I asked her at bedtime if she wanted to put the money in her piggy bank or deposit it in the bank (reminding her that if she put the money in the bank, daddy would match it and she would earn two FREE dollars!)

She pondered this for a minute and told me she decided to put it in her piggy bank. When I asked why, she explained that if she put it in the bank, she would miss it.

I realized that five is a little too young to explain compounding interest and parental matching plans. So when she fell asleep with her two dollars and one quarter safely inside of her piggy bank, I snuck in to her room and deposited two singles and a quarter.

I figure if we continue on this track, her room will stay clean, her laundry will remain put away, and she will be a millionaire by the time she is seventy-seven.

What do YOU do about allowance? I’d love to hear your ideas! Email me or leave comments here!

Until we meet again,

Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com

There is DEFINITELY something about Mary!

mycoupons — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 14:22:34 -0400

Editor's note: I hosted a St. Patrick's Day party at my home tonight (I am penning this article on Saturday night.) Although I may get fired for admitting this, I imbibed a teeny bit of alcohol at the party. Yep, I am drunk on the job. I am also in my pajama's... but shhhh..don't tell my boss. Anyway, I will use spell and grammar check, but ask for your forgiveness if this comes across as a drunk girl writing. Thanks.

Frugal: Fru-Gal {Froo-guhl}- Adjective.Economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful.

Cheap: My friend, Mary.

Mary was a guest at my party tonight. The talk turned to coupons and saving money.

My friends can be divided into three categories.

1. Coupon-a-holic money saving freak-o's (Like me.)

2. Spend crazy, pay extra on purpose show-offs.

3. Mary.

Yep. She is in a category of her own. She claims she's frugal. Let's call a duck a duck- she is CHEAP. As in CHEEP. As in a baby birds first word. CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP.

When everyone arrived, I had out a tray of appetizers. Salmon and cream cheese on baguette slices with capers. (How Rachel Ray am I??)

Mary said they were delicious and wanted to make them for HER party next week. She asked how much salmon is. I told her the package cost me $2.99. Then I told her it was a three ounce package. She seemed shocked to say the least. She said she would have to make a different appetizer as she was not spending that kind of money on FISH!

The conversation then turned to the cheap things people do. Mary let loose some doozies!

She has not purchased salad dressing since 2001! No Sir! She just collects ketchup and mayo packets from fast food places and makes her own- AT HOME!

Mary does not order a beverage in restaurants. She orders water with lemon. Lots of lemon. Then she adds sugar packets. I called it ' Ghetto lemonade.'

Speaking of restaurants, Mary will only go out for lunch, never dinner and if she wants fast food, she goes through the drive-thru and orders a kid's meal.

You know when a bar of soap is on its last leg and you are left with a sliver? Well, my favorite shower past time is mushing that sliver down the drain. While the water is running, I use my foot to smush the sliver down into the holes of the drain. Mary is not a fan of smush the soap. She saves them all. Then she melts them down into a NEW BAR OF SOAP.

My favorite Mary'ism' is envelopes and stamps. She purchases neither.

As for envelopes, she has acquired quite the collection of return envelopes that come with bills and such. She just tapes a blank piece of scrap paper over the pre-printed address and hand writes the address for her letter.

The only time she encountered an issue was when her electric bill was late. After some investigating, it turned out that the envelope she used had a barcode on it, directing it to the phone company. So she sent her electric bill to the phone company!

That didn't stop her. A magic marker through the barcode solved her problem!

As for stamps, no need to buy them according to Mary. She just makes the to and from the same (The address of the intended recipient.) and omits the postage. When the USPS realizes this error, the simply return the letter to the sender- the original addressee!

I think I will turn her in. I need some excitement in my life.

When we sat down to eat, my husband took the opportunity to refresh everyone's drink. He handed Mary a glass of tap water, a whole lemon, and a five pound bag of sugar. I spit my merlot across the table!

Hey, I may be frugal, but I am NOT cheap.

Until we meet again,
Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com

I, for one will not be eating dog food when I am 70!

mycoupons — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 06:30:53 -0400

401 what? Is that a new cereal?

No, it's not cereal. It's your ticket to a happy retirement.

If you do not know what a 401(K) is- listen up!

401 (K) is a retirement plan that allows you to save and invest for your golden years. The federal government established the 401(k) in 1981 with special tax advantages, to encourage people to prepare for retirement.

401 (K) is named for the section of the Internal Revenue Code which established them.

Through a 401(k), you have your employer deduct a certain amount of money from your paycheck before taxes. This means you are basically only spending .70 for every dollar you invest.

96% of employers also offer a matching program. This is FREE MONEY. Basically, they will match your investment. Some employers will match 100%, some 50%.

My husband’s employer for example, matches 100%- up to 5% of his paycheck.So we invest 5%, and his company invests 5%. For you math majors out there- that is 10% of his salary being put away for retirement.

Your money will be invested in options that you choose from the ones offered through your company's plan. From the stock market to company stock.

Many people say they can't afford to invest. I say you can't afford NOT to!

You say your paychecks are already barely enough- once taxes and health insurance premiums are deducted. But, remember this money is TAX free.

So, let's say you make $30,000 a year, and invest $2,000 into your 401 (K), come tax time, your taxable income will only be $28,000.

Look at it this way, $1.25 a day stashed in your pillow case for 30 years will add up to $13,600. But if you took that $1.25 a day and invested it in your 401 (K) (assuming you earned a 7% return) in 30 years, you would have $46,000!

Of course, 401 (k) plans are investments, and there are risks involved with investments. So, make sure you speak to your financial planner about the right investments for you.

I found this awesome calculator. You input some basic information from your pay stub, and it will calculate how much your paycheck will change depending on your investment. It will also calculate your potential for your account to grow in the future. Calculator

I am NOT a financial advisor (or a doctor, like my friend, Sara) but, I am pretty smart when it comes to money. Take it from me; you can't afford NOT to invest in your plan.

The number one mistake you can make with a 401(K) plan is NOT investing in one. Not many times in life does the chance at free money come at you.

Take it!

Until we meet again,

Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com P.S. Sorry for the format of the paragraphs, my software is acting up, AGAIN. And my tech guy won't be back till Monday.

Beaver! Wally! Time for dinner!

mycoupons — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 11:15:31 -0500

This topic came up on The Cafe at MyCoupons.com the other day.

Do you HIDE money from your significant other?

The answers varied from no, to heck no, to yes, to heck yes.

My answer? ABSOLUTELY! My mama didn't raise a fool. I love my husband, and he loves me. He is a wonderful man, a dedicated father, a hardworking honest man. And I imagine I will be spending the rest of my life with him.

BUT. I DO know that the proverbial hits the fan. 50% of marriages end in divorce, and the Scott Petersons and OJ Simpsons of the world do exist.

So I am prepared. For the worst. If it should ever come.

I implore you to be prepared too.

Having joint checking and savings account is fine. My husband and I do. We also have stocks, 401(k) plans, and credit cards together. My husband and I decided years ago that we each get a set amount each month for discretionary spending. He buys baseball cards, and movies. I put mine in my OWN savings account.

I have two small children and have managed to create a nice nest egg. If my husband decides next week to take off to Mexico with a girl half my age, and drain our accounts on his way out of town, I'll be financially ok. Of course, if he runs away with a girl half my age, he'll go to prison- since she would be a ninth grader.

It shocks and saddens me how many women are still living the June Cleaver lifestyle of being the little woman. Your husbands and boyfriends should not define you, they should accentuate you.

When my grandfather passed away from a sudden heart attack at age sixty-two- my grandmother had never written a check. She had never opened mail, or dealt with finances or air conditioner repairmen. Heck! She had never even driven a car! She found herself having to learn how to live all over again. While I know that with her generation, this was the standard, life is very different now.

No matter how wonderful or perfect your relationship is today, you should plan for the other shoe to drop. Hopefully, it never will. But, it could. Call me a pessimist, or a stick-in-the-mud, but the truth is, I am a realist. I KNOW what can happen, and I refuse to allow myself to become a statistic. My mother always taught me to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. How can you set yourself up so that if that other shoe comes falling down, you are ready?

1. Open your OWN bank account. Whether it is savings, or checking. Make it in your name only. If you have an open relationship with your significant other, there is no reason to hide the fact that you are doing this. Men can be insecure, and some will see it as you questioning his commitment to you. Too bad, buddy! Put as much money into this account as you can. Set yourself up for at least three months worth of living expenses.

2. Open a credit card in your name. Using YOUR social security number. And use it, every month. I make a $15-$50 purchase on mine, for something I would normally pay cash for. Then pay it off every month. This will help you build FICO points, and a credit history in your name.

3. Be INVOLVED in your family finances. If your husband pays the bills, and deals with all the finances, ask him to start involving you. You should know how much is coming in and going out of your accounts. If you have a financial advisor, or CPA, don't just sit back and giggle that "Bill takes care of that stuff." Go with him to the appointments, and be involved.

4. Insure your husband. I know it sounds very macabre, and we don't like to think about death. Let me let you in on a little secret- we are all going to die someday. Every single one of us. I am a stay at home mom, my husband's salary is our only source of income. If he were to die tomorrow (God forbid- spit it out) I would be comfortable knowing that our children and I would be taken care of. We have life insurance, and a policy that will pay our mortgage in full in the event of his death. A good rule of thumb according to financial advisors is to insure seven to ten times your husband's annual salary.

5. Have a will- and UPDATE it every time something changes. Probate court is a nasty place to be. It is a long, drawn out process that makes lawyers <ahem> rich. I have seen families torn apart over money and possessions. If your husband (or you) dies without a valid will- called dying 'intestate'- assets not held jointly will go to probate. It will be up to politicians to decide how and when any money gets paid. The same way a criminal is given the right to an attorney if he doesn't have one- you are given the right to a will if you don't have one. But, if you die intestate, someone that does not know you will decide what you WOULD have wanted.

Having a will is especially important if you have children, or are in a second, third or seventh marriage. And updating that will anytime a life change occurs is VERY important. A birth, a death, a marriage, a divorce. Just look at Anna Nicole Smith- may she rest in peace- her will left everything to her now deceased son- she didn't update her will after his death, or after the birth of her daughter. My best guess is it will be over a year before that mess is cleaned up.

All of these tips are not meant to scare you- they are meant to help you. Our ancestors fought long and hard to gain us rights. We got out of the kitchen and into the work force. We won the right to vote, and the right to be autonomous. USE IT!

There is no reason you can't still be a great, doting wife, and emulate June Cleaver. Just be June Cleaver with a savings account!

Until we meet again,
Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com

Holy Wholesale!

mycoupons — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:15:58 -0500

I like to eat. I do NOT like to cook. What a puzzler!

When we were newlyweds with no children, this was not a problem. My husband and I both worked full time jobs with high demands. Most days, we wouldn't see each other until 8P.M. One of us would inevitably bring home Chinese food, full course Italian dinners;take out from our favorite Mexican place or a gourmet pizza. This was financially easy, since we were DINK's (Double income, no kids.)

And on the nights when we would work late or forget to stop for dinner, we were happy to exist on tortilla chips and ice cold Corona's.

When we found out we were expecting our daughter, we decided I would be a stay at home mom after her birth. I promised my husband I would be the quintessential stay at home mom. I filled his head with notions of a perfectly clean house, folded and pressed laundry and home cooked meat and potatoes meals hot and ready when he walked in the door every night. How June Cleaver of me!

Not so much. My husband will quickly tell you that I sold him a bag of goods. Our house is clean-but only for about two hours every other Thursday- when my cleaning lady comes. Our laundry has taken on a life of its own. Just opening the door to the laundry room makes me cringe. Sometimes a problem gets so big, there is no solving it. So I just ignore it. As for dinner on the table- If deli sliced ham and tater tots are considered meat and potatoes, we are all set!

So how does a family survive when that family loves to eat, hates to cook, and cannot get through a restaurant meal that doesn't include tokens and singing rats?

They shop at Costco! I spend approximately $300 a month at Costco. I am addicted to their freezer section. They have a huge selection of oven to table meals. Granted, most portions are big enough to feed a colony of praire dogs, but they re-freeze well. I estimate that I spend $6 per meal, including a salad or side dish.

Joining and shopping at wholesale warehouses such as Costco, BJ's and Sam's Club can be cost effective if you shop correctly. Instead of buying the single serving size bags of pretzels and chips, buy a five pound bag, and separate them yourself into Ziploc bags. I have found that all meats that my family eats are cheaper. Of course, nothing screams 'CARNIVORE' like tossing 15 pounds of ground beef into your shopping cart.

If you have a small family, or just don't think you have use for 214 rolls of Charmin, find a neighbor, or friend who is willing to go half and half with you. You could split the cost of the membership, and shop together. 107 rolls of Charmin are easier to store anyway.

All of these stores have their own coupons, which they mail to their members, or hand out at the entrance. Match these coupons with their already low prices, and you could be the proud owner of a ten gallon drum of ranch dressing at a bargain basement price.

Try them out for one day without buying a membership! Costco will give you a pass at the guest services desk, and you can print out passes for BJ's and Sam's Club online!

Happy shopping, and DO NOT buy a 25 pound of M&M's! It IS possible to eat them all in one sitting. Or so I've heard!

Until we meet again,

Cici

Cici@MyCoupons.com

Do you take this woman and her debt?

mycoupons — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 11:15:28 -0500

Debt.

A four letter word if ever there was one. Debt has ruined marriages, careers and lives. The number one argument topic in marriage? Money.

Some children were raised with the fear of God, some with the fear of jail. I was raised with the fear of my credit score. My parents were so diligent in teaching us the importance of good credit, that once I hit middle school I was putting my lunch money in a high yield, low risk IRA account.

I fear debt like some people fear snakes. Even getting pre-approval offers in the mail makes me feel woozy. When I turned 18 and started college, I got my first credit card offer. It was a VISA card with a $1500 credit limit. I signed a deal with the devil that day. I accepted the card. Life was great! I charged CD's, Cheap Trick concert tickets, and several tanks of gas for friends. Then I got the bill. Reality hit like lightning. I. was. toast. $1007, please!

There was no way I could tell my father, he would rather I call from jail. There was also no way I was going to pay that debt before retirement. My parents were providing me a monthly allowance, but I tended to use that on luxuries, like eating.

I did what no self-respecting college freshman should ever do. I got a JOB. At the time, words like adjustable interest rate and revolving credit were foreign to me. I worked part time, while carrying a full time course load, and mailed $50 a month to the credit card company.

One day, about six months later, I looked at my statement to see my balance had INCREASED! WHAT??? How is that possible? The card was cut up into pieces, and flushed down the toilet!

Seems my card had an annual fee- of $159. They were charging me $159 for flushing their card down the toilet. Of course, this threw a huge wrench in my payoff plan, and I was late with my payment that month.

This started a snowball effect. Not only was I charged a late fee, but my interest rate went from 8% to 29.9%! Even Tony Soprano only charges 15%! I thought about going to the mafia for the money, but realized the difference between owing MBNA money and owing the mafia money is that MBNA was not going to break my knee caps if I couldn't pay on time.

The only thing worse I could think of than calling the mafia, was calling my father. I knew he wouldn't break my knee caps, but I was certain my eardrums would rupture from the tongue lashing I would certain to receive.

I called. He paid the balance. And warned me that if I ever did this again, I was on my own. Like an alcoholic the morning after a bender, I swore I would never do it again.

I did.

You see, I fell in love. He was perfect in every way. Always there to pick me up when I felt down. His name? Jimmy Choo. Over the course of the next two years, I charged more for shoes than I imagined was possible. By then, I was working full time, and able to make sizable payments on my card every month. It wasn't until I realized I was basically working to feed my love affair that I put a stop to it. What is a girl like me, who is driving a 5 year old car that needs to be started with a screwdriver; doing wearing $300 shoes?? I realized life had bigger priorities. It took me FOUR years to pay off that card. FOUR YEARS! And I have never looked back. Oh, Jimmy and I still have a love affair, but we are on a cash only basis these days.

According to MSNmoney.com- 43% of Americans spend more than they earn in a year. And the average household has $8,000 in debt. Many of us ease the pain of our debt by believing that it's 'The American way.' Die in debt, right? Wrong!

If your credit card debt is keeping you awake at night, here are some pointers from me. And I am NOT an expert! I am just a been there, done that, have the T-shirt girl.

A lot of experts will tell you to pay off your highest rated interest card first. It makes practical sense, yes. But I say pay the smallest balance first, regardless of the interest rates. The sense of accomplishment you will feel in paying off one card will drive you to keep paying the rest.

Call your credit card company and ask them to lower your interest rate. Many will do it without blinking. Some will require threats from you to take your balance elsewhere. Some will flat out refuse no matter what you say. It's worth a try, isn't it?

If you have the credit score worthy of a NEW credit card with a lower rate- take it. But make sure it's a FIXED rate. Adjustable rates will have you stuck when the rate rises, and you'll have to switch AGAIN- which WILL catch up with you. Transfer the balance from your higher rate card and cut up the NEW card.

Re-write your budget and allow for bigger monthly payments. Even an extra twenty dollars a month can knock months of your payment.

Pay your bill ON TIME. Most cards have 'small print' that paying your bill late even ONE time will cause your interest rate to skyrocket.

Lastly, realize that you didn't incur all that debt in one day. (Or did you??) You can't pay it off in one day. Slow and steady. Eat peanut butter and jelly instead of sushi and caviar. Put every extra dime you find toward that debt.

You CAN pay it off!

Just don't call my father. He handed me a bill for $876 on my wedding day. With a handwritten note: Past Due- 7 years. Make me a Grandpa, and I'll consider it paid in full.

Until we meet again,

Cici

Keeping it in the family

mycoupons — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 11:15:00 -0500

It's that time of year again. You either love it or hate it. There is no grey area here. There is no 'Let's just be friends.'

Either your Uncle writes you a nice fat check or you have to write one to him. If you are due a refund, your W-2's travel slower than a turtle on downers. If you owe money, April 15th is coming at you like a freight train.

Growing up, every time we went out to dinner, my Dad would turn to my Brother and I and ask, "So? How's business?" Like trained circus monkeys- we would answer in unison- "Business is good!" Oblivious to my fathers tactics of writing off our chicken fingers and french fries as a business expense, we were just happy to be eating at Ground Round. In an ironic twist of fate, my father is a CPA.

Write offs are what can help you cut your tax bill to the bone, if you are legally entitled to claim them. It could mean the difference between owing a 'small payment' or a 'we have to re-finance the house to pay the taxes, payment.'

I called my Dad to inquire about some tax deductions for this posting. In true CPA fashion, he started running off at the mouth about IRA's, 401(k) accounts, tuition reimbursement, income taxes and charitable deductions. When I inquired about 'FUNNY deductions', he seemed insulted. "Taxes aren't FUNNY!" He gasped. Well, EXCUSE ME. So there you have it, right from the horse's mouth. Taxes are NOT funny. That will be just about enough of that.

Being born into such royalty as being the only daughter of a CPA, I have never had to do my own taxes. And let's all take a moment to be thankful for such. Numbers are not my thing. And truthfully, they shouldn't be yours either.

There are software products on the market that promise you the maximum deductions and highest refunds. But if that dreaded day ever comes when there is knock at your door, and it's not Publishers Clearinghouse holding a check; you will be wishing you had used a tax professional. That $49.99 box you got free after rebate at Best Buy is not going to help you through an audit.

The best tax advice I can give you is hire a professional. They go to SCHOOL for this stuff. Real grown up school. The price you pay for their services will be well worth the peace of mind you will have knowing that your taxes were done correctly. Ask your friends for referrals. (Unless your friends are in Federal prison for tax evasion.)

There is an old saying ( aren't ALL sayings old?) that a man who represents himself in court has a fool for a client.

Unless you work at Joe's tackle shop making minimum wage, have no assets except your dog( and NO, you cannot claim Sir Sparkle Butt as a dependent) and have never made a donation to the kids on Halloween with the Unicef boxes; I suggest you hire a professional tax preparer.

They VOLUNTARILY go to school to learn more about numbers. What a bunch of dorks!

*This post brought to you by the letter "Q" the number 4, and Cici's Dad.*

Until we meet again,

Cici

Cici@mycoupons.com