Thanks toMom on Dealz for sharing her new series, Ask an Accountant!  Sharon is married to an experienced accountant, so if you’re looking for a professional to help out with taxes this year, give him a call.

As we all know, it’s that dreaded time of the year-Tax time! In honor of tax season, I have a new series called “Ask An Accountant”. Send in your tax questions and each week to [email protected] and I will post the question and give an answer from an experienced accountant.

Question:
I am a social worker and my job requires my personal car and cell phone for work use. I track my mileage and keep all gas receipts; can I claim my car (gas and maintenance) and my cell phone on my taxes?

Answer:
This question is best divided into 2 separate questions so I will answer it like this:

*Please keep in mind this post is for informational purposes only and answers given are very general. Many things depend on individual circumstances. Please contact your personal accountant or financial advisor for your particular situation.

photo credit: austinpost.org

I loved this post from This Mama Loves Her Bargains, so I had to share all her great ideas with you!

I was thinking earlier today as I put our tub toys into one of my lingerie bags, how much I use these, and almost never for actual lingerie. I use lingerie bags so often that sometimes I think I should look into buying stock.

Why?

Well, my journey into using lingerie bags started in late June of 2005, and we’d just moved into our home where we are now. We’d carefully set aside some of the monies from the sale of our previous home to buy a front loading washer/dryer set, and it was finally delivery day. Two very burly, manly men came to deliver the set, and while one was filling out paperwork , the other kindly said to me, eyeing my belly that was sticking out about 2 feet from my body, “Do you use lingerie bags frequently?”

I blushed, about eleventy-billion shades of red. Um, excuse me? Say wha, stranger man?

[Read more…]

Author’s Bio :  Rox P is a guest writer for various finance related Communities including AmPm Insure etc. She is a PG degree holder in Finance and right now working in a finance agency as an equity manager. She is well equipped to write articles on Insurance, types of Insurance, savings, economy etc.

Do you want to spend as much as you can to arrange a grand wedding for yourself even if you fall into debt? Isn’t it better to arrange wedding on a budget and have a happy married life without having to worry about how to pay off debts? Researches reveal that money problems after marriage can even lead to a divorce. So, it is always better that you plan a wedding on a budget that you can afford. Read on to know how you can save money on wedding without having to compromise with the enjoyment. 

1.  Buy flowers from wholesale market

It is true that flower arrangements can create a great ambiance for a wedding. It is quite impossible to decorate a wedding venue without flowers. However, vendors know that and tend to charge more for supplying flowers for a wedding. One way to reduce the cost of flowers is to buy them from wholesale flower markets. You can buy them on your own if there’s one in your area or take help of a wedding coordinator who can arrange the flowers at a comparatively cheaper price.  

2.  Search for a comparatively inexpensive venue

Did you know even some hotels increase costs when they come to know that you’re reserving for a wedding? The same venue may cost you less when you say that you’re reserving the place for a birthday party. Same goes for florists and caterers. They tend to increase the price for providing services at a wedding. So, hide your excitement when you reserve the venue or make other arrangements. You can also shop around to find a venue at relatively low cost. 

3.  Do not go for an expensive wedding dress

Instead of buying an expensive wedding dress for the wedding, you can rent one if you don’t have any problem with it. Doing so, you can save a significant amount. However, before doing so, rent your wedding dress from a reputed company so that there’s no hassle at the last moment. If you’re thinking that you won’t look nice and the dress won’t fit you properly, then you’re wrong. You can rent a dress near to your size a few days before the wedding day and get it adjusted to fit you properly. 

4.  Ask your friend to take the photographs

Hiring a professional photographer and videographer can cost you a lot of money. Though your wedding photos are priceless as they can help you reminisce one of the important days of your life, yet you shouldn’t spend a huge amount on it, when you’re planning a wedding at a limited budget. A friend of yours who’s good at photography can take similar photographs at relatively less or free of cost. 

5.  Arrange food and drink as per your budget

While arranging for food, check with your caterer whether or not a buffet will cost comparatively less than a seated dinner. Some caterers may allow you to provide your own liquor. You can also consider to provide only beer and wine instead of a full bar in order to cut down the cost of drinks. 

Are you one of them who want to hire a wedding planner so that you don’t have to worry about the arrangements? Though it is true, however, it can cost you more. So, even if you need to hire a professional, you can approach a wedding coordinator instead of a wedding planner. A coordinator helps you organize the happenings only on the wedding day whereas a wedding planner takes care of everything before the wedding as well. 

However, if you’ve to arrange the wedding on a limited budget, then it is always better you make the prior arrangements yourself with the help of your friends and family members and hire a wedding coordinator for the wedding day. It will help you save a significant amount of money.

Photo credit: Organgejuiceblog.com

Here Comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Clause. Right down Santa Claus lane…

Santa Claus is making his appearance at MacArthur Center in Norfolk starting today, November 12!

Twentieth Century Fox in Norfolk and MacArthur Center have partnered to give shoppers a sneak peek at the holiday motion picture, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER through the enchanting new holiday display, the Ice Palace.  The Ice Palace is an interactive and FREE display for families to enjoy this holiday season!

Fun Facts

• Walk through falling snow inside a 30′ Ice Palace
• 13,300 LED lights will light up the Ice Palace
• 4,200 LED lights will brighten up an 18-foot tree
• 6 large flat screen tv’s will show video clips from THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA:  THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER
• 200 pounds of falling snow
• Leave your handprint in “NARNIA” on the interactive ice arch

Press Release Information
Shoppers can experience the enchantment of the Ice Palace and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader at MacArthur Center from November 12 through December 24. The exhibit, inspired by the magic of winter, features a color changing, 30-foot Ice Palace, encircled witha series of majestic arches and smaller globes that appear to be carved from ice and will immerse visitors with magical vignettes from the land of Narnia.  As they walk through falling snow inside the structure, guests will encounter life-like figures portraying scenes from the film and exclusive movie footage integrated in an exciting video show.  The Ice Palace was designed and produced for Taubmanby Global Experience Specialists (GES).  The all-audience 3D movie unfolds on the high seas and on magical islands, as Lucy and her brother Edmond, along with their cousin Eustace embark on an incredible adventure aboard the ship the Dawn Treader. The movie opens nationwide on December 10.
 
When visitors enter the Ice Palace’s largest dome they are greeted with falling snow and a captivating light show. The journey continues as guests can sit on the Ice Palace throne that’s cool to the touch, and leave their handprint behind on the interactive ice arch, which features the paw prints of famed Narnian creatures. 
 
Special for Opening Day-November 12th
Guests can take home a piece of their Ice Palace adventure witha photo in front of the Ice Throne.  Purchase a standard photo package with Santa or in front of the Ice Throne and receive a promotional certificate from SeeHere.com, Fujifilm’s photo printing, gifting, and sharing website, for a bonus photo ornament or a photo mug.  Purchase a hi-res photo CD package and receive a promotional certificate from SeeHere.com for a bonus canvas photo tote bag. 

 For more information about the Ice Palace opening event at MacArthur Center, visit:  www.shopmacarthur.com.

The SodaStream did take some getting used to.  The first 2 soda’s didn’t have enough carbonation.  It sounded like we were breaking the machine in order to get the right amount of carbonation. Luckily, it didn’t break and the 3rd soda had the perfect amount of fizz.  We aren’t big fans of the Coke flavor, but Derrick loves the Mango flavor.  I think the Diet Coke tastes similar to store bought, and the kids were thrilled to be allowed to taste all the soda flavors!

My final thoughts: 
You can purchase your own SodaStream online or at select retail locations nationwide.  SodaStreams start at $99.95.  The average liter cost is $0.20 after the price of the SodaStream.  The $0.20 cost per liter makes the frugal in me extremely happy.  I wonder if coupons are available at local retailers that work for the SodaStream?  It would make your initial start up cost more manageable.  Overall, I found the SodaStream to be easy to use, convenient and eco-friendly.  I think it could be a great addition to the kitchen of an avid soda drinker.

Disclosure: I received a SodaStream system to review and keep. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own and may differ from others. Any factual information was obtained from the company website.

I was given the opportunity to try two products from ecoSTORE USA.  It was a tough decision to only choose two products.  EcoSTORE USA offers baby care, bath and body, hair care, household, and pet care products made with plant based, non-toxic ingredients.  I decided to try the Coconut and Vanilla Body Wash and Auto Dishwash Powder. 

Coconut and Vanilla Body Wash is a plant based body wash made without Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, artificial dyes, perfumes or preservatives.  It has a light vanilla and coconut scent and left my skin feeling smooth and clean.  The coconut and vanilla body wash was even mild enough for LuLu’s sensitive skin.

Buying natural and organic products can be hard on the budget. EcoSTORE USA safely super-concentrates it’s products, so a little goes a long way. By adjusting their formula they strive to help your budget by lowering the cost per unit.  Right now, ecoSTORE USA has reduced prices, added a Fall Promo and is giving FREE shipping on orders over $25 to further stetch your hard-earned dollars. 

I was pleased with the quality of the products available at ecoSTORE USA.   I especially loved cleaning my dishes with plant based ingredients instead of chemicals!  I’m trying to change my families habits one product at a time.  Head over to ecoSTORE USA and see what they have to offer to help move your family into a more natural lifestyle.

Disclosure: I received Coconut and Vanilla Body Wash and Auto Dishwasher Powder to review and keep. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own and may differ from others. Any factual information was obtained from the company website.