Free From Broke

A Personal Finance Blog for Regular Folks

Glen Craig

Where Can I Get IRS Tax Forms (or Where Can I File Free)?

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Remember when you used to get a package of small booklets in the mail at the beginning of the year?  

They had those real thin pages, like newspaper and there would be official computer forms included.

Well those packets, your IRS 1040 tax forms for the previous year, haven’t been mailed out since 2011.

According to the IRS, fewer and fewer taxpayers have been receiving tax packages in the mail in recent years. In fact, in 2010 only 8 percent of individuals who files taxes received tax forms in the mail.

Wow, have times changed!
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Free Museum Days From Bank Of America with Museums on Us

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Wouldn’t you love to visit more museums?  

What generally holds us back from going out to more museums is time and money.  Let’s face it, not only can it get expensive for a family to go to the museum these days but it can get pretty hectic too (at least it is with our small army of kids).

Still, we try to do what we can to schedule trips out when we can.

That leaves the money part of the equation.

Some years ago, we discovered that Bank of America® actually has a great program called Museums on Us®.  

What is Museums on Us?

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Five Ways to Use Credit Cards Without Getting Buried in Debt

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Everyone knows the importance of using credit cards responsibly; the issue comes down to actually using them.

How do you use your credit cards to your advantage without also over using them to the point where they become a problem?

Let’s face it, credit cards are extremely user friendly!

Everything about them tempts you to use them even more.

From generous (and often rising) credit limits, to zero-interest introductory rates, to cash rebates and rewards, to the completely self-directed nature of the credit arrangement pull us into what is probably the most cozy relationship with any kind of debt we’ll ever have.

But credit cards are loans—as in debts that are required to be paid back.

If we ever lose sight of that we’re at risk of becoming credit card junkies or bankruptcy candidates.

How do we stay on the safe side of credit cards?

Read on and you’ll learn five techniques for credit cards to make sure you don’t get buried in debt. Remember, credit cards are a tool that can help us but only if we use them wisely.

5 Ways to Use Credit Cards Without Getting Buried in Debt

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5 Reasons Getting a Large Tax Refund is Bad

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The stress of doing your taxes is over.

You filed all of your forms and to your joy you’re getting back a tax refund.  And it’s a nice sized one too!

It’s awesome, right?

Not so fast.

Getting a lump sum payout after filing your taxes feels great.  But I’m going to show you that it may not be as great as you think.  There are better ways you can use your money (and it is your money).

Read On as I Tell You 5 Reasons a Large Tax Refund is Bad.

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How to Put Away Savings (Just Like the Government Does With Your Money)

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This post is part of the TaxACT How I Save blog tour which teaches you ways to keep more money in your pocket. Last year, TaxACT saved America over $240 million on tax preparation. How much can you save? To learn more about tips and strategies on saving, click here.

I save my money just like the government does. You can too!

Want to know how?

Read on an you’ll see how you can put money aside just like the government. It’s a super simple way to get your savings growing and what’s great is it requires very little effort on your part.

This is a technique I’ve been using for years to keep money flowing into my savings account. Are you ready to find out the method?

How to Put Away Savings Like the Government

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