As the owner of an independent health insurance agency and the founder of a website for comparing health insurance providers (http://www.healthinsuranceproviders.com) I often get asked, “What type of health insurance do YOU have?” Of course, no one health insurance company or health insurance plan is right for everyone because everyone has different needs, lives in a different area, etc… but I can certainly feel comfortable telling people that I personally have a Health Savings Account (HSA) and I absolutely love it!
[Read more…] about Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s) Are Awesome – 7 Reasons
Who Should I Pick To Do My Taxes?
We’re right at the start of tax season. Here’s a few questions that come up every year around this time:
- Do I really need a CPA to do my taxes? Could I just do the same thing myself?
- Am I missing out on a bigger refund by doing my taxes myself? Would a professional be able to get more for me?
- Am I risking an audit by doing my own taxes?
- Is it worth my time just to pay someone else to do my taxes?
- Do I even have to pay my taxes?
4 Ways to Enjoy The Movie Theater Experience For Less
Going to the movies is one of my favorite past-times – since December I’ve seen four movies on the big screen: The Princess and the Frog, It’s Complicated, Avatar, and Sherlock Holmes.
I love the big screen, the great sound, and the cushy seats. But prices for movies haven’t been so comfortable for consumers. In 2009, the average cost of a movie ticket is $7.50, according to the National Association of Theater Owners. Southern California, where I live, is an area with one of the highest costs of movie tickets. Tickets now cost $10-$13 for evenings and $8-$10 for matinees.
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Make More Money and Live Your Passion: Become a Cre8tor
Your financial life has a certain trajectory—similar to a train on a track.
There will be twists and turns, but you can easily determine where you will end up if you stay on the financial track you’re currently on.
What if the traditional methods of working hard, cutting expenses, and saving don’t work for you?
Brown bagging it every day won’t cause you to jump tracks and end up somewhere completely different. The guy living in the mansion overlooking the ocean didn’t buy that house by clipping coupons, and the chick passing you in a $400,000 Maybach didn’t get that way by eliminating her morning latte.
For most of us, the gap between where we are and where want to be is so wide that we’ll never be able to close it by following traditional financial advice.
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Why Should I Keep Dumping Money Into My Old Car Or Other Old Junk?
That older car of yours is starting to show signs of wear, and it seems month after month you’re fixing something or other.
When should you call it quits and upgrade to something newer?
If you’re frugal, you’re trying to get every last stinking mile out of your car possible. If you’re like me with 4 kids, you think it makes no sense to get something newer that kids will destroy. The body of my black 2000 Nissan Maxima (bought used with 50,000 miles in April of 2005) is in fairly good condition, the car looks decent, and I’ve taken care of it. I’ve got 145,000 miles on the car and in the last couple of years I’ve had to replace several costly parts, including new tires for about $300, the alternator cost about $600, the new radiator last month cost another $500, and the exhaust system replacement cost another $300. Not to mention, someone broke the lock last Thanksgiving breaking into my car (which cost $350 to fix). Throw in other small items and the bill in just 2 years was over $2000.
Nearly every time a new bill came up I wondered to myself if it was time to buy something newer.
As an Accountant who has worked for various large manufacturers with multiple plants and millions in equipment, I’ll share how we evaluate purchasing or replacing capital equipment and other big purchases. I’ll then help you better evaluate a potential large purchase or replacement purchase should your car breakdown, your roof starts leaking, your water heater starts giving you problems, or maybe your A/C is on the fritz and your unsure whether to pay for a service call or if you should go ahead and buy instead of taking a chance wasting money on a call.
[Read more…] about Why Should I Keep Dumping Money Into My Old Car Or Other Old Junk?
