Father’s Day Cards

Send your Father the best gift ever, a card made by you!
Don’t miss out!

Save 80%! WOW….This is a limited time deal!
Take 80% off of $25 Gift Certificates when you use code DISH.Pay $2 thru 6/25/09 only at Restaurant.com.

Click Here

Some say that essential products and services might be saved from recession but as it turned out, people are also skipping essential services and looking for ways to do things without spending anything. Because of the decreasing sales, companies are forced to cut jobs or terminate some of its employees. This is a business decision which is done to ensure the company will stay afloat until recession ends.

If you are one of the employees in your company who just lost his job, getting back on track is very difficult. The company that terminated you for business reasons is not alone. Other businesses are also terminating employees with just a short notice.

But that does not mean you cannot find a job in the midst of recession. There are certain tricks you need to practice to get a job during this troubling economic period.

Getting Back on the Job Market

As soon as you find out that you have been terminated, get back on the job market fast. Everyone is trying to find work aggressively and persistently today and if you just delay your job hunt by just a day or two, the opportunity of finding work decreases.

You do not even have to wait for termination to get on the job market. If you think the company is having a hard time meeting their sales goals or rumors about the company closing down is getting louder and louder everyday, make some updates on your online profile, confirm your contacts and research for other industries that might be striving well even with recession.

Considering Relocation

The difficulty in finding a good job is not only based on the fact that those who are striving are not from the same industry but also based on other states. The first factor wherein you need to adjust to a new industry is easy since you just have to relate your skills and experience to be accepted.

The second factor – the location factor is very difficult. The difficulty even increases when you have to bring your family to the new location. Although you are transferring for financial security, the psychological effect of transferring is difficult. Talk to your family about it and help them prepare by researching about the new place.

Negotiate

This is probably the harshest realities that you have to deal with. If you want to get a job during recession be prepared to be paid a little less than what you usually earn. Companies are forced to do this because they are not earning enough. They still want to hire people for increase in productivity but they do not have enough finances to do it.

Although this is disheartening, learn to deal with it. You can be sure that your sacrifices will be appreciated. As soon as the company overcomes this difficult period, negotiate for a better salary or even a better position since you have proven your worth.

Networking

Another trick in landing a good job is to use networking as aggressively as you can. Connect to as many people as you can so that you will have tips on available jobs firsthand. The many people you know, the better the chance you will be landing on a good job fast.

Companies value networking to hire people especially during recession since they need to know personally the people they will hire. Through networking, they will have recommendations from people they know and also trust in business decisions.

Outdoor lighting is a very popular upgrade for home improvement. This form of additional lighting to the home improves the beauty of your front or even back lawn. When properly implemented, outdoor lighting can provide enough light for night activities for your family and friends. It’s also one of the recommended security measures for your home since lights will usually stave off burglars from your home.

But outdoor lighting is not just placing a lamp in various places outside your home. There are certain factors you should consider before attaching any lighting fixtures outside your house or else you’ll end up spending a lot in lighting up the exterior of your property.
1. Know more about your lawn - a good way to prevent excessive purchases on lamps and other lighting fixtures is to know exactly what you need. Evaluate your lawn and see the appropriate lighting that you need to add.
2. Functionality and style - it is important to have a good looking outdoor lighting fixture in your property. However, you might end up spending too much without gaining the proper lighting coverage that you need. Aside from style, check if the lights you’re considering should be enough to cover your lawn.
3. Check with your home insurance provider - outdoor lighting can help you save on home insurance since it’s considered an added security for your property. Talk to your home insurance provider on the required lighting in order to have the right outdoor lighting that will secure your area.
4. Consider motion detectors - if you’re not very particular about outdoor lighting but would like to have increased security, consider motion detectors. This will not only help you protect your property but will also help you save on your electric bill.
5. Consider low voltage lighting - the improvement of technology has also prompted new gadgets that will still be efficient but can help you save on electricity. Look for outdoor lights that have low voltage lighting to prevent spending too much on electricity bills. Remember that your outdoor lights might stay on for more than eight hours.
6. Consider PV outdoor lights - PV or photovoltaic are relatively expensive form of lighting fixture for the outdoors but can offer great savings in the long run. This type ofoutdoor lighting converts sunlight into electricity that should be enough to power the outdoor fixture for the night.
7. Avoid using too much decorative outdoor lamps - it doesn’t even matter if you use electricity or gas for decorative lamps. They may look good from the outside but it will cost you considerably if you don’t switch them off before you sleep at night.
8. Use CFL Lights - If you’re not looking for a decorative lighting fixture in your property, consider using CFL for outdoor use. Just make sure that you’re using CFL in outdoors that will not go below 40 degrees since CFL lights will not work in this temperature range.
9. Sunlight is your friend – aside from powering your PV lights, the sun can become your security outdoor lighting. Monitor the time of the day the sun rises so that you can switch off the outdoor lighting as soon as the sun rises. It may require you to be out of bed for a few minutes, but it’s a great money saving technique.
10. Keep it simple – you don’t need to have expensive outdoor lighting fixtures to have the security and beauty you need for your home. Keep it simple as the lights you use at night will naturally make your outdoor look better.

Do you agree with stores offering discounts to only card holders?

Beat The Recession Recommends:

While gardening could be enjoyable, some supplies in gardening are relatively expensive and maintaining your garden could cost you hundreds of dollars a month.

To avoid spending too much on gardening, here are some helpful tips to slowly trim your expenses:

1. Start small Avoid purchasing plants that are ready to flower or already mature. Look for packet of seeds or small plants that still needs care. While they might require extra effort make your garden look great, you don’t have to spend too much just to have a great looking garden.

2. Learn to propagate If you already have a good variety of plants, it’s better to collect seeds from these plants rather than purchasing them from a shop. Learn the techniques on how to extract seeds or how they are propagated. All you need is a little bit of practice to properly implement propagation.

3. Purchasing in bulk When you’re just starting a garden, a recommended money saving practice is purchase what you need in bulk. Don’t just settle for seeds – ask the shop if you can grab discounts if you’ll purchase garden equipment.

4. Create water collection tanks Instead of spending on water, purchase a tank that you can install in your drainpipe. You just need a tank and a good tube in order to collect as much water as possible. When it rains, it automatically collects water for yourgarden. It’s a small spending at first but big savings in the long run.

5. Learn how to implement drip irrigation Drip irrigation is the practice of placing pipes in your garden that will water your plants instantly. This is a water saving practice and very effective since you just drip water on plants a few times a day instead of watering them with a hose.

6. Look out for garage sales on tools While brand new garden tools will look great when they are used in gardens, their functions are still the same to 2nd hand tools. Look for garage sales so that you can haggle for a better price when you found thegarden tool you need.

7. Create a mini compost site Instead of spending too much on fertilizers, it’s better to create your mini compost site at home. You can use some of recyclable garbage at home or weeds from yourgarden. A small pit should be more than enough to maintain the health of your garden.

8. Look for all-in-one tools Avoid purchasing separate tools as they can be costly and storage could be difficult. Look for tools that you can use for a variety of purposes in order to save on space, time (in changing tools) and funds.

9. Trade Plants If you have too many plants in your garden, you can sell them so that you will have extra cash for fertilizers. It’s also possible to swap the plants for something new that you can add in your garden.

10. Use products at home There are many things that you can use at home for gardening. Your newspaper could be used for moisture absorbers, bottles to keep the seeds and even cans for mini nurseries. These products at home will not cost you anything but will help preserve and improve your garden.

Beat The Recession Recommends: Big Dipper Farm a mail order nursery. Order your plants straight from the farm. Amazing discounts and FAST shipping. Get started today!

There are so many reasons why we end up being a workaholic. The best reason is of course, money. When we work hard, we gain good money but if we really work hard, we can take home more than what we earn in a regular basis. Another reason why people end up being a workaholic is due to technology.

Getting connected today is very easy and we can’t even imagine ourselves not being able to access the internet for 24 hours. We are always connecting to work and we are always reminded of work because people from our job can easily connect us.

The effects of being a workaholic are numerous. Among them is in your health. As you concentrate in working, you get to sleep a little, eat a little and the pressure of the job will take toll psychologically and physically at the same time. Workaholics also lose the chance of being with their family and friends more and ultimately lose his or her social life. Although our family really needs money, our presence with our love ones is more important than all the money in the world.

Snapping out of being a workaholic is very hard. Getting away from work is not easy for workaholics. I know; I used to be one. The trick is to slowly change some things in your schedule. It’s not wise to drastically unplug all our work and have fun since you will just be more anxious in getting back to work and will not let you enjoy the time you have.

Slowly block out some schedule and stick it. Maybe in the first week you could remove one or two hours of your schedule so that you can just relax and be with the family. The next week you can add another hour. Slowly, you’ll be able to have a time for the family and a time for work.

Another trick that you can do to get away from work is to schedule activities that are not related to work. Highly recommended is an exercise routine. A workaholic’s body is always not in good shape because of lack of sleep, exercise and maybe eating unhealthy foods all the time. Another recommended activity is to learn a hobby wherein you actually go to an informal school to learn a hobby. Also a good way to walk away from work is to volunteer.

Schedule your activities and inject some personal time slowly to walk away from being an alcoholic and leave a fulfilling and fun life. Life is not all about work and we should also enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Beat The Recession Recommends:

Taxes are voluntary - An argument that is gaining ground among citizens claims that the tax system itself is voluntary. Despite that fact that the word “voluntary” does appear in the instruction book for Form 1040 provided by the IRS themselves, paying taxes is definitely not voluntary. If that were the case, no one would volunteer to separate with more of their hard earned money than necessary. The IRS points out the word is taken out of context in this case. Instead they remind consumers that “voluntary” in this situation refers to the taxpayers option “to determine the correct amount of tax and complete the appropriate returns, rather than have the government determine tax for them from the outset”.

No return – Some people claim they do not have to file a return at all because the IRS is legally obligated to prepare returns for people who do not file. In another twist, citizens file a return but claim zero income and zero tax liability despite the fact they have attached a W-2 showing earned (and taxable) income. By not filing a return or falsely filing a zero return you are only opening yourself up to additional issues with the IRS in the future. The IRS is not required by law to file returns for individuals who fail to do so, however they can determine tax liability for those individuals.

Exempt Income – Taxpayers who claim certain income is exempt should think long and hard before they use this as an argument for not reporting that amount. Using the argument that “compensation received for personal services are not income, because there is allegedly no taxable gain when a person ‘exchanges’ labor for money”, wages would not be taxable income. We all know that is not the case and trying to pull a fast one with the IRS regarding tips and other compensation will never end well for the taxpayer filing the return. If you have a question about certain income, ask a certified public accountant or contact the IRS to find out if the compensation is in fact exempt.

Before submitting your tax return this year, be sure you have not fallen for any myths that could in fact end up costing you more money in the long run. When it comes down to what you think and what the IRS thinks, you will almost always end up the loser when playing word games. For more information on “frivolous” tax arguments, refer to an 80 page document provided by the IRS detailing common tax myths.
Beat The Recession Recommends:
Do you use Ebay? Ever tried to sell your unneeded items? You can for CASH! This ebook will tell you how!
Click Here!

Clothing/Appearance

Buy used clothing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average consumer spends about $1,850 a year on clothing and its upkeep. You can potentially cut that in half by shopping at consignment shops, auctions and thrift stores.

If you must buy new, buy in the off season. This is especially great for kids’ clothes because you know they generally go up one size each year. Plan ahead and budget for this. You can also buy clothing at name-brand outlets, factory outlets, or secondary department stores (where department stores send their overstocks).

Buy less cost-related clothing; choose fabrics and designs that are easy both to wear and maintain. Watch out for “Dry Clean Only” and instead choose garments that you can care for at home.

Cut back on makeup and perfumes. Or look for sales and buy generic brands. Most people won’t notice the difference.

Donate old clothes to charitable organizations and keep track of their values to use as a charitable donation tax write-off. Go to http://www.itsdeductible2.com for a guide on the value of donated items.

Communications/Cell Phones

Instead of calling, use e-mail. It’s free (if you already have an Internet connection) and you will save money on your long distance phone bill. Also, comparison shop long distance plans and find one that works well with your calling style.

Write a letter. It only costs a bit more than a quarter to send and it will help you improve your writing and communication skills.

Keep track of your calling minutes to make sure you don’t go over your allotted time. Most long distance and cell phone companies have high charges for extra minutes. If you consistently exceed your plan’s minutes, upgrade your plan. The extra monthly cost for the next step up is usually much less than the extra charges for more minutes.

Shop around for cell phone plans. Cell phone companies and plans vary widely, so compare carefully. Now you can even take your cell number with you if you switch providers. Before switching from your current company, call them and tell them you are about to switch and see if they will match or beat their competitor’s offer.

Funeral Arrangements

Make your wishes known about your funeral, memorial, or burial arrangements in writing. Don’t leave this decision to the ones you leave behind.

Before selecting a funeral home, call several and ask for prices of specific goods and services, or visit them to obtain an itemized price list. You are entitled to this information by law and, by using it to comparison shop, you can save hundreds of dollars.

Many funeral homes offer prepaid plans, but be cautious about prepaying because there may be risks involved. For information about the least costly options, which could save you several thousand dollars, contact a local memorial society, which is usually listed in the Yellow Pages under funeral services.

Keep your discretionary spending in check by modifying your spending habits. Evaluate your apparel and communications spending and see how you can improve. Jot down your wishes concerning your future memorial service and put them with your will and trust. Downsize or even eliminate those extra dollars that just disappear each month and put them to good use, such as paying off debt or investing. Soon you’ll be on your way to a healthier financial you.
Beat The Recession Recommends:

Here, according to the IRS, are the 9 most common taxpayer mistakes:

Claiming the wrong filing status

Sorry, you can’t just choose to file single or married. Your marital status is determined as of Dec. 31. Anything before that date really doesn’t matter for tax purposes. You file either jointly or married filing separately. You may qualify for “head of household,” but you have to satisfy all the requirements. You don’t qualify just because you consider yourself the head of your household. In fact, you can’t be head of household if you’re married unless you qualify as an abandoned spouse.

Claiming the wrong status could kill your eligibility for the child tax credit, the earned-income credit and exemptions for dependents. Check out the instructions for Form 1040 for detailed information to help you select your correct filing status.

Omitting or using wrong Social Security numbers

The Social Security numbers you list for your dependents, the earned-income credit and the child tax credit must match your dependents’ Social Security cards. Otherwise, the IRS computers will reject your credits and deductions.

If you’re still doing your return by hand, put down that stone tablet you’re reading and pay attention. Make sure your handwriting is legible, at least on your tax return.

Failing to use correct forms and schedules

Think of the IRS as a vast bureaucracy that responds to the dictates of an outdated computer system for audit direction. You don’t want to anger the computer gods.

If you file your employee business expenses on Schedule A without attaching Form 2106, the computer’s going to click. The more the computer clicks, the more likely that you will get audited.

So, be nice to the computer. Correctly file all of the appropriate forms.

Failing to sign and date the return

This one is easy. If you don’t sign the return, you haven’t filed. Both spouses must sign a joint return. If you haven’t filed, you’re going to be subject to all kinds of penalties, not to mention interest on any amounts not paid in full.

The only reason not to sign the return is if the numbers on it would constitute perjury. Do you think the IRS wouldn’t notice?

Claiming ineligible dependents

When the IRS started requiring Social Security numbers for claimed dependents, millions of dependents disappeared. I suspect most of them sulked back to their doghouses, flew to their bird cages or jumped back into their aquariums.

In any case, the qualification criteria to claim a dependent are technical and very specific. With nontraditional families, there are the exceptions, the exclusions to the exceptions, the exceptions when the exclusions don’t apply and the special rules for the third Wednesday each month.

You’ll have to meet each of at least four qualifications. Follow the flowchart in the instructions for your Form 1040. But it’s not simple.

Misusing — or not using — the earned-income credit

This one I blame on Congress. It’s a provision to help the poorest in our nation, but lawmakers designed it to be one of the most convoluted provisions in our tax code.

It’s so bad that the IRS reports failure to claim the earned-income credit as its No. 6 top taxpayer mistake and incorrectly claiming the credit as No. 7.

Lots of crooks — and unwitting but misinformed taxpayers — illegally claim the credit. Many of those whom the credit was designed to aid lack the tax sophistication or the dollars necessary to hire a professional to claim those dollars.

Losing receipts

Receipts can mean deductions and tax savings. So, hunt down all those charitable organizations to which you contributed and make them give you a receipt for the donation. If you made more than one donation, get a receipt for each one. The receipt needs the date, the amount, the name of the charity. No receipt means no deduction.

Under current law, you need some form of written documentation for all your charitable contributions. So, if you just put cash in a collection plate and don’t get a receipt, you’re making a contribution, but you won’t get a deduction. Bring a check or use an envelope where you can get a receipt from the charity.

We’re not done yet. Start hunting down receipts for medical expenses. Perhaps you spent enough on health care that your expenses exceed the 7.5% income threshold. The total expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income are deductible. And don’t forget: These can include health insurance premiums.

And don’t forget the paperwork to prove property tax and mortgage deductions.

With those mistakes in mind, go ahead! Put aside 6 hours of your weekend and get those taxes filed! Once it’s done it’s done!

But home improvement could be a costly endeavor especially if you’re not aware on how to properly implement them. Avoid these problems by doing these simple practices when you’re considering improving your home.

1. DIY (Do-it-yourself)

The best money saving technique in home improvement is to implement the home improvement without the help of any contractor. If you have some experience or, at least, knowledge on how to fix some parts of your house, you will be saving hundreds of dollars since you will no longer need additional help. Just make sure that you can actually finish the project to avoid further expenses.

2. Know what you can do

Unless you’re an experienced contractor or house developer, you need to know which part of home improvement you can do without any assistance. Remember that some projects can’t be easily implemented without the assistance of professionals.

3. Get Estimates

Competition among contractors is very fierce that it’s already a constant practice for contractors to offer free estimates of a project. Don’t hesitate to get in touch to at least three contractors so that you can get the best offer possible. They know that you will not just accept the first offer so they will try to beat their competition’s estimate.

4. Shop for the materials

One of the most expensive parts of the project is the materials. Instead of allowing contractors to purchase the materials (with mark-up) for your property, shop for the materials yourself. You could gain considerable savings since you will not have to pay for marked-up materials.

5. Get References

A great money saving tip in home improvement is to ask your neighbors for recommended contractors. Most have already worked with contractors so they can give you a name or two and how they have worked in various projects.

6. Family Project

Doing home improvement without any assistance from professionals could be difficult. But if you already know how you can work on the project, you can ask your family to assist you inhome improvement. Make this a weekend project so that you can slowly implement home improvement without extra hand from professionals.

7. Consider Safety Features

When you’re trying to make some changes in your property, consider adding some safety gadgets or materials. This is not an immediate money saving technique but it will since it will protect you, your family and your property from accidents.

8. Select Project Based-Charges

There are contractors that will charge based on specific assignments. This setting will be favorable to property owners since contractors will no longer charge per day. Choosing time bound assignments may prompt your contractor to slow down the assignment which will only add charges on the final bill.

9. Be Smart about Scams

Unfortunately, there are a lot of scams that could happen during home improvement. Never allow any contractor to approach you presenting their services. Only allow contractors to work in your property if you need them.

10. Seek Government Grants

Aside from doing the project without any professional assistance, seeking a government grant is a great money saving tip for home improvement. Contact your local authorities if they you under a certain criteria that will allow you to receive government grant in home improvement.

Home improvement should never be an expensive project. Know which projects you can do on your own or compare rates well so that you can get the best contractor.