Cent Saving Saturday

I know, at least 8 of you are here to see if you are the big winner this Cent Saving Saturday morning, but alas, only one lucky winner can be selected.

Drum rollllllll…

And, the lucky winner of the H&R Block At Home tax preparation software, hand selected by one grimy, sticky, 4 year old hand is…

Marfmom, from Musings of a Marfan Mom!

Go on over and congratulate her, and then hurry on back to check out today’s tax saving tip and another great way I’ve found to save some Benjamins, okay, maybe not actual Benjamins, but at least a couple of Hamiltons for sure.

Back?

Okay.

Guess what I did yesterday!

I filed my taxes!

Woot! (Don’t you just hate love that word?  It’s not at all annoying or nonsensical and it doesn’t make you feel or look like a huge dork, particularly not when you do it in conjunction with that late 90s raise the roof move that just won’t go away!).

But, I didn’t file before I took a list at Kiplinger’s List of The Most Overlooked Tax Deductions.

Okay, I’m lying.

I actually didn’t look at the list until after I filed, but you should totally check it out (unless you are like me and you read tax code for fun) before you hit send.

I mean there are all kinds of things on there that are easy to forget (or are just likely completely unknown).

For example: Do you know much about the state tax vs.. sales tax deduction options? 

Probably not and, particularly if you live in a state like Florida or Texas (or if you bought something awesome and expensive last year) where thy don’t collect state tax, you really should because knowing how these two deductions work could help save you a whole butt load of cents.

Or.  What about all that student loan interest that your parents are still paying for you? 

Did you know that YOU can deduct that?

Although, if you are in this unique and utterly unbelievably lucky situation, please tell your parents about me because I’d like to be adopted so that I can be spoiled rotten eternally grateful too.

And here we all were thinking being spoiled was a bad thing!

Anyway. 

Point is, you should peep the list before you put your John Hancock on those tax returns because filing a 1040X (the form you use to file an amendment when you screw up) is a PAIN.

Anyway, enough with the boring stuff!

How about a fun way to save money?

On new spectacles.

Sadly, my prescription eyewear is an accessory that I’m unable to live without so finding ways to save a few bucks and still get quality, trendy glasses is sort of a big deal to me.

Which is why I dotted my shorts when the awesome lady from Glasses USA contacted me to do a review of their, previously-unknown-to-me service.

I mean, I know you can get everything offa the Internet, but I honestly never even considered getting my glasses from an online site.

I thought going into the store and waiting three hours, even though they say it’s only gonna take one, was the only way to go about it.

And, I thought that paying out the pooper for them was a necessity too.

Seriously, my last pair of glasses cost me THREE HUNDRED AMERICAN DOLLARS!

WTH?!  I have insurance?!

They gave me some baloney about how they only give a 10% discount to people with “my kind of insurance”.  And since #2 had caused my pair a fatal injury, I’d no choice but to cough up the dough to THE MAN for a new pair.

Cool thing about Glasses USA, though is that most of their sets are affordable.  Like less than $100 bucks affordable.

And, getting them is easy.

All you have to do is go to an eye doc, get him to check out your peepers and write you a prescription for what you need.  

Then, you pick out the pair you love on the site and send in your prescription with your order.

You’ll be looking all fly in your new specs in like a week.

And, I know you’re probably thinking that this wouldn’t work for you because you like to try them on and stuff and see if your face looks fatter or more grandma-ish in them because I was thinking that too.

But, even if you do get a pair and you look like Estelle Getty in them or they make the bridge of your nose scream in pain, you can send them back, no questions asked.

Seriously, it worked for me.

I actually just got 2 new pairs of glasses; one pair via Glasses USA and one pair via the traditional route (I mean I was there, and I had a rare afternoon alone, and I saw a pair I fell in love with; had to act.).

But, you probably can’t even tell the difference, can you?

                            

I look equally fat in both pairs.

And to think I was going for the smart Alicia Keys look.

But I wound up with the fat Janet look instead.

Dang these effing double chins of mine.  GRRRR!

I need Lasix and lipo.

And you need to send me an email if you’d like to have the code to save even more on a pair of glasses from glassesusa.com

 

 

*PBD admits it’s free disclaimer:  90% of the stuff I review is given to me free of charge from companies that are dying to know what I think.  I’m not sure if it’s because I’m really that awesome or really that easy.  Either way I’m happy and I’m willing to share my thoughts on the products.  Rest assured though that, regardless of the fact that I didn’t have to spend my own cash to obtain the item, I am ALWAYS 100% honest about my opinion.  But, don’t get excited, it’s not because I’m oozing integrity or anything, I’m really just not smart enough, devious enough, or interested enough to lie.

Cent Saving Saturday

Ahhh…

Is this thing on?

Hello…*bangs on imaginary microphone*

Does no one enjoy saving money?

I mean, I know it’s like 100% more fun to spend it, but, I’m talking about saving money on boring crap (like taxes and food and shelter and stuff) so you can buy stuff you really need (like shoes and handbags and visits to the spa).

Anyway, it’s fine if you don’t want my advice on how to organize your tax papers for your tax man.

I understand, it’s boring.

But, what if I helped you out with a great way to save on your taxes and get them prepared correctly and easily?

You don’t have to listen (but there is a giveaway involved).

You can navigate away now and go read about some juicy celebrity gossip (but there is a giveaway involved) or some fun, kid centered craft activity (BUT THERE IS A GIVEAWAY INVOLVED).

Or you can stick around (for my giveaway) and read a little bit about H&R Block At Home.

It’s H&R Blocks replacement for their former at home tax preparation software, Tax Cut, and it’s a little bit awesome (not that I am recommending you do your own taxes, but…if you already do and feel confident in your skidizzels, then maybe this is for you).

Let me tell you that I am a wee bit biased about this product.

Not because they gave me a copy for free (although they did, just so you know*), but because before, when I was saying I worked for a national tax preparation company for a whole butt load of years, I was talking about them.

Yep, I used to be one of those people at the office with the big green square, so I have to admit that I have a bit of an affinity for this brand of software.

But, my already-attached-opinion aside, I have to admit (go ahead and kick me H&R Block) I have used other at home tax prep programs and I truly do like this one the best.

Here is H&R Block’s take on At Home Deluxe: It “is for taxpayers who own a home or have investments and includes everything taxpayers need to complete their federal and state taxes. In addition to the Basic features, Deluxe offers personalized tax guidance, advanced tools to maximize mortgage interest deductions and assistance on investment income and stock options”.

All true.

Here is Dumb Mom’s take on H&R Block At Home Deluxe:

• There are tons of little question marks all over the place so if you’re not sure or you’re confused you can click on them and they’ll give you more info.
• There is a frequently asked questions bar along the side that follows you from screen to screen and changes as a you go. It helps you to remember things you may have forgotten (like your student loan deduction that you really should never forget since you’ll be paying on it for the rest of your life) or clue you in to things you didn’t even know existed.
• It is really easy to install and use and update. It doesn’t take forever to do so either (unless you have an ancient computer like the desktop over here at Casa de Dummies, and then I’m not sure what’s gonna happen).
• You can prepare taxes for like 5 different people. So you can let your mother-in-law do her taxes at your house (read you can do them for her since that’s what she really wants anyway, right?). Or, you can use it for your teenage son who worked for the summer so he can get his $110 refund back (and have cash to take that tramp from school who won’t leave him alone out, which means maybe you wanna go ahead and NOT do his taxes).
• It’s cheap. Okay, it’s not exactly cheap, but it is a good price for the quality and convenience you receive. You can get a copy of the At Home Deluxe version for $39.99 (on Amazon) and it includes a free federal e-file and a state download. Plus, they provide you audit support (in the form of an Enrolled Agent) for the off chance that you find yourself in that situation (although it does happen as Mama B shared with us last week). Not too bad when you consider that Turbo Tax is $49.99 and you have to pay extra for their Audit Defense coverage.

But, here is the absolutely most perfect reason to go with H&R Block At Home…

because you can win one right here on parenting BY dummies!

To enter all you have to do is:

1. Be a PBD follower (these kinda perks are only available for my most awesome members).
2. Leave a comment telling me how you normally get your taxes done.

Want Extra entries (1 entry for each activity)?

1. Become a fan of H&R Block on Facebook. And leave me a comment that you did so I can go check (‘cause I totally will!).
2. Follow me on Twitter @thenagainphoto.
3. Tweet this giveaway.

Contest ends at 11:59pm PST on Friday, January 22, 2010, and the winner will be randomly selected and announced on next Saturday’s Cent Saving post.

Easy, no?

Good luck (and don't forget to read my small print)!

*PBD admits it’s Free Disclaimer: In order to provide a reliable review of the product H&R Block provided PBD with a copy of the software to prepare her own taxes with. They did not tell her she had to say they were awesome and no cold, hard cash exchanged hands. They are hooking one of PBD's readers up with a free copy because I told them you guys were awesome, shameless name droppers who appreciate free stuff. Don’t make me a liar people! Oh, and like I said before, if Uncle Sam comes a knockin' don't bother even telling me about it because I'm not getting involved in any kind of government-fraud-like madness. One piece jumsuits have never been my thing, I think it's my short torso...