Dear Beachwood, It’s hard to believe that we are in the last quarter of 2011. With the end of the year quickly approaching, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about year-end tax preparations. Before we know it Thanksgiving and Christmas will be gone and it will be time to file our 2011 tax returns. I don’t know about you, but this is by far my least favorite time of the year. Mainly, because I have not always taken the time to gather all my information prior to preparing my tax return. Well, I am going to try to do better this year. I have already started going through receipts and other pertinent information, which could be useful in preparing my 2011 taxes. The closer we get to the end of the year, the more we will hear about the changes in the 2011 tax laws, but some things will never change. Things such as making sure all of your tax records have the correct address, social security numbers, and names spelled correctly. Also make sure your employer has included information concerning bonuses, Health Savings Accounts, and 401k information on your w-2s. I know this sounds basic, but as a former tax preparer I can tell you that more times than not an employee’s name, address, and social security numbers or often times reported in error to the IRS, which can delay refunds. Please do not hesitate to contact your Accountant, Tax Preparer, or the IRS if you have questions concerning your taxes. Finally, the new ALDI will be opening soon, which could be good for us. The added competition could lower the prices of some everyday used items. If anyone hears of any good deals please pass them on to the rest of us. Daisy Lucas “A Woman of Purpose and Destiny” IRS Website www.irs.govALDI http://www.aldi.us/index_ENU_HTML.htm
Dear Beachwood,
Do you know that one of the most powerful words in the English dictionary only has two letters in it? This word is so powerful, that when used it can prevent, delay, or enhance your life in an instance. Up until about a year ago, it was missing from my vocabulary. I was simply afraid to use it. Well, I have since grown and now I realize that I must use this word in order to free myself from worry and anxiety. The word is “No.”
No, I can no longer loan what I can not easily give away. No, I can no longer accept every offer that has a pen and a smile attached to it. No, I will not allow you to pressure me into something I do not want to do; especially when everything in me says, “Say No.” Nancy Reagan was right, “Just Say No.” Why is this so hard? It does not have to be, which leads me into my “Lessons Learned” for this week.
Not long ago I went grocery shopping at a membership warehouse. I gave the cashier my membership card and waited for her to swipe it. After swiping my card, the cashier’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. I looked at her and asked if there was a problem. She said, “No there is no problem. You have been approved for a new Visa card.” Now the old Daisy, would have been excited and to embarrass to say, “No thank you.” I also would have felt special to have received such as offer. Since I have been feeling pretty good about myself lately, I did not feel the need to accept their offer.
I did not care what my fellow shoppers thought about me. I did not care if I held up the line. I knew what I said at that very moment would say a lot about, who I was and how I felt about myself. I smiled at the cashier and politely said, “No thank you.” She asked me one more time and I said with confidence and the assurance that I was making the right decision, “No thank you.” I then took the approval receipt and shredded it into little pieces and walked out of the store feeing really good about my decision to say, “No.”
Saying no is not a bad thing. Not saying no when you should is a bad thing.
Have a great week!
Daisy Lucas
“A Woman of Purpose and Destiny”
Dear Beachwood, I would like to start this week’s “Lessons Learned” by asking you a question, “What do you do, when your back is against the wall?” What do you do, when you have exhausted all of your savings and your money is funny…? You have no family or rich friends to come to your rescue. You have done all that you could to survive and it is still not enough. When you look back over your life you say to yourself, “I went to college, I worked hard, I saved my money, and I did my best to make all right the turns, but yet I find myself scraping the bottom of the barrel.” Where did I go wrong? My answer to all of these questions is simply, do not give up! Many of you are facing some unforeseen financial difficulties due to sickness, death, layoffs, and divorce or separation. Do not allow pride or shame to prevent you from seeking out help. Talk to your creditors; especially your mortgage provider. Do not wait until it is too late. It is better to be proactive than reactive. During the time I was laid off, I cleaned toilets, cashiered at a local department store, and office contract work as it became available. In an effort to stay on top of my bills, I contacted one of my creditors to discuss my situation. To my surprise they were very helpful. They put me in contact with a non-profit credit counseling agency, which was able to help me to set up a manageable payment plan. I only wished I had contacted my creditors the day I received my layoff notice. It would have saved me a lot of anxiety and restless nights. As we start another week, let us be proactive in handling our financial affairs. Spend some time this week determining how you and your family would handle the loss of an income in your home. Have a great week! Daisy Lucas “A Woman of Purpose and Destiny” Job Alert Accountants International 919-783-0002 http://www.accountantsinternational.com/ Affordable School TransportationSchool Cabz 919-500-6952 http://www.schoolcabz.com/ Non Profit Credit Counseling Money Management International 866-531-3765 http://www.moneymanagement.org/ Mortgage CounselingMaking home Affordable.Gov 888-995-HOPE
Dear Beachwood, This week I wanted to talk about the importance of using coupons. I must admit there was a time, when I refused to use coupons. I somehow compared using coupons to receiving free lunch at school. I know some of you are thinking why would anyone despise getting free lunch? Well, free lunch at my school was no picnic in the park. It include milk, a soy bean processed turkey sandwich (no cheese), a packet of mayo, cup of fruit, and some leftovers from the garden. It was horrible! The students, who could afford to pay for their lunch, had the luxury of receiving their choice of pizza or a sub, chips, fruit, cake, and milk. My free lunch experience at school undoubtedly shaped my opinion of coupons. I wanted nothing to do with free or reduced price anything! I now have a different opinion about coupons. Coupons are a necessity, when planning a shopping trip. This past week I used several coupons while shopping for grocery. My grocery bill without coupons was $57.00, but after I presented the cashier my beautiful smile along with my coupons my grocery bill dropped to $32. Yes, I was happy! I must admit that I am not an extreme coupon shopper by any means, but I give it my best every week. Finally, I would like to say thank you to all of you who have given me the thumbs up. This is a journey for me and I look forward sharing my thoughts with you each week. I leave you with this thought. “There is no better way to help someone, than to bend down and look the person in the eye, as you offer your help. “ Daisy Lucas NC Fair Tickets Advance NC State Fair Tickets http://www.ncstatefair.org/2011/Tickets/Coupons Hotcouponworld.com WRAL Smart Shopper http://www.wral.com/5onyourside/smartshopper/
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