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Month: March 2021

  • Get Prepared for Tax Season with These Easy Steps

    Get Prepared for Tax Season with These Easy Steps

    It can be a little daunting to start thinking about taxes but remember that it’s important to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later. You’ve got until April to get your taxes in, but that doesn’t mean you should wait until then to start filing. The sooner you start thinking about tax season the sooner you can respond should unforeseen conditions arise. After all, you don’t want to get a nasty surprise and not have time to respond to it!

    Easy Steps to Get Ready for Tax Season

    Choose a Method of Filing

    First, you’re going to want to choose a method of filing. Are you going to file your taxes yourself or are you going to use a tax preparer? Generally, we advise that you file your taxes yourself unless they are particularly complex. If you have a very complex tax return that you need to fill out, consider going with an inexpensive tax preparer.

    When choosing a tax preparer, make sure they have a PTIN, or Preparer Tax Identification Number. If they do, it means they’re qualified to fill out a federal tax return. Before choosing this person, ask about any fees that they may charge to prepare taxes. The more complex your return, the higher the fee you can expect to pay. However, stay away from anyone who wants a percentage of your return: stick to flat fees only.

    If you choose to use a tax preparer, make sure you set up an appointment with them as soon as possible to begin discussing your tax returns. This goes double if you expect a tax refund. The sooner you get the ball rolling on getting your return in, the sooner you can get your money!

    Gather Your Files

    Get ready to start gathering your personal files. By the end of January your employers should have provided you with various documents relating to your tax returns. Typically these documents are W-2’s, which employers provide to employees and indicate your income from your job. Self-employed individuals get a different form, however, and there are many other types of documents you may receive.

    However, whatever your forms of income may be, you should have all of the documents related to your taxes in hand by the end of January. Make sure you carefully file these somewhere you won’t lose track of them! It’s very important to have these on hand while filing your taxes.

    Other files you may need to gather could be receipts from various purchases or charitable contributions you made this year. If you think you’ll get a bigger deduction by itemizing, then you should opt to gather your relevant receipts. However, the standard deduction can often be larger than an itemized deduction, so keep that in mind when you set about filing your taxes.

    Get Personal Info Together

    Make sure you have information like your social security number and the numbers of all dependents you’re claiming this year. If you own any vacation homes or rental properties, make sure you have the documents relating to them together and ready to go in time for tax time. Addresses and deeds will be helpful to have on hand! Additionally, the amount you paid, the amount you’ve made on them if they are rental properties and the dates you purchased them will all be needed.

    Get a Copy of Last Year’s Return

    You’re going to want a copy of your prior year’s return on hand. If you need information you may have forgotten, you’re going to need the previous year’s return. While the information held within might not be the most critical, it’s still good to have things like charitable donations from last year and payors of interest and dividends on hand to refresh your memory.

    Decide What to do With a Refund

    If you expect to get a tax refund, be thinking about what you’re going to do with it once you get it. Many people prefer to simply have the funds deposited straight into their checking accounts, and while this is straightforward, it might not be the best plan. Consider saving the money, instead, or applying it to next year’s tax bill!

    For instance, you could have the funds allocated to your retirement account or invest it in stocks after it’s deposited into your checking. Whichever route you choose, just keep in mind that the sum you get may be better served being saved than being used to get a new tattoo or game console! Just don’t spend it all in one place.


  • Get Tax Help for Seniors

    Get Tax Help for Seniors

    There’s a reason most people get help filing their taxes: taxes are really, really complicated. Between social security, tax credit, exemptions, deductions, property taxes, there are a ton of complex things to keep up with. It’s no surprise that a number of seniors get intimidated when it comes to filing their taxes. There are changing technologies, changing tax rules, and fixed incomes can all make tax season difficult for seniors. Here are some of the best ways to get tax help for seniors.

    Get Tax Help for Seniors

    AARP Tax-Aide

    Whether or not you already have an AARP membership, or know someone who does, this is a great way to go. The AARP Foundation has tax aide services that can be a lifesaver for seniors. The best part is that you don’t even need to be an AARP member to take advantage of this great service! It’s available for anyone over 50, free of charge. You can meet with these tax professionals free of charge online or in person, whichever you prefer! That way, if you would rather talk face-to-face, or if you prefer to file form the comfort of your home, you’re set either way!

    The volunteers who work for the AARP Tax-Aide program are also IRS-certified tax professionals. These aren’t amateurs who are going to mess up your taxes, these are people who are certified and know what they’re doing! That way, you can rest assured knowing you’re getting the help you need with your taxes and the peace of mind that includes.

    If you go for an in-person session, you’ll be glad to hear that they’re available all throughout tax season, from January to April 15th. Generally, these visits occur in convenient and public locations. Community centers, public libraries, banks and shopping malls are all common locations for these visits, so you need not worry about meeting in person. These locations are in public, well-lit and easy to access, so you don’t have to worry about getting to the meeting location.

    Best of all, the online side of this tax service is available year-round to answer your questions about taxes. If you have any burning questions you need answered and want to be ahead of the curve, this is a great way to go! That’s what happens when you go through an organization as helpful as the AARP.

    Federal Government Tax Assistance

    There are two tax services offered by the IRS. There’s the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program. If you go through the IRS website, you can find in-depth information on both of these programs. Both the VITA and TCE programs have physical locations throughout the country you can visit to receive direct, in-person help with your taxes.

    Firstly, the VITA is a good program for those seniors who still earn some income, such as through a part-time job or perhaps through owned property. The VITA program typically helps those who do not speak English fluently, disabled people, people under a certain income level and the elderly. These services are primarily geared at seniors who make an amount of money under a certain threshold. Generally, those seniors who make more money than this threshold should consider going with professional paid tax services.

    The TCE, for its part, is geared more for seniors who aren’t sure where to turn for tax help. The service is specifically for seniors of age 60 or older who are on a fixed-income. These types of people are the exact ones that the TCE was created to help. If you or someone you love lives on a fixed income and needs income tax help, the TCE is the right call to help. They help seniors with things like retirement income and pensions, as opposed to traditional income methods. The free service is also volunteer-based and offers help during tax season. The volunteers are all IRS-certified professionals.

    State Taxes

    Both the VITA and TCE programs offer help with state taxes as well as federal taxes, so this usually shouldn’t be a huge concern for seniors. However, beyond this, some states do offer a state-specific tax program to help seniors if they have state-specific tax questions. While such situations would be rare, if a senior needs help with complex aspects of their state taxes in particular then they should look into whether their state offers a tax program.

    In the event it doesn’t, don’t panic! The bar association of your state may provide pro-bono legal help to seniors seeking tax advice. Local CPAs or other professionals may also offer help for seniors at no cost, so consider looking into these avenues!


  • Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

    Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

    If you’re expecting a tax refund this year, you’ve probably got a few ideas as to how you’re going to spend it. Maybe you’re looking to get a new tattoo, or maybe you want to buy some video games or new rims for your car. Maybe before you get your sights set on a frivolous purchase, however, you should start thinking about smart ways to spend your tax refund. There are better ways to spend a sudden windfall than on something frivolous and goofy!

    Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

    Set Up an Emergency Fund

    Do you have a savings account with $1,000 in it? No? Okay, here’s the first thing you need to do with that money. Take your tax refund, set aside $1,000 and save it. If you have money leftover after that, pay bills with it. Easy! See, having a savings account with a good little chunk of money in it is a good way to insulate yourself against those dumb, random things that are going to happen and drain your checking account.

    Your car is going to break down. Your heater is going to stop working in February. Or, your AC is going to bust in July. No matter what it is, some stupid happenstance will come along and smack you with a huge bill. Be ready for these frustrating moments by having money set aside to deal with them when (not if) they show up.

    Pay Down Debt

    That debt you have hovering over your head like the Sword of Damocles isn’t going anywhere until you do something about it. Kick that debt to the curb by paying your tax refund into it! The sooner you start paying down those big debts, the better. The longer your let those debts float by with minimum payments, the higher and higher the interest gets.

    That means that by focusing a large sum, like your tax refund, you buy back all the money that interest would have eaten up down the road. Why let interest compound and cause you issues down the line when you can buy back your money now? It’s the definition of a win-win scenario.

    Fix Up Your House

    You spend a lot of time at home. Make sure it’s a place you like being. By making your house nicer, you’re actually helping yourself in two ways. The first way is pretty straightforward: you like living in your house, so make it a nice place. The second is a bit more financial in nature. If you invest in your home, it’ll be worth more down the line!

    This especially goes for homes in areas that have ever-increasing property values. If your home is always going up, up, up in value just because of where it is, you can multiply this value a lot by just doing a bit of work on the place. A new roof, repairs to older sections of the house, a kitchen remodel: all of these things can add a ton of value to the place. What better time to do this kind of work than when you have the money free at hand?

    Travel Somewhere

    Rather than spending your money on something like a new TV or a down payment on a car, you could instead opt to go on a trip. There’s nothing quite like traveling to a new place and enjoying the scenery! Whether that’s some beautiful tropical island, a mountain ski lodge or just a city you’ve been dying to visit.

    See, when you buy “stuff,” the fun of buying the new thing wears off sooner rather than later. Then, you find a few months down the line wishing that you hadn’t spent all that money on something you’re just going to replace next year anyway. If you pay for a trip, however, you’ll make memories that will last you a lifetime.

    Donate the Money

    Do you have a hard time figuring out what to do with a sudden windfall? Maybe you’ve got a good bit of money in savings and you don’t really have the time to go out of town for a long trip. Maybe your house is already up to a great standard and you’re at a loss for what to do with the money.

    Well, good news! You can donate that money to a good cause. If you’re passionate about a social issue of some kind, like homeless shelters or cancer research, you can donate that tax refund money and make a difference in the world! You can even write it off on next year’s taxes and repeat the cycle of giving.


  • The Secret Hack To Getting Your Taxes Done During Coronavirus!!

    The Secret Hack To Getting Your Taxes Done During Coronavirus!!

    It’s that time of year again. Tax time, the time when you know you need to get out and get your taxes prepared. Maybe you’re notorious for putting it off, since it can be pricey.

    However, there are a number of ways to get your taxes prepared for FREE during COVID-19! In fact, you can even get your taxes prepared online for completely free today! Here are some of the best sites to use for free tax preparation during this pandemic.

    Free Tax Preparation During COVID-19

    FreeTaxUSA

    FreeTaxUSA is a user-friendly and well-made site for tax preparation. The site is very straightforward, easily walking you through filing your taxes step-by-step. If you’re worried about your taxes being too complex to fill out online, don’t. This site offers you a very thorough helping hand in getting everything filed easily.

    While the federal return is totally free through this site, filing a state return through this site costs money. On average it costs about $12, so make sure you factor that in when you’re considering your tax filing. Keep in mind that it’s most likely that any tax prep site you use will require a small fee for filing a state return.

    H&R Block

    Many people are much more familiar with H&R Block due to their physical tax preparation locations. However, H&R Block also offers a free tax filing service through their website. While preparing online might not sound like the normal H&R Block, it’s actually a rather streamlined and easy-to-use site.

    Not all types of returns can be prepared on the site for free, however. As with most sites, state returns will still require a fee to be sent in from their site. Additionally, more complex tax returns could include a fee for filing.

    The upside to H&R Block is that if your taxes prove too complex to fill out online, you can go to one of their physical locations. Then, a tax-preparer can get you set up in-person! Keep in mind, however, that using in-person tax preparation won’t be free.

    TurboTax

    As their numerous commercials have proclaimed, TurboTax allows you to file your federal return for free. As you might expect, this doesn’t apply to state returns, which include a small fee. Much like FreeTaxUSA, TurboTax offers a great user interface for inputting all of your tax information.

    You won’t have to worry about forgetting something or getting lost. If you miss a box or need to input more info, the useful client will remind you. You can rest assured with TurboTax that your return will be accurate before you submit it!


  • The Best Reasons to Take a Cruise Vacation

    The Best Reasons to Take a Cruise Vacation

    Are you in serious need of a vacation? We can’t blame you for that, as everyone needs a break from time to time. However, what kind of vacation is the best for you? Many people love heading to the beach, or to exotic locales. Others prefer to go to resort hotels and enjoy the pool, the spa and the bars. What if you could get all of that and more on a single vacation?

    Why You Should Take a Cruise Vacation

    Stress-Free

    One of the biggest reasons to get out to a cruise boat and kick back in style is that a lot of the normal stresses of a vacation wash away when you get on the boat. You’ve got nothing to worry about: the boat is out at sea and all the luxury you could want is around you. There’s no need to drive anywhere or make travel plans: you’re already traveling!

    There’s nothing to stop you from just taking it easy, drinking however much you’d like, enjoying the comedy shows and clubs, and just generally taking it easy. It’s like being in a luxury resort that goes to all of the exotic locales you’d like to see during your vacation.

    Food Included

    Most cruises include all of your meals in their cost. That means that you get to eat at numerous tasty restaurants and don’t have to worry about the bill! Many cruise liners also have specialty restaurants that cost extra to dine at, but those are usually well worth the price. In either case, you get to sample tons of delicious food while enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of the boat. What’s not to love?

    Typically, the dinners that are included with the cruise are delicious and high-end. Most boats have a fancy dining room where guests are encouraged to come in formal wear, allowing for a very exquisite dining experience. It’s like getting a taste of how the other side lives, all while floating across the ocean.

    Exotic Locales

    No matter whether you take a Caribbean cruise, an Alaskan cruise, or a cruise throughout some other locale, you’ll get to see fantastic and exotic locales. While many vacations have you only visiting one or two locations for the sightseeing and fun, cruises allow you to visit numerous locales scattered across the region you’re visiting.

    Not only do you get to experience all of these great locations, you don’t have to worry about the travel to get there. The boat will take you right to the islands or locations you’d like to visit, and all while you’re relaxing and taking it easy on the boat.

    Amusement Park Meets Luxury Hotel

    When you’re on a cruise boat, you’re essentially on a giant, floating luxury hotel that is attached to an amusement park. Many boats have numerous attractions such as rock-climbing walls, water slides, hot tubs, pools and theaters with fun shows. Even on days that the boat is at sea, with no stops at exotic locations, you’re still enjoying the fun of the boat’s various attractions!

    There are also ample bars, clubs and activities to be found on the boat. If you fancy a drink at a cabana, you can find that below decks. Likewise, if you find yourself longing for a bit of nightlife, there are clubs you can go to dance and meet people.

    In short, a cruise vacation is likely the best of all types of vacations you could be considering going on. Taking a week to simply float on the ocean, enjoy luxury food and drinks, and have fun in the sun sounds like the ideal version of a week off. Not to mention, cruise vacations are usually more affordable than other types of vacations. What are you waiting for? Book yours today!


  • Reduce the Cost of Pre-Medicare Health Insurance

    Reduce the Cost of Pre-Medicare Health Insurance

    If you retire early, or you are self-employed, and you’re looking for health insurance, you might find it difficult to save money. A lot of people who retire before 65, when they become eligible for Medicare coverage, may find themselves spending an arm and a leg for insurance. If you feel like you’re paying way too much for your pre-Medicare health insurance, you’re not alone. Many people have felt the squeeze of rising inflation rates with insurance lately. Here are some ways you can save and reduce the cost of your health insurance.

    Reduce the Cost of Pre-Medicare Health Insurance

    The Problem

    Many people who are retirement-age, or who work for themselves, are finding it difficult to get affordable health insurance. These people who need pre-Medicare health insurance find that it is incredibly difficult to get coverage with a decent deductible that doesn’t cost an exorbitant amount. While the ACA has helped some people in this boat, there are others who don’t qualify for the subsidies on ACA plans.

    Instead, these people have been experiencing ballooning costs for premiums and watching as deductibles are slashed as health insurance companies try to squeeze more and more money out of them. The future hardly looks bright for the ACA marketplace: the current administration has vowed to stop protections for those with preexisting conditions and next year the penalties for having no insurance will fall away. This means that many healthy people may ignore the marketplace altogether, making premiums that much higher for those who use ACA plans.

    Who This Effects

    This situation disproportionately effects people in their 50’s and 60’s who have yet to reach Medicare eligibility. These pre-Medicare health insurance plans are increasingly failing people in their 50’s and 60’s as they develop more serious medical conditions and have to pay more and more every year to keep getting medicine and treatment they need to survive.

    For many of these people, even those who don’t currently have any serious health issues, the ballooning premiums and absurd cost of healthcare makes them nervous. They can’t opt for coverage with bare-bones provisions as they may develop serious medical conditions sooner rather than later. However, they also can’t afford the existing plans. So what do they do?

    Check the Marketplace

    While you might think there’s no good coverage on the Marketplace, you’d be wrong. For some people there are great pre-Medicare health insurance plans available through the marketplace. According to some industry analysts, people over 50 who use the Marketplace to find health coverage are actually saving more money now than in the past three years. Since 2015, premiums for people over 50 have dropped nearly 40%, down to an average of about $60 per month!

    As for those dramatic increases in premiums, you need not worry about them if you get subsidies through the ACA. For people who receive subsidies, these increases won’t actually hit you. For a single-person household, if the income is below around $48,000, you’ll receive these subsidies. For two-person households, this threshold is roughly $66,000.

    Even if you’re only just above this threshold, speak to a tax advisor. There are some ways you can qualify for the subsidies even if you make a bit more than these thresholds if you do something like making an IRA account contribution or some similar method.

    Consider Direct Payment

    This isn’t suggesting you simply pay for your treatments outright. Instead, some people are sidestepping insurance altogether and opting instead to engage in “direct primary care.” This method sees the patient paying their doctor a flat fee, usually around $70 per month, that tends to cover some portion of typical doctor’s visits, check-ups and preventative care.

    Doctors who engage in direct primary care often take steps to make sure their patients pay less overall for most basic medical services. This may include buying medications from pharmaceutical companies at wholesale prices and then selling them at cost. Another common cost-saving method is through direct contracts with labs, allowing for less expensive lab results and radiology, passing those savings to customers.

    Those who choose to use direct primary care are often advised to get insurance with high deductibles so that they have an option in case they become seriously ill or otherwise take on some large hospital bill. Generally this method is advised for people who have found relatively affordable high-deductible pre-Medicare health insurance. While this might not work for everyone, for many patients it results in them saving more money in the long run compared to getting a high-premium, low-deductible plan.


  • Looking for a Great Gift? Order Canvas Prints Online

    Looking for a Great Gift? Order Canvas Prints Online

    When it comes to printing out photos, there are tons of options available for doing it from home. Certainly you’ve purchased a printer that can output “high-quality” images of your home photographs. Are they really all that great, though? Have you considered ordering canvas prints online?

    The answer is yes!  It turns out that you can order very high-quality prints on canvas material online. Today we’re going to cover some of the most frequently asked questions about this interesting process. If you’re looking for a great gift idea for Christmas, consider these gorgeous canvas prints.

    Some of the top companies for ordering canvas prints online are Simple Canvas Prints, CG Pro Prints and Gallery Direct.

    Order Canvas Prints Online

    The Canvas Difference

    Getting your photo printed out on canvas offers some interesting benefits when compared to traditional prints. Normally, a traditional print needs to be backed and framed in order to be elegantly displayed. In the case of a canvas print, however, the unique durability, appeal and design makes them ideal for just hanging up as-is.

    Canvas prints have a high-quality, artistic quality that makes them look great on any wall. You don’t need to have them framed and they don’t require any backing. Not to mention, the three top-rated services provide prints that are so high-quality that they’ll put most normal printers to shame.

    Cost

    The cost of canvas prints online varies depending on the issuing company and size. That said, you can expect the smallest prints to run right around $5, and some of the largest prints to be upwards of $500. That is to say, it’d be a good idea to shop around and compare price.

    There are some excellent savings to be found online if you compare and shop. When you buy online, one of the best upsides is that you can shop at your own pace. There’s no pressure, and you’re able to easily compare sites to hunt down the best price.

    Shipping

    Depending on which site you order from, you can likely find various rates and speeds for shipping. Some sites will be able to offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount, while others may have a surcharge for shipping and handling. When it comes to high-quality prints, you want to make sure they’re handled well.

    Another consideration for shipping is how long they take to ship. Most canvas prints online will ship in roughly 10-14 business days, although that number could also vary. Again, you have to consider the time it takes to manufacture the print and how careful you have to be transporting it.

    For Professionals

    Professionals love sites like CG Pro Prints as they offer a great way for their photographs to be displayed as art. In fact, in order to accommodate artists, CG Pro Prints offers wholesale prices on their prints to keep costs down for artists.

    If you’re a photographer looking to get a large number of studio-quality prints made for display or sale, consider CG Pro Prints. They’ve got what you need.

    For the Office

    If you’re looking for a great site for prints of stock images and landscapes, consider Gallery Direct. They have a number of generic images you can choose from to decorate a space like an office or lobby. This is a great way to fill a space with high-quality art to keep your space fun and tasteful at the same time.

    While Gallery Direct isn’t the only site who offers this kind of service, they are highly-rated and considered one of the best. They have a wide variety of images to choose from if you don’t have one already picked out. There are landscapes, stock images and more to make your space look that much more inviting.

    For the Family

    Simple Canvas Prints, of the three listed here, is one of the best sites for getting prints made for the family. They offer low prices and good deals on shipping. They also have a relatively quick shipping time if you opt for the expedited shipping, though it costs a bit more.

    However, their biggest draw is their user interface. This easy-to-use site makes it simple to upload you image and have it converted into a gorgeous canvas print sent right to your home. If you’re somewhat daunted by the prospect, don’t be, as it couldn’t be simpler.

    There’s never been a better time to be a photo enthusiast. With ample choices for high-quality printing and fast shipping, all available right from your computer, it’s hard to believe we ever shopped for canvas prints the old-fashioned way.


  • Easy Ways to Start Arts and Crafts

    Easy Ways to Start Arts and Crafts

    Kids need to be constantly occupied. They are generally not know for sitting is quiet contemplation or meditation. If you don’t find something to expand their ever growing mind and keep them entertained problems arise. Thats where is good to know some arts and crafts for kids.

     

    CHildren by nature are exploratory and crafty. They are constantly looking to build and make and craft anything they can get their hands on. There is a litany of benefits for getting your kids started with some arts and crafts. It improves their coordination and fine motor skills. Arts and crafts usually require kids to use both hands in a certain manner, which can help them develop fine motor skills and bilateral coordination. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and releases the fear of trying something new they don’t know they can do. Then the Self esteem. Making something and finishing a project, then putting it on display in your home boosts your child’s self esteem. Lets take a look at some easy way to get start crafting with kids

     

    Paint

    Kids love to paint! Children of all ages love to paint! These painting activities for kids range from the simplest painting with a brush or hands to more elaborate spin art, marble painting, and painting a fort. Paint is an art material that is easily adaptable to a wide variety of kids’ art activities. Some of the best and easiest painting activities are tempera paint, acrylic paint,BioColor paint. OR stick with the old classic finger paint.

    Try this one to get started. You can paint fall leaves with coffee filters and a glue gun.  Help your kid by drawing the outlines of leaves on the coffee filters and help them cut out on the outlines. Let your kid make the lines on the leaves using a glue gun. Set the coffee filters aside till the glue has completely dried. Now help your kid color the coffee filter leaves using the water color shades of his choice. Its simple easy and fun

    Lastly try the  Batik Painting. Use Glue Gel (NB regular white glue doesn’t work for batik painting), a white t-shirt and acrylic paints. Draw your pattern on with the glue. Tip put a paper bag between the front and back of the t-shirt so the glue doesn’t go through both layers). Then once the glue is dry paint over the design (don’t layer on too much paint or it will be hard to get off), soak the t-shirts in warm water overnight and the glue will begin to dissolve and reveal the white designs.

     

    Drawing

    Kids have a natural instinct to draw. Try this experiment, place a marker and something really important of yours in place of a child. Watch as the child will quickly cover it with any kids of drawing they can fathom. point is they love to draw, any kind of drawing,  including observational drawing, drawing prompts, and creative drawing exercises and drawing games. It is a very easy and inexpensive arts and crafts for kids activity.

    Get Started with a Draw Me Paintings. You’ll need a huge piece of paper as big as your child. Get them to lie down and draw around their outline. Then they can paint and decorate themselves! If you don’t have long paper you can do draw around your hand outlines and paint and decorate your hands with rings and bracelets.

    I also like the  Draw Your Town project as well.  On a big piece of paper ask your child to draw their town out starting with your house and drawing on roads, buildings, parks and monuments. You might need to go for a few walks to remind yourselves where everything is.

    Origami And Hama Beads

    Hama bead are the latest and greatest arts and crafts for kids projects. Hama Beads burst onto the scene a few years ago. If your kids have forgotten them, it’s a good craft activity and there’s no limit to creativity and inventing shapes and designs. And once your child’s finished designing with Hama Beads how to iron them so the design stays together is a trick worth knowing.

    Origami is a classic. It is cheap easy and a lot of fun arts and crafts for kids.  Origami is a good craft to do with your child, as you get to sit down and interact while transforming a simple piece of paper into something beautiful.


  • Which Credit Cards are the Best for Someone with Bad Credit?

    Which Credit Cards are the Best for Someone with Bad Credit?

    If you have bad credit, it can feel next to impossible to dig your way out. It’s hard to get approved for loans, you have a hard time saving and getting ahead, and everything can feel like an uphill battle. When you’ve got bad credit, how can you right the ship and get yourself back on track?

    One of the best ways to rebuild bad credit is to get a credit card with low fees up front and that report on your credit to all three bureaus. Ideally, you want a card that offers pre-qualification checks, too. Today we’re going over how you can rebuild your credit, and what some of the best cards for doing so are.

    Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

    Rebuilding Credit with a Credit Card

    When it comes to rebuilding your credit, your best bet is going to be operating on a very small scale. Set yourself a small budget, something you know you can easily pay off every month and put that on your card. Maybe just get gas, or just buy groceries with the card, and nothing else. Never float a balance past a month and make regular payments.

    While you’re doing this, keep an eye on your credit. Make sure the positive changes are being reported regularly and that your credit is moving in the right direction. This ensures that you’re doing the right thing and that your credit is being repaired.

    Applying for Cards

    Don’t look desperate by sending out a huge burst of credit card applications. This is a surefire way to put a big dent in your credit. Each time you apply for a credit card, a hard inquiry is placed on your credit, which can negatively impact it for as much as twelve months. Make sure you only apply for a few cards and consider going after pre-qualification cards.

    Pre-qualified cards do a soft inquiry of your credit, which allows you to avoid the issue of having your credit tanked by repeated inquiries. Once you get your card, you can begin rebuilding your credit with it, so the soft inquiry is well-worth the effort.

    Capital One Secured Mastercard

    The Capital One Secured Mastercard is a great pick for anyone looking to rebuild their credit. The card has no annual fee, and you can set down a small amount of money up-front for a credit line of $200. That’s enough for you to buy groceries on or buy gas, and then pay off before the end of the month.

    When you make enough payments on time, you’ll even get an increased credit line that allows you to put more expenses on the card. Not to mention, you get to pick your own due date for the money. That means you can set up your bills to hit when you get your paycheck, so you’re never late on your card payment!

    Milestone Gold Mastercard

    You can set this card up to pay off bi-monthly, allowing you to keep a tighter leash on your spending and help you get into good spending habits. The card doesn’t require a security deposit and it offers $0 cash advance fees the first year. In short, if you’ve got a prior bankruptcy on your credit history, this is a card worth looking in to. Just watch out for some of the minor fees, like for adding another authorized user or late payment fees.


  • How to Use a Credit Card to Repair Your Credit

    How to Use a Credit Card to Repair Your Credit

    If your credit score is less than ideal, you might be wondering what the best way to repair it is. While there are a number of ways to address your credit, one of the most surefire ways to pull it back into a favorable position is to use a credit card. This might sound counterintuitive if your credit score is already bad due to credit card debt, but hear us out.

    There are a few rules of thumb you need to follow with any credit card, but they go double for when you’re using them to repair your credit. Today we’re going over some of the basics to help you fix your credit standing. If you follow these tips you should see your score going up gradually, and in a few years you’ll have great credit!

    Remember, most of all, to be patient. Your credit score isn’t going to become excellent overnight, and requires you to work diligently at paying back your debts and paying bills on time to stay high.

    Paying Off Outstanding Debts

    Let’s begin with the most pressing issues. If you have a lot of outstanding debts that are dragging down your credit score, it’s time to hose them down. Let’s say you’ve got debts on three credit cards that are bearing down on you. Find the one with the highest interest rate and put any extra money you make towards paying it off. Make minimum payments on your other debts while you do this.

    By using this “target priority” technique, you can begin to chip away at the worst of your debt. This does two things for you. Firstly, it gets all that extra interest the debt would have accumulated out of the way. Secondly, it means your credit score will start to get repaired as your payments stay regular and your debt-to-income ratio evens out.

    Using a Small-Limit Card

    On the flip side, if you have no credit history or a bad credit history and don’t owe much in debt right now, you’ll want to use a credit card. For instance, let’s say you’re fresh out of college or school, you have a consistent job and you’re looking to get a car loan but have no credit history. Don’t sweat it! Just apply for a small-limit credit card with no annual fees and a low interest rate. Something really small, even with a limit of $100 or $200, works well here.

    Just use this card for small purchases, like buying groceries or getting food at a restaurant. Be careful to only spend what you can afford to pay back before the end of the month so that you don’t float any balance and accrue interest owed on it. After a few months of consistently using, and paying back, this small credit card, you’ll see your credit history start to build up.

    Good Spending Habits

    As another example, if you’re repairing your credit history after a rough patch, you can use a similar approach. However, with a bad credit history, as opposed to no credit history, it may seem difficult to find a credit card that seems like a decent deal. In such cases, even if you find a card with a high interest rate, consider using it just for making small purchases.

    Even if a card has a high interest rate and a low limit, using it consistently and simply paying it back before the end of the month can be a great way to show credit agencies you’re more responsible than you once were. By paying the bill off monthly, you’re able to both keep the interest from building up while also improving your credit score.