Bush Tax Cut Extension Appears Likely - Bargaineering

Posted: 06 Dec 2010 09:16 AM PST

It appears that a compromise on the Bush tax cuts is likely and that compromise will take the form of an extension. CNN Money quoted Senator Orrin Hatch (UT-R) as saying that neither “side” has enough votes to pass the plan they want so they’ll probably extend the cuts another two years and deal with it then. Senator Ron Wyden (OR-D) is also referenced as calling for a one year extension of the tax cuts to give Congress more time to put together a deal.

What does this mean for the tax brackets? The brackets would stay the same and the ranges would increase to track alongside inflation, as reported by the BLS. Capital gains rates would also stay the same at 0% and 15%, depending on your marginal income tax rate.

Sadly, this seems to be the modus operandi of Congress on issues like this – just take a look at AMT and how often “relief” has been extended as a stop gap measure in the waning minutes of the year.

Bush Tax Cut Extension Appears Likely from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com.

9 Quick and Easy Penny-wise Frugal Home Tips

Posted: 06 Dec 2010 04:16 AM PST

Penny Last week, I wrote a post about how you shouldn’t work so hard to save very little. The basic premise is that there are a lot of things you can do to save money that, when you calculate the time and effort involved, aren’t worth it. In some cases, the tips are dangerous and, should your luck go south, will end up costing you more in the long run. The post seemed like one of those “don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish,” which is an idea I think we can all agree with, but that doesn’t mean I won’t take a second to pick up a penny.

That’s why I’ve put together a list of easy frugal home tips that don’t take a long time to complete and, while the savings won’t pay for a new Bentley, will cut out a bit of the waste in your life.

Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. Guaranteed to save pennies off your water bill, shutting off the water when you brush your teeth can save you gallons of water each year. It’s wasteful to just watch that water go down the drain for no reason, so save yourself a few dollars and the Earth some of its potable water by turning off the tap.
Turn off the lights you don’t use. When I was younger I remember our family had a rule – one person, one light. If you went from one room into another, you turned off the light in the first room unless you were going to return shortly. There’s no reason why a dozen lights should be on when you’re watching TV in your living room, right?
Turn off surge protectors to limit “vampire” appliances. Many appliances continue to draw power even when in the switch is the off position. Buy a few surge protectors, which have the added bonus of protecting your appliances from surges, and turn them off if you aren’t using any of the plugged in appliances.
Set your thermostat lower (or higher) and dress accordingly. Adjust your thermostat one degree (down in the winter, up in the summer) and change what you’re wearing to save a few percent on your energy bill. This chart illustrates the potential savings on your energy bill. One degree away from 78 degrees in the summer is a 1% of savings and one degree away from 68 in the winter results in a 1% savings.
Make your own cleaning supplies. Making your own cleaning supplies not only saves you some money but allows you to make more sustainable, earth-friendly products. It also saves you a little bit of space since you can make cleaning supplies on the fly as needed, so you won’t need to store as much. Search online for some easy recipes from the things you probably already have in your closet.
Line dry your clothing. Line drying your clothes not only reduces your energy bill, it also extends the life of your clothes. If you can’t line dry outside because of the weather, get a rack to use in your home. If you can’t bear to line dry your clothes, consider line drying the heavier items that take longer to dry like towels and denim.
Shut closet doors, unused rooms, and their heater vents. Reduce the square footage of your living space so the HVAC doesn’t have to work as hard.
Use your microwave more. This tip is more about cooking smarter and is most applicable in the summer. Use sources of heat that are kinder to your AC system, like your microwave and your stove. Avoid using the oven, the last thing you want your AC to fight against is a 400 degree oven!
Put a brick in your toilet’s reservoir. We went the step of installing two-stage toilet flushers, but before that all you really needed was a brick to take up space. Just make sure the flush is still “effective.”

Those are ten quick and easy frugal home tips that won’t save you a lot of money but also don’t take more than a few minutes of your time to do. Being penny-wise isn’t a bad thing as long as it doesn’t take forever to do!

Now here’s where you come in… what’s your favorite quick and easy frugal tip?

(Photo: stevendepolo)

9 Quick and Easy Penny-wise Frugal Home Tips from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com.