Monday, February 28, 2005

Scholarship Advice

This might be late than ever, but it's never to late to fill out a scholarship. This is for the parents & children of The Daily Brew. . .

Don't waste time. If your child is a jounior or senior in highschool its a good idea to look for these. Your child doesn't have to be a perfect student to get one. I've been going around my school and asking whats up with scholarships today compairing to them back in the day. In fact, I found out that there is a difference. Back then scholarships where for the proud accomplish, athletic students, that had the dedication for there school or company.

Here's the change. It's still the same as I said before, but now its mostly about advertising. They will give you a scholarship for anything now-a-days. This means that you can go out write a paper about yourself and BAM! You have a scholarship because of your race. Don't take that statement to seriously though. There are requirements, but don't be afraid to look for the one best for you. (parent or child)

For the children...

Now take the lead and start being responsible. They are only first come first serve and since you are the student of the school you go to. It is more likely that you'll be the first one to hear about scholarships running around. Here's some tips to get started.

1. Talk to teachers or friends. They can give you info about whats hot. (like college fairs)

2. Reseach! Don't be afraid to read a book at your local libarary or go on the internet. It's not like your looking at porn.

3. Talk to your parents about your dicision making. It could show them that your finally growing up. Plus, we all know everyone needs reasurance.

4. Last but not least. Have fun with it.

Well, I hope that I have giving you some good advice. Click on the title named Scholarship Advice for my best pick for scholarship research. Made by the same people who made monster.com

---
Your Neighorhood Gamer,
Kyosuke Hiroshima
www.adaydreamer.tk

Tax Preparation Made Easy

Tax Preparation Made Easy


(ARA) - April 15 may seem far away, but it’s not too early to start thinking about organizing your taxes, especially if you know you’ll have to do some digging to unearth the necessary receipts and other paperwork.

A little advance planning can make doing your taxes a lot less stressful, and can help avoid any unpleasant surprises. Getting an early start also gives you time to research the latest tax rules and regulations to make sure you’re taking advantage of all the deductions.

Before Taxes Are Due

The first step in getting your taxes prepared is to set aside some time to collect the information you know you’ll need. Typical items include your return from last year, your W-2 forms from work, any tax related documents pertaining to your investments, mortgage and property tax statements, receipts for charitable deductions, etc.

Once you have gathered all the information, you can determine what IRS forms you’ll need to complete your taxes. Will you need any special tax forms? For example, if you’re self-employed, or if you have complex investment income, you’ll need to complete additional forms.

“Obviously, you want to maximize the amount of money you can deduct from your taxes, while obeying the law and paying your fair share of income tax,” says Maxine Sweet of Experian, a company that provides consumers with products and resources to help them understand, manage, and protect their personal credit profiles. “The more deductions you can claim, the smaller your total tax bill will be, so it pays to know if you qualify for any deductions.”

If you’ve had any major changes in your income this year, such as an inheritance, an investment windfall or the like, you may want to hire a tax professional to help you sort through all the legalities. For those who feel they need a little coaching to get through their tax forms, a good tax preparation computer program can be useful.

It may seem obvious, but any changes in your personal life may affect your taxes. Did you get married or divorced in the past year? Did you buy a house, have a baby, or send a child off to college? Any of these circumstances can affect your tax return. If you have questions, visit www.irs.gov for more information.

April 15

The sooner you calculate your income tax, the sooner you’ll know whether you owe Uncle Sam or he owes you (or in a perfect world, that it’s a draw). If you qualify for a tax refund, the sooner you file your return, the sooner you’ll see your check from the IRS. You can even file your return online for a faster turnaround, if you don’t mind paying a fee for the convenience and speed.

Another advantage of having your taxes finished early is that if you owe money to the government, you have some time to figure out how you’ll pay. You can pay in installments, pay by credit card, or if it looks like you won’t be able to come up with the funds on time, you can file for an extension. To use an installment plan or get an extension, you still need to file the correct forms by April 15. “Before using your credit card to pay, review your overall household finances to avoid any surprises, such as exceeding your credit limit,” Sweet advises. “That review should include bank statements, credit card billing and a copy of your credit report. You can get a copy of your credit report from Experian at www.experian.com.”

After You’re Done

Once you’ve finished your taxes for this year, take some time to think about what you could do differently for next year. If you spent a lot of time tracking down your tax documents this time, create a filing system that works for you and be prepared for next year. Start using a better system now to collect important information throughout the year, and stick to it.

If you owed money this year, or if you have a huge return coming, you may want to consider adjusting your withholding amount. The goal should be to break even. While getting a refund may seem like a good deal, you’ve basically been loaning the government money at zero interest. Increasing the allowances you claim so less is taken from each paycheck means more money in your pocket each month. If you owed this year, decrease your allowances so more money will be withheld from your paycheck and you won’t have the same unpleasant surprise next tax season.

Investing in tax deferred accounts such as a Roth IRA, or in pre-tax investment programs such as a 401(k) or a standard IRA can not only help you save for the future, but can also provide benefits at tax time. If you don’t currently use these investment tools, take some time to investigate how they might work for you.

Use your return wisely. While the temptation is to consider a tax refund “found” money, resist the urge to spend it on a trip or a new sofa. Instead, why not invest it or put it in the bank? If you are carrying credit card debt, apply the amount of your tax return to paying off what you owe.

While April 15 will probably never be anyone’s favorite day of the year, a little planning and forethought can make it easier to cope.

For more information on learning about your credit, visit www.experian.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Hope you found this article useful.

Friday, February 25, 2005

Common Sense

Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done.

---C. E. Stowe

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Quick Tips

Turn fried chicken "golden brown"

Here's a quick tip used by professional food stylists. Just add a few drops of yellow food coloring to vegetable oil before frying. The chicken will absorb the food coloring and become a yummy golden color. No one will know your secret.


Cook sausage with ease

Use two two toothpicks to skewer sausages together. Easier to turn and brown evenly!


Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Accomplishment

Picture something definite that you wish to accomplish. See it in minutest detail. Carefully consider the best means of bringing it to actual realization. Then work for it with all your heart.

---Grenville Kleiser

Friday, February 04, 2005


Felicia of Darkstalkers redrawn by V. Posted by Hello


Music