It’s the refund meme! Here are the questions:
1, If you could do whatever you wanted, how would YOU spend an income tax refund?
2, Is that the same or different from how you actually plan to spend it? (Psst, you can say that you’re not getting one – that’s a valid answer.)
And there’s a twist this year… The first ten readers to comment will each win a copy of TaxCut software, compliments of H&R Block.
Here are some additional rules:
- To qualify for the free software, entries must be posted in the comments section below by 11:59 p.m. EST on March 22, 2009. However, the first ten qualified entries – as determined by the time stamp – will win the software.
- Timestamps apply whenever you leave your comment, not when your comment is approved. If your comment goes to moderation, don’t panic. A comment waiting in the queue will still qualify.
- Offensive comments – or comments that otherwise violate my comment policy – will be deleted and will not be considered valid for purposes of the contest.
- Pingbacks and other links will be disregarded for purposes of determining the first ten qualifying entries.
- If any person declines their prize or fails to qualify, the next qualified entrant will win.
- Due to shipping considerations, only those residents of the US can qualify for the prize.
- One entry per person.
- You must include your full name and your email address with your entry. I won’t publish your email address, but I do need contact information for the winning entry. I respect your privacy, and I will not send you anything unrelated to your entry in this contest.
- By entering the contest, you agree that I may post any part or all of your submission including your name as a part of the contest announcements or promotions, with the exception of your email address.
Whew. So get ready, steady… and go!
And don’t give up early. Even if you’re not one of the first ten readers to leave a comment, it’s fun to play along!
I would replace one of our high mile vehicles with a used mini van. We are paying in $30 this year, which I think was a darn good job of withholding this year.
I would love to spend my refund on a nice vacation. We are self employed and have not been on vacation for a long time. Due to the economy we will probably use it on bills. Our treat will dinner for two at our favorite reataurant.
Our tax refund goes toward our summer vacation each year. Yes, there are many home improvements, etc. that it could be used for, but that can be squeezed out of our regular income when necessary. A vacation is something that if we didn’t have our tax refund to help pay for it, we’d never get to take one! So our tax refund is being spent on exactly what we want to spend it on. I actually have a few dollars extra withheld out of each paycheck to give us a bigger refund. Good old Uncle Sam – the savings account that you can’t dip into throughout the year.
I would take my incredible stressed out family to Schlitterbaun water park in Texas for a week.I would not think of anything that had to do with bills, bailout, economy (my student loans) Madoff, Wall Street. I would not watch the newslisten to the radio (unless it’s to Rock out) and I would have some fun just chilling and hanging out at the water (…and then she woke up from her pipe dream.)
I know this is kind of crass, but (a) I am expecting a modest refund this year and (b) I will use it to pay my divorce attorney’s bills (she is NOT expected to tender a modest invoice). If I could do whatever I want with it I still would pay her. In the long run it would be a very worthwhile “investment”
If I could do whatever I wanted I’d use it to take a vacation to somewhere relaxing, like say Hawaii.
What I actually did was fund my wife’s IRA. In fact the reason we had a refund was due to making the IRA deposit by April 15 for the previous year. This is advice I give to clients and especially ones who are eligible for the savers credit.
I work out my withholding in advance so that my taxes owed is as close to zero as possible. Usually, I err on the side of paying just a little bit of tax. In other words, I never plan to get a refund. Getting a refund is merely giving the government interest-free money. (Reposting because I just read the part about having to include my full name. Please ignore the other comment.)
ALL of it will go into my savings account. If I had to spend it, I would use it as a down payment on the 2010 Camero I want.
1) Buy a new bicycle, shoes, and bike rack.
2) No way. My wife and daughters will spend it before I can. Maybe I’ll end up with a copy of Bicycling magazine.
@CrazyOnYou
What’s a “tax refund”?
If I got one, I’d buy a cup of Starbucks, because I’d be lucky if I got enough for that.
However, since I’m not, I won’t. Which is exactly the same as last year’s plan.
The pilot in me says spend my refund on flying time. The adult in me figures that it will go towards upgrading business equipment. A boring solution, but one that insures a refund in the future.
We would replace some of the $$ we spent out of our savings to get a high MPG, little car, however this is the first year we have had to pay.
I would use it to pay for the costs of my baby’s babysitter