UPDATED: We have a winner! Congratulations to Chris Swan! I will be in touch! It’s the first of my back to school giveaways! You can win a copy of TuneUp Utilities 2009. TuneUp Utilities is designed to help both novice and advanced PC users keep their system healthy and running fast. TuneUp Utilities 2009 let’s…
It’s back to school giveaway time! I have a slew of great prizes to give away – and here’s how it works. Over the next few days, I’ll be posting back to school related stories, tax advice and strategies. At the same time, I’ll be posting queries that are widely not tax related but are…
It’s the first day of school here in Philadelphia. My oldest daughter was rushing around this morning, gathering school supplies and fretting about her hair (apparently, it is not long enough). The morning was, well, you know, a blur. As things are settling down in my house (well, that’s relative), things are heating up at…
I’m officially back from my *real* vacation. Yeah, it’s true. I actually take vacation once in awhile. And my husband and I have purposefully chosen a spot where there is plenty to do for the kiddos – and no internet connection (gulp). So, thanks to all of my readers who filled in for me while…
I know, I know… It’s still summertime. But retailers are counting on the fact that parents are already thinking about school for fall. My newspapers and inboxes have been stuffed to the gills already with “back to school” ads and specials. In a tough economic climate, retailers are hoping for every extra incentive they can…
Earlier this week, I headed off to the store with school supply check list in hand. Boy, how things have changed since I was a kid. Tops on my list? Latex-free erasers. Pencils with latex-free erasers. Pencil sharpener together with Ziploc bag. The list went on and on. Shopping went pretty well until we hit…
Monday marks the official “back to school” date of many schools here in the US. My oldest daughter started last Tuesday and my youngest daughter starts on Monday. It is a busy time. Around this time, there are a lot of questions that come up about tax deductions for tuition, 529 plans, teacher expenses, education…
Each year, several states offer a “holiday” from sales tax in order to increase spending before school begins. Here are some sales tax holidays that I’m aware of. As the mother of three children, I can appreciate this nod towards back to school spending. And according to the National Retail Federation, families with school-age children…