Friday, December 20, 2013

Tax Time... In 4 Months!

As always, I want to keep you updated on the number of views I get because it really means a lot to me all the support and viewership you guys are providing me! We are at 1,107 views all-time! My next goal will be to get to 4,000 views by EOY (end of year) 2014!

Next piece of news, this will be my last post for 2013 and again, thank you for making me feel like my time has been worthwhile. If I only had 10-15 people a week read this, it would be hard to want to continue, but knowing that I have almost 100 people per week reading this makes it worthwhile.

As my last post of 2013, I feel it is important to discuss the upcoming taxes because your actions in 2014 no longer affect your 2013 financial situation (except certain contributions).

Now let's get down to brass tax... PUN INTENDED!!!


This upcoming year is going to have many new tax topics to be discussed. Between Obamacare, breaks set to expire and different life events (child, marriage, buying a house), taxes are SO IMPORTANT! 

Also, note that there are two different types of tax reductions, credits and deductions. Credits are a $1 for $1 reduction in taxes owed while deductions reduce your taxable income. These are also called above the line (deductions) and below the line (credits). The line they are referring to is your AGI or Adjusted Gross Income, which is essentially your taxable income.

Deductions vs. Credits

1.) I make $100,000 after my standard deduction (which I receive for being alive). I donated $4,000 in charitable goods and paid $400 towards my educated expenses in the form of school supplies, as a teacher. I can take $250 towards school supplies and the full $4,000 to reduce my taxable income. My taxable income is now $95,750. If I pay Federal tax at 25% my tax is now $23,937.50 from $25,000 if I had claimed no deductions, therefore the $4,250 I wrote off was really only worth $1,062.50.

2.) I make $100,000 after my standard deduction. I have two children and receive $1,000 in tax credits for each child under the age of 17 I claim. FIRST, they calculate my tax, at $25,000 then reduce it by tax credits to make it $23,000. 



Here are a few set to expire on 12-31-13
1.) Teachers can deduct school supplies, that YOU pay for UP TO $250.
2.) Mortgage Insurance Premiums 
3.) Energy Efficient Appliances - This is capped at $500 TOTAL for all years from 2006 to current, but is a CREDIT, which is great.
4.) State and Local Sales Tax (vs. state and local income tax). This applies more to those purchasing BIG TICKET items such as a boat or car. Therefore, this may be the year to buy that item to enjoy the tax deduction.




Here are a few of the most common tax CREDITS (Below the line)
1.) Earned Income Tax Credit
    a.) Basic Qualifications - Earned Income, SSN, Investment Income <$3,100, cannot file married filing separately.
2.) American Opportunity Tax Credit
     a.) Applicable to 1st Four Years of Post-Secondary Education (tuition, certain fees, course materials).
    b.) The tax credit is up to $2,500 (100% of 1st $2,000, 25% of next $2,000)
3.) Child and Dependent Care Credit
    a.) Child must be 12 or under
    b.) Payment must be made to a non-spouse
    c.) Credit is up to 35% of qualifying expenses (depends on AGI)

*** Tax credits are USUALLY for lower and median income families. Chances are if you're making more than $50,000, you will NOT get the full benefit***

(Above the line)
Here are a few common tax DEDUCTIONS
1.) Reinvested Dividends
      a.) This is just a tax savings. Each reinvested dividend, automatically increases the tax basis, therefore decreasing the gains you have to claim.
2.) Charitable Deductions
     a.) Both cash and non-cash. Remember anything over $250, you'll need a note or letter from the charity noting the amount. In addition, any driving for charity in 2013 nets you a mileage deduction of $0.14 plus parking and tolls.
3.) Student Loan Interest ***PAID BY MOM AND DAD***
     a.) I feel this is a common one that may be missed. If parents pay it, you can deduct the amount of interest paid. Your mom and dad CANNOT claim this deduction, even though they're making the payments potentially.
4.) Job Search Costs
     a.) If you're one of the 7% unemployed as of November, 2013 but still have to pay taxes this year. You may have spent time looking for a job.
    b.) The expenses must exceed 2% of your AGI and include - transportation, cab fares, employment agency and printing resumes or other materials to help market yourself (which could include a LinkedIn Premium Membership as ex.)
5.) Jury Pay Paid To Employer
     a.) If you completed jury duty this year, but the pay went to your employer instead of you (usually you receive your current salary if this happens), you may be able to deduct that amount. The reason for it, the IRS counts it as income you earned. Make sure you check on this.
6.) Meals, Entertainment, Mileage (2016/Schedule A)
     a.) This would apply to those who incur expenses from their employer but are NOT reimbursed for them.
    b.) As a specific example, I drove nearly 10,000 miles to meet with clients, hand them applications, pick up signed applications, answer questions and attend closings. At the 2013 rate of $0.565/mile, that reduces my taxable income by $5,650.
    c.) Another example, is meeting with real estate agents to discuss marketing or other potential items. I spent roughly $2,000 on dinners. 
    d.) Be careful!!! You can only deduct expense MORE THAN 2% of your AGI. If I had an AGI this year of $100,000, that means I can only deduct expenses more than $2,000. Therefore, the net above taxable income reduction is $5,650.


The good news is, you have tracked all your expenses, because you've used MINT or another service, right? If not, you may be missing out on THOUSANDS of DOLLARS of savings potentially out there. Also, keep in mind, not all tax breaks benefit everyone. There are two main considerations, income and a sense of reasonableness. If you're a staff accountant for a small company, chances are you won't be meeting with "clients" and therefore deducting dinners and mileage for unreimbursed employee expenses. Also, if you only make $30,000 this year, making a charitable donation of $10,000 may look fishy. GETTING AUDITED CAN BE EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING, work the system as it's set up to be worked, but you never want to set off a ->

We are getting into the final weeks of the NFL season.
Last week I was 14-7 going in and 17-10 coming out. Thanks to a comeback by Tannehill and Lackluster Stafford.

This weeks picks start to get a little more difficult with teams clinching and then sitting players, but let's make an attempt:
 Oakland (+10) v. San Diego (Over 50.5)
Arizona (+10.5) v. Seattle (Under 44)
Denver (-10) v. Houston (Over 52.5)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL AND SEE YOU IN 2014!


Friday, December 13, 2013

Unconventional Money Making

Wow - All I can say is Wow! I received 100 views in 1 week. That means I have had 1,069 views over the course of less than 4 months. THANKS TO EVERYONE! (Which includes one rando in Alaska, two in Malaysia and another in good ole Canadia. Thanks Eh! ).

Next some bad news - my record last week was less than admirable. I was 12-3 going into the weekend went a DISGUSTING 2-4 in the NFL and 1-5 for the NCAA Bowl Games. I learned two valuable lessons: 1 - Don't trust college kids and 2 - Don't base your bets on the weather. Disregarding NCAA I am now  14-7 on the season which is still mildly respectable.

Now on with the blog:

Tis the holiday season and everyone is SPENDING LOTS OF MONEY! The problem is you may be on a budget. Most people will NOT BUDGET for holiday gifts through the whole year, which doesn't make sense. If you NEED an extra $500 of spending around the holidays (which is low for most parents), you need to save an average of $9.62/week or $41.67/month. If you've saved NOTHING over the 1st 6 months, you're already $500 behind the 

It is MUCH easier to save a little bit over a long period of time than to save a lot a bit over a short period of time. But just in case you need to make some extra money to pay off those credit card that you just racked up a pretty penny on, here are some suggestions:


1.) Secret Shopping
     
     This DOESN'T MEAN shopping when your family doesn't know or secretly spending money you shouldn't. It can consist of MANY different things, with varying pays at different locations. If that is your issue, please go here: http://www.shopaholicsanonymous.org/

     For example, one site I have used to make some extra money is called Trendsource.com or the mobile app, MSI Mobile. In a 3.5 month span I made $150+. The total time it took me, was probably 10 hours. Averaged $15/hour PLUS I got free Papa John's 15 times PLUS for all purchases made, I got credit card points PLUS you can write off mileage for your trips. The overall benefit had to be well above $20/hour. All of these "secret shops" I didn't have to even talk to anyone other than ordering a pizza. The ones where you have to talk to someone pay you $19 and take you less than an hour. Also, once you get comfortable with them, you can FLY through them.

Here are some examples of what I had to do and their respective pays:
Call Papa John's Pizza - Take a few pictures, answer a few question - $18.00
Go to a business in Downtown Columbus, Take pictures of exterior - $7.00
Go to a Kroger's, write down prices of some items - $11.64

In addition to the payments above, I got a Pizza and some cheap groceries.

If you're interested in doing secret shopping, let me know. In 2013 I have made over $2,000 and only worked prior to May really.

2.) Lyft or UBER

    This isn't necessarily for everyone and I haven't personally made any money yet from this because neither is fully operating in Columbus.

    Lyft and UBER are drive sharing websites. What that means is that is if you need a ride someone you can hire Lyft or UBER to drive you there. They have mobile apps which contact the nearest person available that is a certified driver, to come over and pick you up. According to the founders, they are more stringer on safety than most limousine or taxi companies. To add to that, Lyft REQUIRES you to sign in with your personal Facebook account to add another level of safety. 

Lyft currently operates in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Sacramento, St. Paul, San Diego, Seattle and Washington DC and you can use your own car.

Uber currently operates in 39 cities internationally and you are provided with a car (to the best of my knowledge).

3.) Selling items on Ebay

    This doesn't necessarily mean you have to dig through a bunch of old stuff and see what you may and may not want to get rid of, ALTHOUGH, that is always a good starting point. An out of the box idea I use every now and then is getting an early upgrade on one of my phones and either selling my CURRENT or my NEW phone. I did this so many times during college, I think I messed up their system because a few times a year I would get something in the mail about an early upgrade.

   16GB Gold iPhone 5S's are selling for an average of more than $630 on Ebay. The cost to buy with a 2 year upgrade, $199.99. That is how you can make a cool $400 profit very easily. All you do is call in, let them know that your upgrade is coming soon (within 3 months works best) and you'd like to upgrade early because the quality on your phone is just not what it used to be. They'll review your account, talk to a manager and get it approved. I haven't been turned down before and actually did this today. I am still 35 days out from the upgrade and told them I wanted to upgrade early for a Christmas present. I didn't even have to call, I simply just talked to them on Chat and it was done in about 10 minutes. I wanted to further review some options, so I told him to call me on Monday so I can decide which phone to purchase. A 64GB Gold iPhone 5S sold for $900, so if I can get it for less than $450, it might make sense. KEEP IN MIND WHEN SELLING ON EBAY - THEIR CURRENT FEE STRUCTURE IS 10% OF SELLING PRICE! ADDITIONALLY, PAYPAL CHARGES A FEE ALSO, if it sold for $900, you lose $90 to Ebay and $26.40 to PAYPAL.

4.) Sports Betting!

I am just kidding, I wouldn't recommend ever TRYING to win money on sports betting. However, here is an interesting thought. According to the LA Times, there are 14 bets out there where someone bet Auburn to win the National Championship at 1000 to 1 odds, two of which, bet $100 on it according to The Las Vegas Hotel. That means they could win $100,000! Even better, if they're smart (and have the wherewithal), they SHOULD bet $42,188 to hedge their bets. That way, if Auburn wins, they win $100,000 less $42,188 or a net of $57,812. If Florida State wins, they win $57,813 total. The other option, is to not bet anything and hope for $100,000 but from what I read, he is going to make the safer decision.

Which provides a GREAT segue into my bets for the week!

As previously mentioned, I am 14-7 on the year following a TERRIBLE performance last week. If I had placed $11 on each bet so far (standard $10 payout), I would have profited a cool $140 this year so far. Alas, I have not and if I did, I am sure it would somehow manage to go the other way for me.

This weeks picks:

New England (PK) at Miami (Under 46)
Baltimore at Detroit (-5.5) (Over 48)
Kansas City (-5) at Oakland (Over 41)

Something to think about in the coming weeks - Five of the top ten New Year's Resolutions are financially related, followed by health. Why not kill two birds with one stone and resolve to FINANCIALLY HEALTHY.
 

Contact me at davids@eqfin.com for a free financial consultation and my "DARE TO COMPARE PROMISE". I dare you to compare 2013's numbers to your 2014 financial year. If I can't make what YOU feel is a significant difference for you financially, I'll give you a $25 Gift Card to a Restaurant of your choice!

Friday, December 6, 2013

THE % IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE $

We have 969 views! We'll be at 1,000 by the end of next week! THANKS EVERYONE!

I recently was looking to purchase something on Kohl's.com. The price of the item was "originally" $525, marked down to $212.62 (plus tax), roughly 50% off. I thought this item would go perfect with another item, THEY MATCHED!

I got to the checkout point and realized, there were 3 additional savings options:

1.) Gift Cards
2.) Kohl's Cash and Rewards
3.) Promo Codes

THESE ARE SO IMPORTANT!!!

If I ignored these, I would pay (out of pocket) $227.50. 

Lee's BACK!



This is how I got from paying $227.50 out of pocket to $170.26. That is a savings of $57.24 OR 25%

1.) Searched for KOHL'S GIFT CARDS Online

Sometimes you can find gift cards for sale at less than face value. If, for example, my crazy aunt (not that I have one) buys me a $25 gift card to Home Depot, I will probably not use this before this expires. Additionally, I could probably sell this for $20 and $20 in cash is more valuable to me than $25 to Home Depot. In addition, someone that is looking to buy something at Home Depot, you just provided then with a 20% off discount. Alas, in my search, I could not find any Kohl's Gift Cards at a deep enough discount to tickle my fancy.

2.) Searched for Kohl's Cash Online
Kohl's cash is provided TO THE CONSUMER at NO COST (other than buying the goods they bought). This is obviously a tactic to get you back in the store, but ALSO to thank you for spending the money you did. 

People feel less attached to this "Kohl's Cash" because it is viewed as something different than a gift card. They didn't receive it from a friend of family member so I again, think they feel less attached. Regardless, I found a Kohl's Cash amount of $120 on $100 on Ebay. I noticed the address was Columbus and it made me think to look at Craigslist to see what I could find. I found the same offer on Craiglist for Columbus (from the same lady) and offered $90 which she accepted. If she had said no, I probably would have still purchased because she had a 100% rating on Ebay. Looking back, that would have been a stupid move which I will explain why in the next section.

There are other Kohl's Cash options ($27 for $30, $99 for $120, $80 for $90) which all seem reasonable right? You spend less than you get. But let's look at that. 

Option 1 - Save $3, save 10%. 
Option 2 - Save $21, save 17.5%.
Option 3, Save $10, save 11.1%.

Of these, I would obviously choose option 2 if the amount I needed made sense. It is the highest savings by percentage. Later I will put it all into perspective for you.

3.) Searched for ANY Promo Codes Online

The first one I found was on the Kohl's site it self, CYBERSAVE (20% off + Free Shipping). This seemed like a great deal, but let's be honest savers, WE can do better. So I searched a little longer and found a code, FFDEC25 (25% off of $100 or More + Free Shipping). EVEN BETTER! RIGHT? Wrong? MAYBE!!! The price of the item after tax came out to $98.18 (because they apply Kohl's Cash first). I HAVE TO SPEND $100, WHAT DO I DO?


Well it turns out that I can get more for even less. 

If I had used the 20% off code, I would have paid a total of $169.28 ($90 for Kohl's Cash valued at $120 then an additional, out of pocket, $79.28 after 20% off and taxes. Keep in mind, taxes are figured on the final out of pocket expenses)

In order to use the 25% off coupon, I have to spend another $1.82 to get my total to $100 before the 25% is computed. This was my path:
"Continue Shopping" -> "Clearance" -> "Bed and Bath" -> "Under $10" -> "Sort by: Price Low to High" and found two items CHEAP!

I bought a Tony Hawk Pocket Tank (Normally $24) and a Sonoma Life 4X6 Frame. In essence, another $37.00 worth of stuff for only $0.97 difference.

If the numbers don't add up to you, let me break it down:
***I had to spend $100.00 BEFORE taxes*** (I spent $100.01)


Main Item

Tony Hawk Item

Picture Frame


Total cost of $120 in cash = $90.

Had to spend $100, spent $100.01
25% discount on cost before tax.

Tax assessed.

Total cost AT Kohls


In total $561.99 (plus tax) for $165.01 (plus tax).



Now that we have that covered, let's put the totality of everything into perspective via an example:

You buy an item for $1,000. You have:
1.) A coupon for 25% off. 
2.) "Store Cash" in the amount of $120 that only cost you $99 (like above). 
3.) "Store Cash" in the amount of $250 that only cost you $210.

Route 1 - Only use the 25% off coupon. You spend $750 of your own money, plus 5% tax = $787.50. Net savings = $212.50 or 21.25%.

Route 2 - You use all discounts because, after all, you're spending less than you're getting right? First they apply store cash. So you have $1,000 - $120 - $250. Then apply your 25% discount of $157.50 ($630 *.25%). You now have $472.50 left, plus your 5% tax = $496.13. Your TOTAL OUT OF POCKET COST = $496.13 (Post tax and savings) + $99 (for $120) + $210 (for $250) or $805.13. Net savings = $194.87 or 19.49%.

The reason your savings are less is because the almighty %.

So the next time you're saving money (later today, early tomorrow), remember:

THE % IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE $

For the sports picks: 

There's going to be a lot of cold and snow this weekend. Seven of the eleven early games are projected to have snow or ice pellets. Nine of the eleven early games are projected to have a HIGH temp of 34 degrees or less at kickoff. This means there should be more running and less scoring. At the same time, there could be more turnovers and some unexpected scoring. In that spirit I will be picking the two coldest games and my wild card pick as well.


Tennesee (+12) v. Denver Under 49 (13 Degrees)
Atlanta v. Green Bay (-3) Under 46.5 (16 Degrees)
Kansas City (-3) v. Washington Under 45 (Wild Card)

AND THERE'S MORE!!!

SEC - Aub v. Mizz (+2) Under 59
ACC - FSU v. Duke (+29) Over 62
B1G - OSU (-6) v. MSU Under 49.5

***These were previously posted on Monday, but wanted to re-post them for this special post. 12-3 on the season going into this weekend.

Let's GET OVER 1,000 POSTS THIS WEEKEND!!!


Monday, December 2, 2013

Cyber Monday!!!

We just surpassed 900 views, 902 to be exact. Following Thanksgiving and coming up on the last month of the year, I wanted to let YOU know I am very thankful for your following and I HOPE I have lead to some savings for you. Let's see if we can meet the goal of 1,000 views by the end of the year.

First, let's get an update of the best Cyber Monday deals:



There are a few things you get from this graphic:

1.) Cyber Monday DOES NOT always give you an amazing deal.

2.) The "savings" listed are usually relative to the highest price in the last 90 days.

3.) Amazon is NOT always the best deal.

Here are some of the better Cyber Monday deals:

1.) Televisions:
     a.) Amazon - Samsung 46 Inch LED - $477.99
     b.) WalMart - LG 55 Inch 3D - $799.00 (vs $999 on Amazon today)
     c.) Sam's Club - Vizio 70 Inch LED SmarTV - $1,298.00

2.) Laptops:
     a.) WalMart - 14" Pavilion TouchSmart 4GB, 500 GB - $348
     b.) WalMart - 17.3" Pavilion 4GB, 750GB - $398.00

There are some good deals to be had, but keep in mind, Just because you can SAVE MORE, doesn't mean you should SPEND MORE.

Televisions and laptops are the two most popular items to purchase, which is why I focus on these items.

There are plenty of other deals to be had out there. Keep in mind, the cost of technology decreases, therefore so does the cost to purchase. It may seem like a good deal buying a 14" laptop from Wal-Mart because you saved $40 compared the price it was 3 weeks ago, but if you really don't need a laptop, wait until the summer and you can buy that same laptop for $80 cheaper.

One of the best deals I found was a $100 gift card for iTunes for $79.88. That's over a 20% savings on something that if you're going to buy music/games/movies in the future, IT MAKES SENSE TO BUY! If you spent $200 last year on iTunes, BUY $200 in gift cards and save yourself $40! Available at Sam's Club.

Ever think about buying an experience?


I will continue to follow these prices and maybe even put them in CHART FORM! (How exciting!!!)

The biggest takeaways for Cyber Monday/Black Friday/Deals is that you only need to buy what you need to buy. Buy the "essentials". If your TV is starting to fade in picture, now is a great time to get a new one. If your laptop is starting to run slow (defragment first) then consider buying a new one. Don't buy a new one because you MAY need a new one soon. Chances are it is going to be cheaper when you need it than now.

Happy shopping all and have a happy holiday season!

Updates on picks:
Thanks to a last minute score by Pittsburgh (that hurt me), I went 4-2 this Thanksgiving and stand at 12-3 on the season. In order to make money, you have to win 55% of your games, I am currently at 80%. MAKE THAT MONEY!

With the upcoming championship games for conferences, I will go ahead make some SEC/B1G/ACC picks along with my normal NFL picks.

SEC - Aub v. Mizz (+2) Under 59
ACC - FSU v. Duke (+29) Over 62
B1G - OSU (-6) v. MSU Under 49.5

Happy December Ya'll!

Monday, November 25, 2013

Thanksgiving Week is HERE!

All - Thanksgiving week is here.

That means a few things to many and many things to a few.

1.) You and your family will either BE traveling or HOUSING travelers.

2.) You or someone will be waking up early on Friday or staying up late on Thursday to get some "early" shopping done.

3.) Kids will have a 5 day weekend from school.

4.) FOOTBALL!


In a post about a month ago, I talked about Black Friday/Cyber Monday. I also mentioned that I would be following a few items to see how their price fluctuated from week to week.

First, let's discuss those items:


As you can see, some items increased in value, but most decreased, which was to be expected.

The biggest take away from this is that regardless of price increases or decreases, Amazon is the lowest possible price.

Let's just say you're going to buy a 60" TV and Chromebook.  You drive to Wal-Mart, wait in line, use gas, pay sales tax, have to get the items into the car AND PAY $119.38 MORE! It seems like insanity to me, but hey...


You're welcome, I just took care of your shopping worries!

NEXT - Let's talk about if YOU are traveling somewhere for Thanksgiving.

1.) GET GAS TODAY! I recommend using the GasBuddy App or GasBuddy.com.

According to Reuters - Gas prices have increased for the first time in 2 months. I am going to assume that is due to the upcoming holidays. Around Lewis Center it looks like the cheapest gas is $3.18 (not including member discounts) and in Dayton, I see $3.07 in Tipp City or $3.19 at the Shell by Helke and Rt 40. 

2.) Plan your trip around rush hours.

If you're going on a long trip (or even just an hour trip), PLAN - YOUR TRIP - AROUND RUSH HOURS! There are going to be 3% more travelers this year than last. That may not seem significant, but according to a Dispatch article earlier this year, there are 687,000 commuters during rush hour in Columbus ALONE! If you increase that by 3%, you add 20,610 commuters or about 192 MORE commuters per square mile of highway in Columbus. 

3.) Get an Air Mattress!

What? - If you are having people over, GET AN AIR MATTRESS FOR THEM! If you buy it at Wal-Mart today, you can return it within 15 days (with receipt) and get store credit. And if you're a diligent shopper, you're going to buy some items there in the future anyways. They are very comfortable and more importantly, convenient. BE A GOOD HOST!

         Finally - The Kiddos are off of school!

1.) Get by with a little help from your friends! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MZRh3PFmBY)

Chances are, if you have kids that need to be watched, you know other people that have kids that need to be watched. SO ASK AROUND! You need to go shopping, clean your house, by an air mattress or two (for your guests) and make further plans for the holidays. Ask a friend if they wouldn't mind watching your kids for a few hours. Then, once you're all ready, you can return the favor. 

2.) Hire a babysitter!

Three recommended sites I have seen are Sittercity.com, Care4Hire.com and Sitters.com. I have very little experience in this realm, but based on reviews, these seem to be highly suggested and rated sites.

3.) Give them an early gift!

I almost hate to recommend this, but if you AREN'T going to buy them PS4 or XboxOne, but will maybe buy them some video games for older gaming systems, LET THE CONSOLE BABYSIT YOUR KIDS. Give them a new video game and let them play that for hours while you tidy up the main entertaining area.


One last suggestion if you need money or are going to be racking up debt on credit cards.

YOU CAN REFINANCE YOUR CURRENT HOME! Did you know, you can do a cash-out refinance up to 80% of the value of your house? Some people may think this is crazy. You know what's crazy? Paying 14.95% INTEREST OR HIGHER for Christmas shopping and other expenditures when you can pay 3.5 to 4.75% on it.

DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?

This is meant to make your life easier, if this doesn't make sense or you have advice for me, LET ME KNOW!

In person - I have ears to listen and a mouth to speak.
On my blog - I have eyes to read and fingers to type.

This is a two-way street ladies and gentleman. I know you're viewing because at last count I am at 850 Views! 
LET'S GET TO 1,000 before New Years!

Sports Betting - I am 8-1.

This week I am going to be picking the Thanksgiving Day games and will provide you with 6 Picks!

Green Bay (+5) at Detroit and Under (52.5)
Oakland (+9.5) at Dallas and Over (45.5)
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (+3) and Under (40.5)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


Monday, November 18, 2013

Bi-Monthly Mortgage Insight - What I do

Team Sherman Savings! We are up to 800 views! I still want to get to 1,000 by the end of the year, so if you know anyone that needs a little savings help (i.e. they have a pulse, a job or a credit card), PLEASE encourage them to read on.

I recently realized that many people are NOT AWARE of what I do. I find this to be a shame because I talk about savings with people, but the biggest savings one can find in a single transaction, is through the purchase or refinance of a house.

I've told you how to save, $5 at dinner, $25 for utilities and $1,000s for a lifetime. However, choosing me as a lender versus another one, can save you $100s up front and $1000s more over the life of the loan.

In case, you haven't got it from my ANNOYING FACEBOOK posts, I work as a mortgage banker/loan officer. This means when you are looking to buy a house, I get your basic information and tell you the loans you qualify for. In addition, I give you the pros and cons of each loan. Finally, I get the more detailed information from you and you speak with ME from the beginning of the loan process until I come to your closing.

Why does the lender I choose matter?

Large Bank vs. Mortgage Company

What you get from a bank:
1.) You have many retail branches for convenience
2.) A loan officer that paid a fee to be "Registered" to originate loans
3.) You can wait up to 60 days to hear if your loan is approved
4.) You get quoted "4.25% from advertising" but when you dig deeper, see that the rate is actually 4.5%.
5.) They offer you 1/8% off of your rate for opening a checking account.
6.) Sell you the hot product

What you get from a mortgage company:
1.) Your loan is sold to a company that has many retail branches for convenience
2.) A loan officer that has to pass multiple tests to originate loans
3.) You may have to wait up to 48 hours from turning in your documentation to hear if your loan is approved
4.) You get quoted a rate, unless circumstances change (credit rating, market rates, etc) you get that rate.
5.) Your rate is already 1/8-1/4 better anyways, no need to open accounts.
6.) Tell you all your options and we can discuss in detail the best option for your situation

Should I go with who my realtor recommends?

In the "best interest" of the consumer the government has implemented many different regulations in regards to the mortgage industry.

1.) YOU have the right to choose whichever lender you want.

2.) YOUR REALTOR is required to offer you at least 3 different options for mortgage lending if you don't have any in mind.

3.) A GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE is required to be provided to you once an application has been taken.

4.) If your APR changes by MORE than .125% from your application date, your lender is required to provide an updated Truth in Lending statement at least 3 business days prior to your closing.

5.) When you "lock-in" your rate, it DOES prevent you from receiving a higher rate if market conditions get worse. WE offer a special rate negotiation where, if rates drop significantly from the time you lock your rate, we can lower your rate.

Who has learned something today?

If you didn't read last week's, I recommend you do. Because, guess what? YOU ATE OUT AT A RESTAURANT IN THE LAST WEEK!

If YOU WANT TO SAVE MORE MONEY, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT davids@eqfin.com and I help you!


Friday, November 8, 2013

Restaurant Savings!

First of all, I want to thank you for the thoughts, prayers, likes, smiles, tears or whatever emotion you may have had if you heard my grandmother passed away 1 week ago today. More than a normal grandmother, I lived with her, saw her most mornings I went to school from Elementary to High School and if I had to guess, she was the reason for my love of the Wheel of Fortune and hatred for soap operas. She was 80 1/2 years old and her mind outlived her body. Her soul will outlive it all. Her memory will never cease to exist. Her jokes were sometimes edgy, but always received a smile or laugh because they were so quick witted, despite the fact she was born before WWII had even started. RIP you beautiful old soul, we love you!


On with the post:

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!!!

I am posting a special FRIDAY post because this weekend is VERY important for Veteran's. 1st of all it is a time to honor them. Secondly  it is a great time for savings for them, but also I want to spin that into savings for you. Thank you Veteran's!

DID YOU KNOW?!?!

With a veteran or military ID this weekend you can get:
Free Breakfasts (Baker's Square)
Free Chickens (Boston Market)
Free Appetizers (Carabba's) (11-9 to 11-11)
Free Burgers and Fries (Champps)
Free Entrees (Chili's, Olive Garden, Uno's)
Free Doughnut and Coffee (Krispy Kreme)
Free Meal (O'Charley's)
Free Bloomin Onion & Drink (Outback)
Free Lunch (Sizzler)

Some places are even offering family discounts.

But you don't have to be a veteran on Veteran's Day to get discounted or even free food.

Do you have an email address? Do you have a birthday? YOU TOO CAN GET FOOD FOR LESS!

Benihana - I entered my name, DOB, email and ZIP: $30 Birthday Certificate on Birthday

BJ's Brewhouse - Name, DOB, email, ZIP: Free Pizooki Dessert on Birthday

Chili's - Name, email and DOB: Free Chips and Guac, Salsa or Queso

Max and Erma's - Name, email and DOB: $5 Off when you Spend $20

O'Charley's - Name, Email, DOB, ZIP: Free Appetizer & Birthday Gift

Red Lobster - Name, email, DOB, address, ZIP: Free Birthday Surprise & Free Appetize or Dessert


BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER NIGHTS SHERM!?

For those nights that don't happen to be your birthday OR those nights that you didn't just sign up to be a part of the email club, here are some recommendations:

RESTAURANT.COM!
If you can find a place on here that you like, you can have MUCHO SAVINGS!

For example, I love to go to North City Tavern on 23 near Lazelle. I can buy a $10 gift card for only $4. Every time I go in there, I save $6. Most of the time you can only use 1 gift card and have a minimum to spend. In addition, these are usually places that are TRYING to get business or have started LOSING business. Like I said, if you find a place you like, this can mean a GREAT deal of savings.

GROUPON.COM!
NOT JUST FOR MASSAGES ANYMORE!
Current Columbus Groupons: 
Spaghetti Warehouse - $12 for $20 Worth
Basil (Thai) - $10 for $20 Worth
King Gyro's Greek - $12 for $20 Worth
Señor Tequila's - $11 for $20 Worth

Those are 4 good restaurants, that are offering GREAT DEALS! 


GIFT CARDS!
Say what? There are actually 2 different ways to save with Gift Cards.

1.) Some places will give you a bonus gift card for purchasing one. As an example, O'Charley's is offering a $5 gift card if you purchase a $25 gift card. Taco Bell sometimes offers $5 gift cards for purchasing $20 ones. Chances are if you're eating there now, you'll be eating there again. Why not save $5 for every $30 you spend?

2.) Purchasing gift cards at places such as Giant Eagle and Kroger can offer rewards for Fuel.
Giant Eagle - $0.20 off/gallon of gas for every $50 you spend on Gift Cards.
Kroger - $0.10 off/gallon of gas for every $50 you spend on Gift Cards.

3.) (Bonus) - If you work in a job that has a lot of non-reimbursed expenses (i.e. you drive for work, take clients out for entertainment, etc) you can buy gift cards and write them off as business expenses. THEN when you use them for dinner, you can write the expenses off once again. DOUBLE BENEFIT!

NIGHT SPECIFIC DINING!
Have you been craving Hot Head Burrito of late? Or Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill? What about wings from Quaker Steak and Lube? These are just a few places that offer NIGHT SPECIFIC SPECIALS!

Sunday - Hot Head Burrito - 2 Burritos for $10.99
Monday - Buffalo Wings and Rings - Kids Eat Free!
Tuesday - Quaker Steak - All You Eat Wings
Thursday - BW3's - $0.50 Boneless Wings (I guess this is still a deal)

Just to name a few. Curious about other nights or your favorite restaurants? Give them a quick call!

RECEIPTS!
Wait? I thought those were after dinner?

Here are a couple of examples:
1.) Wendy's - $2 off a salad or chicken sandwich (Survey)
2.) BW3's - $5 off (Survey)
3.) Chili's - Free Appetizer (Survey)



Now back to my lead-pipe locks:
I am currently 7-0. ALTHOUGH, I will give credit to Rachel for last weeks picks as I picked Carolina based on her alone.

This week - Stick with Carolina for her, Carolina to cover the 6 point spread against SF AND Over 43 again.

Don't forget to contact me about your personal financial analysis! I can, I will, I shall save you money! - davids@eqfin.com

Monday, October 28, 2013

Spending...

This blog is about finance as most of you know and why I have 712 views, because you find it important to learn more about money. One aspect of finance is spending habits. Today I am going to make a little twist on that.

SPENDING.... Time with family.

Recently my grandmother was taken to the hospital. This is now her 6th day in ICU at Good Samaritan. She's been up and down. It seems when her breathing improves her kidneys get worse. When her kidneys get better, her heart rate races. They can't seem to find the best combination of medications for her so that all things get better.

This has been a tough couple of days, both on my grandmother and on my family. At the same time, it is the first time we've all been able to get together, uncles, aunts, cousins and so forth, in year. Normally there are too many different family things for us all to have a time to be in one place at one time.

She is such a loved person however, she brought all of us together, on multiple days. She even brought my dad down to the hospital and I am guessing they hadn't seen each other in 7+ years at the most recent. She is so loved that they were taking chairs from other rooms so most (not even all) of her guests could sit down comfortably. She is so loved that even know we had very little hope she was going to wake up and talk to us, we just wanted to be by her side while she rested for hours. She is so loved that her family has driven more than a combined 2,500 miles to sit by her silent side.

The lesson I have learned is that spending time with family is really one of the most important spending habits you can have. We've certainly laughed, cried and run the gamut of emotions in between. There's no one I would rather do that with than my family. In your daily life, practice responsible finance, in the big picture, remember family is always there... Until they're not.

Rachel is breathing better on her own, but has many toxins in her blood and the next step appears to be dialysis. Anyone that has even said a brief prayer for my grandmother, my family and I greatly appreciate it as we feel it is helping her fight on.

Like all other lessons that I have learned and am trying to pass along, I felt this was necessary as well.

I should be getting back to my old ways and financial tips next week.

This weeks lead pipe locks:
Since my grandma is from North Carolina, I will take the Panthers to cover by 7 and over 43 combined.


Prayers and thoughts appreciated.