Finance

Prepare Your Own Income Tax Returns

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So it’s that time of year again when you get all of your documents together and hurry down to the local income tax preparer with hopes of getting a big fat refund from Uncle Sam. There’s just one problem; according to WebCPA, the average cost of preparing an itemized 1040 with a Schedule A and a state tax return is $229. Is it really that difficult that we need to hire a professional to fill out a few forms? The answer is absolutely not.

I began preparing my own tax forms long before any software was created to help me do them. The only computer I had was a calculator and if I needed to make copies I had to drive to the library! In those days you had no choice but to mail the forms so your refund was partially in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service. No, I didn’t have any special training or college classes to teach me how to fill out the forms; I simply read the instructions and filled them out to the best of my ability.

The basic formula for the income tax form is simple; you list how much income you had during the year minus whatever deductions the IRS allows and the rest is taxed. This tax value is then compared with the amount of money you had your employer to withhold during the year and the difference is the amount you either receive or owe. Pretty simple, huh?

For most households it really is that simple and there lots of tools available to help you do it. You can prepare and file your income tax returns for free on the IRS website or if you prefer you can purchase a nifty software application that simply asks all the necessary questions and quietly fills out the returns in the background. When you’re finished, you can print a copy for your records and send the returns electronically to the IRS over the internet (called e-file). You can also elect to have the refund deposited into your bank account electronically which significantly decreases the amount of time it takes to receive your money.

You can purchase tax preparation software at nearly any of the large retail chains or the software manufacturer’s website and prices range anywhere from about $20 to $50. I began purchasing a brand of this software about 10 years ago and now they send the disk in the mail every year and I just activate it and pay for it online when I’m ready to prepare my forms. The software is designed to look for deductions so you don’t need to be a tax professional to use it. Most have a basic version and a deluxe package that will go even further to help find deductions and make your tax bill lower. You may also opt to consider FMD accounting service Singapore. This is more ideal if you own a business and having a hard time to hire an accountant because of the high cost of the hiring process. This kind of service can be cost efficient for your firm.

So what are you waiting for? Stop paying someone to prepare your forms and do it yourself. One warning – once you begin doing your own taxes your friends and relatives will be asking you to do theirs also!

Gaming

Favorite Kid-Friendly Video Game Villains

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With the release of Disney’s “Wreck-It Ralph,” video-game bad guys have become popular. My wife, son, and I play mostly cool unblocked games, but many of them have their fair share of tough villains. As each hero sets out on an adventure, the villain does all he can to carry out his own evil plans. Here are our five top-choice villains from favorite past and recent games.

Pac-Man ghosts

Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde do all they can to stop Pac-Man from enjoying his meal. These ghosts became world-famous in the 1980s when Pac-Man hit the arcades. They appear to wander aimlessly around the maze, but they have a plan to catch and chomp the hero. Blinky and Pinky attack aggressively, Inky stays back and is easier to avoid, but Clyde defends the last remaining dots and sneaks up on Pac-Man. After nearly 30 years, we still have trouble avoiding the ghosts, but we have fun trying.

Original Donkey Kong

Mario first made his debut in the 1980s original hit arcade game Donkey Kong. His name then was Jumpman, and his mission was to save Princess Pauline. Donkey Kong kidnaps the princess and hides her on top of the scaffolding of unfinished buildings. He throws barrels and fireballs at Jumpman. Just as Jumpman reaches the top to save the princess, Donkey Kong grabs her and takes her away to another hiding place. This then-seemingly single arcade game eventually turned into the Super Mario series with multitudes of games that my wife, son, and I still love today.

Super Mario World’s Bowser

When Jumpman became Mario and entered into Super Mario World later in the 80s, Bowser came onto the bad guy scene. He kidnaps Princess Peach and makes Mario and Luigi rescue her. Bowser sends his many minions to stop the Mario Brothers. Mario and Luigi must defeat Bowser in the final stages of the game to rescue the princess. This premise has followed every Super Mario game from the 1980s original to the latest version on the Wii U. Bowser also manages to dampen every Mario Party game by causing chaos wherever the characters play. He is the quintessential foe for Mario fans.

Sonic the Hedgehog’s Eggman

The Sonic the Hedgehog Series debuted in 1991. Sonic and Tails must stop the evil Eggman from taking over the planet Mobius. Sonic must defeat him by traveling across Mobius and launching into space to fight Eggman on his Death Ball. Once there, he must defeat Eggman and destroy the Death Ball. Sonic gathers rings to give him extra strength, but Eggman sends his many robotic minions to steal them away and stop Sonic from thwarting his plans. Many crazy and exciting adventures await Sonic through his many years of adventures. From 1991 to 2012, Sonic has some of the most exciting adventures ever.

Aladdin’s Jafar

The Aladdin game, based on the Disney movie, came out in 1993. Aladdin travels through Agrabah in the quest to win Princess Jasmine’s heart. The Sultan’s adviser, Jafar, has plans of his own to marry the princess and become the new Sultan. Jafar sends out his henchmen to stop Aladdin. We see Jafar late in the game after he has gained his sorcerer’s powers. He shoots lightning bolts at Aladdin and calls in flying pots in an attempt to kill the prince-to-be. After Aladdin escapes from Jafar’s attacks, Jafar morphs into a giant serpent for the final battle. He spits poisoned eggs and strikes at Aladdin.

My wife and I took three years (1993-1996) to make it through the entire game, but our son did it in one summer in 2006 at six years old. We began playing it again in 2012 and find it just as challenging after the long layoff as we originally did

The games center on the heroes, but without the villains, we would have no reason to play.

Fitness Guide Health Health Fitness Weight Loss

Fitness Dancing: The Fun Way To Get In Shape

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With the Oxygen network’s debut of their show, Dance you’re A** off everyone is jumping on the bandwagon or dance floor to dance off that excess junk in the trunk. The hardest part of any weight loss plan or program is finding a way to get your cardio workouts in consistently and still enjoy your leisure time. Fitness dancing takes the drudgery out of working out and is a fun way to tone up, trim down and get in shape!

If you are one of the millions of individuals fighting the unrelenting battle of the bulge, yet cringe at scheduling in gym time, have nightmares of being thrown like George Jetson from the treadmill, or simply can’t imagine yourself working out with the same routine week in and week out, fitness dancing is for you.

The contestants on the Dance You’re A** Off program rehearse their dance routines two hours a day as well as follow a recommended and medically supervised diet and exercise program to up their weight loss in an effort to win the $100,000 grand prize and a slimmer figure. For those of us at home fitness dancing can be tailored to meet our goals, needs and schedules and still be a great step dancing off the trunk junk, spare tires and excess padding we have carried for far to long. In order to remain fit and fine, some dancing activities should be included with the consumption of the resurge pills. The charged from the reputed sites should be less to meet with the budget prepared through the people. With the performing of the exercises, the results are effective and useful for the customers.

Fitness dance classes are held in many gyms, or even community centers but lack of an organized class is not a reason to give up on moving to the beat in an effort to get fit! Take a look online, or in any video department and you are sure to find cardio dance workouts in a wide range of styles to catch your interest.

Fitness dancing in the privacy of you on home allows you to easily let it all hang out and shake, rattle and roll as you burn off calories, work up a healthy sweat and improvise steps at will when the dance instructor leave you gasping for air or wonder just how you are supposed to move that way!

Any music with a beat can give you the motivation to simple get moving and make up your own dance, step, sway routine. For those with a serious bend to explore fitness dancing in as many forms as possible the variety is endless!

Some examples of dance style sure to get your heart pumping include but certainly aren’t limited to:

  • Latin dances are the first that come to mind with the popularity of zumba, salsa, and mambo mixes.Upbeat and exciting they can be done with or without a partner and are sure to get your heart pumping!
  • Line dancing is a group activity but can easily be adapted to a solo dance in the privacy of your own home just push aside the furniture, amp up the music and get moving. ‘Boogie moves improve your over-all flexibility, muscle tone and endurance as you find muscles and moves you may have never know existed before.
  • Belly dancing is great for working that abdominal bulge as well as strengthening the back, glutes, hips and thighs in a gentle way that makes it a great style to use as a beginner introduction into fitness dancing. As you progress the moves become more vigorous and challenging offering a great cardi and strength workout.
  • Pole dancing has stepped out from under the cover of strip clubs and smoke-filled bars to find itself in the center of the dance fitness craze. Pole dancing requires great upper body and core strength and is an aerobic exercise as well once you progress to the point of being able to propel yourself off the pole more than once and breath at the same time.
  • Fitness dancing combines fun with a great cardio workout as it tones and tightens muscles in every part of your body including the all important core muscles. It is the core muscles that help us maintain posture and strength throughout our life. It is especially important to maintain core strength as we age. Fitness dancing as with any consistent exercise offer the promise for reducing our blood pressure and
Music

My Top 10 Favorite Musical Artists

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There is a lot of talent out here in the entertainment world. Some are better than others. Some give great performances. Some are great artists. Some have that hook that makes you constantly sing the song even when you don’t want. Whatever the reason for these being my top 10, they made my fav list. However, there is some artist that didn’t make my list, but on any given day, a good beat, a great hook, or this being my favorite top 1000 list; you could also be a favorite of mine.

Let’s start with my top 10 artists that I compiled with the help of gudanglagu.

 First of all Michael Jackson. He is on the top of my list because of his first 2 solo albums. Off the Wall and Thriller were two of his best works. He was very popular, which later made him the King of Pop. What he did then produced greatness. It couldn’t be duplicated. The fans, the pandemonium, the Moonwalk is all that needs to be said. He has songs on his first two albums that you can still listen to. They are timeless classics.

Janet Jackson is a great performer and inventor of the dance the Snake. Who can forget her famous Rhythm Nation? Her songs Control, and Nasty. throughout the years there have been tons of others. She’s collaborated with some of the best. She’s guaranteed at least one hit on an album.

Beyonce is a great artist and performer. I’ve been to her concerts and they were worth every penny paid. She performs from the beginning to the end. She’s had several hits with Destiny Child. She has also been fabulous as a solo artist. She has hit after hit. Her first solo album a hit. However, B-Day was full of hits. It surpassed the first album and has provided several accolades for the performer.

Jay Z is one of the best rappers, living. He has had several hit albums. He has shown us what a Hard Knock life is. He has shown us how to “Wave, and Wa;ve”. He has also expanded his talents to other areas. He was president of Def Jam. He has brought an NBA team. He has also launched a line of clothing. He’s not just a rapper, but an entrepreneur.

Kayne West is a talented rapper, and producer. He has provided so club hits. He seems as though he expresses himself not only through songs but fashion as well. His fashion is very different from most. He is a trailblazer.

Lauren Hill is a talent that is missed. She has been out of the industry for a while. Occasionally, making appearances every now and then. Despite, her not having any new music. The Miseducation of Lauren Hill was an extraordinary album. If you never heard it, you must. For here contributions to that album and early contributions to The Fugees she is one of my favorite artists.

I enjoy newcomer T pain new music. He has extended his computerized vocals out to several artists. Most often the songs he lends his talent, become instant club hits. They are all very catchy. You’ll find yourself using these in the car, at the job.

Chris Brown is a very young talent. However, he is a talented dancer. He has had several hit songs. He also has collaborated with other great artists.

The Late great Biggie Smalls. He was a great talent, and one of the greatest rappers.

The Late great Tupac. He was a great talent, and one of the greatest rappers.

This is my list of my favorite artist. Go take a listen!

App Guide Internet Social Media Social Networking

Guide To Get Instagram Followers Up To 100k

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Social Media Marketing, a term that is often used by all the marketers working for various business firms, is a great way to make use of the internet, specifically, social media platforms, to promote and advertise business extensively, thereby, generating additional customers and maximizing sales to eventually, increase the profits for the year. This marketing technique is gaining immense popularity in this era of digitization because it is an extremely cost-effective method to reach out to the masses. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc, play a crucial role in marketing as they have a huge base of active users. If you want to promote your organization on Instagram, you should start by increasing your follower-base.

Why should you use Instagram to promote your business?

Instagram is a social media site that is being heavily used by most of the people these days. It has a huge base of active users who regularly engage in the content provided online. It is a fact that if people see something on their Instagram feed, they will pay more attention to it than they would if they received a random flyer, saw an advertisement, etc. Since it is a great place to grab the attention of the people, one can start using Instagram for promoting their business by posting about their products regularly, engaging the audience through interactive content, etc.

How can you promote your business on Instagram?

If you wish to promote your business on Instagram, then you must start by creating an account with your brand’s name and start posting engaging and helpful content to get more followers. Gaining followers could be a difficult and complicated task, but once you get a large follower base on Instagram, you can continue to post interesting content on your feed regarding your business to promote it in front of large audiences and keep your business growing without spending much on advertising expenditure.

How can you get a large number of followers on Instagram?

To start promoting your business, you need to get a high follower-base on your brand’s Instagram account. This could be done by either posting engaging content regularly, almost 3-4 times a day, every day. You could also add interactive stories frequently, announce giveaways, and more. However, this procedure is extremely difficult and requires a lot of time and effort. Sometime it could even take months before you get a good follower-base. To save your time and effort, you can easily purchase Instagram followers at affordable rates online. It is not only a simple and convenient method but also a time-saving and cost-efficient one.

You can purchase up to 100k Instagram followers easily online by clicking on the following link: http://massgress.com/. The follower-base could be purchased at a cheap price. This is an economical option for promotion as you can make huge profits just by investing a few bucks in purchasing the followers.

Once you’ve purchased Instagram Followers, you can start promoting your business online!