It’s almost tax day. Have you filed already? Are you getting a refund or do you owe? If you’re getting a refund, how are you planning to spend it? Also, I have a special giveaway for you, my dear readers.
Giveaway Details
First, let’s start with a special Tax Day giveaway. On April 15, McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant locations nationwide will be featuring several $10.40 dinner specials in the bar – items like the ½-pound “Inflation” Burger and “Taxing” Fish Tacos – and all guests in the bar that day will receive a $10.40 dining certificate.
So, visit them to get one certificate. In addition, one reader of this blog will receive a $10.40 McCormick & Schmick’s dining certificate for commenting on this post. The $10.40 dining certificate is redeemable any day of the week in the dining room after 5:00 p.m. and is valid from April 17 through May 30, 2010. Just tell me how you plan to spend your tax refund (if you’re getting one.) You can enter if you’re not getting a refund. Just say you’re not getting one. All entries must be received by midnight Pacific Time on April 15. I’ll notify the winner on April 16.
How I Spent My Tax Refund
Last year I owed, owed, owed, so I didn’t get a refund. This year, the First Time Home Buyer tax credit got us a sizable refund, even though we tried our best not to. We didn’t withhold any Federal taxes for five months and still got money back!
Of course, we owed California taxes because our state raised the tax rate mid-year, but made it retroactive to January 1. So that’s how I spent part of my Federal tax refund – paying my state tax. Not a huge amount, but I did have better uses for that money!
I also went on a spending spree this month. My husband is heading back to work soon, so we’ve started buying furniture, rather than leaving several key rooms empty. So far, this month I’ve purchased:
Refrigerator
Dining room table
Dining room chairs (6)
Leather arm chairs (2)
Foyer table
Most of it was bought at Cost Plus this weekend where they had a 25% coupon, so I got $1969 worth of stuff for $1476. The fridge was 10% off and had a $50 rebate, so I got it for $962 including delivery. I ordered it out of state, so I didn’t pay tax. I’ll also get another small rebate for having my local utility pick up our old fridge. The dining room table was $581, including tax and delivery.
In addition to all that, we need to buy 3 couches, a coffee table, a TV, a TV stand, and have some cabinet and plumbing work done. I plan to spend less than $1000 for each couch and the TV. The coffee table will probably be around $300 and the TV console I’d like to get for less than $600, but we’ll have to see what we like. So, we’re looking at around $6100 for all that.
Grant total is $9119, assuming I can’t find sales and discounts on most of this stuff. Of course, that’s more than our tax refund, but we have money saved for these purchases. Using our tax refund to buy 2/3s of it will allow us to keep more money in our emergency fund.
Do you have big plans for your refund? Tell me in the comments to enter the giveaway!
