Mystery Shopping: The Tax-Man Cometh!

Disclaimer: Julie is not a tax professional. As a matter of fact, she did so poorly in Accounting that it didn’t even count toward her college degree. Please check with your tax professional about your finance. This blog is for informational purposes only. I’m doing my taxes using TurboTax and crying in my… well, green tea, but you get the point. Mystery shopping can be good money. But you’re an independent contractor. That means that you pay your own taxes. Generally, when you’re an employee, a company is matching what you’re putting into Social Security and Medicare taxes. That terrible … Continue reading

Can You Really Start a Home Business for Less Than a Latte?

If you are considering starting your own home based business, I am sure you’ve heard the following phrases more than a few times. “Start your business for $199”. “Everything you need to get started for $10.00”. “Join today and start for free”. While many home-based companies offer a “starter-kit” of some sort that will help you launch your business, they also fail to mention all of the other expenses that will inevitably involved. Wouldn’t you love to read a truthful ad for once? “Start your own home business for $199″ (plus advertising costs, high-speed internet access, telephone service, business attire, … Continue reading