Live Smart Daily | A Smart Take on Daily Life

Here are some great tips we came across on ways to get your receipts out of the shoebox. Also check out what expenses are deductible here.

[...]

Very nice article from the team over at Mashable. 30+ Websites to Visit When You’re Laid Off. Great read check it out. “For the next several months (or maybe years), we are going to have to endure a new and stark reality – a tanking economy and swelling unemployment. The U.S. economy lost an eye-popping 540,000 jobs in January alone, making it likely you or someone you know has become a victim of the crisis.”

[Websites to Visit When You’re Laid Off]

Savings Book: Cleverly conceal your savings or anything important with this bank disquised as a book. The top features a slot for bills or coins and slides open for easy access to savings.

As we approach the beginning of the New Year, I thought that I would take a moment to remind you that there may be some tax benefits to making your gear purchases before the end of the year. We found some very useful information relating to this subject, and I’d like to pass it along to you. The first article speaks directly to musicians and briefly explains travel, meal, vehicle, and equipment expenses (for both gigging and studio musicians), and whether or not you can deduct them on your taxes. Link

The second offers a “nuts and bolts” explanation of Section 179 (first year depreciation allowance for equipment), and how to take advantage of it. Link

This article features a list of common deductible business expenses. It’s pretty helpful if you consider yourself self-employed or own your own
studio. Link

[...]

At a time when many of us are trying to reduce our impact on the environment—even the White House will recycle its Christmas decorations this year and use LEDs on the national tree—Christmas provides an excellent opportunity to start ecologically-minded traditions. Follow the steps below to green up your Christmas and grow more eco-conscious all year round!

[...]

Nothing is worse than having a wonderful holiday season, but then starting the New Year with debt from Christmas. Some of you haven’t paid off the previous Christmas before you went into debt for this Christmas. Here are some tips to get you out of this vicious cycle.
[...]

Made from reclaimed inner tubes, each wallet is vegan, incredibly sturdy, and made with care in Colorado.  Features all of the necessary pockets and slots for your cash and cards, and a nice slim profile.
Recycled Rubber Wallets

TripKick is for Hotels what SeatGuru is for Flying. Search a hotel and the site will tell you which floors are best and which rooms to avoid.

We came across this great article from the Village Voice and had to share it.

Don’t worry about the banks, the crash, or the bailout. Sure, they’re awful. And yes, things will get worse. A lot worse. Worse than you ever imagined, probably. But you’ve been in tough spots before. Remember when you lost your job and went on unemployment for a while? This will be like that, only it will last for years. But you’re a New Yorker. You’re tough. Or at least you like to act that way when you’ve been drinking and listening to Nas. You’ll pull through, if you economize. And the new Depression will help by forcibly trimming some of the flab from your personal operating budget. Here are nine ways that will happen:
[...]

The times have changed many of us and we are making less and spending more. We all agree that we need to change this very poor live-life at the moment lifestyle when tomorrow we can’t even afford to buy a burger off the dollar menu. I have a few times that will help save some money and could possibility improve your lives by reducing stress.

[...]

Three new Energy Saver Series tools from Black & Decker can soon be added to our artillery for fighting excess energy usage. Specially designed for easy integration into daily life, the three tools help to cut costs through easy monitoring of power use on home appliances to lower monthly bills, automatic lighting so the lights are only on when you want them to be, and (perfect for this time of year) detecting drafts so you can catch insulation problems before they catch hold of your wallet.

As home heating costs go up, so do the number of scams that promise that you’ll reap huge savings if you spend thousands of dollars on large-scale home improvements.In fact, there are lots of companies out there promising that they can save you money on your energy bills but at a big price. So be very careful before you undertake a large home improvement project if your goal is to save money on home heating and cooling costs. Figure out how much you’ll really be saving each year — and then decide if it’s worth it. However, here’s the good news: If you’re worried that saving money on your home heating bills means spending a lot of money up front, worry no longer. We have ten simple and inexpensive ways to cut your home heating bills this winter.
[...]

Buying a hybrid car is a big decision–even more so nowadays because there are many more hybrid cars and hybrid trucks to choose from. Having more choices is both a good and bad thing. Not only do you have to decide which company to buy from, but you also have to decide between getting a hybrid car or a hybrid truck or even a hybrid SUV. The decision can be simplified by knowing why you’re buying the hybrid. Is the issue saving on gas mileage? Or are you just getting a hybrid vehicle in order to say you are driving a hybrid?
[...]