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How to Make Extra Money Blogging
By John Miley, Kiplinger.com |
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 You won't get rich as a blogger, but even a part-timer can make $100 a month or more. More visitors mean more cash.
Start by picking a topic you're passionate about – the more specific,
the better (for example, "fly fishing in Montana" instead of "fly
fishing"). Sign up for a blog template, such as Wordpress, Blogger or
Tumblr, and start posting regularly. Schedule a week's worth of posts on
a free day if you don't have time to write every day. Above all, be
original, says Jessica Quirk, blogger at WhatIWore.Tumblr.com. "You really have no hook without original content," she says.
Use social media to attract a community and keep them engaged. As your
audience grows, post advertising. Google's Adsense, a free program that
lets you embed ads on your site, gives you a cut of the profits. Track
your traffic and increase the type of posts that reel in the most
visits, comments or re-posts. For tips, search your blog template's Web
site for free tutorials and forums.
Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2012 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Kiplinger.com.
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| Donating Your Car to a Charity |
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 Getting
rid of an old car can seem difficult. If it's not in the best shape,
you may be reluctant to sell it to someone because you're concerned it
may break down and they'll come back to you complaining. Of course, you
probably don't want to pay someone to just haul it away.
Another option is to donate the vehicle to a charity in exchange for a
deduction on your taxes. It's a good idea to first consult a tax
professional to see if this option is right for you. The following tips
can also help:
1. Make sure your charity has 501(c)(3) status. If your intended charity doesn't have this type of status, your donation will most likely not be tax deductible.
2. Make sure the charity accepts vehicle donations directly. Many
charities use companies that act as middlemen in the process. In these
situations, the companies keep a percentage of the donation as payment
for their role. Sometimes their cut is quite high, so do your homework
before deciding on a charity.
3. Drive your car to the charity as opposed to having them pick it up. Hiring a service or a tow truck to claim the donation will cut into the amount of money your charity ultimately receives.
4. Understand how your deduction is valued. Discuss with the
charity how much your vehicle is worth and how much you can deduct from
your taxes - and make sure the charity is aware of and abides by the law
when assigning value.
5. Sign over your car to the charity. If a charity asks you not
to assign ownership, you should go elsewhere. The problem is that if you
do not transfer the title, the car is legally still yours. Think about
the liability issue this presents.
6. Get a receipt after the car is sold. It's a worthy point that requires no explanation.
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 You've
worked hard to save for that summer vacation and finally booked your
flight and hotel room...only to find that several days later they've
dropped significantly in price. Sound familiar? If so, then check out Yapta.com!
Launched in May 2007, Yapta, or "your amazing personal travel
assistant," tracks prices of airfares and hotel rooms to help you secure
cheap rates. What's more, Yapta also tracks for airline refunds,
credits and vouchers after you've purchased your airline ticket. If the
price of your flight drops below what you originally paid, you will
receive a notification which tells you that the airline carrier you're
flying may owe you a refund.
Here are a few important things for you to know:
- Yapta requires you to register with them by providing your email address, a password, and your first and last name.
- Yapta does not get you an automatic refund if you have overpaid. Rather, it lists the various airline refund policies
on their website, and not all policies are the same. Some airlines
offer refunds for any drop in price, whereas other major airlines only
offer refunds if the price drops $150 plus.
- Yapta has an app that can be easily downloaded to your iPhone, iPad and iTouch.
- Yapta also posts airfare alerts on their Twitter, which is @yapta.
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