What’s worse than paying taxes? Paying tax penalties

Here at Go Curry Cracker we talk a lot about paying zero taxes. It’s a fun little game that you win just by playing.

But it won’t happen every year, probably. And in the years you owe tax, come April the IRS will penalize you and charge back interest if you haven’t paid enough in advance – either through paycheck withholding or estimated taxes (or both.)

This is how you avoid that bit of unpleasantness.

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Award Travel Series: Avoiding Rookie Mistakes

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When learning a new hobby or skill, mistakes are bound to happen – and award travel is no different. With so many different hotel, airline, and credit card programs that have their own sets of rules, deadlines, and stipulations it can be extremely difficult to keep track of what to do and when. What’s worse is that missing a deadline or using the wrong card can be costly when you miss out on awards you were expecting to receive.

Today we’ll review some of the mistakes that many newcomers to the hobby make and how you can set yourself up to avoid them yourself.
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Playing With House Money

Twice in my lifetime I have sauntered up to a Vegas craps table with a crisp new $100 bill, taken the dice in my hands, and rolled my way to big money – free flight and hotel nights thanks to Lady Luck. (*)

On both occasions, once well ahead, I very carefully tucked a $100 chip into my wallet. Going forward, win or lose, I was playing with house money.

Now… thanks to a robust stock market I’m once again playing with house money. Literally.

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Money Printer Go Brrrr

Covid has broken and distorted a great number of things – businesses, industries, supply chains, hopes, dreams, and even many people’s capacity for reason.

Large businesses and the people who work for them have thrived (e.g. Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook.) Small businesses (and the people who work for them) have struggled and many have failed (restaurants, small retailers, etc…)

Now many demand higher wages to offset the risk (and hassles) of working with the public. Shipping backlogs are causing unprecedented delays and reduced supply. People flush with cash and booming investment portfolios are willing to pay more for everything from used cars to housing.

Increased production costs. Reduced supply. Excess cash. And behind it all – governments printing literally trillions of dollars.

It’s like the perfect storm for inflation.

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