Haggling 101

Did you ever go to a big box store, set your eyes on a product and then tried to bargain for a better price? If not, try it next time. Chances are hight that you will save some money.

Recently, I watched a special report on the evening news. Reporters tried to negotiate the price for TVs, refrigerators or even t-shirts. In more than half of the cases, they have been successful and saved hundreds of dollars. Sometimes, the salesperson couldn't help with the price but offered something else, like free delivery or free installation.

I would have never thought of trying to bargain in a store. To save money, I look out for sales or use coupons, but I never haggled - until now.

Consumer experts advise to be always polite and discreet, and not pushy. Further, it's important to offer a price that is fair and reasonable. If your offer is too low, the salesperson will just reject it without even considering it or making a counter offer. Also, make sure that you are bargaining with a salesperson who has the authority to offer a discount. If you are not sure about that, ask for the manager.

And last but not least, don't bargain if you are not ready to buy the product.

Cat friendship

Though I'm living now for more than 20 years in constant company with cats, they still have the ability to amaze me. My two tomcats are normally not very friendly with other cats, and there have been several visits to the vet in the past for infected scratches and bites. Thus, I was a little concerned when a neighbor asked me whether we could take her cat in for a couple of days. Another tomcat.

To my surprise it worked out without any problems. Jamie, the white longhaired half blind guest cat was submissive and mellow (even if it looks different in the picture) and Maxi, my cat battle tested red one apparently liked him. If there is love on first sight for cats then it happened between these two.

Jamie, who is now a constant guest in our house, is shadowing Maxi, and they even sleep next to each other. My other grey cat is like the fifth wheel: ignored from Jamie and Maxi, but Lucky seems to be fine with that.

High gas prices: Good for the environment

It’s sad that it needs an economic crisis to get people rethinking their driving habits. However, it seems this is the upside of the financial worries many people have right now: it’s good for the environment.

Almost daily, one can read in newspapers that people try to exchange their gas-guzzlers against smaller cars. The sale of new SUVs and trucks has clearly dropped and private sellers of used big cars are offering them below their listing in vehicle valuation books. In Boston, public transportation is up by 10 %, and I just read on CNN that Chrysler offers new buyers to cover for gas costs beyond $ 2.99 for three years – desperate times require desperate measures. People I know try to carpool, or start biking to their workplaces – just to save some money.

Maybe one day soon, most people will drive cars in the US like the one we left behind when we moved from Austria to America: A car that made more than 25 miles/gallon. That was 10 years ago and many cars in Europe can do much better nowadays. According to Automotive Digest: “In Europe, cars on average get 40 mpg, compared w/ 20.4 mpg for US cars”. (http://www.automotivedigest.com/view_art.asp?articlesID=21658).

For many people here in the Boston area, recreational boats become an unaffordable luxury too. Today on craigslist, there were more than 100 new sales postings. One person even offered a boat for free!

Spring Hike Mt. Greylock

Last weekend we decided to hike up Mt. Greylock, with 3100 feet the largest "mountain" of Massachusetts. Used to the Austrian Alps, Mt. Greylock appeared to us more like a "hill" - an easy spring hike we assumed with a certain naïveté.

Well, it turned out we had underestimated the trip. Being not in the best shape after the long winter, it took us forever to get to the top (at least, it seemed like ’forever’). It was a surprisingly hot day, and natural refreshments were highly welcome.

As closer we came to the summit, as more snow was on the ground.

After almost 3 hours we finally got rewarded with this incredible view

and after 5 ½ hours and a total of 9 miles (according to our GPS system for hiker, which by the way came in handy on snow-covered paths without markers) we were back at the car- exhausted, but happy. It has been a great first hike of the year!

Stick to your goals with web contract

Are you good at achieving your goals, or are you like me? I make plans to get up earlier in the morning, to read more, or to eat more often fruit, and then after a few days, I'm back to the old me. Some goals, I just can't achieve by myself. Mostly because I'm not really passionate about them. It's more a "you should" thing than what I really want. I understand that an apple is good for my health, but chocolate, or a cookie tastes better. I should eat apples, but I want cookies. A couple of days ago, I read about a new website that seems promising for people like me. Apparently, I could increase my goal success by making a public pledge. Read more http://www.blog.coach4u.net/

Tax Day for Newbies

Today is Tax Day, which means, today are your statements about income taxes due. The Federal Government and all the US states requires this information to make sure that everyone paid taxes.

For Americans, this is not new. Since 1955 Tax Day is on April 15 of each year. However, for many immigrants Tax Day is unusual.

In Germany and Austria for example, where I lived, worked and paid taxes before, many people never file a tax return. Reason being: It's the employers duty to deduct the tax before handing out your pay check. They must make sure that everyone pays the correct amount. Those, who throughout the year have the same employer and no big changes in their personal situation don't need to file a tax return. Taxes are paid, they are all set.

Only those, who work two jobs, join pension funds, or became parents may need or wish to file a return. If you owe tax because you worked two jobs, you must file ( in Austria, within the next 5 years). However, if you may get a refund because you became eligible for special deductions, filing a tax return is voluntary. (Of course, the governments hope that in refund cases , some people may be too lazy or uninformed to do the paperwork). In Austria, we also don't know "joint filing" of tax returns for spouses. Everyone is responsible for his/her own tax based on individual income.

Now, if you are new to the American tax system, you may have already done your tax return with the help of an tax accountant. We hired one this year - for the first time, because I started last year my coaching business Coach4U.net . In the years before, we did our return with the help of tax software and the informative IRS website. As we found out this year- we have done it correctly and saved a lot of money. The tax accountant did the return exactly the same way as our previous returns have been, which means: next year, we will go back to software, which costs much less.

If you are still struggling with your return, and need some help, check out the IRS website. Filers, with income below $54 000 even get free help and support for e-filing. The website provides information about how to file or how to apply for an extension, and info about the rebate check that will come sometimes in May: http://www.irs.gov/ .

A few post offices have extended hours today. Info about the mailing of tax returns and office hours are posted on http://www.usps.com/tax/welcome.htm .

Immigration News

There have been recently good and bad news for US-immigrants:

Let's start with the good news: Foreign students, who are getting degrees in science, engineering, math, and technology will have it easier in future to stay in the USA. If their future employers comply with an 'immigration verification program' of the Homeland Security Department, the student worker will have 29 months until they must have received an H-1B-Visa. Until now, the time frame has been 12 months, which was often not long enough for the paperwork being processed.

Bad news: Rhode Islands's governor Donal Carcieri ordered recently State Police, prisons and other state agencies to help enforce immigration laws and to turn identified illegal immigrants over to federal authorities. According to the Boston Globe some illegal immigrants, who live in Massachusetts, are now afraid to visit friends and relatives in Rhode Island, fearing a traffic stop could result in deportation.

A few numbers: According to the US Census Bureau (www.census.gov) , there are 22 millions immigrants in the United States (total population: just under 300 millions). A recently published study about foreign workers in Massachusetts showed that immigrants now make up more than a quarter of the workforce in the health care field in MA. According to the study, in 2005 approx. 40 % of pharmacists and almost 30 % of physicians and surgeons were foreign born.