BuzzSugar

How Well Do You Remember Season Three of Lost?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:30:00 PST

The fourth season of Lost is almost here! I'm anxious to see Sawyer, Sun, Hurley, Sayid, and all the others (and, well, The Others) on Thursday night, but until then, let's talk Season Three.

It seems like the last season aired a lifetime ago - how much do you recall? Test your memory by taking my quiz.

Take the Quiz

Keep or Throw Away? Your Important Documents

SavvySugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:00:13 PDT

Tax time always makes me motivated to reorganize my important documents, especially when I'm knee-deep in a pile of random papers that make it harder to find what I need. I'm vowing to stop getting lost in my financial records by following a timeline for holding on to them. Do you know how long you should keep certain files? Take the quiz!

Take the Quiz

Easy Steps For First-Time Taxpayers

Kiplinger — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:08:06 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

If you got your first job last year, you may have been agitated every payday to see how much of your salary was going to the tax man. If you’re like most taxpayers, tax filing time is payback time. So don’t think of filling out your tax forms as a pain. Instead, think of it as sending a bill to the IRS, demanding a refund of the amount by which you overpaid your taxes in 2011. Every year, three out of four filers get refunds.

Do you have to file? That depends on your income in 2011 and whether or not your folks will claim you as a dependent on their return (as is often the case for the year you graduate from college). If you are a dependent, you have to file if your gross income was at least $5,800; if they don’t claim you, the threshold is higher: $9,500. But even if you don’t have to file, you’ll want to, in order to reclaim income tax withheld from your paycheck.

Don’t treat your tax return like a term paper . . . by leaving it until the last minute. The absolute due date this year is April 17 (it was pushed back because April 15 falls on a Sunday and the next day is a holiday in the District of Columbia). However, the earlier you file, the better, since you will receive the money faster.

What you need. If you’ve filed before, the best way to prep for tax season is to use last year’s tax return as a road map. You can find the federal and state forms you need online at irs.gov or through the website of the Federation of Tax Administrators. Also, keep an eye out for important tax documents that come in the mail, such as the W-2 form from your employer or 1099 forms if you did freelance work. Employers should have sent these forms out by January 31. If not, give them a call.

Start with the feds. Since state forms often ask for numbers from your federal return, you’ll want to do the federal form first. Most young taxpayers can file the 1040EZ, which is the easiest form and has no supplementary forms. To qualify, you cannot claim any dependents and your taxable income must be less than $100,000.

But don’t shy away from longer forms - the 1040A or the full-fledged 1040 - if one of them is your ticket to tax savings.

Read on for more.

Buzz Quiz: How Well Do You Know American Horror Story?

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:05:58 PST

New FX series American Horror Story has had an incredibly successful first season, getting picked up for a second run and recently receiving a Golden Globe nomination for best drama series. If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet, the frightening plot, well-developed characters, and stunning mansion are all reasons why you should be watching. Fans of Lost will especially appreciate the part horror/part mystery theme, as well as the flashbacks, which uncover details of the past lives of the house's occupants. Devoted AHS fans can click through our season-one quiz to test your knowledge, and If you haven't completed the season - beware - this quiz contains spoilers.

Photos Courtesy of Fox

Question 1 of 15

Which of the following is false about the Harmon family when they first move into the Murder House?

Link Time - Ryan Kwanten Is Coming to New Girl

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:30:11 PST

Find out about Ryan Kwanten's guest starring role on New Girl - Aol TV
Get a load of Kate Beckinsale's skintight leather suit in Underworld Awakening - Rotten Tomatoes
See which hot young actresses are joining Will Smith in 1000 A.E. - The Hollywood Reporter
Check out the new trailer for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Moviefone
Find out which Lost alum will appear on Grimm - Zap2it
Jonah Hill's nine funniest moments - NextMovie
Which New Girl character are you? Take the quiz! - BuddyTV
Watch a preview for the Doctor Who Christmas special - GeekSugar

7 Costly Debt Traps and How to Avoid Them

Kiplinger — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:15:40 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Not all debt is created equal. While most forms of borrowing entail risk, certain credit decisions are more likely to lead you into a downward spiral of indebtedness. We call these debt traps.

It’s incredibly easy to stumble into a debt trap. All it takes is a brief lapse in judgment. Opening a new credit card account without understanding the interest rates and fees, or the implications for your credit score, is just one example.

No one wants to become mired in debt - especially when common borrowing mistakes are avoidable. Read on to educate yourself about seven of the biggest debt traps and ways to avoid them.

Buying Too Much House

In general, you should not spend more than 28% of your gross income on housing expenses, and your total debt-to-income ratio (including car payments, credit card bills, student loans, etc.) should not exceed 36% of your gross income. While those numbers are not set in stone, especially if you live in a high-cost area, they provide a good framework for calculating how much home you can buy, says Adam Granger, a mortgage consultant in Weston, Fla.

Next, figure out the maximum down payment you can make. Try to put 20% toward your new home to avoid paying private mortgage insurance. You also need to factor in closing costs, which typically range between 3% and 5% of the home price. So if you want a home listed at $200,000, you would need to budget at least $48,000 to cover 20% down plus 4% in closing costs.

It is also important to account for homeowners insurance and real estate taxes, both of which can alter your debt-to-income ratio dramatically, says Granger. You’ll probably want some money for decorating, too, and it’s always good to set aside cash for emergencies. If you’re not yet there financially, keep saving. It’s best to buy a home only when you can truly afford it. Buy one when you can’t, and foreclosure is a real possibility.

Read on for more costly debt traps.

My Wallet Was Stolen: 4 Lessons Learned

Kiplinger — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 10:46:04 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Someone stole my stinking wallet while I was pushing a cart at the supermarket. And, to add insult to injury, the wallet was snatched during National Protect Your Identity Week.

I learned a few valuable lessons from the experience, which I would like to share. Here’s what I did wrong, what I did right and how I will be more prepared if it ever happens again (not that it will).

Lesson 1: Stay alert - even in the frozen-food aisle. When I got to the grocery store, I set my purse down in my shopping cart and began walking up and down, turning my back every so often to grab a bottle of this and a package of that. I shouldn’t have been so trusting. When I got to the register, I realized that my wallet had been plucked from my purse and I couldn’t pay for my groceries. I offered to put them all back (and felt grateful that the thief had not taken my purse, with my keys, phone, and datebook).

Lesson 2: Crooks can work fast. So keep the number to report lost or stolen cards handy. Everyone knows that the first thing to do is cancel your credit and debit cards. (Actually, the first thing I did was call my Mom. But right after that I called the bank.)

The crooks were quick: By the time I had retraced my steps in the grocery, driven home and looked up the “800” numbers to call to report missing cards and freeze my accounts, they had already used my cards. The first place they ran was to an office-supply store less than a block away from the grocery. They bought just less than $10 worth of stuff. Why pens and pencils? Why not big-ticket items? Police say criminals often test cards they steal by making small purchases first. They continued to try their luck at department stores and fast-food restaurants, but by that time I had frozen my accounts.

On the semi-frantic drive from the grocery to my apartment I wondered why I had never programmed the toll-free number to report a lost or stolen card into my cell. It’s more important than the pizza-delivery number I have in there.

Read on for what to do when you lose your wallet.