Things you should NOT do

[flybye023]

Why does he even care how much you make? Your finances are none of his business.

[MoonCat]

Two men bragging about their money? Sounds like somebody is compensating for something...

[Draper Mel]

If somebody's getting that large a tax return, they're probably withholding too much.

[Tama]

Yeah.

But some people like me, who have trouble saving (due to bills, or emergencies constantly coming up) like the lump sum at the beginning of the year. Helps us get ahead a little.

[Argabarga]

Yes, carrying two grand in your pockets is a great idea, now, you can lose a hundred times the normal amount during a street mugging with hardly any extra effort required! How do we do it? The secret, is a patented formula of stupidity, arrogance and misdirected masculinity!

[Jay 2K Winger]

Yes, carrying two grand in your pockets is a great idea, now, you can lose a hundred times the normal amount during a street mugging with hardly any extra effort required! How do we do it? The secret, is a patented formula of stupidity, arrogance and misdirected masculinity!

But wait, there's more! (No, there isn't. I just wanted to say that.)

[Tama]

With the extra amount of money, you'll have more to pay for the mind-altering drugs that make you so stupid as to carry this much around in the first place.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Spark, your sucktomer has my vote for Douchewaffle Of The Month™. Maybe two months.

[the_std]

I do have to wonder how and why this guy knew the size of your tax return, as it is entirely none of his business.

[spark]

I do have to wonder how and why this guy knew the size of your tax return, as it is entirely none of his business.

I have no tax return, I *pay* taxes. His return was twice my profit after all expenses for the year.

And he knew because I posted a journal discussing it. I'm very frequently asked "Can you really make a living doing this?" and I felt I might as well answer all those questions at once by discussing what my "living" looks like. Answering that question is the only reason I mentioned it, otherwise I wouldn't have named numbers, but in this case I thought it might be educational.

[Primer]

If somebody's getting that large a tax return, they're probably withholding too much.

But some people like me, who have trouble saving (due to bills, or emergencies constantly coming up) like the lump sum at the beginning of the year. Helps us get ahead a little.

Also, having been blindsided twice and having to pay over $1000 with my "return," I now prefer to withhold the maximum.

The first blindside was when the ex declared the maximum deductions on his W-4, and *I* ended up paying in what *he* didn't. The second was when I held two part-time positions at my school, and another at a veterinary clinic. All three jobs were withholding at part time income rates. When I got hit with that one, I changed the vet clinic to withhold an extra $25 *per week* just to make up the difference. The school finally got their act together and consolidated the two incomes and started taking out the proper amounts at an equivalent full time rate.

I still declare "single, zero" and consider letting the gov't use my money for free as my contribution to society.

[Micer]

Holy friggen hell, make friends with that crap behavior much there buddy?

Sadly, my mom does the same thing though, I can forgive her for the fact that she's my mom, but yeah, so fun when you're feeling absolutely excited that "OMG someone is using my art for advertising for the first time ever, it's going on merchandise, I'm getting paid an awesome amount for hourly! I'm getting commissions! I'm spending time at home with my son and its wonderful!"

And all you get back is 'You know, you should apply to Dunkin Doo-nutins!" or "You know, you need to find something that will give you lots of hours!" even though she knows we can't afford daycare, hubby works til 11 pm, and I'm doing these art jobs because the department of education took our return, and no one is hiring me regardless that I'm throwing out applications left and right.

[Kristev]

I'm in a bit of a mess, myself. I lost my job last September. All applications I've put in for employment haven't even lead to an interview. Since I don't drive, I can't really leave the town I live in.

I couldn't even keep my own apartment and I've been staying with a friend since mid-January. I don't know how much longer I can stay there and am constantly afraid.

When I got my small income tax refund, I used the money to start my own business. Thus far, I make ten dollars here, five dollars there, nothing significant. I don't have kids, which makes things easier.

But still, my family thinks I should just keep applying to the same handful of places over and over again. They don't believe my little business is anything but a waste of time.

[Gizmo]

But still, my family thinks I should just keep applying to the same handful of places over and over again. They don't believe my little business is anything but a waste of time.

We are far from the days where bugging the managers or the same places over and over works.

*hugs* Hope things change soon.