Posts Tagged ‘budget’
Saipan Tribune
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Newly installed healthcare corporation chief executive officer Juan N. Babauta said that he will be streamlining many areas to cut unnecessary expenses. However, he could not say for now what these measures are, citing the need for complete data and assessment of all functions and programs under the corporation.“there [is] going to be some streamlining.but until we know what we got, I cannot say it for now,” he said after Monday’s swearing-in at the Office of the Governor.Babauta said the $5 million seed money allocated for the corporation will go straight to personnel salaries, which alone amounts to $10 million annually. “We’re spending around $10 million on salaries alone so obviously this is a major concern in terms of budget and revenues. We need money to be able to pay our people and the $5 million will go straight to personnel salaries,” he told Saipan Tribune. the corporation employs about 600 personnel. Babauta also disclosed that all positions will go through a process of announcement and application to make sure recruits are highly qualified. Appointments for the resident director position will not happen anymore as individuals will now have to apply for the post. Babauta refused to comment about nurses hired by manpower agencies, pending review of the matter.there are less than 10 nurses assigned at Rota Health Center who were hired through a manpower agency.Since Oct. 1, all functions and programs under the Department of Public Health were absorbed by the corporation. Babauta said that except for the off-island medical referral program, the healthcare corporation will be responsible for all functions, including the federally funded Medicaid program. the off-island medical referral program is now under the Governor’s Office, he said.This early, the health chief admits finding a “conflict of interest” if the corporation will handle the Medicaid program. he said he will recommend an amendment to the healthcare corporation law to transfer the program outside the corporation.“Public Law 16-51 is not perfect. there are things we can go back to and recommend legislative changes. one of them is the Medicaid program, which should not belong to the corporation for some reasons,” said Babauta.the corporation will operate as a business entity and will bill the government for Medicaid clients.
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Buying a Home That Needs Work
Buying a home that needs work isn’t actually that hard to buy and fix up, but you should do your homework before starting the process. You’ll want to talk to your bank or mortgage lender, real estate agent and some sort of interior designer so that you can figure out all of the costs before getting into a project you can’t handle.
Talking to your Mortgage Lender
Your mortgage lender tells you how much you can afford based on your income and current debt with a number such as $170,000. That budget includes the monthly taxes you’re going to pay for the home as well. Instead of getting a home that costs $170,000 you can get a home that needs work for $120,000 and get another loan for $50,000 to finish the work on the home.
Usually a bank will appraise a home to make sure it’s worth what you’re buying it for so that they don’t loan you $170,000 for a $150,000 home. if they did that and had to foreclose on you then they’d lose a lot of money trying to sell it. so in this case the mortgage lender would appraise the home as if it were finished to make sure they can sell it and get their money back.
Talking to your Real Estate Agent
Have a long conversation with your real estate agent that you chose after talking to at least 5 or 6 different ones. Tell them exactly what you’re looking for and what you want to do. Tell them you want a home with a lot of “cosmetic” work which means paint, rugs and sheet rock problems. DO NOT get a home with an structure damage such as the roof, foundation or floors because you’ll pay a lot to fix it and it won’t increase the value of your home as much.
Your real estate agent should be able to show you some homes that need basic TLC work which will lead you into talking to an interior designer.
Interior Designer
Talking to 3-4 designers will give you a lot of ideas even if you don’t hire them at all. They will come to your home and you can walk them through one at a time so that you can discuss what you want to do. Give them your $50,000 budget and see what they’d be able to do with it.
Be specific with them too. Tell them you’d like a pool table, fire place or berber carpets so that they can squeeze in your favorites first. They aren’t going to just do what they like, they want to hear your interests so that they can put a big smile on your face when everythings done.
All of that should be done before actually buying a home because you want to make sure everything can fit into the budget you have. It’s a lot of work to do before making an offer, but when you do make the offer you’ll be very confident that you can do what you set out to do.
The saying is “make sure all of your ducks are in a row” because if you don’t then something could go wrong much easier. Also remember to use a mortgage calculator to figure out if you can actually afford the $170,000 the bank is approving you for.
Don’t treat your “maximum” approval like the speed limit by calling it the minumum instead. Your max is your max, plain and simple, so don’t go over it and make sure you can actually afford it with your own spending habits.
Knowledge will Save you ThousandsThe Free Mortgage Calculator
Advantages of Electric Shavers
There is a cutting edge deal on shaves it is statistical economic when you think about it. What is it cheap To buy seven razors a week or a battery per month? For these reasons, electric shavers are highly advertised and mostly common tools of shaving than razors.
Owning one of these shavers is always a great save since you will be using it several times a week.
If you are for a budget, you don’t have to worry because there are a lot of shavers in the market with different prices in the market regarding your budget.
The only thing you need to worry when you want to own one of these shavers at your price, is to find the right place to get it. Because they come from different brands, passing from different middlemen and by the time they arrive to the consumer, the price have grown up, so the best thing is to eliminate the middlemen as much as possible.
The advantages of owning an electric shaver at home over the razors is that, shavers are more quick and fast when you want to make a look for your hair, beards or mustache. therefore it saves time which can be invested in other productive areas.
Electric shaver also are clean compared to the traditional razors and is almost efficient when using and because of this, electric shavers will always improve as years goes by.
Some electric shaver uses batteries as a source of energy and therefore you can take it with you wherever you will be going. it is obvious that, when you look good is associated with your personal life. therefore it will not be a great deal if to gain these credential will take just a few minutes of your time.
Due for these gadgets, nowadays you don’t need to move around the city or go across the street looking for a new look from the barber while you can do it right away at home.
Top 10 Most Effective Promotional Products
For a first time buyer, choosing promotional products to display your logo is not an easy task. there are more than a few options out there and several promotional product distributors offer hundreds of thousands of imprintable items. in fact, going the custom route can ensure that almost anything can be turned into a promotional product. But what about the typical buyer with a modest budget? If you’ve got some (not a lot) of money and don’t know what to choose, this list is for you. Here are the top 10 most effective promotional products.
1. Promotional Apparel Custom t-shirts and hats are by far the most popular form of promotional products. Custom wearables account for one-third of all promotional product sales, according to a 2007 study done by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI). Logo exposure is extremely high, as people tend to wear promotional t-shirts at the gym and on the weekends.
2. Writing Instruments at some point or another, people are going to need a pen, so why not give them one with your logo? Promotional writing instruments, such as promotional pens ,are well-liked because they’re functional items that recipients will actually use. Additionally, statistics show that during the lifespan of a promotional pen, it will have at least 8 owners, which equates a high logo exposure. Promotional writing instruments are also excellent advertising giveaways because of their affordability, with some starting as low as $0.16.
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3. Bags a study done by the Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI), the largest media and marketing organization serving the promotional products industry revealed that promotional bags deliver the most impressions per month (1,038 on average). Promotional bags are welcomed by recipients because they are useful products. the most popular types include promotional tote bags, promotional drawstring backpacks, and promotional computer bags.
4. Drinkware Promotional mugs, custom water bottles and promotional tumblers are always effective giveaways. a logo imprinted coffee mug will sit on an office desk. a promotional travel mug will keep beverages hot and will showcase your branding for the world to see. Custom sports bottles are available for under $1 per piece making them an extremely popular giveaway for customers with low budgets.
5. Desk Accessories Desk accessories for the office are often purchased by companies to give to employees, but are also purchased for trade shows. Exhibitors know that promotional desk accessories, like paper clip dispensers, promotional desk sets and business card cases will be used by recipients and their logos will be seen by anyone who passes. one of the most popular forms of office accessories are promotional stress balls which come in a variety of shapes and sizes, any one of which will get your logo noticed.
6. Calendars Promotional calendars are among the most affordable promotional products available because of their extremely low cost per impression. a study done by PPAI indicated that 94% of business calendar recipients could recall the logo imprinted on their calendar and 85% of individuals who received calendars in their homes did business with the advertiser.
7. Magnets Promotional magnets are often chosen because of their affordability and excellent logo exposure. available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes (the most popular being business card magnets), promotional magnets clearly display contact information and keep it readily accessible at all times.
8. Computer/Electronic Accessories as technology advances further and becomes a bigger part of everyones lives, the need for computer related accessories increases. Promotional items such as custom USB flash drives, promotional MP3 players, and other promotional electronics are highly in demand as advertisers want to give promotional items that will be used and appreciated.
9. Sporting Goods Sporting events, both professional and amateur, are an excellent place to advertise and it’s because of this well-known fact that promotional sporting good are extremely effective giveaways. Promotional stadium cushions work for football, soccer and baseball games. Gyms can advertise new membership specials by offering promotional duffel bags as gifts with purchase. Promotional flyers, more commonly known as Frisbees are often chosen for company picnics.
10. Automotive Accessories Promotional automotive accessories are chosen by more than just mechanics because everyone knows that they will be used. Promotional ice scrapers come in handy during the cold winter months, and everyone can appreciate receiving a promotional auto safety kit. even promotional organizers will promote your logo, as users will value these practical items.
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Hair Salon Furniture For Your Start Up Salon
Buying hair salon furniture is no cakewalk. you need to have a clear idea about the space of your salon and also your budget. there are several types of furniture that are made for salons coast to coast. But you need to find the ones that will blend with the mood and style of your salon. Style, function and practicality as well as cost should all be priorities.
Single sets or stations
One of the major expenses for a new hair salon is furniture. It is also the most critical decision you can make (other than your employees) since space and comfort of not only your customers, but your employees should your primary concern. there is a whole array of furniture that you need to pick for your new salon.
Hair salon furniture can be facial steamers, a massage table, rolling carts, cabinets and styling chairs.
There are single sets of furniture or stations that can enable you to save loads of space without taking away any comfort or convenience. there are styles and designs that can accommodate more than one stylist.
Your business set up and the number of employees will drive your final decision. there are types of furniture that can accommodate two to six people. there are retail shelves, drawers, clipped pockets, power strips, curling irons and blow dryers.
Head rests are uniquely designed for shampoo chairs since they need to be very comfortable for your customers. you might need a massage table for both head and face massage if you offer those services.
A head massage is very much a part of hair dressing and it is usually done by a trained expert. Unless the table is comfortable the customers can feel irritated. you should check for the ideal length as there could be short and even extra tall customers coming in to your salon.
Don’t ignore the reception desk
Another piece of hair salon furniture you cannot ignore is the reception desk. this is the face of the salon. It is what the customers will see when they first walk in and the desk should have a professional look and feel. First impressions go a long way.
Once the customer finds that the reception desk is very engaging and attractive, it will be easier for him or her to feel comfortable which is imperative if you want to build your business.
The styling chair in hair salon should be extremely comfortable since customers will be using it for extended periods of time. It has to have all the safety as well as comfort features to make the entire hair styling experience a pleasant and an engaging one.
Adjustable hydraulic chairs are excellent and they should be checked for safety standards when you buy them. If your budget is limited, you can check the online options for various types of hair salon furniture.
Taxing Professional Clothes
No, this is not a new tax to get us out of our current budget funk. It’s just that most business clothing is not tax deductible. In fact, I recently wrote about the Tax Court travails of a TV anchorwoman who deducted the cost of her wardrobe.
No, I didn’t make this up, nor did I make up her name: Ms. Hamper. In Hamper v. Commissioner, the well-dressed anchor deducted about $80,000 worth of clothes between 2005 and 2008. Her argument: as a TV anchor she was required to conform to the Women’s Wardrobe Guidelines.
Hamper may have kept meticulous records of the clothes she bought for business, but that wasn’t enough for tax relief. where business clothes are suitable for general wear, there’s no deduction even if these particular clothes would not have been purchased but for the employment. there are exceptions where clothing was useful only in the business environment, where:
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The clothing is required or essential in the taxpayer’s employment;
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The clothing is not suitable for general or personal wear; and
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The taxpayer doesn’t wear the clothes for personal use.
But after Hamper lost, she said she was glad she pursued her tax case. see Former TV Anchor Glad she Challenged IRS.
Other TV anchors said her deductions were OK. Even the tax professionals who did her returns expressed no doubt, treating the deductions as legitimate. still, it’s hard to see how. the Tax Court pointed out that for Hamper to deduct the costs of her work clothes, she had to wear them as a condition of her employment and the clothes could not be suitable for everyday wear.
That latter is the killer for most deductions. Most professionals, the Tax Court noted in Hamper’s case, probably don’t wear their business clothes on their personal time. still, their business attire is suitable for other uses if they wanted to.
In any event, the judge ruled that most other items deducted by Hamper were personal, not business. They included contact lenses that helped her read the teleprompter, makeup, haircuts, manicures, teeth whitening and subscriptions to magazines and newspapers.
While no one wants to lose a tax case, it just may be that the worst part of this case was that annoying, uh-hem, thong. popular reports of the case, including a New York Daily News story, listed thong underwear among the items she deducted. besides, she deducted lounge wear, a robe, sportswear, lingerie, an Ohio State jersey, jewelry, running shoes, dry cleaning, business gifts, cable TV, contact lenses, cosmetics, gym memberships, haircuts, Internet access, self-defense classes, and her subscriptions to Cosmo, Glamour, Newsweek, and Nickelodeon.
Used Clothing. there still might be a way out for the clothes in Hamper’s hamper. she could deduct the cost of used clothing given to charity at its market value, but usually that’s not much. see contributions of used clothing and household items.
For more, see Ten Ways to Audit Proof Your Return.
Robert W. Wood practices law with Wood & Porter, in San Francisco. the author of more than 30 books, including Taxation of damage Awards & Settlement Payments (4th Ed. 2009, Tax Institute), he can be reached at wood@woodporter.com. This discussion is not intended as legal advice, and cannot be relied upon for any purpose without the services of a qualified professional.