Beef is Broke: Thanks Uncle Sammy

Oh, glorious tax return. Allowing me to live a fairy-tale for one month, if I so choose. Well this year, I’m doing things differently.

Instead of blowing my tax return on some good beer and a lap dance, this year, I am going to plan ahead and let my tax return make life easier for a while. My plan is simple, but is not fool-proof.

Buying Tostitos, instead of knock-off tortilla chips for a month sounds great and I would also love to get Oreos instead of Ginger Snaps, but would hurt my plan.

The idea is to buy as many things that you NEED, that you will use in the future. For example, I will sacrifice food to go to a concert, so why not buy all my concert tickets now, so I don’t have to make that decision later? Also, things like laundry detergent, extra toothbrushes, condoms, swiffer refills, toilet paper, and paper towels should be bought once every six month at Costco or Sam’s. (Find someone with a card.)

I am also buying a refurbished laptop. This will allow me to work from home and even do some other online work that I have been asked to do. This investment will pay itself back in a month or so. A good alternative to this would be going to bartending school. Paying $350 for the 2-week course can pay itself off within a week of the end of the course.

Finally, when it comes to food, I try to not let anything go bad. I live by myself, so if I don’t put bread in the fridge, it will always go bad before I can finish it. On the same note, buying canned and freezable goods is essential for any bachelor, especially when you get some extra income one month, you should fill your pantry and freezer.

These cheap tricks will help better utilize your tax return.