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I recently came across a free directory assistance number that I have programmed into my daughter's cell phone and mine. We use it on our land line as well and no longer pay for 411 calls. The number is 1-800-Free411 and it works just like regular old 411 except you don't have to pay for it. Since I use my cellular phone 90% of the time I don't even know what it costs to make a directory assistance call on my land line but I sure do know what it costs to do it from my cell and it's expensive. This little number has saved me a fortune on my (and my daughter's) cellular phone bill.
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Thanks...I hate seeing that $1.25 for each 411 call I make
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Thanks I need this also!!
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I agree that charging for 4-1-1 is a complete rip-off. There should be a law that a recording comes on to tell you that if you access that service it will be $1.25+. It was quite a surprise the first time I saw that charge on my phone bill.
I have to admit I was shocked to see how many people willingly PAY to file their taxes. It shouldn't cost anything more than the price of an envelop and 37 cents! To pay $20 just to get back OUR OWN MONEY in a timely manner is amazing to me. I don't know how businesses think they can get away with that. But, I guess they do.
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I like the $20 to charge for taxes....we pay $55 for a person we know do them.
I dont let 411 dial the number for me and they still charge me $1.25 just to look up the number.
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TracyB, some people pay $20 to FILE their taxes. That's in addition to what they pay to have someone else prepare them. Crazy!
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We pay about $150 to have our taxes done, but dh has his own business. To us, it's more than worth it just in case we are ever audited, we have the accountant to go and explain how they were done. If I just had plan old W2s, I would probably do them myself too.
Oh, I forgot the best part, we write them off on the next years taxes under "professional services," therefore, I guess we do get them done for free
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A write-off is not 'free'. A tax credit is free but a deduction only saves you the percentage you're paying in taxes. For instance, if you pay 10% income tax on your gross income and deduct $150 in tax preparation services, then the government is giving you $15 to get your taxes done. You're real cost for tax preparation is $135.
I am self-employed with two separate businesses and I still do my own taxes using the software programs that are free through irs.gov. I print out the forms when I am done and mail them snail mail.
Over the years we have been audited twice. Both times it was a simple question on one line item. Since I was the one who prepared the taxes it was very easy for me to answer the questions and justify the deductions. It was all done through the mail or on the phone. If someone else had done my taxes I might have ended up having to pay the tax preparer to write those letters or make the phone calls. Both times the IRS ended up accepting our deduction and we didn't owe anything. Audits aren't really that scary.
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My daughter was a gross 411 abuser so the 1-800-free411 number was a life saver. I've now got that extra $20 to pay someone to do my taxes! HA! Just kidding.