I've purchased a mail box (different from PO Box) through the
UPS Store. It runs about $385/yr, but completely worth the price
for the privacy attained. simply don't use your home?phone. Get a
cell phone. Any cell phone used for "business" is tax deductible
as well. Psychological problems like excessive fear and worry are
not good and must be eliminated to retain any creative flow and
retain high productivity.
All excellent points, Thanks so much for the I love to
find new things to deduct. Ididn’t think of the cell phone option and
I studied accounting in college. You can always learn new things.
The mail box, I think, is also another great idea and better than
the p.o. box because you can receive packages.
On fear, it was a bit irresponsible of me to spread my phobia
around. I am a bit different than the average guy in this area and I
try not to let it affect other people. My apologies for letting that
into the forum. I am not the best to give advice on personal safety!
I hope to move past it someday.
One other deduction to note: I am going to keep a travel log in the
coming year. Every time I drive to meet a customer, drive to teach,
drive to get supplies etc…it is deductible. 37 cents a mile can
add up to quite a bit at the end of the year and, besides, why give
them any more than they already take. Even if something is a two cent
deduction, I will deduct just based on principle.
I think the following ramblings (forgive length) could apply to
any home business.
Welcome to the ranks of active (posting) members, Jim, and thanks
for the intelligent post on security. Well said!
I do have one question. Do you have personal experience with tazers?
They seem to make sense to me (though I believe they are not legal
for private citizens here in Illinois). I would just like to be sure
they really work-- 'cuz if they don’t, they’re sure as hell gonna
make the “perp” mad! Plus, how close do you have to be to use it?
As I’ve said before in this space, I’d sure rather have a non-lethal
defense, so I can shoot first and ask questions later. Firearms are
not a valid option for me, personally.
As for phone numbers, simply don't use your home?phone. Get a cell
phone. Any cell phone used for "business" is tax deductible as
well.
I think this is a good idea, and I look forward to being able to do
it. At the present time, my home & studio are in a cell phone dead
zone, and my cell phone is only useful to me when I am away from home
or work. Oh well…if we ever get better service here, I think I’ll
do as you suggest.
If I got a Post Office box instead of using an address, at least my
address would not be as available, since the Post Office is closed
after 4:00 pm. People around here stop in the post office to ask how
to find places. Then there’s Fred’s Store, open until 9:00pm. They’re
very helpful, too, and they know where we live. Maybe I will speak to
them about it, and ask them to be careful who they give information
to. They have a phone there, and could ask the person to call me.
That might solve some potential problems. Mostly, I don’t worry very
much about this kind of thing, but this discussion has got me
thinking.
I nearly fell off my chair. I immediately started counting exits
and plotting my escape should this person turn out to be some kind
of weird ninja warrior attacker...
Hi Kim. Do you mind telling, was she weird, or did you get an order
from her?
( sorry, you have just left me on a cliff-hanger there) This is a
good thread by the way and sort of relevant to me at the moment.
Thanks everyone.
The mail box, I think, is also another great idea and better than
the p.o. box because you can receive packages.
You can receive packages at a P.O. box. They put a notice in your
box stating that there is an item too large for the box. You take the
notice to the window and the bring you your package. A minor point
but true, at least at my local P.O.
Do you mind telling, was she weird, or did you get an order from
her?
Thankfully, she didn’t attack me and, yes, I got an order that day.
She really did want me to help her with colors! It actually worked
out really good for me. I have met with her maybe 5 times all
together. She places large orders and pays half up front. When I make
the delivery, she pays the other half and makes another order. I have
collected quite a bit so far.
On weird, I have met some people whose ideas were quite different
from mine, but, who knows, maybe I am the one who is weird… A
customer told me once that she sometimes wears my jewelry (and
nothing else) for her husband. I can say that, at that time, I FELT
weird.
You might also contact your local craft centers that feature a
metals department. Such department get requests for jewelry repairs
pretty regularly, but are most likely not willing or able to offer
this service.
You can receive packages at a P.O. box. They put a notice in your
box stating that there is an item too large for the box. You take
the notice to the window and the bring you your package. A minor
point but true, at least at my local P.O.
Thing is.....in a lot of cases, one can type a phone number into
Google..... I think this only applies to land lines.... Anyway, if
it hits, Google provides a name, a map you can bring up, etc...
If you are really concerned, I suggest the following action. After
doing the google search, click on your phone number. To the right of
your phone number will be an option to remove your name. According
to Googgle “Doing so (removing your name) will mean your residential
listing does not appear in Google for any phone book search, even
searches conducted on your name instead of your phone number.” I did
this over a year ago and my number did not produce a result when
searched for today. However, this doesn’t take care of the other
search engines. When filling out the removal form Google gives you
the links to the other phone reverse lookup services.
You can receive packages at a P.O. box. They put a notice in your
box stating that there is an item too large for the box. You take
the notice to the window and the bring you your package. A minor
point but true, at least at my local P.O.
Yes, but neither UPS nor Fedex will deliver to a PO Box and in many
cases, not to a mail box either. That would be a deal-killer for
many of us. My customers want work done quickly and gotten back to
them by the fastest means possible.
You can receive packages at a P.O. box. They put a notice in your
box stating that there is an item too large for the box. You take
the notice to the window and the bring you your package. A minor
point but true, at least at my local P.O.
Correct, Joel. A clarification on my part: Many (if not most) larger
companies will NOT ALLOW for a P.O. Box delivery address, and
require a commercial or residential location to deliver to. With the
addition of P.O. Box regulations varying from place to place, and
company to company, those two factors swayed me to purchase a
mailbox instead. That has been my experience, at least. Either way,
P.O. Box or Mailbox, they are great to have.
A customer told me once that she sometimes wears my jewelry (and
nothing else) for her husband. I can say that, at that time, I
FELT weird.
Well, that HAS to be one of the highest compliments in Jewelry, no?
Every time I drive to meet a customer, drive to teach, drive to get
supplies etc...it is deductible.
Kim, I don’t think that driving to teach is deductible, any more
than driving to any other job is deductible. If you drive somewhere
to take a course to further your skills as a jeweler, that travel
(and the course cost) is deductible. (I’m sure others will chime in
on this topic.)
Kim, I don't think that driving to teach is deductible, any more
than driving to any other job is deductible
I will try to find more According to the article in
this link, driving to a workplace that is not classified as my
“regular” workplace is deductible. I believe, since I am a
subcontractor at the art center where I teach, it would be considered
not to be my “regular” place of employment. You are absolutely
correct. though, in that driving to the workplace is not normally
deductible.
I’m going to go out on a limb because I believe I may be correct.
You guys can always check with your CPA and, if I turn out to be
wrong, Iwon’t mind. If you travel from your home to a temporary
teaching place, you can deduct your travel expenses (whatever they
are) as long as they are not reimbursed by the organization you are
doing the teaching for. That means car, plane, train…whatever mode.
Also, 50% of your meals are deductible to and from. Your hotel bill
is also. Please ask your CPA’s and if anyone finds out anything, can
you pass it back to me? Thanks
I don't think that driving to teach is deductible, any more than
driving to any other job is deductible. Deductible car expenses can
include the cost of 1) traveling from one workplace to another, 2)
making business trips to visit customers or attending business
meetings away from your regular workplace, 3) going to temporary
workplaces."
With a home studio driving anywhere from business can be deductible
mileage because you are traveling from your studio to another work
location or customer.
As with any tax or legal online you should always talk
to your own (paid) tax or legal professional.
Hello to all from someone that spends more time reading and listening
to thoughts of others than speaking. Several years ago, as the
thought of retirement from a “day job” started crossing my mind, what
to do with all the “free time” became important. There was an
entrepreneurial expo in a local city to help anyone wanting to work
for themselves. All of the usual candidates were theRe: McDonalds
and the rest of the fast food vendors, the travel industry, some
companies that would give you the moon if you built your own rocket
ship to get there, etc. A few of the vendors were from the shipping
sector, those places where you can drop an item off and have it sent
almost anywhere by any means. One of the major leaders offered an
all-inclusive license to become a franchisee (site selection,
building permits, building construction or renovation, staff
training, supplies, start-up advertising, etc.). If several Orchid
members in a given geographic area were interested in this option
(and I am NOT offering any business venture) they could form a
limited partnership for that franchise and thereby have a handy
shipping/receiving point.
Regarding “cell phone dead zones,” I am currently in one and I have
kept my cell for the voice mail, which I check a couple of times a
day from my land line. That way I still have a number I can give to
people who I would prefer not to be able to find me, as well as print
on business cards, etc. (the number at this house sit comes right up
on Google…).
I’ve been deducting ALL expenses involved in teaching for 7 years.
We’ve been audited twice recently - and these expenses were never
questioned… nor were any of the several studios, gallery, or
writing expenses.
One red flag was a precription for hydrotherapy. I purchased a
specially modified Jacuzzi for this. The agent was trying to find a
way to disallow this. Obviously she didn’t have a clue with whom she
was dealing:)
I have had 27 fractured bones, 14 major surgeries, and the
prescription itself was from the head of the Otolaryngology Dept. at
University of Davis. Sadly, she gave up the point before I could
stack three feet of medical records on her desk! I was really looking
forward to that…
The other red flag was raised about a large payment made to me in
cash for real estate I sold. Perfectly legal to accept cash, and pay
the taxes – which I did. What really bothered them – was the fact
that I had 27 years worth of receipts for everything I ever did to
the property! All legal deductions.
Well I guess I get to prove how deep my paranoia runs. Tazers, (not
sure of there legality in Illinois) have marginal effectiveness.
Plenty of stories in the news everyday of police shooting someone
multiple times with one before they are effective. Also the persons
clothing can be a factor, leather for example, the “claws” won’t
always penetrate. Stun guns, same problems, but you also need to me
standing right next to them. Pepper spray will generally slow
someone down, natural as opposed to chemical is written up as being
more effective. Cons, well if you are standing right on top of them
in a small hallway, there is a chance you will get the effects of the
spray also. Plus, it will only slow someone down, not put them on the
floor. Statistically two biggest deterrents, one is a dog. Doesn’t
even have to be a big mean attack dog just something that will make a
ton of noise to alert you and your neighbors that something is wrong.
Crooks want this all to go down real quite, unnoticed, and a dog
makes that difficult. Deterrent two is lethal, and well I would
suggest long and hard that one do some serious soul searching first,
not because I oppose, but to ensure your protection doesn’t get used
against you. The sound of a shotgun chambering a round is well
recognized, loud, and from what I have read, the number two
deterrent.The sad truth is criminals are getting more violent,and
more determined every day.Generally it seems they are using the
shoot first so no one can ask questions later policy, but that will
start me on a different political rant. Sorry, I don’t feel like I
really offered any good suggestions, other than maybe a dog. And with
that, I am going back to my Che book, oh yeah, and making some
jewelry.
It’s true that you can receive packages at a P.O. Box, but only if
it is delivered by US Postal Service. As far as I know, you cannot
receive UPS or FedEx packages at a P.O. Box. That’s where the UPS
Store mail box has a definite advantage.
Peter Nassoit
The Contenti Company
123 Stewart Street
Providence, RI 02903
800-343-3364
