INCORPORATE FRUIT TREES INTO YOUR LANDSCAPE AND SAVE A FORTUNE

In one of my previous incarnations I managed garden centers.  Gardening has always been one of my favorite hobbies as it was for my parents and grandparents.  My mother has a copy of a will that one of her ancestors left back in the 1600’s  in which the most valuable asset he had to leave his family was his orchard.  The second most valuable asset he had to leave his family was his collection of  household pots and pans.  In those days having something to harvest and eat was slightly more valuable than having something to cook your harvest with.

 With the brief history that I have noted above I think it should be obvious that having things growing on your property that are edible should be part of your planning as you develop your property.   Although having an orchard or large vegetable garden may not be the way you want to see your yard aesthetically, there are ways of blending in edible vegetation which might in fact compliment your yard’s overall view.

A strawberry jar on a porch might be one way of maximizing a small area for some niche delicious fruits.  Strawberry plants are really quite luscious looking when cared for properly and a nice red ripe strawberry is always beautiful either on the plant or on the table.

There are many types of  easy to grow fruit trees that have nice leafy vegetation, ample flowers in the spring and colorful fruits in late summer or fall. Dwarf varieties mature much faster and produce fruit much earlier that conventional fruit trees however, their harvests are equally limited by their smaller size  When it comes to fruit trees apple, plum, pear, peach and apricot are most peoples favorites.  There are also nut trees you might plant however, many nut trees take decades to mature to the point that they actually produce any nuts.

The great thing about fruit trees is that you can plant them in your yard just as you would any other tree that you plant for aesthetic purposes.  A nice apple or plum tree will add both shade and decoration to your front or backyard and in the spring the blossoms will add ornamentation to your property just as well as a flowering shrub or any other flowering tree. An added benefit is that your unwanted fruits will help feed the wildlife in your area.  Birds, squirrels, deer, raccoons and other creatures not often seen will no doubt visit your trees for their vitamin rich manna.

Finally, with the cost of food going ever higher it might be good to supplement your yearly grocery store harvest with some free or nearly free healthful foods.  Insects, bacterial infections and  small animals are the primary creatures who deplete your fruit harvest however, some lemon flavored dish soap suds applied sparingly to your trees about once per week will handle most unwanted consumers of your harvests.  And, a couple of bug bites or patches of  “scale” can be cut out of your fruit.  Furthermore, at least if the fruit has a bug bite on it then it is most likely safe for human consumption unlike the pristine fruits you find in some stores.  The toxins used to make fruit unblemished might do more harm to the human system then  fruit grown naturally with all the scars and bug holes that are common to a healthy environment.




 

LOOK OVER YOUR INCOME TAXES AND SAVE A FORTURNE

I have always made out my own taxes ever since I was a high school student  and my Economics teacher showed my class how to fill out tax forms. In college I was a business major and I went on to MBA School. I of course had several classes in accounting, finance and, economics. I was a member of Sigma Iota Epsilon which is a business fraternity for exceptional business students. I also had additional professional training in real estate, insurance and, estate planning. I have also managed and owned several businesses over the years. I have also been a stock investor/trader for more than twenty years and an investor in collectables for more than 40 years. Still, every time I read through the IRS tax code books and booklets I learn new ways of saving and even making money from the tax code.

The only problem with the tax code is that it changes every single year. Therefore, planning on getting a tax credit or deduction from one year to the next is problematic since our elections are on a two year cycle and each new congress makes changes to the tax code. There is also a lag between a law being enacted and the same law being implemented. That is why you need to have a very competent tax professional to prepare your taxes and having a professional to rely on is absolutely imperative if you want to get all the deductions and tax credits.

The very rich who are very smart, have armies of accountants and attorneys making sure that they pay little if any taxes. Most people do not have the resources to hire people to examine their taxes for a zero tax or even a positive cash flow from the IRS. That’s why you should review your own taxes even if you have someone else make it out.

A cursory examination of your tax forms might find some mistakes your tax preparer might make but, if you take the time to read through the IRS books and booklets you might find even more ways to keep your tax bill low or even getting money back from the government in excess of what you paid in over the past year. Even if your tax preparer does a perfect job of filling out your taxes perhaps there might be some odd things you could use to decrease your tax burden.

I recommend that everyone read through all tax books and booklets that cover deductions and tax credits. Even if you don’t find any money in your examination of these tax books and booklets you might get some ideas on how to spend money in the next year that might save you a or make you some money.

Now if you have questions about your taxes you can ask either your tax preparer or contact the IRS. I have always found that individual IRS agents to be very informative and helpful.

Overall, you can possibly find some ways to save or make money by reviewing your tax forms both forms that are state and federal. Deductions and credits for home interest, medical costs, heating fuel costs, heating incentives (woodstoves, solar, wind etc.,) and various financial losses can help make your personal tax burden decrease. Financial losses might just be paper losses like those from limited partnerships or real estate and other depreciations. After reading through the IRS literature if you have questions don’t be afraid to ask the IRS. There may also be state and local deductions you might find when paying your local taxes.  Currently, Michigan allows many elderly and low income  individuals to receive up to 60% back on their homestead property taxes.

You might want to review the taxes you paid in previous years to see if you might get some money back. You have the right to file an amendment to your taxes over the past few years in order to get back money that the government owes to you.