Public service announcements
Mood: excited
Posted on 2007-01-29 08:55:00
Tags: wedding
Words: 185

(or, "If everyone knew these things I think the world would be a slightly better place")

1) Some airports these days have cell phone lots, which is a convenient place to wait in one's car for the person you're picking up to call you. This way you don't have to circle the airport endlessly if you get there early (wasting gas and clogging up traffic), nor pay for parking. BWI has one, as does IAH in Houston. A short article with a comparison of some cell phone lots.

2) There is a one-time tax credit available this year (for overpayment of that federal excise tax that's been on your phone bill for forever). You don't have to itemize or provide receipts, just take the IRS standard amount. Info from the IRS site - don't miss out on an easy $30!

The wedding this weekend went well - it was a lot of work and I was totally exhausted by the end of it, but no major mishaps or anything like that. I have pictures that I'll put up before the end of the century.

Also, I'm engaged!

22 comments

Comment from cifarelli:
2007-01-29T08:29:21+00:00
Also, I'm engaged!

Congrats! :)

Comment from gregstoll:
2007-01-29T08:34:17+00:00
Thanks! (we officially decided this morning, to clear up any confusion)

Comment from onefishclappin:
2007-01-29T08:48:33+00:00
Congratulations! (I was about to get mad that you didn't tell me last night when we were IM'ing, but I just read the above comment, so I forgive you)
David also extends his heartfelt congratulations. In his words "That's really wonderful".

Comment from amorphousplasma:
2007-01-29T08:51:28+00:00
Yay!!! I'm so happy for you both!

Comment from fairydust1:
2007-01-29T09:30:12+00:00
Also, I'm engaged!

Wonderful news to hear - I'm so proud to consider myself your all's friend! Congratulations! :)

Comment from bobacita:
2007-01-29T10:00:26+00:00
Congratulations! I'm really happy for you two.

Also, thanks for the useful PSAs :)

Comment from onefishclappin:
2007-01-29T10:15:02+00:00
IRS question:
Nearest I can tell, we should be getting $60 since we'll have 4 deductions. Is this a type of "marriage tax" since if David and I were filing separately (ie. unmarried), we would be getting $30 & $50 each (assuming one of us claims both boys)?
And I hadn't heard of the "cell phone" lot concept before - wow, airports making an improvement that helps things and makes sense!!

Comment from gregstoll:
2007-01-29T10:18:24+00:00
The $60 looks right to me. I guess this technically is a little bit of a penalty.

Comment from tehfanboi:
2007-01-29T12:23:18+00:00
Oh in case you are wondering how it would be if you itemized and got all your old phone bills. I pulled my old phone bills at work to see what I was paying in FET and it was $0.78/month. That over the 41 month span that is described came out to $31 and change. Honestly I'm not that worried about the one and a half bucks to bother printing out all my old bills and filling out the other form.

Comment from onefishclappin:
2007-01-29T14:42:59+00:00
Hmmm... since you and Jessica were paying for phone service seperately most of that time, it seems like you guys likely spent closer to $62 dollars instead of the $40 you'll be getting when filing married. But that being said, all the printing and fussing might not be worth $20 to you. (I doubt it is to me either, truthfully, I'm just a little annoyed about all of it... I guess they are just trying to make it trivially simple for everyone.)

Comment from cifarelli:
2007-01-29T15:03:12+00:00
I actually still have all the phone bills for the requisite time period (I knew I kept all this useless stuff for a reason...), and will be doing the math to see which way we get more $$. But then, I keep all my receipts for sales tax, too (and every year so far we have come out ahead doing it that way, even with some of the receipts going missing and thus not being included in the tally).

Sometimes I swear I should have been a bookkeeper or an accountant instead of a librarian. :P

Comment from onefishclappin:
2007-01-29T16:27:42+00:00
Wow - I'm a hoarder, but I think I broke down and shredded my stuff from before 2003.
And I don't bother with the receipts. I should, but I don't.
Need to talk to Bob about taxes again... I'm looking forward to the 4 exemption thing...

Comment from destroyerj:
2007-01-29T10:19:34+00:00
Congrats to ya'll!

Comment from tehfanboi:
2007-01-29T10:32:58+00:00
Congrats on your IRS money! May the $30 cover some of the postage on your wedding announcements, which is also really cool!

I'm very happy for you both!

PS did my conversation "keep asking questions" help this weekend at all?

Comment from gregstoll:
2007-01-29T13:00:25+00:00
Thanks!

It probably would have helped if I had done it, but I didn't really. Ah well.

Comment from djedi:
2007-01-29T13:56:32+00:00
Good advice.

Comment from copperwolf:
2007-01-29T11:46:06+00:00
Congratulations!

Comment from omega697:
2007-01-29T12:15:59+00:00
Yay! :o)

Comment from gerdemb:
2007-01-29T15:05:16+00:00
Congratulations!

Comment from wonderjess:
2007-01-29T17:56:12+00:00
it feels like a baked-goods kind of situation. I'll consult with my departmental baked-goods expert and get back to you. with celebratory baked goods. hehe. :)

Comment from gregstoll:
2007-01-30T09:16:16+00:00
I will never utter this sentence: "No, I don't think baked goods would be appropriate here." :-)

Comment from llemma:
2007-01-29T20:00:27+00:00
Congratulations!

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