Our General Store…Paper Cups…Desserts…Taxes Going Up on Couples?
The Tax Foundation was established in 1937 to help Americans understand the implications of tax legislation and to understand tax codes. There website says:
“The Tax Foundation has launched a “Bush tax cuts” calculator at www.MyTaxBurden.org, which allows taxpayers to compare their 2011 federal income tax liabilities under three scenarios: if all the Bush tax cuts expire completely at the end of this year, if they’re all extended into 2011 or made permanent, and if President Obama’s budget is adopted, which includes a combination of expirations and extensions.
Taxpayers can type in basic information-such as filing status, wage income and number of dependents-along with optional more detailed information-such as capital gains and dividend income, state and local taxes paid and other itemized deductions-and determine what their federal income tax burden would be in 2011.”
As an example of what the elimination of these tax cuts will do: a couple making $100,000 per year will pay $12,500 in 2010…2011 the tax will be 15,700 or an increase of 3,200. For a couple with two children making $100,000 the taxes will go from $8,600 this year to 12,600 next, or an increase of $4,000. The alternative tax code requires tax payers to calculate their taxes two ways and to pay the larger. If this code is not adjusted one in three taxpayers in the country will have to calculate their taxes in this manner. Please check out the calculator for yourself to determine how this will affect you. Bottom line, taxes will go up for all Americans not just the wealthy on January 1st if the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire.
It’s time to add another non food item to our General Store. With all the discussion about water in our yahoo group we are going to prepare for water shortages by stocking up on paper cups this week. Add a minimum of 100 cups per family member. This may sound like a lot of paper cups but that is figuring only one per day! It does not account for those who may just, drop in, when they discover their preparations are not sufficient. We all have a list of those we have tried to counsel and we know when the crisis hits, they will come. Consider those as you plan. Also, consider if the crisis we are facing is not contaminated water or a power outage causing water shortages but a severe pandemic you will want more than one cup per ill person per day as you will be discard them after every use. When dealing with a pandemic you will not have the energy to care for the ill and also wash dishes and continue with all the other household chores. Disposable cups will be an absolute necessity.
I would advise you to store both cold cups and cups appropriate for hot drinks. I have started storing more hot than cold because they are more versatile and can be used for serving hot foods like beans, soups and stews, as well as drinks. They will also hold up better for a full days use.
Finally purchase only paper cups. If we have an extended power outage we may be dealing with a major disaster and may not have trash collection. Paper products can be burned, plastic will emit dangerous gases and will be a danger to your family.
For those who are just beginning the food portion of their General Store we have added fruit. Today we are adding desserts. Yep, start with the important stuff…You should have asked your family about their favorite desserts so this week add the ingredients to make eight desserts. This could be as simple as a cake mix or the individual ingredients for your favorite cookies. Consider some that could also be made if the electrical grid were down. There are a few recipes for Dutch oven desserts in the April 2010 issue of the Totally Ready newsletter. This week…store eight desserts!
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My discussion with Doctor Prepper all about food storage part 1. .http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/07/08/doctor-prepper-show
Doctor Prepper show all about food storage part 2. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/07/20/doctor-prepper-show
Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010
Talk with Halli: food storage and current financial outlook. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/idahotalk/2010/07/16/hfalli-friends
Great tip…my pops always said The best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat and some old clothes. And with a hoe in one hand and a cold drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.”