Last Minute Tax Tips

The photo at the left shows a group of folk filling out their 1920 income tax returns at the Internal Revenue Office. Things have changed since then: you can download tax preparation software at sites like Turbotax.com, and you can file electronically. If your adjusted gross income is less than $50,000, then you are eligible for free electronic tax preparation and electronic filing. There's an explanation of how this works at irs.gov.

And, while those taxes aren't due till Monday, for those waiting till the last minute: did you know that you could charge that tax bill on Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express at a reduced interest rate? Pay1040.com has all the answers.

Find out if you are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Maybe you owe the Alternative Minimum Tax: find out at irs.gov.

What if you can't pay the balance? Don't panic. SmartMoney tells you what to do.

Food as Medicine - 3: Folk Remedies

Folk remedies are still around, and they work - surprisingly. For example, did you know that beets lower blood pressure? Slice a raw beet, then throughly cover with freshly squeezed lemon juice. After the slices have been cooled overnight in the fridge, you can begin eating one slice per day. Dramatic drops in blood pressure result.

Chicken soup really does help with colds. It helps un-stuff your nasal passages and prevents congestion in the lungs according to two well-respected university studies.

Dandruff is cured by using apple cider vinegar, diluted with water in a ratio of 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 water, as a rinse after shampooing. For severe cases, soak your hair in apple cider vinegar for one hour before shampooing.

There's lots more information at the sources listed below.

Sources: health911.com, UAB Health System, tenlinks.com.

Homemade Cat Treats

Cats may be more interested in a yarn ball than a rawhide bone, but they deserve their treats, too. There are several sites with recipes for homemade cat goodies: the crispy liver treats at petplace.com is just one of several easy offerings; cdkitchen.com includes a treat for older cats, as does Minnie; and divine recipes has one recipe that looks easy and a cat's version of ice cream, and Rebecca's Soap Deli has a nice one, too.