If you run an office from home then you can expect to have higher domestic bills. Why you may ask, well for one you will be using more electricity as you will be using your computer throughout the day and other appliances. You will also use more gas for central heating; you may even notice your water bills going up a small amount too.If you are working from home but are employed by a company then you are entitled to claim a proportion of these expenses back against your tax bill at the end of the financial year. But HM Revenue and Customs in Britain would rather that you didn’t. Back in 2005 it capped the tax relief available for gas, electric, water and phone bills to just two pounds a week for employed workers. This is as in effect by working from home you are saving your company money. The more people a company has working from home, the less it needs to spend on bills of their own such as electricity, gas, rent for premises etc.So why should the company keep those savings and expect the taxman to cover your costs? This is because it is down to your employer to reimburse you any costs by working from home, not the taxman. But alas more often than not the company will not as they see it that you are benefiting as you do not have to pay for travel costs.If you are self-employed working from home then it is a different story, and a better one. You can claim some of your home bills such as gas, electric, phone and the rent against tax. But you do need to demonstrate that your home office is only used for business purposes. So if you are working in the corner of your kitchen then I don’t think it will go down very well with the taxman. The easiest way to work out what you are entitled to is by square footage, so for instance if your home office takes up fifteen percent of your home then as a rule of thumb you can claim fifteen percent back of your bill s against tax.My advice is if you are running an office out of your home, then it is best to speak to an accountant to calculate it for you. They know the exact amounts you can claim back and how. They are the experts so ensure that you inform your accountant exactly what you use for business purposes in your home.
Online Shopping Through Comparison Shopping Search Engines
Shopping can be a fun activity for some, but for others it is irritating. For those who find it irritating, online shopping is the best option available. Online shopping can be fun, economical, time-saving and simple. Also, since it provides a controlled environment, the chances of splurging are lower. However, there are certain drawbacks, too, like insecure online payments, late delivery, loss of your shipment, shipping the wrong products and so on.
These days, merchants and online shoppers are presented with an array of options when it comes to online shopping. Most of the companies and stores have their own website through which shoppers can buy things online. Also, there are shopping blogs and comparison shopping search engines through which one can shop. Comparison shopping search engines are more popular, as they provide shoppers with the option of searching and comparing the prices of specific products in the same category. This invariably would present to the customers the best deals of the day. It also helps shoppers to shop on the basis of price, the online merchant’s reputation, product information and consumer buying reviews.
Comparison shopping search engines are broadly classified as shopping search engines, with a large number of product categories and shopping search engines focused on specific product categories. Some of the most popular comparison shopping search engines are:
1. Yahoo Shopping, Google’s Froogle, MSN Shopping, CNet Shopper
2. E. W. Scripp’s BizRate and Shopzilla
3. eBay’s shopping.com
4. NexTag
5. PriceGrabber
6. PriceRunner
7. MySimon
Some of the specialized shopping search engines are:
1. PriceWatch, which lets the shopper know and compare prices of computers, computer parts and other electronic items.
2. HealthPricer and pharmacychecker.com, which compare the prices of drugs, medicines, health supplements and so on.
3. AddAll, which compares the prices of books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and so on.
4. PriceScan, which shops for books, sporting goods, electronics and the like.
5. 800wine.com and allwinebaskets.com, for buying wines or wine gift baskets.
6. specialoffers.com, which searches for online special offers, freebies, coupons and so on.
The benefits of comparison shopping search engines are manifold. They are:
1. It offers more convenience to online shoppers.
2. It allows shoppers to browse through different retailers, products and categories and compare the prices with each other.
3. They are available all throughout the year and offer their services around the clock, allowing shoppers to shop at their own convenience.
4. They help reduce the overhead costs, thereby reducing the prices.
5. The bargains from online retailers are numerous as a part of their promotions, so shoppers can buy the products at a cheaper rate.
6. When sending gifts to loved ones in another country, these search engines help to compare the prices of various products before deciding on one.
Each shopper can make his or her online shopping safe and cost-effective by following certain rules. They are:
1. It is advisable to all shoppers to know about the products they are planning to buy and to check the prices of the products using various comparison shopping search engines.
2. It is recommended to check out the seller’s refund policies and the privacy policy.
3. Always shop with retailers whose website begins with “https:” as they are secured sites and shoppers needn’t worry about any frauds regarding their login information.
4. After purchasing a product, it is better to leave a testimonial regarding the retailer, website and the product as it would be useful for other customers too.