|
|
Greetings!
At Home
You Just Never Know What You're Going To Find
March
Welcome to March and to Aiello's At Home epistle.
This month we thought we'd focus on...money. There's been so much talk about it with the financial cliff and taxing the top 1% and, "Oh wait, I'm not in the top 1% and my taxes went up," reactions in early January.
So our goal with this issue is to help you save some money (cue: free furnace offer) as well as show you where so much of your money goes. It might be painful. You might want to look away. But, knowledge is power and if you come away with three ways to save money smartly this year, our job will have been a success.
We'd love to hear from you on any of these topics, too.
So, please, enjoy At Home.
|
"Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons."
- Woody Allen
|
 Taxes
OK, can we all agree that our taxes are too high?
Well 51% of us can, because those are the people who paid taxes in 2011.
Forty-nine percent of our fellow Americans paid no taxes, either because they didn't earn enough or qualified for tax abatements for the elderly, and young families with children.(1) It was higher in 2011 because of the recession. According to Forbes the "normal" percent of non-payers is closer to 40%. Still....
Here's a chart of the "how" the non-payers get there.
One question people want to know the answer to is,
"Where'd the money come from?"
The top 20% of Americans earn 53.4% of total U.S. Income but...they pay 67.2% of total U.S. Income taxes. (2) If you live in Connecticut well, you're paying a lot. CT is #3 in average tax burden per capita at $3,896 according to Forbes.
We have the second highest personal property tax rate in the country and rank 3rd overall in taxes paid as a percentage of income. New York was #1 in both categories. Alaska, South Dakota and Tennessee are at the bottom of the highest tax states. (3)
Sorry, have we depressed you enough yet?
|
"The trick is to stop thinking of it as 'your' money "
- IRS auditor
|
Good News!
Whewww...thought we'd take a break from all that tax discussion (thankfully we are still 45+/- days away from April 15th). The best way is for us to provide a real savings opportunity - and Aiello has one:  Get A FREE Furnace With the Purchase of a new Lennox A/C System! A $3,200 Value!  Impossible? Crazy? Fantastic Opportunity? Yes. Yes. Yes! Aiello's Free Furnace Days
are back by popular demand. Choose a Lennox 14ACX through XC21 series air conditioning system and Aiello will provide a new Lennox ML 180 or Goodman GMH80 gas furnace - FREE! All you pay is $995 for installation. That's a savings of up to $3,200! Plus you'll receive:
FREE HES Home Energy Audit
FREE Programmable Thermostat FREE Lennox HC 16 Filter - $595 value Get all the details on this limited time offer, call now. 860 254 4697
|
"A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it "
|
|
Where Might We Be This Time?
Given that our topic is money, we thought this destination would be appropriate given what will be obvious to all those who know where this is. Think you do? Be specific. Tell us here. One winner gets a $25 Target Gift Card. Last month Mary Louis E-S knew our quiz answer was Theodosia Bara nee: Goodman!
|
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."
- Oscar Wilde
|
|
Expenses
We covered how much money the country takes in taxes. So, where on earth does all that money go?
What this basically shows is that we're borrowing a whole lotta cash to pay our bills.
The annual budget deficit is the difference between actual cash collections and budgeted spending (a partial measure of total spending) during a given fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30.
Since 1970, the U.S. federal government has run deficits for all but four years (1998-2001) contributing to a total debt of $16.1 trillion as of September 2012. (4)
CBO's preliminary estimate of the 2012 "total budget" deficit was $1.090 trillion, down $207 billion versus 2011. The 2012 deficit was 7.0% GDP, down from 8.7% GDP in 2011. (5)
On Jan. 8, 1835, all the big political names in Washington gathered to celebrate what President Andrew Jackson had just accomplished. A senator rose to make the big announcement: "Gentlemen ... the national debt ... is PAID."
That was the one time in U.S. history when the country was debt free. It lasted exactly one year. And it is the only time in the country's history that we've been debt-free.
"So the question we have for you, dear reader, if you're still with us, is how do we balance the budget today and tomorrow and pay off our debt so our children won't suffer in the years ahead?
"Or should we just stick a fork in us?
Tell us here.
1. Joint Tax Committee
2. Tax Policy Council
3. USA Today
4. & 5. Treasury Direct Monthly Statement
|
"If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments."
- Earl Wilson
|
Pre-Season A/C Special
Ok you're probably still digging out of 30 inches of snow.
But we know, and you know, that summer is around the corner and up the block. Now is the time to check out your A/C system to make sure that when it's 103 in the shade it's chilling you flawlessly. So...if you call during March we'll do a comprehensive tune-up of your system for only $99! 
Pre-Season Tune-Up Call Now:
860 254 4697
*Cannot be combined with any other offers, discounts, or coupons. Must schedule in March for appointment before April 10, 2013. Subject to availability.
|
"The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax."
- Albert Einstein
|
Solutions
Everywhere we looked, for solutions to this economic mess, we found pretty much the same ideas. Increase taxes and cut spending. Seems logical. Sadly, that's two things Congress seems incapable of doing.
Among the ideas floated to reduce our huge $16T debt are:
* Eliminate individual tax deductions
* Lowering corporate and income tax rates and reducing expenditures
* Restoring the estate tax
* Means-test entitlement expenditures
* Cut corporate tax loopholes
* Sell all the oil shale deposits on the open market and earmark the dollars for debt reduction
* Instigate a national sales tax
* Raise the national gas tax
* Create a flat tax for income
* Cap Medicare and Medicaid benefits
* Cut Defense spending
Looks like a whole lot of hurt out there, but that's what it may take to get ourselves in good financial health again. We don't know what the answer is; only that one is necessary. We'd love to hear your ideas and we'll forward the best ones to our representatives in Congress.
|
Budget: a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions
-A.A. Latimer
|
Experience
 Aiello Home Services is proud to announce the addition of Manchester native Wilson Cloukey as Manager of our Home Heating Oil Department.
Wilson brings nearly four decades of experience in the industry most recently as owner of Action Oil Service in Avon.
"I grew up in the business, became a licensed contractor and most of all simply enjoy keeping Greater Hartford families warm and safe. I look forward to helping Aiello maintain their high level of quality service," said Cloukey.
|
|
10 Crazy Ways To Save
We found five of these on USA Today: quick ideas on how to make a bit of a dent in our own deficit spending program.
1. Create one "no-spend zone." Choose one Saturday each month - and don't spend a dime.
2. Don't clip coupons. Simple - if you have a coupon - you will buy that thing. No coupon= No spending. Especially effective on those items you really don't normally buy
3. Bank one more dollar. Take New Year's resolutions and every time one's broken put a buck aside. Let everyone in the family play.
4. Use what you have. That chair is perfectly good. Rocks fine. Sure, it's been around a bit, but...you don't need a new living room set!
5. Cancel a service. If you're not using your Netflix...cancel it.
Save the $.
6. Bonus: Save $1 in week 1. $2 in week 2, $3 in week 3 - all the way to $52 in week 52 and you will have $1,378 to enjoy - one year from now!
7. Bonus: Leave the credit card at home. Pay cash - or don't buy it.
8. Bonus: Double the recipe. Eat the leftovers for lunch or dinner tomorrow!
9. Bonus: Skip the bottled water. Bring your own from home and save
10. Bonus: Evaluate that cell-phone plan. Oh, my there are $ there.
|
Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a refund from the IRS, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
- From a Washington Post word contest
|
Special March
Electrical & Plumbing Offers
People seem to love these offers so ...
Pick Any Three Services - One Low Price. Your Choice!
Pick Any 3
Electrical Projects
$349.95*
* Replace GFI outlet
* Reset Breakers & Inspection
* Replace Smoke Detector
* Replace Carbon Monoxide Detector
* Add Surge Protector
* Replace up to 3 Single Pole Switches
* Replace up to 3 Duplex Receptacles (limitations apply)
* Replace ceiling fan (customer supplied)
* Replace light fixture (customer supplied)
* Replace Single Pole Breaker
* Replace 2 - 3-way Switches
* Install a Dimmer Switch
Plus All Packages Include FREE
Whole House Electrical Inspection
Pick Any 3
Plumbing Projects
$399.95*
* Replace Toilet Supply Line & Flapper
* Snake Slow Bath or Kitchen Drain
* Main Line Sewer Snake Maintenance (no clog)
* Camera Inspection for Sewer Main Line
* Replace up to 6 Faucet Aerators
* Replace Plastic "P" Trap under Kitchen or Bath Sink
* Replace Chrome Pop-up Assembly on Sink
* Replace up to 2 Shower Heads (Aiello supplied incl.)
* Replace Standard Kitchen Faucet Cartridge
* Replace Outdoor Spigot (not including ball valve)
* Replace Shut-off Valve for Sink or Toilet
* Replace Standard Ball Valve
Plus All Packages Include FREE
Whole House Plumbing Inspection
Fix those things that need fixing - now!
Call today:
860 254 4697
*Cannot be combined with any other offers, discounts, coupons or price reductions. Must call by 3/15/13 for work to be completed by 4/1/13. Not applicable to previous sales.
|
"I rob banks because that's where the money is."
- Willie Sutton
|
Pick & Roll For Your Non-Profit.
Every month Aiello Home Services provides a $1,000 grant to a qualified non-profit organization as part of our Make A Difference program.
This month we thought we'd have a bit of fun with this. You can win $1,000 for your favorite charity by picking your favorites in the March Craziness Basketball thingy. Here's how:
1. Choose your favorite charity or non-profit organization. Little leagues, community service organizations, local affiliates of national charities, whatever.
2. Pick the final four teams in the NCAA Basketball tournament, then the final two, the winner and the final score
3. Enter here and tell us the name of your charity (must be a non-profit) and your choices. Closest person to getting the four answers correct wins the $1000 for their charity. In the event of ties, one winner will be selected from all the correct answers. Aiello decisions are final, naturally. Have some fun! Entries MUST be submitted by Wed. March 27th 5pm. Edt.
|
"While money can't buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery
- Groucho Marx
|
Please like us on Facebook Follow Us On Twitter 
|
|
Sometimes it's the little surprises in life that seem the sweetest.
|
Enjoy Your March
Sincerely, Aiello Home Services |
|
|
|
|
