Unfortunately, it is not as easy as blissfully writing your cares away if you make money off of your passion-filled blog. Because it does not always feel like a job, tax season for a blogger can feel a little hazy with knowing exactly what to do. Both full-time and part-time bloggers can have the income to support their lifestyles, but there have not always been clear-cut tips for filing blogging taxes. This blog is here to change that. But also to remind you that talking to a tax professional is always a great idea going into this season. especially if this is your first time filing taxes as a blogger.

Tax Forms

If you make any money at all from your blog, you legally need to pay taxes as a blogger. Whether blogging is your full-time or part-time job, you will need to find the right tax form for your income.

Bloggers, like any other profession, are taxed based on the amount of money made in the fiscal year, and the tax bracket they fall under. Additionally for part-time bloggers in particular, if you make more than $600 they tax you through a 1099 form. Anything below $600 would be a 1040 form.

As a blogger, you work for yourself. Like any self-employed individual, you will have to pay self-employment tax on top of your income tax and estimated taxes. Your self-employment tax is the equivalent of what wage workers get taken out of their pay for insurance and social security. Whether or not you pay sales tax depends on if you have any products sold within your business or not. Many bloggers make money solely off of sponsored posts, ad space, and paid partnerships.

Product reviews

If you reviewed a product that values at more than $100 on your blog, you need to pay taxes on that as well. This is extremely important for anyone that reviews luxury brands, which are often more than $100. The great thing about blogging is the ease at which you can catalog these items by filtering the dates and going back through your entries to find exactly how many items that total to be.

If strictly income-based, you only need to pay income tax. However, if you sell any products on your blog, you also need to pay sales tax on those sales.

Deductibles and Tax Write-Offs

One of the most important words of tax season is deductible. Throughout the year you should be keeping track of all of the necessary expenses that come with running a blog. If you have not done that, you need to collect an inventory of all the purchases made for your blog. These can potentially be deducted from your tax total, which brings down your total taxable income.

Potential business expenses: New laptop or desktop, domain hosting, business license, webcam, lighting equipment, editing software, marketing services, etc.

As most bloggers work from home, it’s important to note that in order to run your blogging business, your house utilities have to be paid. In some cases adding your monthly internet and utility expenses can be included in these write-offs! Just as they would be for brick-and-mortar businesses.

Conclusion

Tackling tax season as a blogger can of course feel overwhelming, just as it can for businesses across the country. After reading this, you have the tools to be successful and confident going into tax season as a blogger.

The post Taxes for Bloggers: A Quick Guide appeared first on The Blog Herald.

Here are 5 helpful sites to get you started:

Ana White 

Ana White is one of the greats behind the DIY wood-building movement. People no longer wanted to go out and buy bedframes that didn’t fit their needs, style, or hold up to their standards. They wanted to make their own. This goes far beyond bed-frames, as White has hundreds of plans for free on her site to follow ranging from chicken coops to coffee tables, and even a space to help you bring your own designs to life. Her knowledge and experience with woodworking and wood-based projects are unmatched in her field. She even gives a guide on how to get started, and the best tools to get you the final product you are envisioning.

Today’s Homeowner 

Being a homeowner means taking on projects on your own sometimes, or with the help of your partner if you have one. Today’s homeowner has blogs, podcasts, and videos to assist in every area of being a homeowner. From remodels and installs, to finding the easiest way to do everyday projects, and navigating different seasons, they have a resource.

The Home Depot Blog 

Home Depot isn’t just the place where “doers get things done”. But it’s also a handy tool to help with your at-home projects. Plus, their website is one of our great DIY sites. They have a feature that allows you to calculate how many materials you will need for your project. This saves you money whether you plan on actually purchasing those materials from Home Depot or not. This also is a small step to help out the environment with less waste. Whether you are thinking of doing a bathroom remodel or building a new deck, you are sure to find some helpful tips.

Vintage Revivals

Mandi Gubler is a self-taught DIY and decoration guru. She prides herself on starting from scratch and just going with her gut on all of her decisions. On her blog, she mentions how important it is that your home looks like the person, or people, that live in it, rather than what society or this year’s trends want it to look like. She has plenty of tips for your building projects, including the basics of concrete flooring if that is something up your alley. She is very open about her family and personal life, her struggles, and what she finds valuable. Her decorating style is personal and she brings that into her blog posts.

Remodelaholic 

Taking something old and making it feel new is what remodeling is all about. It’s not only great for the environment, but it brings a sense of belonging to your home and your furniture. Remodeled pieces can stem from broken, forgotten, or out-of-use pieces, and give them new life. Remodelaholic does just that. They focus on both building projects and everyday crafts. There is even an up-cycle portion of their page. It tells you how to take those old and washed-up items and turn them into shiny new pieces. They can transform your space or the lifetime of the piece itself.

Wrap Up

As a homeowner, you will want a village on your side. Though it is not the same as raising a child, having help from multiple sources is incredibly beneficial. Your next building project may be a bed or a piece of furniture that you want to give a chance at a new life. No matter what it may be, this list of DIY sites will give you endless resources to make your do-it-yourself dreams come true.

The post The Best DIY Sites for Your Next Building Project appeared first on The Blog Herald.

Platform

To get started you have to find a platform that meets your needs to build your blog. This could be anywhere from free to upwards of $50 a month depending on what you’re looking for from a platform. For social media platforms like Instagram, you won’t spend much if any money, but you’ll have several limitations. 

Blogging platforms offer several different pathways to what type of blog you want to create. 

Website Builder

Building your own website is typically the cheapest version, but it is also more limited in your creative design and harder to scale. Though there are some website builders that can vary in price and add up to larger amounts. Many times, if you are starting a hobby blog, there are free options for many areas of the blog and website as a whole. 

Sites like WordPress, Bluehost, Weebly, and many others are platforms that you can have extensive creative control over. Prices can vary from low to relatively expensive, however, these types of sites offer a bigger growth opportunity. They will also have a bit of a learning curve due to the creative nature of the sites and endless customization including the option for your own domain name, for an extra fee of course. 

Goal

One of the biggest questions you’ll need to ask yourself when you start blogging is what you want your blog to be. What is your end goal? Are you hoping to blog as a hobby, make a little extra cash, or are you aiming to make blogging your next full-time career move? Whether you blogging on the side or as a full-time job, it’s worth it, but your price tag may look a little different. 

A few things you may need to purchase for your blog: 

1. Ads
2. Subscription
3. Additional Writers
4. Professional Help with Design
5. Domain Name
6. Hosting 
7. Theme
8. Apps or Plugins 

Hobby Blogging

Bloggers that use their sites and posts as an outlet or as a form of entertainment are typically referred to as hobby bloggers. You’re putting effort and passion into your blog, but you aren’t expecting to make a ton of money as a result of each post. Your cost will be relatively low throughout the process, but you are welcome to get higher-end tools to help you. The beauty of blogging is that you can customize your price tag and your platform. 

Projected Breakdown (All prices we list may vary but these can get you started.)

Ads: $0

Subscription: $0-$15 per month

Professional Help: $0

Domain Name: $10-$20 per year, but keep in mind there is a free version with no personalized domain. 

Additional Writers: $0

Hosting: $2-$50

Theme: $0

Apps or Plugins: $0

Side Hustle

If you’re looking to earn some extra money, you can have a side hustle filled with lots of sponsored posts. You’ll communicate with brands to do influencer marketing. Though your end goal will be to make money from your blog, you will have to put up a little bit more upfront to show brands that you are worth investing your time and efforts in. 

Influencer Marketing 

Brands will contact you and ask you to review their products for free and in some cases extra money as well. You get to essentially make a sponsored post expressing your real feelings about a product and company, not to mention all the free products you can receive. Depending on the type of blog you are running, big brands of makeup, kitchen products, and clothes could appear in PR packages on your doorstep. 

Break Down of Side Hustle Blog 

Ads: Completely dependent on who you are paying to publish your ad and how much traffic they receive, typically it is $100-$500 per month. 

Subscription: $0-$15 per month

Professional Help: $0

Domain Name: $10-$20 (yearly)

Additional Writers: $20-$100 per blog entry 

Hosting: $2-$50

Theme: $0-$100 depending on if you want something customized and/or premium

Apps or Plugins: $0-$5000 

Break Down of a Full-Time Blog

Blogging as a side hustle can have a tipping point where it starts to outproduce your day job. At this point, many bloggers will turn to blogging full-time. Yet this can change the main question of how much it costs to start a blog. Putting it on the map will also vary in price depending on how big you want to be and who you want to reach. The bigger the name, the bigger the price. On the other half, you’ll be a name yourself and be able to make more and more sponsored posts for influencer marketing. You will have new products on a more consistent schedule, and may even partner with some brands in the process. 

Ads: $5000-$10,000 per year, completely optional 

Subscription: $0-$15 per month

Professional Help: $0

Domain Name: $10-$20 (yearly)

Additional Writers: $20-$100 per blog entry 

Hosting: $2-$50

Theme: $0-$100 depending on if you want something customized and/or premium

Apps or Plugins: $0-$5000 

Conclusion

Now that you know approximately how much it costs to start a blog, now all you need to decide is how much time you want to put into it!

The post How Much Does It Cost to Start a Blog? appeared first on The Blog Herald.

Are you hoping to go on a long-deferred vacation? You may find that one of the hardest parts about traveling is figuring out where to go. In this article, we share seven tips that will help you pick the perfect location. From figuring out when you should go to how to find deals, here’s everything you should ponder when planning your next vacation.

1. Consider Your Vacation Availability

The first thing you should do is determine how long you can go on vacation.

If you only have a couple of days, you clearly won’t have enough time to travel across Europe. On the other hand, driving two hours for an overnight stay near a local attraction would be an easy getaway.

Knowing how crowded somewhere will be is important to prepare for when looking at your availability. Look at all national training and federal holidays and try to avoid major weekends where places will have limited availability.

2. Determine Your Interests

Your interests will also help you narrow down your destination. Make a list of things you want to do while on vacation.

Maybe you want to try snowboarding. Or maybe you want to be near a lake for paddle boarding. Perhaps you hope to start your own travel blog.

Identifying your desired activities will also help you pick dates for your vacation. After all, if you want to go snowboarding, you probably won’t vacation during the summer months…unless you choose another hemisphere.

You should also look at a destination’s peak season. Some locations are busier than others during specific times of the year. Not only can this increase the trip’s cost, but it can also add stress due to the volume of people.

3. Decide on a Vacation Budget

Your budget is one of the most important things you should consider when planning a vacation. While vacations are supposed to be fun, you don’t want to end up in debt afterward. To keep that from happening, sit down and determine how much you can spend.

Regardless of where you’re traveling, your biggest expense categories will most likely be lodging, food, transportation, and entertainment. Based on your income, figure out how much money you can allocate to each expense. Make sure you set a daily budget, or per diem, for miscellaneous purchases.

Budgeting first makes it less likely you’ll exceed your financial limits. It also helps narrow down where you can travel to, making it easier to make a decision and establish your travel priorities.

4. Factor In the Climate

Do you prefer vacationing in warm locales or somewhere cold? Do you want to see the ocean or be surrounded by mountains? Figuring out the kind of weather and scenery you prefer will help you pick a location, as well as when to travel.

For example, let’s say you’ve always longed to travel to Arizona. If you don’t want to go when it’s hottest, you definitely shouldn’t travel there in the summer. Instead, you might look at other western states with cooler climates like California or Colorado. Or you can wait for fall or winter, when Arizona weather is delightful.

Knowing your ideal vacation environment can help you figure out where and when to travel.

5. Know Who’s Going

Before planning a trip, you should determine whom you’ll be traveling with. Is this a family vacation? A trip with your friends? A solo outing? Knowing who’s coming will help you decide where and how you travel.

When traveling with multiple people, not everyone has the same schedule or interests. For instance, if you’re traveling with kids, you’ll probably have to go during the summer when they’re out of school. If you’re traveling alone, on the other hand, your schedule can be more flexible.

Traveling with others means you’ll have to make different considerations for accommodations and activities. While adding travel companions increases overall costs, it also allows the possibility of cost-sharing. That’s why it’s important to figure out an accurate headcount and how it affects your budget sooner rather than later.

6. Do Your Research

Before deciding on a vacation spot, make sure you do your research. While Google is a great source for finding all kinds of information, be smart about how you research. After all, you’re using this information to help you decide where to travel. You’ll need to ask the right questions.

While you are comparing and contrasting possible destinations, consider which might be safest for tourists. With your budget in mind, you should research the average hotel cost, the best places to eat, public transportation options, etc. This info will help you narrow down your list and better plan your trip itinerary.

You should also ask around with your friends and family. It’s possible either they or someone they know has traveled to your destination. They can give you specific travel advice and help you catch can’t-miss experiences.

7. Check the Vacation Deals

If you don’t have a specific location in mind, consider going where the deals are. Airlines, hotels, and third-party sources like Groupon are constantly running vacation specials. While these promotions vary, there’s a good chance you could find one that suits your vacation preferences.

You should also think about signing up for loyalty programs with hotels and airlines. This way, you’ll receive emails whenever they’re running a deal. If you have an airline credit card, make sure to book your flight with it so you receive benefits. Some banks even offer deals for their consumers flying certain airlines.

It’s important to be mindful of your travel timing. As mentioned earlier, some places are more expensive than others during certain seasons. There’s a good chance you could save a ton of money simply by traveling during the off-season.

Choosing a travel destination doesn’t have to be stressful. Using the tips above, you can plan a trip you and your travel companions are bound to enjoy.

The post How to Choose Your Perfect Vacation Destination appeared first on The Blog Herald.

As a first-time entrepreneur, you may assume you have everything under control when it comes to your new business’ financial budgeting. However, you may neglect a few crucial costs. Four common overlooked expenses for startups are listed below. You may miss these as a first-time entrepreneur.

1. Business Insurance

Business insurance is more expensive than you might expect, especially as you begin to hire staff.

When you hire staff, you might underestimate the cost of additional liabilities. These business insurance expenses include the following:

a) Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation costs represent the benefits you must pay to an employee who is unable to work (whether temporarily or permanently) because of an injury sustained on the job.

These expenses vary a great deal depending on your line of business and the number of employees.

For example, workers’ compensation policies for office personnel are typically far less expensive than policies covering tree trimmers. Since one field is far more likely than the other to sustain work-related injuries, the premiums are priced accordingly.

b) General Liability Policy

For the sake of your new business, you’ll possibly be required to carry a general liability insurance policy. This is an easy one to overlook when budgeting, especially if you don’t have physical premises.

The useful thing about general liability policies is that they can cover more than just property damage and injury.

Policies can also offer some protection against lawsuits related to libel, slander, defamation, or copyright infringement. For anyone taking part in marketing, blogging, or publishing, that coverage can be especially helpful.

2. Employer Payroll Taxes and Other Fees

New employers sometimes make the mistake of only accounting for wages in their overhead budget. While that is certainly a vital component, there is a multitude of other taxes and fees that rack up expenses. These include employer FICA taxes, federal and state unemployment taxes, and payroll processing fees.

To get a more accurate picture of your upcoming overhead costs, you can utilize a payroll calculator. Alternatively, you can request an estimate from your payroll processor.

Additional payroll costs certainly aren’t the only sneaky budget breakers, though.

With cash and check payments becoming increasingly rare, customers generally prefer electronic means of payment. While there are definite perks of this system, processing fees can really take a bite out of your profits.

Depending on the credit card, processing fees usually average from 1.5% to 3.5%. Of course, there are many options apart from credit cards. PayPal, international wiring companies, and payment plan facilitators such as Synchrony all have their own rates.

If you’re trying to determine your cash flow and don’t take these fees into consideration, you could come up short.

3. Software License and Subscription Fees

With the digitalization of various business operations, your business might need to turn to different computerized systems to help automate operations. These systems do not come without a price, of course, but you might forget to include the costs in your budget.

Most of these systems need to be paid monthly, quarterly, or annually. You will be required to pay a recurring subscription charge in order to access the product throughout the subscription period. If you stop paying for the subscription, you will lose access to the product.

On the other hand, you might choose to make a one-time payment for a perpetual license. With the license, you can keep the product and use it perpetually. However, after a specific period of time, you will no longer have access to continuous product updates or technical support.

For example, if you use QuickBooks only for bookkeeping rather than payroll, you might not need updates. If you use QuickBooks to run payroll, however, you will need to upgrade periodically to access current payroll tables and tax rates.

4. Annual Expenses

You can forget to include large annual expenses during your startup budget.

These are expenses or the estimated aggregate amounts to be incurred in connection with your company during the applicable calendar year. They include costs for business registration renewal, tax preparation, and personal property or real estate taxes.

a) Business Registration Renewal

Business registration fees are usually small, but they do vary by state.

While the amount is usually not one that is going to break the bank, it’s still something to account for. Failure to file on time will cost you fines, yet another of your overlooked expenses, so make sure to mark your calendar to renew.

b) Tax Preparation Costs

Tax preparation costs are the costs incurred in the preparation of your tax return for the year.

This might be negligible if you are confident in preparing your own return. If you engage the services of a CPA, however, this can run into hundreds or thousands of dollars.

In addition, the IRS requires Form 5500 tax returns for certain retirement plans. So if your startup wishes to offer a 401k plan to employees, that is another annual expense to consider.

c) Personal Property/Real Estate Taxes

You might also overlook personal property and real estate taxes in your startup budget. Depending on your state and local rates, real estate taxes alone can be substantial.

This typically only applies if you own a structure. Sometimes, however, you’ll factor these into monthly rent payments for leasees.

Personal property or use tax, in general, refers to assets other than land or permanent constructions.

Not every state requires this type of tax. Those that do, however, typically collect on large or expensive equipment. This would include construction equipment, dental x-ray machines, and other depreciable items.

The Bottom Line

It can be exhilarating to start a new business. However, getting caught up in the excitement and forgetting the intricacies of budgeting can lead to poor performance of the business.

So set aside some money for any unanticipated or forgotten expenses. The majority of businesses fail because they do not have enough cash on hand to deal with unanticipated challenges that arise during the business season.

If you want your new business to boom, pay attention to your budgeting process, account for overlooked expenses, and seek financial budgeting help from experts!

The post 4 Overlooked Expenses That Can Blow Your Startup Budget appeared first on The Blog Herald.