NEW BLOG!

Okay, for those of you who actually read my blog, I am moving everything to encompass some broader interests. Please send me your blog links, and continue to read my posts at Catie in the OKC. Thank you all for reading on here, and I hope you will all follow me to my new and BETTER blog!

-C-

 

COTW: Help Others, Help Yourself

Before I begin this post, let me just say that since October is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month AND Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I urge you to look through my past posts and to continually keep these causes in mind during October (and hopefully during the other 11 months of the year).

I decided to post today on ways your charitable contributions can also benefit you. Yes, I believe that we should give because we have been given, and that “to whom much has been given, much will be required.” But I also stress that you should keep track of any chartiable contributions you make. Any donation, so long as it is money or something physical or tangible, can be deducted from your taxes. See, here’s how it works: you give to someone else, the government gives to you. Simple, right? But there are a few things to keep in mind:

• You must itemize your deductions. I take my taxes to an accountant, along with a huge envelope of receipts and check stubs, but if you do your own taxes (you must not have student loans, believe me, they make taxes impossible to do yourself!), you can claim your deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A. So be sure to keep your receipts, and ask for documentation when donating!
• You must actually donate cash or property (Pledging doesn’t count until you actually pay).
• You must contribute to a qualified tax-exempt organization. Every organization should be able to tell you if they are tax-exempt.
• You must be able to itemize (Ex: if you take clothes or furniture to the Salvation Army, they will sign off on an itemized list of your items, but not just a blank form).
• You must be able to back up your itemizations with proper records and documentation. Like I said, keep all of your receipts, otherwise it won’t count.

For more explanations and examples, CLICK HERE. All advice was taken from word-of-mouth and about.com.

What questions do you have about tax deductions and charitable contributions?

-C-

 

Recipe: Easy Turkey Chili

This recipe is super easy, and kind of a cheater, but it makes great-tasting chili that’s perfect to eat in cold weather with some cider or a nice beer!

SUPER Easy Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

- 2 cans of Wolf brand turkey chili

- 1 lb. of ground turkey

- 3 or 4 tomatoes

- 1 or 2 red onions

- 1 bag cheddar/colby jack shredded cheese

- 1 tub light or FF sour cream

- 1 bottle of an IPA beer, such as Thunder Head Indian Pale Ale

Instructions:

1) Brown turkey. Add spices such as salt and pepper, ground red pepper, garlic salt, and Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning, to taste. Drain liquid, transfer to soup pot.

2) Add both cans of turkey chili. Cook on medium heat. After a few minutes, add the whole bottle of beer. Stir occasionally.

3) While chili is warming, chop tomatoes and onions. If you’re like my husband, you’ll want to leave the tomatoes on the side. However, if you like tomatoes, go ahead and add them and a handful of onions to the chili.

4) Stir the chili occasionally, leaving on medium heat, for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend. You can also do this in a slow cooker. Basically, the longer you cook it, the better the flavors blend.

5) Serve 1 cup in a large bowl. Top with a spoonful of red onions, a handful of cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.

I also recommend cornbread to dip in the chili. I’ve made jalapeno corn bread before, and last night I served it with crescent rolls and a beer.

Bon Apetit!

-C-

 

COTW: Komen Foundation

If you don’t already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. So this week’s charity is one that (hopefully) we’re all familiar with: The Susan G. Komen foundation. This foundation was started by Susan’s family after she fought tirelessly to overcome her breast cancer. Although Susan lost her battle, her sister promised to spend her life trying to help others overcome this disease.

There are many ways to help the Komen foundation. You can sign up to run (or walk) in Race for the Cure. Dallas has a 3-Day walk that raises a ton of money. Also, you can drop Lids from specially-marked yogurt containers. You can just donate some cash, or, now many banks (including Bank of America and Midfirst Bank) are offering special debit cards. Every time you swipe your Pink debit card, the bank will donate a specified amount to breast cancer research. I’ve had mine for about a year, and not only do I get tons of compliments on having a cute pink bank card, I also know that I’m helping someone without even having to think about it.

Visit the site today, to see what is going on in your area, and to find out how you can help. The majority of you, my lovely readers, are women, and most of us will be affected by breast cancer in some way during our lives.  This is a cause we should all be fighting for.

 

Cool New Tool for Avid (or Not So Avid) Readers

Have you ever found yourself finishing a book, only to feel lost as to what to read next? It happens to me all the time. Sometimes I dread finishing a book because I don’t know the next time I will find such a good read, something so intriguing that it holds my attention throughout the whole book. I’ve done the thing where I go to Barnes & Noble and head straight for the “Featured Books” and the “Current Recommendations” tables. That has more often than not led to disappointment. Not that there aren’t great books on these tables – they just usually aren’t books that I’m in the mood to read at that time. So they pile up on my bookshelf, unread, until a few months (or years) down the road I pick them up again. I probably have 20 books that are dog-eared at about page 45, because that’s how far I got before I went out and sought another book.

ANYWAY, if you are often at a loss for books to read, head over to What Should I Read Next? This is a great site that lets you enter a book title (enter your favorite book or one you just finished reading) and gives you a list of books that you might like based on your selection! Even better – I entered the title of a book I didn’t particularly enjoy reading (see: it was BORING), and it gave me a list of books that I know not to read!

What books did you find? Let me know what you’re reading and what this site led you to! I love feedback!

-C-

 

Charity of the Week: Loving Soles

This week’s charity (month’s, if you’re keeping track) is going to Loving Soles, Inc.. This is a great charity, based out of Houston, TX, that gives new or gently used shoes to those in need (mainly in Mexico). The charity’s founder is a woman whose parents have spent years in Mexico ministering and providing foot care and surgery to those who would not otherwise be able to access it or afford it.

Through the Loving Soles website, you can donate money or shoes to help this amazing cause. Many of these people have to have surgery because they have never been able to afford shoes. This charity can help prevent the pain cause by foot ailments and surgery, and help those who have had surgery to heal quickly and be able to avoid more pain.

Please spread the word. Maybe this month, instead of getting a pedicure, you could donate $20 to this great cause?

Also, if you have charity ideas or contribute to a charity I’ve featured, please leave a comment. I’d love to know that these posts aren’t falling on deaf ears. I know you are all amazing people and would love to see your gifts and acts!

-C-

 

Why I Haven’t Been Around Lately

Okay so I know I took some time to put up a few quick posts apologizing for my absence and giving a half-hearted effort at posting the COTW, but now I can finally let you guys know what I’ve been doing.

Last week I was in Baltimore for the National Association of College Admissions Counselors national conference. Since we work with colleges and universities, this is our prime opportunity to interact with our clients and meet potential new clients. This was a very exciting conference for us, because we unveiled what we have been tirelessly working on: our new iPhone App for schools!

Video here:

Yes, I helped build that. Not all the code and stuff, that was left up to programmers. But I got to help “make it look pretty.” And I absolutely love it.

SO if you know anyone who works at a college or university, we would love to talk to them. I know it’s a shameless plug, but as a college alumna, I would L*O*V*E it if my alma mater had an iPhone app. Wouldn’t YOU?

Anyway, I’ve been helping work on that, and now it’s out there in the market, so hopefully I’ll have time to write on here some more.

Take care!

-C-

 

COTW: RAINN

I know I have been MIA lately and I apologize profusely. I am in the midst of moving and just found out we’re changing our move date to TOMORROW instead of Friday, so this is my 5 minute break from running around like a chicken with my head cut off we moved a day earlier than planned, so I had taken a bit of time to post a Charity of the Week. (Also, I apologize for not posting anything, even a charity, last week.)

The Charity of the Week this last week (but let’s carry it into this week) is:

 

My good friend Mel suggested this cause to me (suggestions/comments/questions are always welcome!) and I had to move it above a couple of other philanthropies on my list. It is such a good cause and yet another way that we can all help, whether by giving money, time, or just by spreading the word. Christina Ricci is the spokesperson for RAINN, and I have tremendous respect for her. I have tremendous respect for any actor or celebrity who use their fame for good.

Since school is starting this month, RAINN is presenting National Campus Safety Awareness Month. Let’s promote campus safety as students go back to school. Encourage college-age women you know to carry their cell phones and keys with them when they leave a building (rather than become distracted by digging through their purses), to use the buddy system, and to always let people know where they are going and when they plan to return. Small acts such as this that are normally taken for granted could save lives.

So this week (and month) let’s spread the word for RAINN.

 

Charity of the Week: 6 in 1

Okay so obviously that isn’t the name of the charity. However, if you click on THIS LINK, it will take you to The Breast Cancer Site. Then if you click on the button, sponsors help pay for mammograms for women. Mammograms can lead to early detection of breast cancer and exponentially increase a woman’s chances of survival. ALSO (and here’s the realllly cool part), you can click on 5 other tabs at the top of the page and click to help donate to the rain forest, literacy, hunger, child health, and animal rescue (and who doesn’t want to help with ALL of those??)!

Click the Button!

 

COTW: the ONE campaign

Obviously, I’m a big fan of celebs, so this week I am featuring a charity that many celebrities are involved with: the ONE campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to end extreme poverty and preventable disease throughout the world (currently most specifically targeted in African countries). ONE acts to hold leaders accountable, works for fair trade and supports aid and democracy. As their site says,

At ONE, we believe the fight against poverty is not about charity, but about justice and equality.

What I like about ONE is that they aren’t just asking for money. ONE asks you to help in any way you can. Volunteer some time. Post a link to their site. Spread the word. Sign petitions to senators. There are SO many ways you can make a difference by acting with and through ONE. Why don’t you start today?