Number That Affect Your Daily LIfe

8 bad reasons to have sex

2008-09-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure you're well aware, there are many good reasons to have sex. In fact, sometimes you don't need any reason at all -- other than, say, loving your partner.

However, sometimes a lady finds herself doing all the right things for all the wrong reasons. That's what we're here to cover. So if you find yourself in any of the following situations, please extricate yourself as quickly as possible:

Revenge: The most popular very-wrong reason to have sex, revenge sex never ends well.

Hooking up with his best friend because you're angry at your boyfriend will get you nowhere. If you do manage to break up their friendship, then you're stuck with an untrustworthy dude (if he did it to him, he'll do it to you).

Even worse, there's always the (strong) possibility that he went right back and told his buddy and the two of them are now comparing notes over high-fives and hot wings.

Ego gratification: You must be fine if that scorching hot bartender took you home. Or not. Men have been known to do some unsavory things for physical gratification. The fact that he's willing and able doesn't say squat about your appeal.

Appliance envy: Your roommate "doesn't believe" in air conditioning. You can't afford premium cable and are addicted to "Weeds." You're desperate to try out Wii Fit. All of these desires are perfectly rational.

However, they are absolutely not worth the price of waking up next to someone you otherwise cannot stand. (Well, except for the AC, but that's only if it's above 100 Fahrenheit.)

Weight loss: Yes, you may have read those women's magazine articles about how being physically intimate can help you shed pounds. However, a 120-pound woman burns only 57 calories during 15 minutes of sex. That's less than half a Hostess Ho-Ho. The sweat could do nice things for your skin, but your waist will remain the same size.

Clarity: Ever since you were nine years old and saw that topless Kate Moss Calvin Klein ad, you've had a hunch you were same-sex oriented.

Unfortunately, the thought of sharing this with anyone scares you, so you get yourself a boyfriend. But you can't stop thinking about that ad....

Mercy: Empathy for a sad soul is one thing; holding an intimate pity party is quite another. Oh, and you know that saying, "no good deed goes unpunished?" It goes triple in this instance. Misery loves company -- good luck getting him out of your apartment.

Quid pro quo: I'm not knocking or talking about the sex professionals out there -- this is for the amateurs among us. Just because he bought you a lobster doesn't mean you need to give up dessert. Catch my drift?

Fame by association: He's famous, you want to be. Contrary to what you might've surmised from that old Pamela Des Barres book, "I'm With The Band: Confessions Of A Groupie," fame is not transmissible through intimate contact. However, lots of other things are, so watch out.

-By Judy McGuire

10 Ways to Avoid Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

2008-08-10T05:36:00.001-07:00

Spending hours sitting at computer, performing the same actions over and over again, puts us at risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI). It is most common among assembly line and computer workers. It is also a problem for guitarists who play with very tensed muscles.

Here is a list of 10 ways to keep you away from RSI - if you are working long hours in computer related job.

1. Take frequent breaks
It is a good idea to take regular breaks if you are required to use a comupter all day long. This not only gives you a chance to move around, but also rests the eyes.

2. Perform a few simple exercies
Take a look at the RSI exercises section of the Desktop Yoga website to learn some exercises you can perform at your desk to help combat RSI.

3. Use ergonomic devices
Ergonomic keyboards and mice help to minimise strain on the areas of the body most affected by RSI by ensuring that your hands and arms are correctly positioned.

4. Correctly position your monitor
If your monitor is positioned too high or too low, your neck will suffer from having to look up or down. Ideally your monitor should be placed around two feed away and positioned so that your eyes are level with the top third of the screen.

5. Consider voice-recognition Software
Typing can prove a real strain on your body, requiring repetitive movements from your fingers while your arms, neck and back remain tense. By switching to voice-recognition software, you can dictate documents and control Windows without needing to use a mouse and keyboard.

6. Ensure your set offers support
Your choice of seating is very important when it comes to comfort and posture. Adjustable seats can be positioned at the correct height to allow feed to sit flaton the floor, while arm rests help prevent shoulder strain.

7. Increase font sizes if necessary
If you need glasses, it’s important to wear them while using your computer to prevent eye strain. But if your eyes start to feed tired after sessions sat at the screen, it may be necessary to increase the size of fonts.

8. Use a laptop stand
Having your laptop in your lap while you work can lead to poor posture and place pressure on your hands. To get round this, invest in a laptop stand which can be used to raise the computer to a more usable position. Stands have the added benefit of shopping your legs from getting too hot.

9. Learn to touch type
Many people strike the keys of the keyboard too hard, which can place unnecessary strain on the fingers. Learning to thouch-type not only helps to stamp out this habit, but reduces the risk of neck injury that can arise from constantly looking up and down at the keyboard.

10. Reduce mouse clicking and movement
Mouse clicking and repetitive movements are bad news for hands. To reduce the amount of mouse movement and clicking needed to use Windows, install the free utility TweakUK. Activate the X-Mouse freature to make it easier to move between open windows.

5 Steps Off Page Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

2008-08-10T05:21:00.000-07:00

For those, who are not aware about Off-Page SEO, I would like to talk a little – Off-Page SEO helps your pages to have a good position in Search Engine Results Page (SERP) from outside of your website. Suppose you are searching for “Business Promotion” in Google. You will receive 26,100,00 pages as result. But some pages are coming in 1st page, some are in last page. So what’s making this difference? In simple words, both On-Page SEO & Off-Page SEO are all about Search Engine result positioning. You are confident about your pages, are highly optimized, you may now concentrate in Off-Page SEO.

Mostly Off-Page SEO techniques are all about link building methods. According to Google searching algorithm, “Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves “important” weigh more heavily and help to make other pages ‘important’”. So link building is very important targeting Google as major Search Engine.

Some people always try to promote others or their own services while writing article, or suggesting different services. As I do everything my own, and I’ve no other services, I’m not providing any links in SEO techniques. Please search services, directories in Google … you will find thousands of them.

Here is some popular link building techniques:

Directory Submission
On doubt, this is the most popular and well practiced ways to have quality backlinks. There are thousands of web directories over internet. These web directories offer free links or paid links. If you have a good amount of money for Directory Submission, you may choose high traffic directories, they start charging you from $15 to $100 for a certain period. Search engine bots frequently visit well known directories, so you will have good change to have quality backlinks within a short time. Please keep in mind to place your link in right category / niche of directories. Search engines always prefer links from related category.
There are lots of companies, people are charging a small amount of money to submit your website in different forums. But please before paying them money, check their previous records, provide them your website title, keywords, description etc.
Article / Blog Submission
This is a very useful but highly appreciated technique. Suppose you have a website about “Cricket Accessories”, so you may write article about cricket accessories and place your product links in appropriate positions. You may talk about what good about your products, what benefits your customers will have if they buy accessories from your etc. Again you may create a new section in your website – blog section. You can write daily, weekly or monthly about your services, products and place your links. This will help your pages to be indexed soon and come up in SERP.
You may search for freelance article writer in Google, paying them a generous money, they will write articles of your own chosen topic.

Signature Posting
Internet is an amazing place. There is always someone there for you to help. And this concept has created forums. Forums are off different kinds of – computer forums, fashion forums, doctors’ forums etc. If you became a member of forums related to your website’s niche, most of the forums will allow you to place your website links after a certain amount of postings. This is a very good way to have backlinks too from related topics. Even you have not enough time to post, you may find members in forums selling place in their signature – it may start from $10/month with 1000+ post count. That means, if you are paying $10 / month, you getting potentially 1000 links. Though not always works like that.

Link Exchange
After last year, Google changed it’s algorithm, most popular ways of SEO, Link Exchange has lost it’s popularity. Usually people used to request similar website’s owners to exchange links between their websites. That means Site A will place Site B link in it’s website and Site B will place Site A link it’s website. Now a days, new means of Link exchange is taking place – 3 ways Link exchange, so that Google and other search engine have little idea of link exchange. According to that Site A will place Site B link, Site B will place site C link, Site C will place Site A link!

Social Bookmarking
This is gaining popularity, as it not only a means of backlinks but also generates huge number of potential web traffic. Recently I’ve wrote an article on Do Follow Social Bookmarking sites, you may find it interesting. Digg, Stumbleupon, Technorati, Del.icio.us are very well-known bookmarking sites, but except Digg, all of them do not allow dofollow links. So you may try other dofollow bookmarking sites if you are looking for backings; link Spurl, Mister Wong, Backflip, Bibsonomy etc. Otherwise you should use previously mensioned bookmarking sites for traffic.

Most important factors in achieving backlinks are links from related topic and anchor text. You should always research about your keywords and place keywords, of course in meaning full way in anchor links.

Hopefully, this article will help you to start your SEO journey. SEO is a long process, so please have patience and try all the techniques, ultimately you will have success.

Career Advice : 10 More Part-Time Gigs to Pad Your Wallet

2008-08-10T05:18:00.000-07:00

Unless you’ve recently won the lottery, it’s probably safe to say you wouldn’t be opposed to making more money if you could. But like most things in life, nothing comes that easy. You’ve gotta work for it.

Whether you’re working full time and need help making ends meet or the nine-to-five grind just isn’t your scene, part-time jobs are something for you to explore. These positions allow you to earn a regular (albeit reduced) paycheck, work fewer hours and still fill a potential void on your résumé.

Part-time jobs are defined as working one to 34 hours per week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2006, nearly 25 million people worked part time at an average of 21 hours per week.

Here are 10 great part-time jobs that require short or moderate on-the-job training and in which at least 20 percent of workers were part-time in 2006, according to the BLS. They pay well, offer flexible schedules and most are expected to grow in both demand and the amount of job openings over the next 10 years.

1. Animal trainer
What they do: Trainers teach animals obedience, performance and security by conditioning them to their owners and to commands.
What the hours are: Animal care workers tend to work unusual hours, which usually cater to their clients. Hours may include nights and weekends.
What they earn: $14.39/hour

2. Restaurant cook
What they do: Restaurant cooks prepare a wide selection of individual dishes that cater to a menu. Other kinds of cooks, such as fast-food or short-order cooks, may prepare a limited selection of meals in mass quantity.
What the hours are: In 2006, about 29 percent of cooks and 44 percent of food preparation workers had part-time schedules, working such hours as early mornings, late evenings, holidays and weekends.
What they earn: $10.11/hour

3. Teller
What they do: Tellers usually work in banks, handling cash transactions, receiving and paying out money.
What the hours are: With about 25 percent of tellers working part-time, they can pick shifts during standard business hours during the week and on Saturdays.
What they earn: $10.97/hour, though wages vary with experience, region, city, and type and size of establishment.

4. Medical assistant
What they do: Under a physician’s supervision, med assistants schedule appointments, maintain records, take and record vital signs and medical histories, prepare patients for exams, draw blood and administer medications.
What the hours are: Though medical facilities are open during standard business hours, medical assistants can choose their part-time hours.
What they earn: $13.07/hour

5. Hotel, motel and resort desk clerks
What they do: Desk clerks register and assign rooms to guests, dispense room keys, transmit and receive messages, keep records of occupied rooms and guests’ accounts, and confirm reservations.
What the hours are: Hotels are open all day every day, which gives desk clerks options for daytime, evening, overnight or weekend hours.
What they earn: $9.37/hour

6. Psychiatric aides
What they do: Psychiatric aides care for and assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, helping them dress, bathe and interact with others. Aides work under the direction of nursing and medical staff.
What the hours are: In 2006, 23 percent of aides worked part time, though because patients need 24-hour care, aides can choose to work evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
What they earn: $12.01/hour

7. Tour guides and escorts
What they do: Accompany individuals and/or groups on sightseeing tours or through other areas of interest.
What the hours are: Hours will vary based on what kind of establishment is toured.
What they earn: $10.73/hour

8. Teacher assistants
What they do: Help teachers educate children in classrooms, through programs, classes and lesson plans.
What the hours are: Four in 10 teaching assistants work part time during the traditional nine- to 10-month school year.
What they earn: $11.39/hour

9. File clerks
What they do: File clerks organize such information as mail, invoices and receipts that come into and are generated by organizations.
What the hours are: About 25 percent of file clerks work part time and can choose their hours based on their employer.
What they earn: $11.32/hour

10. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
What they do: Interviewers ask people specific questions, record their answers, help them complete forms, applications or questionnaires.
What the hours are: Interviewers work during the week, but evening and weekend work is sometimes required.
What they earn: $13.07/hour

Source : Read More

10 Tips for Managing Your Career in a Fierce Market

2008-08-10T05:13:00.000-07:00

We’re hearing job loss reports almost nonstop these days – from Congress, presidential candidates, the Federal Reserve chairman and business experts. The U.S. economy lost approximately 160,000 jobs in the first quarter of 2008. But how does that translate to you?

“The job loss reported in the first quarter signified a gradual deceleration in recruitment in the U.S. as the nation’s economy downshifted,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com.

“In the next three months, employers anticipate marginal change in their hiring pace. While some industries are experiencing a contraction in employment levels, areas such as information technology, health care, professional and business services and sales continue to add full-time jobs.”

In the latest Job Forecast from CareerBuilder.com and USA Today, 29 percent of employers plan to grow their number of full-time, permanent employees from April through June while 59 percent anticipate no change and 6 percent expect to decrease head count. Six percent are unsure.

Certain industries and functions continue to outpace other areas in terms of producing new jobs. Forty-five percent of IT employers expect to add full-time, permanent employees in the second quarter followed by 36 percent in sales, 32 percent in professional and business services and 30 percent in large health-care organizations.

Eleven percent of hiring managers reported there were layoffs at their locations in the first quarter. Seven percent anticipate there will be layoffs in the next three months. Eighty-three percent expect no change while 10 percent are unsure.

So while hiring is slowing, there are still open positions. Here are 10 tips for managing your career in a fierce market.

1. Be the best you can be within your profession. Since the competition for jobs is so fierce, candidates need to demonstrate how they can add value to an organization. What are your key selling points that distinguish you from the competition? This is important not only for those looking for a job, but also for those who wish to keep their current jobs.

2. Brand yourself. What do you stand for? How are you marketing yourself? This is the time to be public in your search. Are you creating demand for your services and expertise?

3. Network constantly and consistently. Try joining a business networking site like LinkedIn. You can never have enough friends or colleagues who will go to bat for you.

4. Develop an ongoing relationship with a qualified recruiter with whom you feel comfortable. Being included in a database isn’t enough. Your goal is to become the candidate of choice for that hidden job opening.

5. There has been an increased use of freelancers. As such, candidates need to be more entrepreneurial, whether they are self-employed or work for an agency or corporation. Sologig.com is a site that hosts jobs just for freelancers and contractors.

6. If you are out of work, form a “consortium” with other professionals where you can complement each other’s skills and offer services to clients.

7. Embrace change. You don’t want to be left behind. Keep your skills up to date. Consider creating a personal Web site or taking a class.

8. Prepare for an evolving job market. Look for trends in the areas of increased hiring. Growth industries and areas include health care, education and green living.

9. Your résumé is your own personal advertisement. Make sure it highlights your accomplishments with quantifiable results, not merely details your job description.

10. Candidates whose backgrounds don’t match client credentials or job requirements won’t get much attention. Pay attention to the employer’s specs or job posting and respond accordingly.

Source : Read More

Save Money On Gas - 7 tips (& three myths) to keep fuel costs down

2008-08-10T05:12:00.001-07:00

The best way to burn less fuel is to buy a car that gets better gas mileage. But our tests with a Toyota Camry and other vehicles show there are ways to minimize what you spend at the pump with your current car.

1. Drive at a moderate speed. This is the biggest factor. You may have to be a little patient, but driving at 55 mph instead of 65 or 75 will save you money. When we increased the Camry’s highway cruising speed from 55 mph to 65, the car’s fuel economy dropped from 40 mpg to 35. Speeding up to 75 mph cost the car another 5 mpg. One reason is that aerodynamic drag increases exponentially the faster you drive; it simply takes more fuel to power the car through the air.

2. Drive smoothly. Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. In our tests, frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced the Camry’s mileage by 2 to 3 mpg. Once up to speed on the highway, maintain a steady pace in top gear. Smooth acceleration, cornering, and braking also extend the life of the engine, transmission, brakes, and tires.

3. Reduce unnecessary drag. At highway speeds, more than 50 percent of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. So don’t carry things on top of your vehicle when you don’t have to. Installing a large Thule Cascade 1700 car-top carrier on our Camry dropped its gas mileage from 35 mpg to 29 at 65 mph. Even driving with empty racks on the car reduces its fuel economy.

4. Don’t use premium fuel if you don’t have to. If your car specifies regular fuel, don’t buy premium under the mistaken belief that your engine will run better. The only difference you’ll see is about 20 cents more per gallon. Most cars are designed to run just fine on regular gasoline. Even many cars for which premium is recommended will run well on regular. We have found that the differences are imperceptible during normal driving. Check your owner’s manual to find out if your engine really requires premium or if you can run on other grades.

5. Minimize driving with a cold engine. Engines run most efficiently when they’re warm. In our city-driving tests, making multiple short trips and starting the engine from cold each time reduced fuel economy by almost 4 mpg. Engines also produce more pollution and wear faster when they’re cold. When possible, combine several short trips into one so that the engine stays warm.

6. Keep tires properly inflated. The Camry experienced a 1.3 mpg loss in highway fuel economy when the tires were underinflated by 10 psi. More important, underinflated tires compromise handling and braking, and wear faster. And they run much hotter, which can lead to tire failure. Check the pressure of your vehicle’s tires at least once a month with a tire gauge. The owner’s manual explains how to do it.

7. Buy tires with lower rolling resistance. A tire’s rolling resistance can add or detract another 1 or 2 mpg. In our tire ratings, look for high-rated tires with low rolling resistance. They generally won’t cost more, and replacing a worn tire could save you more than $100 a year in fuel.

8. Avoid idling for long periods. Think of it this way: When you’re idling, your car is getting zero miles per gallon. When we let a Buick Lucerne, with a V8, idle for 10 minutes while warming up, it burned about an eighth of a gallon of gas. A smaller engine would probably burn less, but idling still adds up over time. As a rule, turn off your engine if you expect to sit for more than about 30 seconds. An engine warms up faster as it’s driven anyway.

MYTH BUSTERS

1. Morning fill-ups. A common tip is to buy gasoline in the morning, when the air is cool, rather than in the heat of the day. The theory is that the cooler gasoline will be denser, so you will get more for your money. But the temperature of the gasoline coming out of the fuel nozzle changes very little, if at all, during any 24-hour stretch. Any extra gas you get will be negligible.

2. Air conditioning vs. opening windows. Some people advise you not to run the air conditioner because it puts more of a load on the engine, which can decrease fuel economy. But others say that opening the windows at highway speeds can affect gas mileage even more by disrupting the vehicle’s aerodynamics. Our tests show that neither makes enough of a difference to worry about. Using air conditioning while driving at 65 mph reduced the Camry’s gas mileage by about 1 mpg. The effect of opening the windows at 65 mph was not even measurable.

3. A dirty air filter. Our tests show that driving with a dirty air filter no longer has any impact on fuel economy, as it did with older engines. That’s because modern engines use computers to precisely control the air/fuel ratio, depending on the amount of air coming in through the filter. Reducing airflow causes the engine to automatically reduce the amount of fuel being used. Fuel economy didn’t change, but the Camry accelerated much more slowly with a dirty filter.

Source : Read More

Health Tips : 10 Foods That Build Bones

2008-08-10T05:06:00.000-07:00

Health Tips : 10 Foods That Build Bones :

1. Alaskan King Crab
High in protein and low in fat, the sweet flesh of the king crab is spiked with zinc — a whopping 7 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving. “Zinc is an antioxidant, but more important, it helps support healthy bone mass and immune function,” says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles.

“Several studies have linked adequate zinc intake to increased immunity and decreased incidences of respiratory infection.” And you can reap all these benefits by swapping one of your weekly fish meals for a six-ounce serving of crab.

2. Dried Plums
Also known as prunes, these dark shrivelers are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis. “They also contain a fiber called inulin, which, when broken down by intestinal bacteria, makes for a more acidic environment in the digestive tract,” says Bowerman. “That, in turn, facilitates calcium absorption.” Enjoy four or five a day to strengthen your bones and boost your energy.

3. Bok Choy
This crunchy cruciferous vegetable is more than the filler that goes with shrimp in brown sauce. “Bok choy is rich in bone-building calcium, as well as vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, beta-carotene, and potassium,” says celebrity trainer Teddy Bass. Potassium keeps your muscles and nerves in check while lowering your blood pressure, and research suggests that beta-carotene can reduce the risk of both lung and bladder cancers, as well as macular degeneration. Shoot for a cup a day.

4. Oysters
Shellfish, in general, is an excellent source of zinc, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, potassium, and selenium. “But the creamy flesh of oysters stands apart for its ability to elevate testosterone levels and protect against prostate cancer,” says Bass. “They aren’t a food most people will eat regularly, but getting five into your diet twice a week will make your weekends more fun.”

5. Bananas
Athletes and performers are familiar with the calming effect of bananas — a result of the fruit’s high concentration of tryptophan, a building block of serotonin. But their real benefit comes from potassium, an electrolyte that helps prevent the loss of calcium from the body.

“Bananas also bolster the nervous system, boost immune function, and help the body metabolize protein,” says Bass. “One banana packs a day’s worth of potassium, and its carbohydrate content speeds recovery after strenuous exercise.”

6. Kiwis
Like bananas, this fuzzy fruit is high in bone-protecting potassium. “They’re also rich in vitamin C and lutein, a carotenoid that can help reduce the risk of heart disease,” says Bowerman. “I try to eat at least one or two a week after exercising.” Freeze them for a refreshing energy kick, but don’t peel the skin: It’s edible and packed with nutrients.

7. Broccoli
Our president’s dad may hate this cruciferous all-star, but one cup of broccoli contains a hearty dose of calcium, as well as manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. And that’s in addition to its high concentration of vitamins — including A, C, and K — and the phytonutrient sulforaphane, which studies at Johns Hopkins University suggest has powerful anticancer properties.

“One cup a day will do the trick,” says Bowerman. Try cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, or cabbage for variation, as all possess many of the same nutritional qualities. “Broccoli may also help reduce excess estrogen levels in the body, thanks to its indole 3-carbinol content,” says celebrity trainer Gunnar Petersen.

8. Spinach
A renowned muscle builder, spinach is also rich in vitamin K, which has been shown to bolster bone-mineral density (thus protecting against osteoporosis) and reduce fracture rates. Spinach is also high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and even selenium, which may help protect the liver and ward off Alzheimer’s.

One more reason to add it to your diet: A study in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that the carotenoid neoxanthin in spinach can kill prostate cancer cells, while the beta-carotene fights colon cancer. “Popeye was on to something,” says Bowerman. “Eat one cup of cooked spinach, or two cups raw, four times a week.”

9. Leeks
These scallion-like cousins of garlic and onions are packed with bone-bolstering thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium. Leeks are also rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that studies have shown to lower levels of the artery-damaging amino acid homocystein in the blood.

What’s more, “Leeks can support sexual functioning and reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” says Michael Dansinger, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and an obesity researcher at Tufts-New England Medical Center, in Boston. “Chop the green part of a medium leek into thin ribbons and add it to soups, sautés, and salads as often as possible.”

10 Artichokes
Lauded for centuries as an aphrodisiac, this fiber-rich plant contains more bone-building magnesium and potassium than any other vegetable. Its leaves are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols — antioxidants that can cut the risk of stroke — and vitamin C, which helps maintain the immune system. “Eat them as often as you can,” says Bowerman. Ripe ones feel heavy for their size and squeak when squeezed.

Source : Read More

Tax Tips : 5 tax myths that can cost you money

2008-08-10T05:01:00.000-07:00

We all think we know the parts of the tax code that affect us. But do we really? If you believe some of these myths, you could pay more tax than you should.

Santa Claus. The tooth fairy. Babe Ruth pointing to where he would hit a home run in the 1932 World Series. Someone who knocks on your door, smiles and announces, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help you.”

Our culture is full of myths. And our tax system is full of myths, half-truths and untruths that can cost you big bucks if you don’t understand the rules.

So, let’s have a look at some of the bigger myths about taxes. If I’ve done my job properly, I’ll show you how they can trap you and how you can save money by separating myth from reality. And if you find you need more help, check the MSN Money site for more information, or consult a tax professional.

Myth 1: Students are exempt.

Lots of people believe there’s an exemption for students that excludes them from tax. Wrong, scholarship breath!

There’s no special tax status afforded to students. They are subject to tax on all their income, regardless of how many credits they’re taking or whether or not they’re fully matriculated.

Students do get special tax credits, the Hope Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit. In addition, distributions from a Section 529 Plan are now tax-free. But their income is subject to tax, just like the rest of us.

Many a student who works over the summer checks the box “exempt” on her W-4. If she had no taxable income last year and doesn’t expect to have any this year, that’s OK. But let’s say she earns more than $5,350 in 2007 and $5,450 in 2008. And let’s say she is claimed as a dependent on her parents’ return. She will owe tax and penalties if she owes more than $1,000 or actually fails to file. Don’t get caught in this trap.

Myth 2. My child is working. So, I can’t claim him as my dependent.

Again, pure myth. As long as you provide more than half that child’s support (and meet other qualifications such as citizenship and relationship), the child qualifies as your dependent, and you can deduct, for example, all the medical costs you paid for that child.

Remember, support is what’s spent, not what’s earned. So, let’s say your child makes millions as a teenage fashion model. If she banks all the cash and you actually shell out the dough to support her profession, you’ve provided 100% of that child’s support.

You can also qualify for a personal exemption for that child if the child doesn’t earn more than the value of that exemption — $3,400 for 2007 and $3,500 for 2008. This income test doesn’t apply to whether the child qualifies as your dependent, nor does it apply if the child is under age 19 or is a full-time student under age 24.

A child qualifies as a full-time student if, during each of any five months of the calendar year, he or she (a) is in full-time attendance at an educational institution or (b) is taking a full-time course of instructional or farm training.

Myth 3. I’m over age 55, so I can sell my house tax-free.

Wrong again, graybeard! You’re thinking old law.

It used to be that if you were older than 55, you could exclude as much as $125,000 in gains from taxes, but only once. Now the rules are even better.

Under current law, age no longer matters. If the property sold was your principal residence for at least two out of the last five years, then you can exclude from tax as much as $250,000 in gain (and $500,000 on a joint return).

Your age is irrelevant, and you can take the gain exclusion every two years if you qualify. By the same token, if your property appreciates by $250,000 to $500,000 every two years, give me a call. I could use your help in finding a new house.

Myth 4. I can deduct my sales taxes.

This is a funny one. You hadn’t been able to deduct any sales taxes for purchases made for personal use since 1986.

But the deduction has made a comeback of sorts. Starting in 2004 and renewed for returns filed for 2006 and 2007, you can deduct your sales taxes from your taxes or your state income taxes but not both. If you live in seven states — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming — you just got a nice deduction. You don’t pay income taxes in those states.

Don’t get too chummy with this break if you live in one of those states. Congress will be asked to renew it before the end of 2008. It probably will happen, but, if the last renewal is any guide, it may get hung up in political fights.

Now, what about sales taxes paid on purchases made in the course of business? Easy. If you pay sales tax on an item bought for business and if the item itself would be allowed as a business deduction, then the sales tax on that item would be allowed as well — no matter what.

Myth 5. I’m married, so I have to file a joint return.

Again, not true. If you’re married, you can always file “Married Filing Separately.” That normally results in your paying more in taxes. But in some situations, it can be to your advantage.

For example, if one spouse has substantial medical or miscellaneous deductions, those deductions are subject to the 7.5% and 2% floors respectively. That is, only medical expenses over 7.5% of adjusted gross income and miscellaneous deductions over 2% of adjusted gross income are deductible. If I had $10,000 in income and my spouse had $90,000 in income, the first $7,500 in medical expenses and the first $2,000 in miscellaneous expenses aren’t allowed.

But if I filed as “Married Filing Separately,” the disallowance would only apply to the first $750 in medical expenses and the first $200 in miscellaneous itemized expenses. The potential availability of $8,550 ($7,500 plus $2,000, less the sum of $750 and $200) in additional deductions could offset the bracket and other limitations of filing separately.

Do it both ways, and see which gives you the lowest total tax. You can change your filing status annually.

I should add a caveat on this filing myth. If you’re married, you normally can’t file as single or head of household. But let’s say you’re married but separated, and you have a child. There’s a special rule that will let you file as a head of household.

You can qualify as an “abandoned spouse” if your spouse didn’t live with you for the last six months of the year and you have a child living with you who qualifies as your dependent. If so, you can file as head of household rather than jointly or married filing separately.

Run the numbers and see which produces the lowest tax bill.

Our tax code is complicated and changes with painful regularity. Many of the old rules are remembered and distorted into myths. Don’t get caught in the trap of using the wrong rules. That can cost you big!

Source: 5 tax myths that can cost you money