Tax return to spend?

April 15, 2014
5 Bikey Uses For Your Tax Return

Ben Franklin
The average tax return is around $3,000; and around 80% of filers qualify for a refund. So what to do when that chunk of change hits your bank account?

1) Put some of it into your retirement account. This is, admittedly, the most boring thing to do with that nice wad of cash. But as contributing to retirement is one of the top ten things people HATE to spend money on, slicing a little off the top of this check before you splurge is the smartest thing you can do. If you sock $1,750 into the IRA you can still afford a nice, new Surly Cross-Check do-it-all, steel frame bike.

2) Yes, give yourself a bike. Or even better, give a bicycle to someone else. The Portland-based Community Cycling Center gives away multitudes of bikes to local Oregon kids each year; World Bicycle Relief provides specially designed bikes to the developing world, and Global Giving helps girls continue to get to school by giving them bicycles…each $50 buys one girl one bike, with $2,950 left over for you.

3) Splurge on a helmet you love big time. Ben above is wearing one of the new Nutcase Gen3 helmets – the Pink Cheetah – now hitting your favorite bike store. Gen 3 sports a lightweight, detachable visor to keep the rain – and the sun – out of your eyes.

4) Buy Two Google Glass headsets. They are released tomorrow for a one-day only sale, at the cool, cool price of $1,500. So you can get two.

5) Sing for your supper. Tax Day can mean special deals and rebates, mostly free fast food and snacks. But Hard Rock Café will pay for your entrée from their new menu if you are willing to pick up a microphone and sing on stage.