Five gift ideas for your loved ones

 

It is winter and almost Christmas time! We all know what it means - time for Christmas shopping for gifts for the family, the loved ones, relatives and so on. Of course it is even better to use your tax refunded money for that purpose but let's see if we can help with the following ideas – in case you are still undecided.

1. Watches.

In most of the situations a stylish rosegold watch should be a great gift for most of the women and it can be found for around $100 depending on the brand.

When we talk about men, the gold isn't the best choice, so it would be good to consider purchasing a smart watch instead. The price is similar, mainly depending on the brand and features.

2. Video games.

With the release of Xbox One and PS4 a good variety of next-generation video games are going to be released as well – for example Destiny, Watch Dogs, Titanfall and others so consider pre-ordering those and getting a hefty discount. If your beloved ones didn't had the chance of getting a new console and still miss some current generation titles - Battlefield 4, Grand Theft Auto 5, Bioshock Infinite, Tomb Rider and a lot more are here to stay!

3. Throw up a surprise party.

In order this to work out completely, you should, at least, keep it secret until the very end. The more the people involved, the merrier!

4. Books.

Having a good book as a present with signed title page is extremely sweet and simple (in a nice way) present. Of course, you can consider swapping this with a E-book reader if it looks like a more suitable gift to you.

5. Universal charger.

No doubt that with all those tech gadgets and devices around us, the only constant concern is...battery life. You can choose from wide variety of chargers that can use solar energy, kinetic energy (motion), ones that are suitable for backpacks, bikes, etc. The choice is yours, depending on the person you are making this gift for.

Another government shutdown evaded with budget deal?

The United States Congressional budget committee reached to a budget agreement in Tuesday for reducing the federal deficit with $23 billion while not raising the taxes. If this is approved by the Congress, another shutdown scenario will be avoided as the government funding will run out on 15th of January 2014.

As you remember, the previous federal government shutdown of 2013 was from October 1st through 16th and is still unclear if IRS will delay the new tax-filling season with a week or two as previously predicted.


Paul Ryan, Chairman of the Congressional budget committee commented that the deal “cuts spending in a smarter way." It will also prevent budget clashes and possible shutdowns for the next two years. The Senate Budget Committee with Chairman Patty Murray said that "we have broken through the partisanship and the gridlock."


Before going to the White House for President Barack Obama's signature, the new budget agreement must be passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate. The voting should be carried by the end of this week.

Related articles:
After the Shutdown, the new tax season starts late
Budget cuts and ID thefts causes delays for the IRS

Yet another Black Friday result – people are buying silver and gold with bitcoins

After this year's Black Friday, Business Insider came with an article about the rather interesting preference of some customers. It happened that a lot of people used the so popular lately electronic money currency – Bitcoin – to actually buy silver and gold bars and coins!

This specific buy is reasonable in terms of the relative stability that the gold and silver has to offer. It also supports the trend revealed by Coindesk that Bitcoin actually is getting more and more popular with more than 1000 businesses worldwide accepting this payment method. The current mid-market rate for 5th of December 2013 for 1,00 Bitcoin is 1,011.40 USD.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency, bitcoins aren't actually money, as they should be treated like a non-legal currency. That is why any transaction with them is regarded as a barter. In the other end of the world, China banned their banks from any Bitcoin transactions.

The former U.S. congressman Ron Paul said that “There will be alternatives to the dollar, and this might be one of them." When asked to continue: If people start using bitcoins en masse, Paul added “it'll go down in history as the destroyer of the dollar”.

Top 6 reasons to live in Australia

Did you ever wondered why Australia is a top-notch country in terms of economy, education, very high human development index - ranked 2nd after Norway - and so on? For sure, Australia has a very stable and growing economy and is also a great tourist destination. But there is even more.


So, lets jump straight to the list of the best 6 reasons to live in Australia:

1. Solid economy.

For the last decades, Australia had shown great stability in its economy, which leaded to (mostly) tons of positive things. One of the reasons for that is China which is the number one trading partner right now. Also, the Australian dollar has a strong worldwide position – even though the costs of living are notably higher there, earning your money in stable currency is nothing but great.

2. Tons of work opportunities.

It is hard to stay without a work in Australia. The unemployment rate for October 2013 is 5.8%. It is a fair conclusion that all kind of jobs are available to everybody. The minimum wage for adults right now is $16.37 per hour or $622.20 per week.

3. Nature and sights beyond all wor(l)ds.

Doubt it that you didn't saw or heard of the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, the Blue Mountains etc. But, when we talk about beaches, Australia has them all - beautiful, long and with white sand. Speaking if this, it is also a great place for the surfers.

4. Multicultural society.

Australia is among the countries with extremely multicultural population. Recent studies report that about a quarter of Australians were born in another country. This means that no one is a foreigner there. Having all those ethnic groups under one roof can make your life there even more interesting and exciting.

5. Great place to study.

You feel that want to study something extra or a whole new degree? Australia is the right place to do so, with the big variety of colleges and universities. The students there are eligible for FEE-HELP, an income-contingent loan to cover charges and fees.

6. Good migration policies.

The Australian visas have been improved in 2012 but generally the whole process is streamlined and clear. Currently, there are Employment, Student, Family and Skilled visas. Everything is well explained in the official Department of Immigration & Citizenship of Australia website.

There are many other good reasons to consider living in Australia, but we can leave that to you. After all, it is also a matter of taste and preference, isn't it?

Worked in Australia before? Why not applying for a tax refund to get your taxes back!

Infographic - International students in the U.S. for year 2012/13

The Institute of International Education had revealed in a a new report that a record number of 819,644 international students are studying and being enrolled in a U. S. college or university for the last year.

Source: "Institute of International Education (2013). Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors"

Related stories:
Top 10 USA colleges and universities
Australia - the most expensive country for international study
Top 10 things to know about studying abroad in Canada

HMRC to look after the unpaid interns

Good news for every young person involved in internship in the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is enforcing some new measures targeting employers who do not pay the national minimum wage to internships according to the country regulations.

The written warning should be sent to businesses that have ads for unpaid internships, it is reported that such advertisement exists for 200 companies. The penalty is £5,000, of course - if it is confirmed that they are really breaking the law. Currently, the national minimum wage is £6.31 per hour for people 21 and over years old.

Jo Swinson, minister from the Department for Business Innovation & Skills said: "Already, this year HMRC has issued penalties to 466 employers. We will continue to work closely with HMRC to clamp down on rogue employers."

As usual, it should take time for this campaign to work out as intended. The current state of having so many employers, some of them big, is forcing people to work for nothing. This is why the Government is also planning to launch a national campaign in the near future about the employment rights of the students and internships.

Related story: HMRC’s personal tax returns has increased with 40%.

Top 10 things to know about studying abroad in Canada

Studying in Canada sounds like a deal for you? But before you decide to jump into that experience, here are the top 10 things every international student should know.



1. Multicultural and peaceful
For those who have decided to study in Canada, the multicultural environment will definitely help them to settle in fast and feel almost like at home in no time. The people there are used to meeting different cultures and are friendly to them. The same can be said for the foreign student who will be meeting so many ethnic groups at one place.

2. First-rate educational system with worldwide recognition
Having a Canadian diploma or degree is recognized as equal and comparative to those from Germany, USA and the United Kingdom. The country pays a lot of attention to its educational system and constantly develops it to keep it competitive. Interesting fact is that Canada spends more for education as a percentage of GNP (Gross National Product) than the rest of the G-8 countries.

3. A lot of opportunities for work
Students may qualify for the on-campus, off-campus or post graduate work permit programs during their studies. After they receive their degree or diploma, they are eligible to work in Canada. In other hand, the job opportunities based on your occupation are almost limitless.

4. One of the best in terms of quality of life
The people living in Canada enjoy a quality of life that is considered one of the best worldwide. For 2012, the United Nations has ranked Canada on 11th place in terms of Human Development Index. The country earned high marks for its open access to education, long life expectancy and low crime rates.

5. A good price
Unlike Australia, which is the most expensive country for international study, Canada is doing pretty well there with not so high cost of living and various fees. More information about the costs are available on Education au/in Canada website.

6. Beautiful nature and big cosmopolitan cities
Canada's natural beauty is recognized by everyone. It has it all - lakes, forests, glaciers, coastal mountains, golden beaches and a lot more. Also, for the fans of the city life the country can offer well developed multicultural cosmopolitan cities that are clean and safe!

7. Innovations and IT
Being an international leader in computer and information technologies, Canada also has a great reputation in sectors like engineering, business, communications, medicine, transportation, fine arts and design.

8. A lot of schools to choose from
Canada is offering a really wide choice of over 150 colleges, technical institutes and 98 universities featuring every program you could ever desire. This is making the final decision what to study even more hard, but having all those options is a good thing, right?

9. Never alone
As reported by the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada, the number of international university students for 2010 is 116 890. This will make it easy to make friends from all around the world and, who knows, even from your home country.

10. Stable and growing economy
No doubt, it is easier for students to succeed when they are involved in an economy that is stable and growing. This helps developing a healthy environment in every sector of possible future employment of the foreigner.

Also, you can check the Canadian University Application Centre (CUAC) which is available in several languages and offers a lot useful information and services for those who are interested.