Once a week, Del and I have “date night”.  He was less than impressed when I asked him to do a quick photo shoot before we went out this week. He perked up when I told I had a chance to win $1000 from Affiliate.com in their T-shirt Blogging Contest and that I’d share if we won!

Affiliate.com – a huge CPA network – gave out these cool King and Queen tees at Affiliate Summit last month.   My original intention was to pose like a fanned hand of cards, but as you can see, I’m no choreographer.

Yes, I know Affiliate.com has already made the Free Shirt Friday list, and I bumped this post up for a chance to win a grand – do you blame me?  I apologize to the other shirts in waiting for being selfish.  If it makes you feel any better, Affiliate.com is also donating $1000 to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund as well.

And as a bribe to the celebrity judges – Missy Ward, John Chow, Zac Johnson, and Murray Newlands – drinks on me at #ASE10 with the winnings?!

*Update – seems I missed the entry deadline to enter the contest – it was 2/22/10 (for some unknown not-blonde reason, I thought it was 2/28). So even though I wasn’t qualified to win, the prize went to the most deserving Heather in BC!

Most affiliate marketers are self-employed (or own your own company as is my case), so tracking all expenditures is essential when it comes to doing income taxes for deductions.  And it’s already time to think ahead to next year’s taxes, because it you’ve been thinking about buying or building a new home, now is the best time to do it with the new 2010 Home Buyers Tax Credits announced.

As part of President Obama’s Housing Stimulus package, the first time home buyers tax credit that was due to expire November 30th, 2009 has been extended and income caps have been raised. It has also expanded to include homeowners who have lived in their current property for over five years. Written binding contracts to purchase must be signed and in effect by April 30th, 2010, and then the property must be closed on by June 30th, 2010.

For First-Time Home Buyers
Tax Credit Available $8,000 ($4,000 married filing separate)
Income Limits: $125,000 if single, $225,000 if married
Eligibility: May not have had an interest in a principal residence for 3 years prior to purchase
Limitation on Cost of Home Purchased: $800,000

For Current Qualifying Home Owners
Tax Credit Available: $6,500 ($3,250 married filing separate)
Income Limits: $125,000 if single, $225,000 if married
Eligibility: Must have used the home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years
Limitation on Cost of Home Purchased: $800,000

Unfortunately I don’t qualify as my new house is only three years old (and I hope to exceed those income limits), but if I did qualify, I’d definitely consider building again!

This post is sponsored by Coldwell Banker. All opinions are mine.

At Affiliate Summit in Vegas, I had the opportunity to meet Janet Meiners Thaeler, author of the book I Need a Killer Press Release–Now What???: A Guide to Online PR (available from Amazon.com, yes that’s my affiliate link).

Janet not only gave me today’s featured free shirt, but also an autographed copy of her book that offers some great tips for writing and promoting press releases for any kind of businesses, as well as a long list of places to submit your press release online.

Check out Janet’s website at OnlinePRBook.com, and thanks for the shirt! I love RED shirts being a Nebraska Cornhusker fan and all.