College Times

Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News

Media Credit: photos.com

Procrastination. If I had to sum up my lifestyle with one word I think that might be the one.

I spend more time putting things off and worrying about them than it would take to actually get the job done. Even as I write this column, I picture my editor pulling his hair out as I cut another deadline dangerously close.

With April 15th falling down upon me, I realized missing the tax deadline could possibly land me in jail or more likely bog me down with astronomical fees. Whatever the repercussion with the IRS might be, the thought alone was enough to motivate me.

A few months ago I was slightly annoyed when my parents told me I was on my own for preparing my taxes this year. I have about the same patience level for filling out forms as a child being told to eat all their peas if they want a chance at dessert. What I didn't realize is that it's also the first year my parents haven't claimed me as a dependent, which meant nothing more than aggravation to me until I realized what this actually meant … cash coming back to me, and lots of it.

At the age of 24, I guess it is about time for me to be completely independent, but when my parents told me in the past they were claiming me, I really didn't know how much of my own tax-paying money I was missing out on.

With my taxes newly finished and visions of the IRS dragging me kicking and screaming beginning to fade, I have a bit over $1,000 coming back to me at a time when I really need it for bills, credit card debt and student loan payments, but before I recycle back all my hard earned money I think it would be great fun just to imagine for a short while all the things I could do with it.

I could….

Build my karma by…

• Donating it to charity.

• Giving it to a homeless guy.

Okay more realistically (or recklessly) I could …

• Take a trip to Vegas, rent a corvette and lose it all in one heart pounding game of Blackjack.

• Head to Scottsdale Fashion Square and show all those snobby Louis Vuitton employees that I really can afford that $800 bucket bag I have been drooling over for the past 2 years.

• Buy all those poor sad lobsters in the seafood section and head out to the ocean on a mission to set them free.

• Buy 24 kegs and throw one of the wildest parties Phoenix had known.

• Dump $1,000 into Ikea and buy tons of things I don't need to fit in my itty bitty overpriced studio apartment.

• Load up on tons of discounted Halloween decorations - really who wouldn't want to have a permanent haunted house?

In 9 to 14 days, according to the IRS, I will be a thousandaire for all of probably 24 hours and then I will do the whole adult thing and pay bill after bill.

But I bet I've had more fun thinking of ways to spend it than those who actually have the money to spend.

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