From the Inside Out

April 15th marks the day many Americans dread — tax day — but don’t fret. A few restaurants are trying to mitigate Tax Day damage by offering free food and discounts to their customers. Finally, a reason to be happy about tax day!

If you’re a fan of PF Chang’s, stop by the restaurant on Wednesday for a great tax day discount. Chang’s is offering 15% off the total bill. This offer applies nationwide to all guests and applies to every order.

McCormick & Schmick’s seafood restaurants are giving out a $10.40 certificate for future use. Many $15 to $20 Entrees will also be discounted to $10.40 on the 15th.

MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream is giving away single-scoop servings to customers at 200 stores in what it calls an “e-cone-omic ice cream stimulus package.”

Cinnabon is offering free Tax Day Bites (small bite-size cinnamon rolls) from 5 to 8 p.m. at its 700 outlets.

Taco Del Mar’s promotion, “Taxes Suck. Tacos Don’t,” is funny, but it’s only being offered in the West. It offers a free taco coupon to people who register on the company website.

Finally, T.G.I. Friday’s is giving out gift cards in honor of tax day. If you spend between $10-$15, you get a $5 gift card; spend more than $25 and receive a $10 card.

How’s that for tax relief?

Economic woes have people struggling to make ends meet these days. Thousands of workers are losing their jobs; many others are facing foreclosures. So, what do you do when the going gets tough?

Why not put your family up for sale on eBay? That’s what one father from Texas did after he lost his job as an IT recruiter. Loren Guerra offered his wife and three children as a “family of brand ambassadors.” They were willing to advertise a company’s brand through a variety of activities ranging from something as simple as wearing a shirt displaying the company’s name at public events or as bold as wrapping their cars with an advertisement.

Although the bids didn’t reach the minimum of $50,000, they came close. The final one rang in at a whopping $48,100. The highest bidder isn’t required to pay since the sale didn’t hit the minimum, but this father plans to contact the top three bidders to give them another opportunity.

Seriously, if it’s that easy to earn $48,000, I need to put myself up for sale on eBay. With only a few auctions per year, I could replace my salary simply by wearing some ads. No stress, no long hours, all I have to do is become a walking billboard. Hmm…that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea after all.

I am already on the downhill slide to the age of 40 — ah, just writing that makes me cringe. At this stage in my life, though, I find myself reflecting more often on my past accomplishments and future goals. My career is very rewarding, yet I don’t want to retire at the “normal” age of 65. I want to be free to enjoy my life in the latter years — free to follow my dreams, take chances, and explore the world. I want to retire young.

Apparently, I’m not alone. According to a survey by Strong Funds, 42 percent of workers today say they want to retire before 65. Early retirement doesn’t come easy, though. Unless you are independently wealthy (or you win the lottery), it requires dedication and a plan. So, with that in mind, I’m sharing the best advice I’ve received from my mentors.

“Top 5″ tips for how to retire early:

1. It’s never too soon to start. This is the best piece of advice I have received about retirement. In my early 20s, retirement was the farthest thing from my mind. I didn’t think it was necessary to worry about retirement at such a young age. I was wrong. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Start planning for retirement now. The more time your money has to grow, the better off you will be. For example, saving $250 a month at age 25 will yield approximately $872,000 at age 65 with an eight percent return. Waiting until age 45 to start saving yields only $147,000 at age 65 — a $725,000 difference!
2. Invest in your company’s 401K program. Not only do you receive tax advantages by investing in a 401K, but many companies offer matching funds to those who contribute. It’s like getting free money, and income tax is deferred on 401K accounts until funds are removed. If you are serious about retiring early, you should max out this account every year — and start doing it ASAP (see tip #1). If your company doesn’t offer a 401K program, start a Roth IRA instead.
3. Work with a financial planner. Make your money work for you by finding someone who can actively manage your investments. These people are the experts. They have the time to research the market, understand the trends, and know which funds are the best performers. Most of us think that we know enough about the market to do it ourselves, but let’s be honest, we don’t. I went to college to study marketing. I am an expert in marketing, not finance. These people are experts in finance/money management. It’s their business — their career. Trust them; use them often. Our financial planner knows our financial goals, and she is actively working to help us achieve them.
4. Get out of debt immediately. I am so lucky that my parents taught me the value of money at a young age. They taught me to use it wisely and never, ever live beyond my means. Debt can single-handedly destroy your retirement plans. You may have to make sacrifices in order to do it, but get out of debt as soon as possible. I can guarantee that you won’t regret it. It’s so liberating. We followed Dave Ramsey’s debt snowball plan, and it works! I highly recommend it.
5. Use online retirement tools. Determine how much you need to save using a retirement calculator.

If you follow these simple tips, you should be well on your way towards retiring early.