Liz, that's a super idea. And it makes perfect sense the way you put it! Sounds like you've mastered paying yourself first!

Becky, I'm sure you'll do better next year. Those things that leave you hanging out to dry are rarely repeated because you learn from them. I know you – you're not going to settle. 🙂

Paula, you mean the Business Use of Home form. I'm practically wedded to it. 🙂 I was able to expand my square footage because now I'm storing files and supplies in a basement room.

and congrats on your own domain name!

Retrograde Fund – I LOVE it! LOL

Really great advice on letting go, too. I think that's hard for us writers. We see dollars, not problems. Focus on what makes us happy and the rest will follow…

Cathy, I'm minding a similar gap. 🙂 You're right – medical expenses could indeed be part of the planning. I'm fortunate to have a spouse with coverage, but for how long? Jobs are liquid these days.

Krista, that's a great bonus! Good thinking.

Retirement is an absolute bitch to plan for. According to whatever expert you're reading, we're all pretty much screwed. The idea is to amend our expectations and plan for whatever we can afford to plan for.

Jessica, feel free to post what you've got here. We can all help.

If you own the home you work from, don't forget that part of your property taxes, utilities and maintenance may be deductible – the IRS has special forms for that stuff. I know some people don't like to claim the home office deduction if they plan to move at some point, or if their office space isn't clearly definably. But utilities are part of every office's overhead.

Because the bulk of my income comes from writing about TV, Uncle Sam tells me my cable bill, DVR, etc…. are legitimate expenses for me. (Yet my only TV is a 20-year old 19" CRT. Hey – it fits in the armoire – even a teeny-tiny wide screen wouldn't fit the same space.) So think about what services and items you need in order to do your job – they're part of your overhead, too.

Following up on my reply a day or two ago, one of the reasons I'm hoping to wrangle enough money for a new computer by year's end is because I can use another business deduction. That is, if clients pay up and new assignments roll in to cover February bills…Getting closer every day.

Other than that, the only thing I really plan for is taxes. I put aside 30 percent, 40 after a certain amount. Every payment I get I transfer my tax into another account that I can't touch. The past two years we had enough money left over after my tax payment to take an all-inclusive trip down south, so I look at it like a nice tax refund.