Laughing at the "Stupid Tax" Mistakes - Money Burned, Lessons Learned

Radio show financial counselor Dave Ramsey calls it the "stupid tax." A "stupid tax" is the money you waste fixing stupid mistakes. I've had my share; three are particularly memorable.

A Cell Phone Stupid Tax

The situation: You drop your cell phone---without realizing it--- while entering your car, then back over the phone with the car as you exit your garage. Your friends will have no sympathy for you when you tell them. Even the people in the cell phone store will laugh at you for this one.

Lesson learned: Don't stash your cell phone in a purse or pocket from which it may depart as you get into your car.

A Left-Behind Luggage Stupid Tax

The situation: You check under the motel room bed for your slippers or shoes--- and in the bathroom for your razor--- before checking out of a motel, then leave your suitcase sitting on top of the dresser when you leave.

After doing some online research and calculations, I paid the United Parcel Service to ship my suitcase home.

I had stayed at a moderately priced motel on an overnight business trip to save a few bucks. I wonder now if the staff at a higher-priced motel might have been more helpful as I tried to figure out how to ship my bag back home. The desk clerk at the motel where I had stayed did not have a scale available to weigh the bag, so I had to guess at the weight and "size up" for UPS pricing purposes. At least I knew the dimensions of my suitcase and a shipping label could be taped to it for the trip home.

Lesson learned: There were three lessons I took away from this, actually, in the form of travel tips. Travel Tip Number 1: Don't forget your suitcase during your travels. Travel Tip Number 2: When you check in at a motel, leave your cell phone number instead of your home telephone number on the information sheet (assuming you still have a landline at home). Just hope you don't back your car over your cell phone during the same trip that you leave your luggage at the motel (see "A Cell Phone Stupid Tax," above). Travel Tip Number 3: Measure and weigh your overnight bag before you leave home even when you are traveling by car, just in case you decide to rack up a "stupid tax" at your motel.

A Miscalculated Restaurant Tip Stupid Tax

The situation: You miscalculate the tip at a nice restaurant because you are somewhat math-impaired and are distracted by an enjoyable conversation with your nephew; then you realize you tipped too little by a noticeable amount when you examine the receipt after you get home.

In my situation the waiter had done a good job, too. I took a different route than usual home from work the next day just so I could stop by the restaurant to leave an additional tip for the waiter. Then I got a speeding ticket on this less-familiar route. It's the only traffic ticket I've ever received.

Traffic school was interesting. It included videos and cartoons about the dangers of driving too aggressively. It didn't include mention anything about my problem, however: The danger of forgetting to monitor the speedometer as you are literally laughing out loud at a segment of an audio book.

Sadly, the fine and related costs for the speeding ticket amounted to more than the total of the amended tip plus the cost of dinner for two with the original tip.

Lesson learned: Carry and use a tip calculator card, especially if you are easily distracted by conversation as you calculate the tip and sign the credit card receipt after a restaurant meal.

A "Stupid Tax" Conclusion:

Remember, tax reform begins at home---with the avoidance of the "stupid tax."

Resources:

itipping.com, Free 15% and 20% tip table

www.ups.com