Business Expenses For HubPages Writers

I recently turned in my tax information to my accountant. The year 2012 was the first year I wrote for HubPages, and he asked if I had any business expenses to declare for the income earned from my HubPages writing. I chuckled at that for a second. But then I spent a little time actually thinking about it. Do I have any business expenses related to HubPages? I already had a computer and a camera, so that wouldn't work. I don't use my printer because all my work is done electronically and published online and saved on my computer so no ink or paper expenses.

I have gone on cruises and other trips and written about them on HubPages, but since I didn't specifically go on those trips for the purpose of writing hubs about them, I can't use the trips as tax deductions. And it would be ridiculous for me to state that I am writing off a cruise as a business expense for HubPages when one looks at my earnings based on that cruise review or the few articles I write about the places I visited when I was away. But I figured if I put my mind to it, I could think of some legitimate tax write-offs for my second year as a HubPages writer.

The following examples are some that I plan to use:

Day Trip For a Hub Topic

I would love to be a travel writer and travel the world writing articles about my experiences. And to get paid on top of that would be even better. But alas, that hasn't happened yet, so instead, I write about my travels on HubPages. As I said in the previous paragraph, I can't use those trips I go on as a tax write off for HubPages, but what if I were to plan some day trips to do some investigative work for the explicit purpose of writing a hub? I live in Connecticut in the United States, and there are two museums that are a 45-minute drive from me that I have always wanted to go to. But so far, in the 50 years, I have lived in this state, I never have. My husband and I are thinking of moving South at some point in the future, and at that point, it will be much harder to visit these museums. If I were to plan a day specifically to drive to Hartford and visit these two museums, take detailed notes and many pictures for the express purpose of writing a hub about each of them, then I could use this trip as a tax write-off. I could keep track of the gas mileage and the entry fee, and it just so happens that these two museums are right next to each other, so it would be very convenient to visit them both in one day.

Picture Taking Trip

I have a camera that I use to take pictures to illustrate my hubs. I can plan one day that I travel all around my geographic area taking pictures specifically for hubs. I live in an area where within a 30-mile radius, there are four state parks and ten museums. I already know a lot about these museums, but don't have pictures. I can keep track of my starting mileage and plan a route that encompasses as many of these sites as possible, and stop at each one taking a variety of pictures. At the state parks, there are numerous items to take pictures of that I can use in future hubs, so I can illustrate them with my own work instead of searching the internet for free photos that someone else has taken to illustrate my words. Examples of more generic items to take pictures of for future use are pine trees, pine cones, rocks, boulders, walking paths, a river or stream, birds, squirrels, deer or any other wildlife. These are fantastic fill-ins to use with a variety of hubs. At the end of the trip, I can write down the gas mileage and use that as a tax write off. If anyone else wants to try this and has children, bringing them along for the ride, and stopping along your route for lunch or a playground stop would also make this fun for family members. And a picture on HubPages of a child sliding down a slide, or swinging on a swing makes a great addition to a hub about kids or parenting.

Business Cards

Have you ever thought of printing business cards to pass around to friends and acquaintances that let them know you are an online writer? I have had many business cards in other jobs I have held, as well as in my previous entrepreneurial adventures, and I miss having them now. I have been toying with the idea of getting some printed. I also write for textbroker.com and so instead of HubPages writer, my business card may state that I am a content writer, and of course as my website address, I would put my HubPages profile page. If I decide to do this, the cost of the business cards can be a tax write-off. I could be very professional and go to Staples or a stationery store and have fancy cards made up. But I will probably get free business cards at Vistaprint.com and only pay for the postage. But the postage can be a tax write-off for me, even though it won't cost much.

Events

If I go to a movie so that I can review it specifically for HubPages, then I can use the gas mileage, and cost of the ticket as a tax write off. Or if I go to a play, or concert, again specifically for the purposes of reviewing it for a hub, I can do the same. There are many events for which this can be done, but the goal must be to write about it on HubPages.

Although these are only a few ways to develop tax write-offs for HubPages, they are legitimate tax write-offs, and it could help writers of hubs save a bit on their taxes.

If you need a good camera for pictures for your HubPages article, I highly recommend this Nikon Coolpix camera. It's easy to use and understand, and if you put the setting on automatic, you can still get some great photos by just pointing and shooting.