How to shop around for the lowest cost natural gas provider

If you live in the state of Georgia, you can shop around for the lowest natural gas market by utilizing publica data that is published on the Georgia Public Service Commission’s website every month. In 1997, the Georgia General Assembly adopted a new regulatory model for natural gas distribution companies in which competitive marketers have an opportunity to provide natural gas services to Georgia consumers. The General Assembly found market-based competition as the best mechanism for selecting and providing natural gas services at the most efficient price. The first step is heading over to the Georgia Public Service Commission’s website and selecting the most recent month’s price charts. On this page you will see the two lowest Standard Fixed Providers. These will probably be the two lowest providers by utilizing the “apples-to-apples price per therm” rate. You will need to find the “filed rate” for the lowest priced marketer by clicking on price chart for “fixed rate plans” at the bottom of the page because when you call your current natural gas marketer to price match, they will need the “filed rate” not the “apples-to-apples price per therm” rate. Once the fixed rate plan workbook opens on the next page, look for the column titled “Marketer filed rate” and locate the lowest priced marketer you identfied on the previous page. This is the rate your current natural gas marketer will match. Don’t forget to set up a reminder on your phone 12 months from now to shop around for the lowest cost natural gas provider next year!

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What kind of Airbnb related costs can be expensed?

  • 1. Travel related to managing your property.   Don’t forget to track of your miles you log on trips to inspect your property and perform maintenance.

  • 2. Membership dues for Airbnb related groups and subscriptions.

  • 3. Short term rental insurance and/short term rental insurance. 

  • 4. Direct expenses that can be fully allocated to your Airbnb (cleaning, maintenance, Airbnb fees, utilities, Netflix, pest control, lawn maintenance, mosquito treatment, and security monitoring). 

  • 5. Depreciation of your home. Remember you can only depreciate the cost of your home (not land) over 27.5 years.

  • 6. Marketing costs (website hosting, website design, business cards, logo design, etc). 

  • 8. Third parties used to manage your Airbnb business (think software and services like wheelehouse, yourporter, turnover airbnb, etc).  

  • 9. A percentage of your cell phone bill can be expenses depending on how much your use your cell phone for Airbnb related business.

  • For more information please refer to EY’s annual Airbnb Tax Guide

  • 10. Home office deduction....talk to your tax professional about this one. 

  • 11. Termite treatment, pest control, lawn maintenance.

  • 12. Part of your annual Amazon or Costco membership depending on personal use.

  • 13. Business license costs and business liability insurance.

For more guidance on the taxation of Short Term Rental (Airbnb) income please refer to this guide from EY. Also refer to IRS Publication 527: Residential Retail Property.

Information in this post is intended solely for information purposes and no Airbnb Host or other third party may rely upon it as tax or legal advice or use it for any other purpose. As such, Host this Home, Inc assumes no responsibility whatsoever to Airbnb Hosts or other third parties as a result of the use of information contained in this post.

Tips to update your bathroom in your Airbnb

  • Don’t buy cheap toilet paper.

  • Buy a shower soap dispenser with conditioner, shampoo, and body wash.

  • Buy white bath towels, hand towels, and wash cloths from Amazon. Match your bathroom towels and your bed sheets so you can wash and bleach in the same load

  • Buy disposeable face wipes so your guests dont again pillows with makeup

  • Buy disposable toothbrushes

  • Feminine hygiene products

  • Sign in bathroom that reminds guests not to flush anything but toilet paper down the toilet

  • Small trash can with bag

  • Plunger and toilet bowl cleaner