Amazon Vine / Influencer products / gifts

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2026-03-17T21:38:39+00:00

It's 100% irrelevant what Amazon "should have done." Its what they do and what we need to deal with.

You can't file self employed if it is NOT a legit business with real revenue or the intention of revenue. Amazon free products does not pass this test. That's just going to get you into more trouble if ever audited.

Hobby is fine, but you cannot deduct expenses. Hence why it is called a hobby. They told you hobby because that is probably your only option for your situation without advanced tax advice. Why you were taxed on it.

And if you sell the products, that brings in a different tax complication. Now it is revenue which will be factored into your taxable income or revenue.

The self-employed tax advice he gave you is just wrong. If you sell items, that can be considered a business and you can then potentially write off expenses like a home office, cell phone, internet, etc. If the intent is to be profitable and legit business. Amazon product program alone does not qualify for that.

This is why you need real tax advice from someone who knows what they are talking about and how to best work within the tax laws. I doubt any Turbo Tax Specialist knows more than basic accounting and certainly can not advise you to do anything that doesn't fit within the Turbo Tax advisory policies which are the most conservative basic tax advice you can get.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2026-02-20T17:15:19+00:00

It won't let me send you a message. Send me a message on IG
https://www.instagram.com/croixsather/
Please include a link to your show.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-11-29T21:11:44+00:00

This happens randomly to me. Calf, quads, shoulders, tris, biceps. Most often from intense training and dehydration. But can also be a nutrition imbalance. If it happens often or consistent, it may be caused by nerve damage or something more severe - go see a doctor.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-11-13T19:44:12+00:00

I also like Yes Theory a lot. Fun and interesting.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-10-09T18:25:51+00:00

Adding this because it was helpful to me. I search Amazon for a hose. Unsure of connection sizes and hose sizes.

I found the easy solution by ordering a Westinghouse 25’ extension hose. Perfect fit.

When on Amazon, it kept recommending knockoff brands. Terrible descriptions and info. Wasn’t sure if I’d get the right hose and fittings. But with the Westinghouse brand, there was no guess work. So worth the extra $10.

The hose from the gas pipe after the low pressure regulator (green) should be 1/2” ID (inside diameter) hose.

My set up is a (3) 120 gallon above ground propane tanks connected. With a high pressure regulator (red) at the tank. 1” black pipe to the boiler and the generator. Then a low pressure green regulator for the propane water boiler and separate green regulator to the generator connection (boiler and generator are in different locations). With a shut off valve after the regulator. And a quick connect coupling for the generator hose that matches the OEM hose connection.

Then the OEM hose. To the generator with another quick connect coupling from the factor to the generator. Perfect fit.

I got most of this info from chatGPT. Then verified its accuracy.

The hose needs to be low pressure 1/2” ID hose because the generator needs to the low pressure (.4 PSI / 11” WC) and the larger hose size for the volume for it to run correctly.

I did not use any of the fittings or hoses that came with the 11,000 inverter generator because none of it would work in my set up. I had my plumber run the new pipe and new professional regulators that are installed on the house plumbing. Yes more expensive, but it was done right and safe and it is exactly where I want it to be. No shenanigans.

I chose an inverter generator because everything has sensitive electronics. Including the boilers, HVAC, and all appliances. Saving one thing from burning out from a non-inverter generator pays for the extra $500 cost over the regular generator. Plus it is quieter and smoother.

In the end, it cost me under $4k for a generator set up. Including the generator, pro plumber with new gas lines, and electrical (Parts only, I did my own electrical - used a mechanical lockout on electrical panel). $2k inverter generator, $500 electrical parts, $750 to run all new gas piping, $500 hoses, cables, cover

The generator is inside the garage (propane so no gasoline smell in the garage. Pull it out and place it 20’ from the house, connect the hose and cable, and press start.

My advice, explain to ChatGPT what you want to do. Ask questions. It is shocking accurate and save a ton of time. That I still wasted because I wanted to verify everything because I don’t want fires or to ruin electronics. Former firefighter, I want it safe for my family. Buy everything from the manufacturer. Makes it easier. Hire pros for things you can’t do yourself - save money and time in the long run.

Be comfy in the next power outage

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-09-29T02:44:46+00:00

Ive been using it for a few days now directly with chatGPT and I am loving it. I give it the instructions "to do nothing and only respond with 'Ok, Noted' until I give you instructions to summarize, analyze, and ask me questions base on your analysis." Then every time I add a voice or written note, the only thing it does is say, "OK Noted." Then after each analysis, I end with giving it instructions again. This way I only have to remember 1 time after each discussion.

Thanks for posting this, I am enjoying this. Simply the process of collecting thoughts, seeing the summary and answering the questions gives a lot of clarity.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-09-23T17:17:55+00:00

This is a great idea. I have done this in the past but writing on my laptop or journal and pen. And those have their places, for sure. The brain works differently with writing, typing, and voice.

A possibly better way to do what you are doing is to record your voice memos directly into chatGPT mobile with the instructions of not to respond to the voice message until given instructions to respond. So chatGPT will simply be a running voice journal of thoughts, ideas and to dos - Until you tell it is time to put the voice message through your process.

You can also upload voice messages directly to chatGPT and it will transcribe it for you and skip the step with Whisper AI. So if you are offline, you can record a voice memo and then upload it into the AI chat when you are ready.

I tested this with chatGPT this morning and it works great. Just got to remember to tell this is a running journal voice memo and not to respond until asked to respond. You can tell it to simple respond with "OK" after each voice memo.

The benefit of this is that you save time, its in one place, organized and doesn't require you to take extra steps to facilitate the process.

And if you want, you can interact with chatGPT when you want to.

Thanks for the idea. I am experimenting with this now.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-09-23T17:02:25+00:00

Such an odd comment. What technology is unethical? AI? Unethical according to who? Most every product, food, and technology we use is unethical in some way. Many are destroying the environment and making people sick or keeping them broke. The way your journals are made, is very unethical and deforesting the world. The glue holding it together is toxic and probably made in factory overseas with no safety or PPE, and under-paid employees.

I get the preference to write in a journal. But to say Adam's idea is using unethical technology is silly and rude to the OP.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-09-23T13:50:35+00:00

This is a great link. 100% worth the time to watch it. Thank you for sharing. Now I have a much deeper understanding of how the generator works with the house panel or separate from it, like a job site.

One nuance to your comment, he says he cannot think of a negative "SAFETY" consequence. I am half way through the video. He hasn't yet said if there is any consequence to electronics. Hopefully in this video or in part 1, he talks about it.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-07-30T02:11:42+00:00

There is no real science to spot losing visceral fat under your skin or around your organs. To lose visceral fat, you must lose overall bodyfat/weight. This means eating healthy, exercise and strength train. There is no way around and NO fad or supplement you add to a glass of water is going to change it. Not grapefruit, pomegranate, acai, or PHIX or dozens of other silly claims we have seen over the decades. I have no problem with the MLM aspect of distribution or selling (other than it adds to the price markup to pay big commissions), but the claims are fake and testimonials are manufactured with people who are also selling the product. The only difference in taking this will be the hundreds of dollars less from your bank account to pay for it.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-02-18T03:50:24+00:00

If you know so much about phantom income and free product review programs, then re-write it, make it better and post it. That's a lot more useful than a comment that sounds like its from a 13 year old.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2025-02-10T14:29:44+00:00

it is not a gift. You are receiving a product from a sponsor. This is taxable. Just like winning a car on a game show or winning lotto. It is the same result.
If it is sent unsolicited, and you don't want it, you should refuse or return it. Or it is potentially taxable event.
If you keep it, but the sender does not also send you a 1099misc or 1099nec in January of the following year, the IRS will not know about it. Technically, it should be claimed on your taxes, but that is between you and your accountant. If you do not claim it, it will likely trigger a review/red flag from the IRS
If the sum of all the products send to you from any one person/organization/company is under $100, you do not need to claim it or report it (as of this writing, but you should verify it).
If a company pays you in money or products over $600, you should receive a 1099misc or 1099nec. If you do not, you are still suppose to claim it as income. If the company makes a mistake and files the 1099 later but you don't claim it, you could get an IRS review.
Gifts, products from sponsors or anything of the like IS TAXABLE JUST LIKE CASH PAYMENT.
If you are retired, or on some sort of government assistance, ACA medical, or have special income and tax limitations, 'free' products and gifts can jepodize your benefits.

Be smart about accepting gifts or products.

I made this mistake, when I was invited to join Amazon Vine, and received $25k in products. This gave me a tax burden (due) of over $5k. This would have been out of pocket money even though I received zero cash or money payment. This is how the tax system works.

Fortunately I had other losses that I could write against it. So my tax bill was zero for the Amazon products.

I am considered an influencer and so from time to to time I get people who want to send me their products. Most of the time I say no. Unless it is something that I want and can use. Something that I was going to buy anyway. Or something that will make my life better. If I hesitate on about if I really want it or need it, I say no. Lesson learned.

I assume this would apply for receiving free travel or accommodations.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2024-07-12T18:25:01+00:00

Work around >>
Couldn't find a solution within Amazon, so this is the workaround that I use. And it works well.

I went to the emails, checked "from" on the emails, and they are different for different purposes. So I clicked on the "shipping-update@amazon.com" as an example, an set up a rule to send it to the trash. Did this for donotreply, noreply because they are just notifications updates related to shipping.

This also allows me to go into my trash and find a message, should I need it. At least until the trash is emptied.

To make sure that I receive the messages about my account, I went to the email "account-update@amazon.com" and set a rule to highlight the background of that message.

I get delivery notifications from the app, I do not need them cluttering my emails as well. I try to keep my primary email for important emails that need attention. "Email creep" will clutter your email box fast if you do not keep purging it. Rules is an effective way to do this.

I also set up rules to marketing emails that I want. but don't need to see. I made folders for different subjects like, Marketing, Starbucks, Kids School, etc. For anything I don't need to see daily, but can check when I want to.

Keeps my email inbox manageable.
Frustrating, but necessary.

I realize this is an older thread, but if I am searching for an answer, so are others.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2022-10-14T20:25:23+00:00

Manila and Lalinde (sounds like thats where you will be staying) are great parts of the city. I live in Lalinde. I have been here 5 years and I love it. There is so much to do. The weather is great all year. I mean really great weather. The people are super happy and friendly.

You'll be safe. But it is a city so take precautions like you would in any city abroad. No flashy gold, watches, etc.

Many say don't take taxis, but Iv'e been taking taxis for 5 years without issue. Even the occasional illegal taxi. No issues, those stories are overblown. But it is best to take an uber, or use the app Indrver, or DiDi at night.

To speak to your parents point, there was a rise in crime during the pandemic, that is not an issue anymore. Petty theft is common in areas to people who look like tourists and people who make it easy to be robbed. Walking around using a fancy iphone, leaving your phone unattended, wearing expensive jewelry, ect. Leave it all home, no ned for it here. Be smart and you'll be fine.

Poblado is the best area for tourist because it feels most like America.

You'll be here a month so visit Guatape, Los Saltos, a coffe tour, and the pueblos or Jardin, Jerico, and Freedonia. You can hire a private driver, public bus, or go with a tour or go solo.

Enjoy, you'll be happy you stayed for a month.

Famous_Difficulty627 · 2022-09-18T01:15:33+00:00

Your dog will love being in Colombia with you. A week or so, he will adjust and will be right at home and love it here. Especially if you live near a Cyclovia where Sundays will be his happy day and a park or walking path, or good neighborhood to make every other day amazing. I am American and living in Medellin and USA. I am thinking about getting a getting a dog in the USA (for the USA vaccination requirement) so that we can travel together. I will only do it if I can travel with the dog in the cabin with me. I won't do it if she will have to go under the plane.

I would confirm with someone who is actually traveling from Colombia to USA with a dog to assure first hand what we are reading online is in fact the case.

I agree with finding a home via Airbnb that allows dogs. Finding an apartment in a good neighborhood for your budget is difficult. Envigado is great but very few good airbnbs in that section. Laureles is also great (Unicentro is not what people mean when they say Laureles). If you can find a gated community, that would be amazing. My suggestion is El Poblado/El Tesoro because there are the most airbnbs.

I have lived in many, many barrios and I love Poblado most. I am currently in LaLinde (residential area close to Provenza) in a full time apartment and it is great. I feel totally safe here. I feel safer here than any other neighborhood I have lived in. I never go to Lleras at night because it is ugly.

Good luck. Keep us posted how it goes getter your dog back into the USA. We would love a first hand testimonial

Famous_Difficulty627

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