Over at my other blog, Turntabling.net, I wrote about the Austin Record Convention, a twice-yearly sale of vinyl, CD and DVDs that’s touted as the largest sale of recorded music in America. Originally I was planning to go as a vinyl junkie,  but the existence of Turntabling.net means I could use this as a legitimate business expense. But how do you do that legally with IRS approval?

Simple–you have to be able to demonstrate that you did actual work on the trip, that the work was sold or otherwise used to promote your business. In the case of a blog, you should be actively trying to monetize your blog and you’ll need to do more than throw up one doofy post saying “I’m here!”. For my part at the Austin Record Convention,  I’ll be trying to get interviews with vendors and writing several reports a day on the show. I’m already running ads on Turntabling, so it’s obvious that I’m trying to make it a profitable venture. If you want to mix business with pleasure, you can–and legally–but you have to show that you actually tried to promote your business while doing it.

P.S. This ain’t tax advice. I’m not an expert in taxes. Your mileage may very. Ask an adult before touching the hot stove.