I don’t know about you, but I think Daylight Savings is dumb. Why not just let the amount of sunlight wax and wane naturally? I miss driving home when the sun is still up at 5 pm . . . not a big deal, but I would love to get rid of it. Here are some articles that I found interesting this week:

Ron from the Wisdom Journal posted the top 10 consumer credit card events of 2009 – a good read. I am not sure that our current credit paradigm is going to last much longer. We’ll see . . .

The Silican Valley Blogger give a few suggestions of the best ways to invest small amounts of money.

A guest post on Christian PF entitled “There is no such thing as a free lunch – or is there?”. Read it to find out.

Kevin, a staff writer at Moolanomy tells why the first time home buyer extension is a bad idea. I tend to agree with him.

Two weeks ago, I announced the return of Ask Me Anything. I have received several questions and I am working on responses. When I make the final edits, I will post them as a part of my Friday posts. In the meantime, if you want to “ask me anything”, send your questions to glblstew(at)gmail(dot)com.

Have a great weekend. Remember – don’t just spend money, spend time with family.

And the winners are….

Here are the 5 winners of the book “In Cheap We Trust”:

Kate

Financial Samurai

Jermaine

Rob Garcia

Sally Williamson

Winners will be contacted by emails over the weekend.

thx for all the participants!

Article by Stew

Photo by Chris Makarsky

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-Collapse of the entire financial system: This one can no longer be dismissed easily since it was a distinct possibility during last year’s collapse of several US and foreign banks.

-Hyperinflation: With all of the money being pumped into circulation by the US government, many think inflation will pick up and could get out of control in the coming years

-Collapse of the US dollar: The US dollar, by almost any standard, has suffered major losses in recent months. There is a lot of speculation about the causes, the lack of the US government support to defend its currency, etc.

-US Government bankruptcy: With costs out of control, there is no end in sight for the deficits in the US and in fact they are becoming more critical year after year. Military, health care and pension issues are only a few of the reasons for the deficit. Will foreign governments decide to stop funding these deficits one day?

Apart from a few individuals, I think the vast majority would concede that these are remote possibilities that probably will not happen in our lifetime. However, an increasing percentage of the population is starting to prepare for worst case scenarios. How?

1-Cash is king: Having debt is bad enough but even having all of your money locked into investments means you could lose it all if things turn very bad. For this reason, many investors are keeping higher cash balances in their accounts and also at home, hidden in all kinds of places.

2-Metals: When a currency loses its value, one of the alternative assets over time has been precious metals such as gold and silver. For that reason, there is an increased interest in buying physical holdings that buyers can keep at home either in a safe or in a well hidden place. Metals have also been known to be one of the best ways to maintain purchasing power when inflation picks up significantly. These investors are often reluctant to buy gold in the form of ETFs for example because their worst case scenario also involves a complete collapse of the financial system which could render such assets worthless.

3-Diversification: Rich investors are looking at setting up foreign accounts where they can escape from exposure to the US dollar as well as the US financial system.

It does seem like a gross exaggeration doesn’t it? I’m not saying it’s not possible. Of course, it is difficult not to acknowledge the risk, especially after the near collapse we witnessed in late 2008… but personally, I’m not preparing for these scenarios in such a dramatic way for these reasons:

1-This type of crisis does not happen every year: Usually, all parties learn a great deal during such times which helps improve and stabilize the structure. Remember that major recessions usually happen once per couple of decades

2-The US government showed it was willing to do almost ANYTHING to save the system. Let’s not forget the magnitude of what was done last year. Major stimuli, injecting hundreds and thousands of billions of dollars, buying stakes in banks, etc. I personally believe that the only way a complete collapse of the economy would occur would be through a collapse of the US government… and if you believe in such a scenario, then I hope you have personal security guards to protect that gold.

3-It’s just too expensive. Do you know how much preparation  for this type of possibility will end up costing you in commissions, lost interest, etc? Over the course of a lifetime, it will end up being very costly. I just think it’s not worth it; I’ll take the gamble…

author: Mike

image source: scott3eth

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Wikipedia defines a vice as a practice or a habit considered immoral, depraved, and/or degrading in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a defect, an infirmity or merely a bad habit.

Recently, I spent some time thinking about how much money I spend on things that I really do not need – not necessarily things that make life easier – but rather things that are simply a habit, a pleasure or a waste of time. I am not going to exactly reveal my particular “vices”, but I think it is a good idea once in a while to take stock of the little money trickles in our budget. You know the holes that allow a few bucks to slip through during the course of a month? Some of these items might even have a legitimate place in our lives, but we all must consider the cost.

• Coffee: $.50 a day   $15.00 a month   $180 a year (if you make it at home)
• Cigarettes: $4.50 a day   $135 a month   $1,620 a year (pack a day)
• Alcohol: $10.00 a week   $40 a month   $480 a year (conservatively)
• Soda: $4.00 a week   $16.00 a month   $192 a year (two cans a day from the grocery store)
• Cable: $55 a month   $660 a year (low end package)
• Gambling: $250 in Vegas   $100 year in lottery tickets   $500 ($10 a week in your home game)
• Cigars: $6 a week   $24 a month   $288 a year (really cheap cigars)
• Golf: the sky is the limit . . .
• Marijuana: $15 a week   $60 a month   $720 a year
• Eating out: $50 a week   $200 a month   $2,400 a year
• Spectator Sports: $150 a month   $1,800 a year
• Tattoos:   $100 a year
• Shoes:   $50 a week   $600 a year

Okay, obviously some of these may or may not qualify as vices, but we could probably find a way to do without every item on this list. Pick out your particular weaknesses, add up the yearly cost and then compare that sum to your monthly budget, your typical paycheck or some other legitimate expense that is a part of life for you. Then ask yourself if it is worth it.

For some of us, eliminating a vice or two could have the effect of a five or ten percent raise. Now you can make an informed decision about whether the pleasure derived from that vice is worth the cost.

Article by Stew

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Image: alamosbasement

When it comes to saving, sometimes starting small feels almost like not starting at all. A bit here and a bit there tends to add up like drops in a bucket. The important thing to remember though when it comes to saving money is that those drops can eventually grow to a trickle, then to a stream, then a torrential current of cash.

Using small ways to save is similar to the bundle of sticks story – remember the one that starts with the man easily breaking a single stick. Then he snaps two, even three sticks together. But when given an entire bundle of sticks, he finds it is virtually unbendable, let alone breakable. It’s much the same with small savings techniques. Many, seemingly inconsequential savings methods bundled together can significantly grow your nest egg to immense proportions.

1. Get rewarded for spending on a credit card

It might seem odd to begin an article on ways to save with a topic like credit cards. With interest rates often ranging anywhere from 10-20% percent (unless you get a zero balance transfer credit card), credit cards can be the arch nemesis to a savings plan, but only if you let them. First, you must ensure you pay off your balance each month to avoid those hyper-inflated interest rates. Second, get a credit card that offers cash back, store discounts, or other rewards and incentives, so that when you do spend, you also save.

2. Take advantage of balance transfer cards

If you are carrying a credit card debt then it will definitely be beneficial for you to transfer your credit card balance between cards, which will allow you to avoid paying the sizeable interest rate on a balance. Making such a move with your debt, say from a card with a balance of $1,000 and a 15% interest rate, to a card with an significantly lower or introductory 0% rate, can save you hundreds of dollars, if not more depending on the time it takes to pay off your balance.

3. Coupons will save you money

What if you saw a dollar bill taped inside the Sunday newspaper? Would you take it? Of course you would. Yet, there is a missing sense of urgency among many of us when it comes to coupons, which are essentially the same as cash. Certainly not all coupons are money savers, especially if they are used on particular name brand products that are more expensive than their generic competitors, but if you comparison shop and know a deal when you see one, coupons can turn small savings into big cash.

4. Start to save your spare change

Hey, if it worked when you were seven, it might just work when you’re thirty-seven. Hauling all that change to the bank to be turned in is often a big enough deterrent to make most people leave the jar where it is. Moreover, while all that change probably doesn’t look like much, you might be surprised how much cash you get when you eventually turn it in.

5. Save tax-free with government bonds

Putting money into government issued savings bonds can be a great way to save. These investment vehicles offer a low initial investment ($25 is the minimum E-series buy in), a secure way to save, and guaranteed (albeit sometimes low) returns. Taxes on U.S. government savings bond interest can also be deferred until the time the bond is cashed, allowing your investment to grow for up to 30 years tax-free, and if used for educational purposes might be tax-free altogether.

6. Set up a monthly direct deposit to a savings account

Direct deposit can be a small saver’s best friend. Diverting a portion of your paycheck, even if it’s only $20 each pay period, to a separate account, can add up to big savings over the years. That $20 deposit every two weeks is $520 a year, $5,200 after ten years, and that’s before you add any interest earned on the account.

7. Payroll deductions

Having certain items removed from your paycheck before you are paid is a small way to earn some big savings. Using deductions for an employer sponsored health plan, retirement account, or savings plan, can be a wonderful way to save without really noticing the loss of money. Not only are you stashing cash, but some of these deductions are pre-tax, saving you even more, especially over the long run.

8. Avoid taxes to increase your savings

There is a big difference between evading taxes and just avoiding them for a while. As we’ve already seen, everything from savings bond interest to certain payroll-deducted items can be tax deferred. Avoiding taxes will allow a larger portion of your money to grow, increasing your savings over time, and delaying the cost of taxes for years – sometimes indefinitely. When buying products or considering retirement, it is also important to consider sales and property tax rates since they can range widely depending on cities, counties, states, or regions.

9. Let your savings save

Once you’ve managed to start saving, let your stash work for you. Compound interest, dividends, and similar returns on investments can grow you’re money without you having to lift a finger. While sometimes the returns are small, over time, they can grow exponentially, and who can deny that free money, no matter how little, is nice to get.

10. Liquidating leftovers

Few people realize just how much money they have in their home, either in the form of books, CDs, DVDs, antiques, or other household items. Strip mall stores, resale shops, and a growing number of internet sites offer to purchase specific items such as textbooks, CDs, DVDs, and more. These businesses have made selling personal items a lucrative source of income for many. Reselling such belongings can be a great way to turn your unused items into cash.

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About the author

Kris is a personal finance writer who blogs about money management techniques for an Australian comparison website where you can compare credit cards such as cashback credit cards that actually help you make your money go further.

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The free market is not perfect. We all know of stories about unethical or corrupt businesses, but lately capitalism has been getting a bad rap. I just thought it might be nice to remind ourselves of a few of the benefits of America’s historic economic system – not because it’s perfect or because it was ordained of God or anything – but just to help us realize that capitalism is not all bad:

1. Capitalism generally drive prices lower. Businesses want your business and they know that you want to pay as little as possible. Just think about how the prices of electronics have come down over the years. I recently purchased a laptop for less than $300. A laptop that would out-perform almost any computer built before 2007. Think about it, you can probably list lots of items where the prices have come down over time.
2. Capitalism gives us a choice. I have three grocery stores within walking distance of my house. If I don’t like the prices at one, I can go to another. Gas stations, cable providers, restaurants, furniture stores all competing for my money and if I do not like the taste or the service or the price, I can find a business that I like.  I can even choice where I work or where I do not want to work. There are certainly difficulties tied to changing jobs, but if you want it bad enough and are willing to sacrifice, you have a great chance to earn an income anyway you like.
3. Capitalism drives innovation. Businesses drive profits by coming up with new ideas and better ways to do things. Just think of what life was like before email or air conditioning or microwaves. Someone had an idea and as a result, they became rich. The thing to remember is that the guy who invented the microwave was not the only one to profit from that invention – factory workers, salesmen, investors all profited from the process to heat food quickly. Innovation is all around us, certainly some of it is bad, but the vast majority is beneficial.
4. Capitalism supports charity. I was just speaking with a dentist who donates several weeks a year in Ethiopia. He can do this because his income allows him to give services away. Most charitable organizations depend on individuals to give them a certain percentage of their profits every year. People who make a lot of money, people who invested well and people who just have a little extra because of capitalism give it away to support all kinds of charitable interests. Americans gave two trillion dollars to those hurt by the tsunami disaster of their own free will!
5. Capitalism keeps us honest. Yes, I know, many people have abused capitalism for their own purposes on many occasions. However, crooks are eventually caught, poorly run businesses fail and greedy entrepreneurs almost always end up ruining their lives – that is, unless the government bails them out – but then we all know that is not capitalism! You always have the choice to patronize another company. You can even choose to pay more to an ethical company if that is your desire.

Once again, the imperfections of capitalism are many; I do not defend greed and excess. You may prefer a different type of economic system. That is fine. We can still be friends, but I will take my chances with greed and excess if my freedom is preserved.

Be a good shopper, do your homework, research the best price, frequent businesses with good service, watch every penny and you can help the businesses around you get better. Work hard, think, treat people well and maybe someday you can run one of the good companies that are out there.

Thanks for choosing to read GLBL today!

Article by Stew

Photo by epicharmus

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If we had to separate people into 2 different clans: The Thrifts and the Spendthrifts, I would probably be closer to the latter. Unfortunately, the thing I like most about money is spending it. However, being a husband and father of two beautiful children has helped me be more responsible financially. While I never really wasted my money, I have always enjoyed earning more to spend more in order to indulge myself from time to time.

Now that we live on a single income, I have to double my efforts to become more frugal and concentrate on priorities. I guess this is what attracted me to read more about “being cheap”, which led me to “In Cheap We Trust” by Lauren Weber.

About Lauren Weber:

The author “grew up in Connecticut with a father who rationed toilet paper, set the thermostat at 50 degrees during the winter, and rarely used his car’s turn signals (to prevent them from burning out).”

Strong from her frugal background, Lauren always had a passion for writing. She has been writing for Reuters, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and American Banker just to name a few. Since 2007, she has concentrated on writing “In Cheap We Trust”, a combination of personal anecdotes intertwined with social and historical data wrapped up with a political taste for frugal living.

About the book:

Lauren captivated me during the first few pages about her cheap thrills introduction. And why the word “cheap” has become so negative over time. It’s as if the amount of money spent annually has become the measure of your social class in our modern (capitalist) society.

This book uses history to bring us back to the very definition of thrift and how frugality has been an important part of our value system for a very long time. Through a well documented (sometimes too exhaustive though) research, she depicts the history of frugality since the very first person set foot on American soil.

The last decade (apparently) has brought us wealth and comfort. Yet, recent economic events show us that we, as a spendthrift nation, simply incurred a huge credit bill over these same 10 years and it is now time to pay the interest and reimburse the capital. If we had not forgotten the efforts from our ancestors in building the foundation of a strong and frugal society, we might not have hit such a brick wall in today’s recession.

I particularly liked the Paradox of Thrift revisited by Weber. The paradox of thrift was created based on the principle of the economy declining due to the fact that everybody is saving instead of spending. Technically, if consumers stop buying and save their money, it should create an economic contraction resulting in more job losses (I guess this is why Bush was telling us to take our stimulus check to go to Disneyland!).

While the premise is accurate (spending less will result in a longer and deeper recession), spending more will simply postpone the problem for a few years. It’s akin to not going to the doctor because you have the flu, instead wait until you get pneumonia. I feel that a balance between savings and spending would be most appropriate.

I also found it quite interesting to actually understand the roots of frugality and Weber’s personal stories included in her book got me thinking about how far from being thrifty I actually was. It was nice way to get into the mood to save money!

Now the Giveaway!

I actually have 10 copies to distribute amongst Gather Little By Little and The Financial Blogger readers. Each blog will giveaway 5 copies of “In Cheap We Trust”.

Participation rules:

- Comment below with a frugal tip or spending philosophy (1 entry per comment).

- Follow me on twitter (1 entry)

- Register to my free mailing list (on top right of the site)

You can actually participate on both sites by commenting.

The giveaway winners will be announced on Friday, November 6^th.

Last week’s Carnivals:

Carnival of Personal Finance

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Just by writing this title, I already know that people won’t agree with this strategy. How can you tell people to get rid of their emergency fund while we are in one of the most important recessions ever? So please, keep reading until the end of the post, I promise to make sense

First things first, I am a big fan of the “pay yourself first” technique when it comes to personal finance. If you consider yourself as a priority creditor, you will put money aside for your personal finance and then, live off the rest. Many of my clients are asking the same question with regards to extra money: Should I pay down my debt or invest the difference?

Some people will build a 6 month emergency fund, others will invest the money in a stock portfolio and the rest will pay down their debt. But in many cases, the best investment would be to pay down their debt. And if you have an emergency fund, you should use it to pay off any existing debt such as your credit cards or create additional room on your home equity line of credit.

Savings accounts don’t offer much interest

When I advise my clients on what to do with their money, we find money market funds and saving accounts offering less than a 2% yield. So, here you are technically losing money if you put it aside in an emergency fund. How come? The answer comes in 2 words: taxes & inflation.

Historical inflation is over 2% and most economists expect it to keep an average pace of 2%. So, if you are marking 1.50% in your savings account and you pay 25% in taxes; you are left with a real return of 1.125%. Therefore, if the inflation is 2%, you will be lose almost 1% of your purchasing power per year. You don’t need to read an investment guide to understand that this is not the best way to increase your net worth, right?

On the other hand, credit card interest rates are much higher

Unless you were able to get a zero percent balance transfer credit card, you are probably paying around 10% on your credit card (if not higher). Therefore, you could use the money in your emergency fund (making 1.5%) and pay off debt at 10%. This method helps you  multiply your investment yield by more than 6 times when compared to a money market fund.

We’re in a recession, what happens if I lose my job and no longer have an emergency fund?

I guess this is the part I like the most about personal finance; there are no black and white answers! A few years ago, I would have answered back: take your whole emergency fund and pay off your debt. If you need money because you have lost your job, just use your line of credit for the time being.

However, since the recent credit crunch, we have seen financial institutions using the fine print to their advantage in order to cut credit limits to millions of upstanding individuals. The banks were so panicked that they simply looked to decrease their exposure to risk.

So I am not saying that everyone should cash in his entire emergency fund.

However, I think that if you have 3 months emergency funds (everybody should be looking to cover 3 to 6 months of income according to financial planning guidelines), you may use a few weeks’ or a month’s worth of income to pay off a few credit cards.

Once this is done, you can use the snowball effect to reimburse your emergency fund. Therefore, you will save a great deal of money in interest and you won’t be exposed to big risk.

Using the snowball (taking the money used to pay off one debt in full and add it to make a bigger payment on the following one) in order to reimburse your emergency fund will be a great way to make sure you replace your emergency fund to the level it was a few months earlier.

Author: Mike.

Image source:

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This passage is one of the most instructive passages regarding money in the New Testament. The end of this letter is more or less a simple thank you note to the Philippian church, but it throws back the curtains to show the secret of Paul’s contentment in Christ. The passage does not need a great deal of commentary, but let us just look at a few things that have been a challenge and encouragement to me. I hope your financial insight is deepened as well:

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

The Philippian believers were paying attention. They walked a little in Paul’s shoes and recognized that he needed help. Then they started to look for an opportunity to help.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity;

Think about the times in your life when you have been the most happy. Chances are, many of those happy memories happened when you did not have a great deal of cash. Paul has learned how to be content in every situation – and if you know anything about the life of Paul, you know that physical comfort was rarely a part of the equation. This was a guy who was stoned, beaten, imprisoned and shipwrecked on a regular basis. He did not own his own home, he walked everywhere he went, had no health insurance and did not have a regular paycheck. He fully depended on God for every necessity of life.

I think the most important lesson to be learned is that we can survive on a whole lot less than we think we can.

In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Now we move to one of the most abused quotations in all of Scripture: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”. We have all heard this promised used for everything from athletic events to tasks at work to musical performances to cooking a meal. However, when we stop to consider the context, we realize that Paul was talking specifically about money!

This is not a promise that I can ask out a pretty girl or figure out a complicated computer program or dunk a basketball. Paul is saying that the key to contentment does not lie in having financial security, but rather in realizing that God can meet our every need – whether we have money or not. He is not bound by impossible financial straits. He can clothe, feed, and shelter you even if you have no money – and if you don’t have those things, He is still enough.

Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

Paul is commending the Philippians for their generosity – a generosity that was not shared by any of the other churches in which Paul ministered. It is important to see that Paul was not a televangelist who “needs” your money – shyster who is getting rich off the goodwill of well-meaning people. No, Paul knew that God did not need money to care for his needs, but he was happy that the Philippian church was investing in his ministry and sharing in the blessing that comes from giving.

But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

Have you ever given someone the perfect gift? The gift that hits exactly the right balance between utility and luxury, the gift that the person uses for years to follow? Remember that feeling? That is how Paul wants the Philippian church to feel. He called their gift a “fragrant aroma”. It is a great compliment when someone tells you that you smell good.

How do you think the church responded after Paul’s words? I like to think that they were challenged to find more ways to give to others.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Once again, the believer in Christ can have absolute confidence that God will meet his needs. There is no problem, financial or otherwise that God cannot handle. He will always give us what we need – and what we need is fodder for another post!

Article by Stew

Photo by Vanessa Pike-Russell

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Welcome to the #201 Festival of Frugality!

If you are new to Gather Little By Little, I can suggest a few of our great posts:

- How to open an online store

- Alternative Income From Internet

- My own Budget Spreadsheet

- You Need a Budget Review

This edition is about life stages and home ownership. When we are young, most dream of owning our first home. It may be small, it may be old, but once it is ours, it’s the most beautiful place on earth to live!

The Condo:

Condominiums are perhaps the most frugal way to become an owner. While it doesn’t cost much more than an apartment on a monthly basis, you can build equity while paying down your mortgage and the condo should grow in value. After a few years, you may be interested in leaving the condo, take the equity from it to buy a townhouse and rent out your condo! Here are the best Frugal Tips of this carnival:

Craig Ford presents How to Avoid the Restaurant to Save Money posted at Money Help For Christians.

Mr Credit Card presents Why I Collect Miles posted at Ask Mr Credit Card.

Peter presents How To Get The Best Deal When Signing Up For Cable Or Satellite TV posted at Bible Money Matters.

J.D. Roth presents Pay Yourself First posted at Get Rich Slowly.

MoneyNing presents Help Your Children Visualize Money Mangement with the Four Jars Approach posted at Money Ning.

The Townhouse:

Half condo, half house, it is the perfect size for a young family that wanted a backyard but didn’t want to spend 50% of their monthly budget on a mortgage payment. This is definitely another frugal way to become an owner.

Kris presents A Beginner’s Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Bean Recipes posted at Cheap Healthy Good.

Paul Williams presents Do It Yourself: Why Your Time Is Not Worth As Much As You Think posted at Provident Planning.

Make it from Scratch presents Homemade Herb Blends posted at Make It From Scratch.

Baker presents 92 Quotes About Debt That’ll Make You Think, Laugh, & Tweet! posted at Man Vs. Debt.

Northern Cheapskate presents Flexible Spending Accounts Help You Save posted at Northern Cheapskate.

Jeff Rose presents Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps Explained posted at Jeff Rose.

The Family CEO presents Another Way to Make Money with Mr. Rebates posted at The Family CEO.

FMF presents Help a Reader: Asking for a Discount posted at Free Money Finance.

The Bungalow:

Usually a bit older than new constructions, bungalows are perfect when you need space and you want to raise a family. You now have a great backyard to play with the children and enough room for a pool if you like. While the bungalow provides a good standard of comfort, it is normally less expensive than the 2 storey cottage.

Tyler presents I Am Responsible for the Corporate World’s Waste, or A Lesson in Micro Economics posted at Frugally Green.

Joe B presents Take that Call posted at TheCreditToolBox.com.

Canadian CC presents How a Good Credit Score Can Make You Save Money on Credit Cards posted at Canadian CC.

Sarah Eliza presents Wallet-Friendly Ways to Make a Difference TODAY, aka “Broke” and “Charitable” can still go hand-in-hand! ;P posted at Devastate Boredom.

The Debtress presents Seasonal Spending Habits posted at - The Debtress Blog -.

MLR presents Budgeting Worksheet for Teens posted at My Life ROI, Getting the Best Return On Life.

scheng1 presents How healthy is your personal finance: How to save money part one posted at How healthy is your personal finance.

Cecil Dellison presents Tougher Credit Card Situation Helping Pawn Shops | Clearchoicecreditcards posted at Clear Choice Credit Cards.

2 Storey Cottage:

We are now getting into bigger and nicer stages of homes and as expected, the payments become much higher too! If you don’t have a 2 income household, you may have a hard time going on vacation and maintaining this type of house, Doctors and stock brokers notwithstanding. While this option provides you with more comfort, this is definitely not the most frugal choice of property!

freefrombroke presents Make Extra Money Cleaning Homes posted at Free From Broke.

Madison presents 10 Surprising Things You Can Turn Into Cash posted at My Dollar Plan.

Cecil Dellison presents Do Consumers Need to Worry about Credit Card Processing posted at Clear Choice Credit Cards.

FIRE Finance presents Top 5 Freebie Websites! posted at FIRE Finance.

Tom @ Canadian Finance Blog presents How Much Does Raising A Child Cost? | The Canadian Finance Blog posted at The Canadian Finance Blog.

Banker Saver presents Money Saving Strategies During Hard Times posted at Banker Saver.

Bucksome presents Did the Ice Cream Shrink? posted at Buck$ome Boomer’s Journey to Retirement.

Kyle presents Frugal Neighborhood Food and Fun posted at Suburban Dollar.

The Smarter Wallet presents Buy Electronics On Discount At These Shopping Sites posted at The Smarter Wallet.

The Luxury Home:

Hey congrats! Everyone looks at your house when they walk through the neighbourhood. However, there is a very important question you must ask yourself: can you afford your desires?

SVB presents MyPoints, MemoLink, MySurvey Online Shopping Sites For Point Rewards posted at The Digerati Life.

Ben presents Furnance Repair Bill posted at Furnance Repair Bill.

Kristia presents Four Money Saving Swap Ideas for the Winter and Holidays posted at Family Balance Sheet.

Elle presents Emergency Kit For Your Car posted at Couple Money.

Miss M presents Pet First Aid posted at M is for Money.

Patrick @ Military Money presents 2009 Veterans Day Discounts posted at Military Finance Network.

Studenomist presents Payday Loan Marketing Tactics posted at Studenomics.

Ray @ Financial Highway presents Gold Investment posted at Financial Highway.

DR presents Blockbuster Review – Online and Brick and Mortar Style posted at The Dough Roller.

The American Dream:

Based on luxury or tax saving purposes (you heard from your accountant that your mortgage interest payments were tax deductible, didn’t you?), you now have a huge house. You can almost call it a mansion. But there is just one problem; there is a foreclosure sign in front of it!

David presents Credit Card Offers for Pet Lovers posted at Credit Card Offers IQ.

Wojciech Kulicki presents Eat Well, Lose Weight, and Save Some Money posted at Fiscal Fizzle.

The Everyday Minimalist presents How to deal with and stop bad gifts posted at The Everyday Minimalist.
Matthew Paulson presents Cash for Appliances is Coming – What Consumers Need to Know posted at American Consumer News.

Andy presents Frugality and Location posted at Tight Fisted Miser.

Sometimes, you are better off living happily in a simple home and keep it than impressing everyone with a huge mansion albeit only for a few months! I hope you have enjoyed the carnival!

Author: Mike.

Image source: compujeramey, ohad, corydalus, reno tahoe, respres

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Everybody is looking for ways to make extra money these days. Since I started working for money around age 12 or 13, I have always had several streams of income. Someday, I hope to be able to live on a 40 hour workweek . . . someday. But until that happens, here are some extra ways to make some cash. Keep your eyes open, be creative, find something that works for you.

1. Yard Work – Many people are looking for help with various jobs around the home. Mowing, shoveling, weeding, cleaning out roof gutters, raking and more are all ways to generate money for your budget. How can you get these jobs? You can post your card or a flier at your local hardware store or laundromat. Another way to get work is to volunteer to help out a senior citizen with their work and let word-of-mouth do the rest. The thing about yard work is that there are no set rates and it will not pay the same as your regular job, but extra money is extra money . . .
2. Blogging – Publishing a blog is easy, but sticking with it over the long haul is difficult. I did not generate any serious income from blogging until I had been doing it for over a year and half. However, blogging can be a reliable source of income if you have the ability to write, post interesting content and keep at it.
3. Sell stuff on Ebay or Craiglist – I used to sell things on Ebay, but lately, Craiglist has really worked for us – both in selling and buying. Look around your house, I am sure that we all have things we can sell. Kids clothes, furniture, electronics,  power tools, even coupons can be sold online for very little hassle or up front investment on your part.
4. Babysitting – I know, you have not babysat since you were fourteen . . . but if you are a stay-at-home-mom, let your friends know that you are willing to take in a child or two during the day. There are many working mothers who prefer that their child is in a home rather than an institutional daycare. Mrs. Stew makes a lot of extra money this way.
5. Sewing and alterations – Sewing is somewhat of a lost art, but if you are one of the few with talents in this area, let others know! There is always sewing to be done in conjunction with weddings, find a couple of those and you will be in good shape.
6. Window cleaning - This job might fall under the yard work category up above, but most homeowners despise window cleaning and many lack the equipment necessary. If you have a ladder, you can be in business. A Saturday of window cleaning could really jump start your debt reduction or emergency fund savings.
7. Painting - Painting is another one of those love-hate jobs, but if you are willing there is no end of work. I recently helped a couple paint their rental apartment and soon realized that my painting experience could someday be a real moneymaker.
8. Cleaning houses – This is another job that Mrs. Stew used early in our marriage to make extra cash. It was a little shocking to me to realize the number of people who want nothing to do with cleaning their own homes. If you need cash, a little mopping and vacuuming could be just the ticket.
9. Crafts – This is not my cup of tea at all, but Mrs. Stew has several friends who make crafts and accessories to seel on a website called Etsy. If you are crafty, you might be able to spin straw into gold . . .
10. Home shows – Once again, this is not my thing, but there are many people who sell really useful things like kids books, cooking utensils, vitamins and through home parties. If you find a product that you are passionate about, you might be able to take advantage of this alternate stream of income.
11. Photography - People are finding that studio photography is out of their reach, furthermore, many want pictures taken outside. The age of digital photography has made picture taking accessible for all of us. If you can develop a reputation, you can make money in evenings and weekends.
12. Haircuts – This might work better for college students, but at the college I attended, there was at least one guy or girl in every dorm who had a pair of clippers and could cut hair. For some of them, this was the only employment they had all the way through college. Think about it, maybe it is an idea that could work for you.
13. Pet care – Walking dogs, picking up yard waste, giving baths, changing bedding and cat boxes. Pets come with a lot of work and there are a lot of pet owners who would not mind spending a little money to avoid some of those responsibilities. I am not a big fan of pets, but pet care might prove to be a way for you to earn some “walking around” money.

If I know GLBL readers, a few more ideas are on the way – feel free to add to the list by leaving a comment.

Article by Stew

Photo by Tim in Sydney

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