Debt Black Hole

Yakezie Carnival 3/3/13 - Personal Crossroads Edition

2013-03-03T13:00:00+00:00

I've recently found myself at both a professional and financial crossroads. I've been presented an unexpected opportunity. But I've been moving along smoothly on the same path for so long, I completely forgot what it was like to be faced with an extremely difficult and emotional decision that will have a great impact on my family's future. Despite being distracted by these recent events, I am honored to host this week's Yakezie Carnival. I've dubbed this the Personal Crossroads Edition for obvious reasons. Enjoy!

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Dividend Stocks for Young Investors - One of the most prevalent myths about dividend stocks is that they are mostly for retired investors. The slow growing, unexciting businesses which tend to grow at predictable rates, are not seen to be sexy enough for young investors. This misconception can cost you millions of dollars in missed opportunities.

Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence writes Buying a house cash: being truly at home - I decided to buy a house cash to fully own the roof over my head, even though it doesn't make full financial sense

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Why Freelancing Might Not Be For You - Sometimes I think about going rogue and doing stuff on my own, but not everyone can survive as a freelancer. Not everyone will.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Why The Envelope System is Perfect for a Marriage - This envelope system is great for married couples and helping them get back on track financially.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes How to increase your credit score quickly - We want to buy a house quickly, so we are following these steps to raise our credit score quickly.

Marvin @ Brick By Brick Investing writes How To Invest In TSP - Detailed description of how to properly and successfully invest in the Thrift Savings Plan.

Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes The 8 Week Rule - The 8 week rule is key for a lot of reasons, but most important is that you should not make judgements too early on the progress you are making. Creating new connections in the brain takes time. You must keep at it, even if you feel like you are not making immediate improvement.

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Money Love Blanket-Saving money is an act of self-love - It's my view that the concept of saving money is sold to people in the wrong way. We're told that we should save because it's a good thing to do, you should save in case of an emergency. There is a lack of connecting with emotions that affect our money lives. These things that we're saving for seem so abstract and I don't know about you but I like to live in the fool's paradise where emergencies don't happen to me. Emergencies happen to other people.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Why Diversifying Isn't Always Necessary For High Stock Market Returns - Time has shown that stock diversification isn't always best approach for stock market returns.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Insights from Our Free Investment Portfolio Check-Up, and How to Get Yours - There is something that I have learned along the way in my frugal decadent lifestyle: if you practice frugality all of your life, then you are most likely going

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Mutual Funds: What Are They? Are They Safe? How Do I Choose? - Investors have different opinions on whether you should invest in mutual funds, but it is really quite simple.

CT @ Cashtastrophe writes What to Do If Your Not Making Ends Meet - Read what to do if your not making ends meet! Even if you aren't in this situation, it's good to prepare for it.

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes Securing you Future after Retirement - Making your future secured this is the punch line. Yes, you would receive a sum of money every month, sitting at home without having to invest anything substantial. This would be a lifetime income solution for you. However, it's not easy receiving the social security retirement benefits.

Kevin @ AllPersonalFinance writes Investing in Real Estate - What you need to know - Investing in real estate is not for everyone. Unlike stocks or mutual funds, you cannot buy real estate in chunks. Further, you also cannot sell real estate very easily. The whole process of investing in real estate is like watching a plant grow. However, like a plant that grows surely and steadily, prices of real estate also grow surely and steadily with time.

harry campbell @ Your PF Pro writes Why Should I Donate Blood? - “Give blood today and save some lives.” Doesn’t that sound great? I’m sure you’ve seen some form of that saying around town or in a bulletin floating around work. It seems like there’s always a shortage of blood and never enough donors. My donation days started way back in college with the Red Cross. Once a quarter, in exchange for giving blood, I would receive a coupon for a free Chipotle burrito. That’s all I needed to hear, giving blood became a no-brainer seeing as how I

Hank @ Money Q&A writes What To Do Right Now Before You Lose Your Wallet - Here are tips that you can use right now to make sure that if you lose your wallet it doesn't completely ruin your financial day and worse end in identity theft.

Kevin @ Simplefinancialfreedom writes Renting vs. Buying a Home - The issue of renting vs. buying a home is something every adult has to face at least once in his or her lifetime.

Andrew @ 101 Centavos writes Stupid Friends are Expensive - A moral tale on the uselessness of idiot friends, whereby a young man must make a choice between standing by his old (and stupid) high school chum, and getting on with life.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Run Your Family Finances Like A Business - When we opened oXYGen Financial back in 2008, we introduced two very important financial planning concepts.

Brent @ Save on Money writes 10 Tips for Choosing Solar Power Solutions Read more at http://www.saveonmoney.org/2013/02/10-tips-for-choosing-solar-power.html - one in five households are utilizing some megawatt power to do everything from running their washing machines, dryers, their air conditioners, laptops and listening to music on their iPods. Here are ten tips you should consider when choosing a solar power provider.

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Bull Flattener, Bear Flattener, Bull Steepener and Bear Steepener Explained - An explanation of the four different ways the yield curve changes which ware Bull Flatterner, Bear Flattener, Bull Steepener, and Bear Steepener.

Kevin @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes Why Invest in Precious Medals - A metal does not become a good investment just because it is precious. Its relatively higher price in the market today does not automatically promise us that it will grow faster than other assets. However, there definitely are some good reasons why you should invest in precious metals.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes I Am Actually Excited to Buy My Niece's Birthday Gift - Investments! - I hate how many toys I have in my house because I truly believe that my son just doesn’t care about 92% of the toys. So I think I just see them as wasted money mostly by very generous friends and family. I was expressing my feelings to a buddy when he told me instead of purchasing a gift that his niece or nephew won’t remember he takes the equivalent amount he would have spent and invests it for them.

Kevin @ Passiveincometoretire writes My Top Passive Income Ideas - To build a passive income, we need to own properties that generate a regular income for us with minimal involvement after they have been created. This can be contrasted with working at a job or working for someone for pay, where, at the end of the transaction, we do not or own any income-generating property.

Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes Taking Time Off to Recharge: No More Working on Vacation - It’s a good thing to proactively manage your time and stay on top of things. But it’s easy to take it so far that you’re constantly working when you’re supposed to be relaxing. This year while I’m away from home for our vacation, I’m actually taking time off to enjoy the vacation. This blog post is the only “real work” I’m doing this week. Is this a bad business practice?

Jason @ Live Real Now writes Make Extra Money Part 4: Keyword Selection - In this installment of the Make Extra Money series, I’m going to show you how I do keyword research. Properly done–unless you get lucky–this is the single most time-consuming part of making a niche site. If you aren’t targeting search terms that people use, you are wasting your time.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Another Riches to Rags Story - Even though I'm certainly not the type to laugh at anyone's misfortunes, riches to rags stories are certainly a huge laugh for me.

MMD @ IRA vs 401k Central writes Roth and Traditional IRA Income Limits – Can I Contribute? - If you don't exceed the Roth and Traditional IRA income limits for 2013, then you may be able to invest more of your money into a fund for tax free growth.

MMD @ My Money Design writes Starting the Next of My Extra Income Ideas – Building a Niche Website - With P2P investing off the table as one of my extra income ideas, my attention has now turned towards a new type of project: Building a niche website.

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes Real Estate Law Help - What To Do When You're Facing Eviction - If you’re in the uncomfortable position of facing eviction, especially due to non payment, you can try to stay or you can decide to leave peacefully. If your financial situation has changed, and you can no longer afford the apartment, it may just be best to face reality and move to a more modest apartment you can afford. However, if you’d like to stay in your apartment, there are certain things you can do to improve your chances of being able to do so, if that’s what you would like to

Kevin @ 20smoney.com writes Common Financial Mistakes made by People in their 20s and how to avoid them - Most people start earning their first regular paychecks in their early 20s. However, their financial education is still that of a teenager.

Josh @ Becoming Your Own Bank writes How Banks and the Federal Reserve are Working Hard to Rob America - Ever heard of fractional reserve lending or Fiat money? Check out how the Federal Reserve and banks are hurting us in our latest interview with Mark Thornton, from Ludwig von Mises Institute

Jason @ Work Save Live writes APY vs APR - Understanding the Difference - nterest is expressed either as an annual percentage rate (APR) or as an annual percentage yield (APY). You should understand the difference between these two expressions in order to better understand your money and what you’re really being charged when borrowing money.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes How'd You Like a House in a Box? - There are many choices out there to make building your own home a little easier, from pre-fab models to House in a Box. House in a box reminds me a little bit of the old-fashioned Sears mail order homes. Though it’s not the same concept (Sears shipped the pre-cut wood to the owner/builder with plans), it’s very similar.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes The Importance of Planning and Saving for the Future - Most of us realize we should put some regular effort into saving money for our futures. However in reality we don't all manage to do it.

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes How to define simple living money saving tips - A great how to on money saving tips, help you reflect on your attitude and PFJ hot 5 tips on simple living money saving tips.

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Dividend News: Rogers Ups Dividends by 10% - 10 percent dividend increase by Rogers Communication, nice increase!

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Diversification Made Simple - Active investing can be quite overwhelming. Not only is it often a new experience for new people, but most people usually do it in passive forms (index or mutual funds). While I’m not a day trader or anywhere close to being an expert investor, I do know that many of the basic rules of investing. The post Diversification Made Simple appeared first on Simple Budget.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Clipping Coupons: Is it Worth It? - In order to determine whether coupons are worth your time, consider this simple argument.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes A Simple Retirement Plan for You! - Retirement can happen at any time! A typical definition of retirement is the act of leaving one's job and ceasing work. In my parent's generation, you kicked back and did not do much. It was a way of withdrawing or retreating from the work world.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes Get Paid $15 to Share Your Favorite Website - Mobile Expressions, a cell phone research group, is giving away free $15 Visa gift cards if you sign up for their study. Here's how to do it..

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Cash Discount for Car Repairs - Everyone hates car repairs and I'm no different. Nothing feels like throwing money away more than to paying for something you can't see and gives you no

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes My Farming Past Taught Me More than just How to Muck Manure - A former farmer shares money-spending-saving-investing wisdom.

Kevin @ MyDividendStocks writes Dividend Stock Strategies - Dividend refers to the cash payout made by a company to its shareholders. Since a company is a profit-generating enterprise, paying out dividend is one way a company can share its profits with its shareholders, who are part owners of the company.

Mary Rhodes @ Fine Tune Finances writes When to consider leasing a vehicle - Given the right situation, leasing a new car or truck can make more sense than financing it over a long period of time to buy.

Jon Haver @ Pay My Student Loans writes Obama Student Loan Forgiveness - For many Americans, paying for and living under the weight of student loans has become a way of life. The next four years are starting to look a lot more hopeful thanks to President Obama’s “Pay As You Earn” proposal and Representative Hansen Clarke’s proposed Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012.

Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes If You Are Struggling with Debt, Do Not Get Pets... - When in debt, avoid the pets. I should know. Our pets have cost us about $3000 in 4 years...

TRL @ The Retired Landlord writes Real Estate for Retirement - Real estate can be an important element of any retirement plan.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes Romance 101: How to Turn Up the Heat This Valentine's Day - Does Valentine's Day remind you of how sad your romantic life has been? Well, all is not lost, and here’s how you can express your feelings and affection in a special way.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes What Is the Greener Option? Reusable Razors or Disposable? - Try and avoid throw-away disposable razors to be green and save money. Any other option is better but treat yourself to the joy of a really close shave and invest in a straight razor for the greenest option that will definitely save you money.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Stumbles on the way to paying our debt - Last week we were very happy to announce that we had repaid some lb100k ($157k) in a tad over 3 years. But don't believe it was all plain sailing - changing our lives to accommodate budgets and be more careful with money was breaking a (bad) habit of a lifetime.

Money Beagle @ Money Beagle writes Suing S&P Over The Mortgage Crisis Is Crazy - Recently the government announced that they are planning on suing S&P for having given high ratings to mortgage based securities prior to the recent meltdown. If you ask me, it's crazy.

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes What is Dividend Investing? Why Should You Do It? - Mike from The Dividend Guy Blog and Dividend Stock Analysis wrote a great blog post over at My Own Adivsor that I'd like to share with my readers. Mike discusses the benefits of investing in dividend stocks, and my favourite the section on "Index Investing vs. Dividend Investing" is a must read.

Nick @ A Young Pro writes Losing the Freshman 15 - As a student, you frequently hear the term "The Freshman 15". This is the story of my "Freshman 15" and what I am doing to lose it.

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes How to Prepare for Life After College - Life after college does not have to be difficult. Preparation, though, must begin as soon as yesterday.

Joe @ Midlife Finance writes Buying A House - Finalizing The Sale - Buying a house — if you’re interested in saving money, effort and time, that is — means careful preparation and planning.

Gary @ Gajizmo.com writes How To Answer Interview Questions - If you are a student graduating this summer, unemployed, or currently employed but looking to make a jump to another company or industry, preparing for an interview is a sure way of making sure you make it to the next round of the process. Here is a list of the most common interview questions you can expect as well as tips and suggestions on how to answer each.

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes The Skinny on Renting Out Living Space for Passive Income - Passive income just has a good sound to it. The idea of doing nothing (or, in most cases, very little) and making money is appealing. It's all about finding things you already have and making them work for you. In the case of renting space, you're taking an area that was just sitting around and making it productive.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes It's Going To Be A Big Year For My Family - From my daughter's first day of school to a major announcement about my family's future, I'm looking at some of the big steps on the horizon.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Buy Cheap Wine For Your Friends But Tell Them It Was Expensive - Five Cent Nickel recently posted about wines prices and perceptions, noting a Freakonomics podcast that discussed the topic. I’ve always been a big fan of Freakonomics, and was even mentioned in their blog way back when I was a college student with an internship. The specific podcast talked about how individals rate cheap and expensive...

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes A Continuation of the Minimum Wage Debate - Evidence and quotations from academic economists on why raising the minimum wage is a bad idea.

William @ Quote Me A Price writes What You Need to Know About Structured Settlements - When a person is fortunate enough to be awarded a settlement or win a large cash prize, many think they will undoubtedly choose to get their money in a large lump sum, but this is not actually the case. Instead, most people choose to get their money through structured settlement payments.

Christina @ MLIQ101 writes Compare Life Insurance Online - Written by a former life insurance agent and broker, this article highlights the pros and cons of whole, universal, and term life insurance as well as discussing the primary differences between permanent and term coverage. If you are looking for a strong overview of life insurance protection, this post can help you determine what types of policies you should be looking at.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Three insurance policies you should have - When devising your personal financial plan, one of the most important things to consider is how best to protect your assets. There is obviously no greater asset to you than your loved ones, which is why should consider taking out a life insurance policy among others.

Girl Meets Debt @ Girl Meets Debt writes Observations of a Former Bank Teller - Many people who know me in my real life are surprised to find out that I went into banking in the first place since I am horrible at math (2+2=let me see check on my Iphone calculator)

Steve @ 2013 Tax writes What Do The IRS And Your Ex-Girlfriend Have In Common? - You Don’t Want To Hear From Either One Of Them

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Money and Child Raising: Saving for Child's College - A discussion of the pros and cons of saving and investing to help your child pay for their college education when they reach that point.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes The practicality of joint or separate bank accounts - Where do you stand on joint vs separate bank accounts? Read my take!

Walt @ My Wealth Desire writes Wealth Building Tips – Financial Benefits of Condo Living - Wealthy people are continuously seeking a place they can call it home or a convenient place where they can relax and settle after long hours of working or engaging in any wealth building activities. Luxurious condominium living becomes a well-known lifestyle of modern wealthy urbanites because of the financial benefits that it offers.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes How Much Does an MBA Really Cost? - On average, you could pay more than $60,000 for a two-year MBA program. But getting your MBA from one of the most prestigious institutions in the United States could cost more than $100,000.

Grayson @ Debt RoundUp writes Budget Fail: Unrealistic Expectations While Shopping - We all shop, but when we go shopping with unrealistic expectations, then we are destined to fail. I blew my budget in one fail swoop by not researching the product I wanted to buy fully before venturing out.

KK @ Student Debt Survivor writes Financial Lessons Learned From My 80 Year Old Grandma - The original frugalista, my grandmother stayed at home with my mother and didn’t begin working outside of the home, or driving a car until she was in her 40′s. Because they didn’t have a lot of money, grammy knows a whole host of frugal tips and tricks.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Taking the Plunge: Why I Love Being Self-Employed - Running your own business has its shares of pros and cons and is not for the faint of heart. I love being self-employed because of the freedom it brings as well as being able to see direct results from my hard work.

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Income Tax Is Like A Four Letter Word - Income tax doesn't have to be a four letter word if you plan and maximize on the credits available for your personal or your business returns.

Sean @ One Smart Dollar writes The Rise of the 15 Year Mortgage - With interest rates at such low levels, 15 year mortgages have become increasingly popular. Are they right for you?

Jon @ Novel Investor writes Ally Bank Review: The Best Online Bank? - Brick and mortar banks offer most of the same features as their online counterparts. Yet, they still fall short when compared to Ally and other online banks.

Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes I’ve Hit A Weight Loss Plateau, So I’m Going To…Increase My Calories??? - For the last few months I have been eating between 1,600 and 1,800 calories each day. I would have to say that over 99% of what I have eaten during this time would be considered to be extremely healthy by

Jules Wilson @ Faithful With a Few writes Don’t Get a Divorce – Unless You Can Afford To! - Unfortunately, divorce and finances have become a part of American life. Find out what financial matters you need to consider if faced with the prospect of divorce!

Mike Collins @ Wealthy Turtle writes Five Reasons You Should Open a Capital One 360 Savings Account Today - Capital One 360 offers higher interest rates and better customer service than brick and mortar banks. Here are 5 reasons I keep my money there.

Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank @ Monster Piggy Bank writes Debt Spiral – Avoid Bankruptcy and Get Help - All about Debt spirals. - what they are - how to know if you are in one - how to get out of one

Thomas @ Finance Inspired writes Are We Spending our Retirement in Poverty? - With many dreaming of the day they can retire, this week we have a look is the grass actually greener on the other side?

John @ WILD about Finance writes Video: What are Savings Bonds? - 1st of the new WILD video series has simple financial matters, explained more simply so anyone can understand. Hill Billy Cindy kicks off this new, fun series.

Simon @ Your Wealth Planners writes Big Money to be made in Student Accommodation - With student numbers constantly on the rise investors have started cashing in on this scale able opportunity.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Bad Credit? Rebuild it With These Secured Credit Card Offers - Using one of the best secured credit card offers can help you build, or re-build, and improve your credit an get you on your way to getting an unsecured card.

Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents writes #Tag: Getting to Know the “Person” Behind the Personal Finance Blog - Girl Meets Debt made a fun questionnaire so that everyone could get to know each other a little better. Cait, Tonya, and Krystal all took part and now of course I want to take part.

Jason @ PT Money writes 5 Ways to Increase Your Income - When becoming financially sound, you have 2 options: either decrease your spending or increase your income. Often, people focus on the former instead of the latter, but there are some things you can do to bring home more money instead of simply trimming spending.

Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes Prepare to Pay to Stay Healthy in Retirement - The average American underestimates retirement healthcare costs by 48%. What can you do about this cognitive shortcoming?

JC @ Passive-Income-Pursuit @ Passive Income Pursuit writes Dividend Update - February 2013 - It was a solid month of dividends that keep helping me reach my goal of early FI.

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes S&P Dividend Aristocrats Index – An Incomplete List For Dividend Investors - When I was first getting started with dividend growth investing, one of the biggest authorities on dividend investing was the S&P Dividend Aristocrats Index. This list of stocks was compiled by a respectable agency and included companies which had raised dividends for at least a quarter of a century each. However, as I gained more experience in dividend investing, I realized that it is not complete.

The Yakezie Carnival is brought to you to by the network of personal finance bloggers of the Yakezie. You can submit articles at Blogger Carnivals.

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Personal Finance Collective 12/28/12

2012-12-28T08:30:00+00:00

12/28/12

Here's the last 2012 edition of the Personal Finance Collective! Fill out my submission form on Blog Carnival HQ if you have something you want to share from the Personal Finance Hive Mind next time.

So read on Species 5618...RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

Rohit presents Roth IRA Conversion posted at The Money Mail.

Dividend Growth Investor presents Market Declines: An Opportunity to Acquire Quality Dividend Stocks posted at Dividend Growth Investor.

Brent presents Don't Forget To Set Some New Year's Money Resolutions posted at Save on Money.

Josh Thompson presents Cash Value Life Insurance posted at Becoming Your Own Bank.

Savvy Scot presents SALLTYE - Spend a Lot Less Than You Earn posted at The Savvy Scot.

Young presents How a Savings Account Keeps You Out of Debt posted at Young And Thrifty.

Girl Meets Debt presents Girl Meets Debt (No Longer in Financial Denial) posted at Girl Meets Debt.

Harry Campbell presents How Much Money Would it Take to Leave a Great Life? posted at Your Personal Finance Pro.

Andrea presents 7 Ways to Lose Money with Last-Minute Gift Shopping posted at Modest Money.

Teacher Man presents Last Minute Gift Ideas – A Financial Education posted at My University Money.

Steve presents The Proposed 2013 Tax Changes Are Only Weeks Away posted at 2011 Taxes.

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Carnival of Money Pros - Holiday Edition 12/23/12

2012-12-23T14:00:00+00:00

Welcome, my friends, to a special Holiday edition of the Carnival of Money Pros! You are in for a real treat with the great financial insights offered by the submissions below. Enjoy!

Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents writes $975 in Weekly Extra Income and Life Updates - My spending this week was similar to my Life Update from last week. I don’t think I spent any money (at least none that I can think of) except for my OTHER dog this time. He is sick now, and it’s even worse. Since he is a French Bulldog runt, his nose is extremely closed (they have recommended laser nose surgery to open it up) and whenever he coughed he would go into a fit where he couldn’t breath for a little bit.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Use Credit Card Rewards to Pay for Christmas! - The holidays can be a very expensive time of year depending on your gift giving tendencies and how much you celebrate the holiday festivities. Luckily I’m going to share a unique way to pay for your Christmas this year that is a bit out of the box.

James Petzke @ This Is Common Cents writes Oh Drat, My Computer is "Outdated" - Keeping up with technology used to cost me over a thousand dollars per year.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey writes Smallest Balance or Highest Rate - Which Credit Card Should You Pay Off First? - This post addresses the question of whether or not paying off the credit card with the smallest balance or the credit card with the highest interest rate is the correct way to pay off your debt. Which method you ultimately choose is really more a matter of personal comfort level and that the really important issue is that you set a plan to pay off your credit cards, get started and stick to it.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Personal Capital Review – A One Stop Financial Center - Wouldn’t you love to see all of your investment account in one dashboard? Enter Personal Capital where you can connect all of your accounts. See more in our Personal Capital Review.

Mike @ The Financial Blogger writes Random Thoughts on How To Make More Money - What are viable options for making more money?

Green Panda @ Green Panda Treehouse writes Get through the holidays on a budget - How you can NOT go broke this holiday season.

Kyle James @ Rather-Be-Shopping.com writes Frugal Hack #1: The “Secret” Dish Network Programming Package - Save a bunch of money with this "secret" plan.

Levi Blackman @ Wealthnote.com writes 22 Things You Can Do Today to Become a Better Investor - A list of powerful investing wisdom that can make you a better investor starting now.

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Fourteen days to go till payday - 14 days until payday is a long time, but at least I'm half way there! Read my take on this payment arrangement!

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Some Marry The Wrong Person Knowingly - Marriage is one of those subjects that requires certainty, and not a lot of potential. Despite this, some marry the wrong person knowingly.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Financial Year End Strategy - Have you started your financial year end strategy yet? I have and I explain why this is the perfect time to do so!

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes Should You Buy Low and Sell High or Buy Low and Hold? - A reader asked: "When you buy dividend paying stocks do you usually hang on for ever or are you buying and selling stocks every few years.

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes How Living in a Small Town Affects Our Finances - I knew moving from a large city (population of 165,000) to a small town (population of 5,500) would have some sort of effect on our finances...I just wasn't....

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Help Your Children Buy a House Without Getting Into Trouble With the Taxman - Thinking about lending money to family to buy a house? How you structure the loan has a lot of tax consequences. Get the answers you need here.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Four Financial Changes For When You Have a Baby - If you're a regular reader, you're probably well aware that there is a baby about to enter my life.

Jason @ Work Save Live writes 6 Ways to Involve Your Children in Giving This Holiday Season - Children are born with giving hearts, and if they are taught at a young age that giving should be a part of their lives, they do so naturally and compassionately. Here are 6 ideas to get your children involved in giving this holiday season.

Ryan @ Early Retirement Investments writes Protect Your Business and Employees from Fire - How to protect your business and employees from fire. Read what I thinking!

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Optimizing Your Return on Savings (and Keeping it Simple) - Everyone wants to earn more money with the money that they already have. As a basic rule, investors want high returns in order to grow their wealth faster and easier. If earning more money were as easy as merely desiring it, everyone in the world would be a rich person. Instead, it is often quite difficult. It's hard to predict when a company may go under.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Buying Life Insurance For Your Kids - Buying life insurance for your kids is an important and very mature choice to make. While it's another expenses, you can rest easy that your family will be fine.

Jessica @ Mo' Money Mo' Houses writes Every Career Path is Different, and That's Okay - It's easy to look at your peers and question why they are a manager but you are still an assistant. Listen, every career path is different, and that's okay.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes How to Improve Your Finances - As the Holiday season approaches, many families are left wondering where all of their money went.

Derek Knight @ Freeat33 writes What Is Your Legacy Saying About You? - Are you doing one thing and saying something completely different? It's time to get honest with yourself. Have you wasted the last few years?

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes December 2012 Dividend Champion Watchlist Update - Every few months I like to update the watch list for my Dividend Investment Portfolio (last update was in October of 2012). As explained in great detail below, I apply various metrics to the Dividend Champion List (defined below) to weed through the list to create a watchlist that I’ll buy lots of over the next few months.

Roger Wohlner @ The Chicago Financial Planner writes Lousy 401(k) Plan? – Strategies to Make the Best of It - Like many financial advisors I generally suggest to most clients that they maximize their contributions to their company's retirement plan. But what if your organization's plan is lousy? Lousy could mean poor investment choices, high expenses, or low or no company contributions. Here are a few tips to help you make the best of a lackluster 401(k) plan.

Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes Hotel's "Broken Computer" Credit Card Scam - Someone tried to steal our credit card information a couple of hours ago. It was a pretty ingenious scam too. I'm hoping that you'll read this and share this story so that people won't fall for it like we almost did.

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes How to Avoid Paying 3 Common Fees - No one likes to pay extra money. However, there are a number of fees that you end up paying as you go through life. Indeed, it seems as though there are always new fees cropping up everywhere you turn, whether it’s an increase in ATM fees, or whether you discover that you can no longer check even one bag for free when you fly.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Does Money Grow on Trees? - You hear it all of the time: money doesn’t grow on trees! Growing up, I heard my Mom use that phrase or a similar one to me multiple times.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes What are the Best Oil Mutual Funds? - Why buy oil stocks when you can but a plethora of oil companies? Read my take on the best oil mutual funds.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes How to Improve Your Budget - Everyone who has been budgeting for a while knows that the perfect technique with budgeting isn't developed over night. It's more of a process than people often like to admit. Sure, budgeting may sound simple when we talk about it, but it's much more complex. It's not merely a step 1, step 2, and step 3.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Legitimate Ways To Make Money At Home - Many people are always looking for legitimate ways to make money at home. As a result, there are a lot of scams out there that prey on people. Here are some great ways to legitimate ways to make money at home.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes I've Forgotten How To Buy Christmas Gifts For My Husband - After years of no-gift Christmases and going Christmas shopping for myself, I've forgotten how to buy gifts for my husband without him finding out.

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Things to Do After Getting Married - In the past year, I’ve attended four different weddings. It was a busy and exciting year, yet as I reflect back on those union celebrations, I can’t help but think back to what my wife and I have done after saying, “I do.&

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Saying Goodbye to Your First Credit Card (the balance, anyways) - Maybe it's time for you to consider thinking about saying goodbye to your first credit card. Find out how it might affect you.

Sustainable Personal Finance writes How to Shop for Eco-friendly Appliances - New eco-friendly appliances, especially the big ones such as refrigerators and washing machines, are a serious commitment for homeowners.

Mandy @ Money Master Mom writes Are your finances an amazing race? - Everyone has good intentions when it comes to their cash, but man fail to plan adequately and a detour, speed bump, or road block send things out of control.

Steve @ 2012 Taxes writes Accounting For Your Business - Running a small business can be one of the most time consuming and stressful experiences in life.

Steve @ FastSwings writes How to Track Down Debtors Around the World - It is becoming less and less common for businesses to know their customers personally, especially if those customers live on a different continent.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes AUTO INSURANCE 101 - Learn auto insurance basics; dedictibles, premiums, coverages and what it all means. Tips for cheap autoo insurance.

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes TFSA Explained - Find everything you need to know about the Tax Free Savings Account or TFSA

Rod @ ROD Blog writes Review of Chase Ink Plus Business Card - Chase Ink Plus business card is offering a $500 sign up bonus. Is it worth signing up for this card? What are the benefits, problems and the reward structure?

Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Largest Mutual Fund Companies By Assets - In previous years, mutual funds have seen huge outflows in net assets. In 2012, due to more stability in the stock market and solid returns, mutual funds have began to see growth in their assets under management. Investors can learn about the advantages of mutual fund companies and find the largest ones by assets managed.

Invest It Wisely writes How to Host a Christmas Party on a Budget - We usually host the annual family reunion in our home so we learned how keep control on spending while still enjoying it.

Christina @ MyLifeInsurance101 writes Overview of Life Insurance Coverage - It's the year-end and Americans are likely thinking about their families and how to protect them financially. This article focuses on the 3 most common types of life insurance - term, whole, and universal, and contrasts the pros and cons of the policies so consumers know what is available to them.

My Money Design writes Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Early or Look for a Better Return? - Should I pay off my mortgage early or look for other opportunities with a better rate of return? What about inflation or other investment goals?

Creating a Passive Income writes Passive Income: Let Someone Else Pay Your Mortgage - Learn how you can have someone else pay your mortgage for you! You can generate passive income through real estate.

Carmen @ MyBestCarInsurance101 writes What To Do After A Car Accident - With the holidays fast approaching, hopefully yours will be safe and accident free. For those of you that may experience a car accident now or in the future, here is a "what to do" to keep you financially protected and responsible.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Planning To Donate To Charity? Do It Before The IRS Deadline - Thinking of donating a little more to charity this year and hoping to get the tax deduction you're owed? Make sure you're aware of these IRS deadlines.

Harry Campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes How Much Money Would it Take to Leave a Great Life? - When I graduated college four years ago, I faced a tough job market with very few prospects. I had a couple interviews but I was only offered one position as a navigation/systems engineer in Palmdale, CA. Even though it was my only offer at the time, it was still a tough decision. I debated about taking the job because I had lived in SoCal all my life(never more than 10 minutes from the beach) and I can assure you that Palmdale was/is no Southern Cali! I really wanted to turn down the offer b

Matt @ Dividend Monk writes How to Invest with a Margin of Safety - An overview of conservative investing for solid returns by using a margin of safety.

Matt @ Stoic Insights writes Invest in your health with Quality Food - An extremely detailed article outlining the benefits and arguments of investing more in food now to save money later.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Can We Just Skip Gift Cards This Christmas? - I haven't done any of my holiday shopping at this point, but I'm going to declare a new theory of relative proportion at Your Smart Money Moves today.

Tax Deduction Blog writes How to Make Penalty-free Early Withdrawals from your IRA and 401(k) - Here are some ways in which you can get money (early withdrawal) from your 401(k) or your IRA before maturity and not incur any penalty.

Simple Finance Blog writes Variable Annuities and 401(k) Plan Combo: More Losses than Gains - Over the years, variable annuities have gained popularity. The reason, perhaps, is partly because it is marketed more aggressively by many financial institutions these days.

Aloysa @ My Broken Coin writes Love Skiing But Hate Spending? Go Nordic. - Utah. Dry summers. Cold winters. Snowy mountains. Expensive ski resorts. Utahns love their snow so much that they claim to have "The Best Snow on Earth." I can argue with this statement. To say something like this means you are way too arrogant to my liking.

My Wealth Desire writes Why the Rich getting richer and the Poor get poorer? Other Poor People Stay Poor - In America or in almost all of the countries, there is a wide gap between the rich and the poor people. The common observation from many economists is that the “the rich getting richer and the poor get poorer. In my previous article I discussed in detail the reasons why the rich getting richer. And now in this article I will elaborate the causes why the poor getting poorer or why poor people stay poor.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Options to Deal with Buyer's Remorse - Have you ever had buyer’s remorse? I like to live my life with no regrets—I am a true believer that every moment, both good and bad, has been integral to

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes What Causes Inflation? - Most of us consider inflation to be a general rise in prices. While this is a valid observation, the rise in prices is actually the effect. Higher prices don’t cause inflation. An increase in the money supply causes inflation.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Which Accounting Method Should You Use for Your Small Business - The end of the year is coming up and my wife has a big accounting decision to make. This year, my wife started a music studio. Since it’s her first year of operation, she has to pick an accounting method to properly report the taxes owed from the business. Perhaps you’ve never given your choices much thought.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Watch your money this festive period - Many people use Christmas as an occasion when they 'let their hair down' and spend without cpntrol or responsibility. Don't forget to watch your money.

Andrea @ Modest Money writes 7 Ways to Lose Money with Last-Minute Gift Shopping - Last minute Christmas shopping is never fun, but on top of that you might be losing money by proscrastinating. Learn how.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes How to Make Money Sharing Your Christmas List - Modern technology has made our time the age of the Penny Hoarder. Only ten years ago, companies paid large chunks of change to one massive advertising agency to get the word out on products and build a brand.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes The Vagaries of Life - Soo my darlings, how do you strive to balance it all? Any particular coping mechanisms to slash through all of the objectives etched into your daily agenda?

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Adventures in Landlording - So Far, So Good - It's been a while since I talked about our rental income. Here is our most recent updates on our adventures in landlording.

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes 4 Frugal Gift Ideas for Acquaintances - Today we will be talking about 4 Frugal Gift Ideas for Acquaintances and service providers. With the holiday upon it can be a challenge upon us to know what can be appropriate to gift to the people to help us all along.

CF @ The Outlier Model writes Recipe Idea: Mulled Apple Cider - It’s not the holidays without a warm cozy drink! One of my favourite drinks to curl up with is a nice, spicy apple cider. Check out our recipe!

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Unconventional Investment Series: Investing in Wine - Unconventional Investment Series: Investing in Wine

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes Last Minute Gift Ideas – A Financial Education - So you’re down to the nitty gritty for Christmas gifts yet again. Last year you promised yourself it would never come to this again. No more last second stressful dashes to the mall to fight crowds of other anxiety-ridden zombies. Yet somehow December just flew by again this year...

Wealth Effect Blogger @ www.YourWealthEffect.com writes Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs and Enticing Yields - When you're hungry, the smell of bacon wrapped hot dogs cooking on the grill is almost irresistible much like the appeal of enticing yields for those hungry for income.

Jason @ Live Real Now writes Dreams - It’s hard to raise a family on a stablehand’s income. My wife's alternative was to own horses. This comes with a different set of problems.

Beating Broke writes Are You Waiting on Your Finances to Change? - Your finances aren’t going to change if you only wait on them to. If you want them to change, you’ve got to make a directed effort to change them.

KrantCents writes What Is a Progress Report and Why Is It Important? - A progress report is a report of work accomplished during a specific time period. Simple enough, but how often do you reflect on your progress? Although I monitor my progress and adjust my efforts often, I very rarely prepare a report. Just recording your progress is not enough to accomplish your goals either.

Investing Money writes Understanding a Roth IRA and its Advantages - A Roth IRA is a nice investment vehicle to use for retirement planning. Find out more about it.

What Your Boss Really Thinks writes Ask Your Boss: When a Boss Doesn't Deal With an Office Bully - "I am in a unique position. I am an onsite vendor working for a client. The job is going pretty well except for one thing: One of the members on our small team is very difficult to work with.

Ray @ Squirrelers writes Find Silver Coins in Circulation - Sometimes we can find a nice surprise in our change: silver coins! This post discusses how we can find coins much more valuable than face value, just by checking the dates

Tie the Money Knot writes Frugal Holiday Traditions for the Family Can be Fun - Holiday traditions can be a lot of fun, and they don't have to cost a lot of money either, as we explore in this post

Digital Personal Finance writes 12 Tips on Using Linkedin to Help Grow Your Career - Our careers are very important for our ability to save and build net worth. Along those lines, we should explore opportunities to develop professionally. One thing that can help is using Linkedin, and this post shares 12 tips on using it to your benefit

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Hospital Stay - Last week I wrote about how my husband was changing companies and that the new company has expensive health insurance.

Gajizmo.com writes Best Home Insurance Coverage, Companies, Quotes and Rates - Finding the best insurance coverage is easy when you are willing to spend any amount finding it. Trying to find the best home insurance coverage and company with the lowest rates, is a different question. Learn how to do it!

Justin @ Young And Thrifty writes 7 Well Paying Jobs that Don’t Require a University Degree - If you are thinking about making a career change, or spooked by the cost of a university education for yourself or your child, there are well-paying jobs that don’t require university degree.

Free Money Finance writes Stacking Multiple Discounts to Rack Up Big Savings - A few weeks ago I noted how I save while shopping at outlet malls. The key: stacking multiple offers on top of each other to get substantial discounts. Well, our family recently had a big success doing this on a much larger scale and thought I'd share the details.

Investor Junkie writes Keep Your Financial Information Secure - While it’s practically impossible to guarantee that your financial information will never be stolen, you can reduce the chances that you will be a victim.

Girl Meets Debt writes Have Yourself a Very Merry and Not So Expensive Christmas - This holiday season, I have been surprisingly really good and resisted many spending temptations. I am going to share with you some tried and true tips I used to save money this year:

Holly @ Club Thrifty writes Confessions of a Cheap-Ass Santa - I admit it. I am a cheap-ass Santa. Yet, I don't let it bother me. In fact, here are a few confessions of ways I've saved money on gifts this Christmas.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes First Steps to Investing in the Stock Market - Just starting to invest in the stock market can be a daunting task for many. But, with a few simple guidelines you can get started on the road to investing for your future.

The Happy Homeowner writes $1400+ of Travel for $520 - Want to travel but not sure the cost will fit in your budget? This post highlights my recent travel deals and shares tips for making a vacation your reality no matter how tight the budget may be!

Dividend Growth Investor writes Dividend Stocks I Purchased Over the Past Two Months - As I mentioned in my dividend retirement plan, I am an investor in the accumulation phase. I typically purchase somewhere between one to three investments each month.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Teaching Kids the Power of Giving This Holiday Season - Consider how often you get gifts from your family and friends that you don’t especially want knowing they spent more money than they can afford. This year, why not give (and receive) a better gift by telling them to donate to a charity in your name, and you’ll do the same for them?

Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes Living Beyond Rich: You Gotta Read This Book! - Living Beyond Rich isn’t just financial advice. It’s a personal story, full of heartfelt emotion and passion. It’s the true story of how one normal, everyday family got rid of $150,000 of consumer debt in a REALLY short period of time. Jen McDonough bares it all in the book, sharing her family’s most intimate financial details for the world to read – so that the world may learn from their mistakes and experiences.

Everything Finance Blog writes Start the New Year Right--Declutter and Make Money Selling Books & Electronics - If you would like to start the new year with some extra cash and an organized, de-cluttered home, why not sell or trade in some of your clutter old valuables.

Cash Flow Mantra writes The Check Is In the Mail - I am actually pleased to be saying, “The check is in the mail.” That’s because I am the one sending the check. And the recipient is the IRS.

Penny Thots writes Why I Am Not Worried about the Fiscal Cliff - Don’t get caught up in the hype that the news is selling you. They are trying to get a reaction out of you so you become emotionally tied to the news story and will watch anytime they mention “fiscal cliff”. We all know that the worst decisions are ones we make based on emotion. So why sell out now, based on how you feel?

Little House in the Valley writes Achieving Goals on a Continuum - What I’m realizing is that my goals are on a continuum. They aren’t simple one-step goals that I can achieve in 12-months. Instead, I have to evaluate the progress I’ve made and go from there making adjustments to eventually meet the entire goal.

Steve @ Grocery Alerts writes Would you pay for a $7 cup of coffee from Starbucks? - Has anyone tried the new Costa Rica Finca Palmilera coffee from Starbucks? I did and it was the most expensive coffee I ever drank at $7 for a Grande.

Andrew @ 101 Centavos writes Delta Airlines and the March of Folly - Corporations are not unknown for making dumb decisions and stupid moves. Some are patently obvious on their face, like the Netflix/Qwikster fiasco, some are revealed as idiotic only in retrospect (such as Decca Records deciding NOT to sign up the Beatles). Still other boneheaded moves just leave some of the outside watchers shaking their head, softly muttering under their breath, “They’ll be soooorry”

Bob @ ChristianPF writes 9 Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas That Might Actually Get Used - Let’s be honest, we have all received some homemade Christmas gifts that never saw the light of day again – sometimes they are well intentioned and so we might not care that our peppermint-scented ruler holder won’t get too much use.

Philip @ PT Money Personal Finance writes Hottest New Toys for Christmas This Year - What toys top the list as the "most wanted" this year? How do they stack up to the most wanted toys in the past 2 years? Here's everything you need to know.

Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes How to Stay Relevant in Your Career - In today's rapidly changing world, you need to make sure to remain relevant in your chosen industry. Get regular training, keep to date with technology, and choose a job that you can be passionate about.

Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes Financial Wrongs from the Past - I share an example of when a technicality cost my family over $40,000.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Protecting Your Kids from Child Identity Theft - We worry enough about our own identities and ID theft but we also need to be aware of how to protect our kids from identity theft as well.

Steve @ 2011 Taxes writes The Proposed 2013 Tax Changes Are Only Weeks Away - The powers that be are still trying to work out how they can forestall the fiscal cliff but everyone should be prepared for the consequences.

Mike @ The Financial Blogger writes Invest $198 and Make Thousands of Dollar A Case Study on How to Make Money With Aweber And Enjoy Your Subscription For Free - Is your newsletter working for you?

Pete @ Intelligent Speculator writes Could Apple And Google Finally Become Smart About Their Rivalry? - What if these giants worked together?

Mike @ Experiglot writes How Much Credit Card Debt Do You Have? - What to do if you're stuck in debt.

If you’d like to submit an article to a future Carnival of Money Pros or you’re interested in hosting- click here. Thanks again to everyone who participated this week!

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Personal Finance Collective 12/7/12

2012-12-07T08:30:00+00:00

Here's the latest edition of the Personal Finance Collective! Fill out my submission form on Blog Carnival HQ if you have something you want to share from the Personal Finance Hive Mind next time.

So read on Species 5618...RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

Harry Campbell presents A Review of My Experience With Car2go San Diego: A Car Sharing Service posted at Your Personal Finance Pro.

Don presents New 2013 Investment Tax: What it Means For You posted at My Dollar Plan.

Jeremy presents Personal Loans Aren't Always Bad Debt posted at Modest Money.

Dividend Growth Investor presents Buy and Hold means Buy and Monitor posted at Dividend Growth Investor.

Lou Rodriguez presents Top 10 Reasons Why Credit Is Not Your Friend posted at The Amateur Consumer .

Young presents How Much House Do You Really Need? posted at Young And Thrifty.

Teacher Man presents Prepare for the Job Hunt Before You Graduate posted at My University Money.

Big Cajun Man presents Financial Bondage posted at THE Canadian Personal Finance Site.

David Leonhardt presents A Walk in the Woods – saving money and getting fit posted at Self-help Happiness Blog.

Darwin presents The #1 Thing You Need to Be Successful in Life (That Nobody Talks About) posted at Darwin's Money Darwin.

Savvy Scot presents On Presence, Presents and Hapiness posted at The Savvy Scot.

Thanks to everyone who submitted an article for the Personal Finance Collective! If you'd like to submit one- go to my submission form on the Blog Carnival HQ website!!!

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Carnival of Money Pros - Halloween Horrors Edition!

2012-10-28T17:00:00+00:00

Photo by oskay

I'm honored to host this week's Carnival of Money Pros (brought to you to by the Money Pros Team)! If you'd like to submit an article for an upcoming edition, do it here- Blogger Carnivals.

Now, get to reading...

SB @ One Cent at a Time writes 15 Ways you Can be Scammed via Craigslist - 100's of people are getting scammed on on Craigslist every day. This article talks about typical Craigslist scams and how to detect a scam. Protect yourself from being scammed on Craigslist.

Suba @ Wealth Informatics writes Early retirement strategy on one income : Can we still retire early with our income cut in half? - We want to retire by 40. The goal just got more challenging with me quitting my job, thus cutting our household income in half. Is it still possible for us to achieve this dream?

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes How to avoid being a dividend loser - Dividend losers focus on excuses that prevent them from achieving their goals of financial freedom. Dividend Winners on the other hand, focus on creating specific goals, and the steps to make them a reality.

Sani @ Well Kept Wallet writes 5 Tips for Living a Fun College Lifestyle and Staying out of Debt - Creatively managing resources is essential if you want to have more fun with shopping, socializing, and enjoying down time. Just as time management is a huge factor, so is budgeting the bill! You need to juggle resources to pay for the cost of living, books, student loans, and still have money left to kick back and rejuvenate doing something fun.

Andrew @ Student Finance Australia writes Save Mooney by Buying Clothes online - A blog about how you can save money by buying your clothes online.

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes Why I May Finally Buy A Smartphone - I am the last holdout. A few months ago, I explained why I’ve remained loyal to my old, outdated flip phone. Although more than half of all cell phones in use in the U.S.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes 5 Tips for Becoming a Landlord - Becoming a landlord can be a great experience, but challenging at times. You do your best diligence possible, but the inevitable will arise. Here are some tips from one landlord to another to help you become successful. 1.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes HOW TO RENT AN APARTMENT - Before you rent an apartment, improve your credit, perpare your rental and job history. Look professional.

Your Boss @ What Your Boss Really Thinks writes Unsent Letters To My Employees: Four Months of Nothingness - Step-by-step outline on how to deal with difficult employees.

Jamie @ Financial Footsteps writes The Kindle Won't Save You Money - The Kindle won't save you very much money. See what it will save you!

Tim @ Fortune Fanatic writes Buying a Retirement Home - My parents are buying a retirement home. Here's what they are looking for a in a home to retire in.

Weasel @ Wealthy Weasel writes Why All Car Insurance Companies Can Save You Money - All car insurance companies can save you money. See why you should check your car insurance rates frequently.

TDB @ Tax Deduction Blog writes Should You Do Your Taxes Or Go With An Accountant? - When it is that time of the year when taxes have to be done, many are struck with a tough decision to be made every year, on how to go about getting them done. Should they do their taxes by themselves or should they consult an accountant? The answer depends on the situation of an...

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Billing guidance tips can help your business cut on energy costs - This article offers tips that can help you cut on energy costs; in your business and in your home.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes All You Need to Know about Bank Account Fees - Most people manage to go through life, managing their money, without racking up any bank account fees. However, it is very easy to incur fees on your current account, simply because you don't know the kinds of transactions and other things that banks charge for.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Would You Buy Your Life Insurance at Walmart? - Bloomberg reported earlier this month that MetLife, the largest life insurer in America, is going to be selling prepaid life insurance on the shelves of Walmart. The article explains the transaction and prices pretty simply:

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Which is Worse: Feeling Guilty About a Spending or Regretting Missing Out On An Experience? - Have you ever had all your friends talk about that one epic night they went out and you missed it? What would you pay in retrospect to have been there?

Rich @ Growing Money Smart writes What is Dollar Cost Averaging? - Dollar Cost Averaging is an investment strategy where you are investing static amounts of chunks of money spread out over time (instead of a lump sum purchase) in a given investment.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes 5 Inexpensive Ways to Amass Your Own Personal Library - Check out these five ways anyone can start collecting and creating their own library. It's easier than you think!

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Flexibility - The Key to a Working Budget - Sometimes the key to making a budget work is to play with the numbers a bit.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Families Risk Tricks to Save Money on Treats - Some families are not handing out candy for Halloween as a way to save money. Find out why.

TRL @ The Retired Landlord writes How to Build Wealth Fast - Why the Rich Get Richer - Want to get ahead? Find out how the rich use their wealth to their advantage and how you can work your way up the economic ladder.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes When should you close a credit card? - Getting rid of a credit card affects more than just your credit limit. Find out what it means for your finances.

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes Taxes 101: 12 Different Taxes That Americans Pay - Today we will talk about 12 Different Taxes That Americans Pay. When we think of taxes people usually think about federal income taxes. It is because federal and state taxes some American looses 35 percent of their pay check to the income taxes.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes How To Start Building Your First Emergency Fund - Having a $1,000 emergency fund in place before you start to tackle your debt will help you from having to go back to your credit cards for a bailout. When a true emergency comes up, you should have a buffer of cash.

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes A blizzard starts with one little snowflake - This month I was able to find an extra $200 that I would have normally frittered away on random stuff.SavingAdvice.com and Blogging Away Debt are currently doing a Snowflake debt reduction giveaway. The idea is to get their readers fired up and thinking about all of the ways they can add to their debt repayment plan.

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes What Types of Insurance Should a Small Business Owner Consider? - Key Man Insurance, Worker’s Compensation, Data Breach Insurance, Professional Indemnity Insurance

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Prepare Your Home for Winter Infographic - For those who must burn the midnight oil (quite literally), here’s an infographic that explains winterizing preparations:

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes 4 Savvy Tips for Better Organizing Your Financial Life - If you are ready to take charge of your financial life, streamlining it for better effect, here are 4 actions you can take:

Jason @ Work Save Live writes Short on Cash and Bills are Due...What Do You Do? - There’s only a Few Options When You’re Short on Cash and the Bills are Due It's one of the worst possible situations in personal finance - the bills are due and you're short on cash this month. You're probably scared, frustrated, and running out of options.

Peter @ Bible Money Matters writes The Three Fund Portfolio: A Simple Diversified Investing Strategy - If you want to have a simple, low cost investing strategy, there are other options. Some of them can be more cost effective as well. For example, what I’m going to talk about today, the three-fund portfolio. It’s a theory where you invest in the fundamental asset classes, stocks and bonds, and usually do so in total stock market index funds and bond funds.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes How to Create a Budget - Want to create a budget? Find out how to do it. It's not as hard as you may think.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Can My 401(k) Buy A Subway? - Ask any business owner what it is like to get a loan from a bank today and you'll quickly find out that unless you are willing to give your right arm and left

Robert @ My Multiple Incomes writes Focus on Your "Oldies, But Goodies" - Now that you’ve found your top content, you can look for ways to make it work even harder for you. With these “Oldies, But Goodies”, the hard work is already done. They probably rank high in search, provide value to the reader, and are all around good posts. But are they working hard for you? Or did you just work hard to create them? Here are some of my strategies for making these posts work hard for me:

Robert @ Entrepreneurship & Life writes Managing a Business on Vacation - I recently took a 10 day trip out of the country and had almost no email and internet access. Just because I was gone, however, doesn’t mean business took a break. Here are some tips on running your business while out of town.

Robert @ The College Investor writes Forget Mint for Money Management, Check Out Personal Capital - In my continued quest to move my finances to the cloud, I’ve found a free tool that really nails everything Mint does, PLUS investments. It’s called Personal Capital. And I’ve been using it for about a month now and LOVE it.

Drew @ Objective Wealth writes Think BIG About Money - Drew from Objective Wealth cuts the apron strings and reverses his mother's well know and used money mantra in order to start thinking BIG about money.

Ryan @ Early Retirement Investments writes Buy Real Estate or Invest in Real Estate? - Should you buy real estate or invest in real estate? Read my take on the options.

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Shorting Mortgage Lenders - I was reading an article in Canadian Business about shorting mortgage lenders (the alternate lenders to be more specific). What I find the most interesting is how speculative mortgage interest and housing markets are. For the past 6 years, we’ve heard about a bubble crashing and yet no crash has happened yet. Many comparisons are made with the U.S.

IMB @ Investing Money writes How To Start Investing - Find out how you can start investing without knowing anything about investing.

JP @ My Family Finances writes How to Make a Bad Financial Situation Worse for Your Family - If you are in a difficult financial situation, these behaviors will make a bad situation worse.

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes 5 Things to Look for In a Leader - Leadership. People in all areas use this word as if it were one of the most valuable traits a person can have. But what makes a good leader? You can't be born with leadership.

Beating Broke @ Beating Broke writes Money Management Tips for the College Student and Their Parents - Hopefully the tips below will provide both students and parents with a few ways to make college expenses slightly more manageable.

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes My New Frivolous Seasonal Expense... Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Grande Latte - My latest spending vice is pumpkin spice lattes. I'm struggling to get this cost under control, but I think I have it now!

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes When Numbers Lie: Vanity Metrics in Clothing and Finances - I am going to be unlike the stereotype and share with you the history of my waist size. Throughout high school I was a solid zero.

PITR @ Passive Income To Retire writes Optimizing Your Cash Flow - Find the best way to reinvest your passive income earnings. It's important to keep your money working to generate more income.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Is Buying a New Car Worth The Higher Costs? - Getting a new car may feel nice, but is it worth the higher cost? Find out now!

Bill @ Budgets Are Awesome writes Store Loyalty: Good or Bad? - Does store loyalty really help the consumer? I share my opinion on store loyalty programs and whether or not the savings are worth your participation.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes Discover Card Flogged Me with a Gold Angel - Read how my gold Angel is a good item to spend credit card money on!

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes Gaming budget-a clever idea to eliminate stupid mistakes - There's nothing more frustrating that blowing a whole lot of cash at an online casino because you were impatient, or didn't want to take the time to set yourself a budget and play within …

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes 5 Ideas for Online Passive Income Success - These online ideas will only supplement your main income source, but if you work hard enough, they can generate a decent amount of money.

Jon Rhodes @ Affiliate Marketing Help writes Saving Money by Making a Game of Shopping - This post shows you creative ways to save money on food.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Going on Vacation When in Debt? - Should you should go on a vacation when you are in debt? A question that we will answer at Finance Fox.

ETZ25 @ Entertainment Timez writes Why Establish A Dividend Money Stream For Entertainment? - This article explains why a dividend money stream for entertainment is good especially for kids and young adults, and even older adults.

Wealth Effect Blogger @ www.YourWealthEffect.com writes Are Low Interest Rates Essentially Just a Tax on the Wealthy? - Comparing how low interest rates have impacted both savers and borrower.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Using A Midwife - One Year Later - Part 1: - An update 1 year after using a midwife for the delivery of our son.

Sam @ Money Management Blog writes Don't Pay Mutual Fund Load Fees - Mutual fund load fees make brokers rich and their investors poorer. Learn how to avoid load fees when you buy funds.

Shawanda @ You Have More Than You Think writes How to Kick the Sh*t Out of Your Finances - If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or e-mail.

Infinite Banker @ Becoming Your Own Bank writes Dividend Paying Whole Life Insurance - Dividend paying whole life insurance is a whole life insurance policy that has cash value and pays dividends. These policies have many tax advantages, liquidity, growth, opportunity, and other advantages that many are unaware of.

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes The 4 Types of Items You Must Have in Your Budget - When you are making a budget there are 4 types of items you must include.

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Callable Bonds - What They are and How They Work - In this article we give the definition callable bonds, the different types of call options, and differences between callable corporate and municipal bonds.

Holly @ Club Thrifty writes What I Want My Kids to Know About Money - My mom taught me many things as a child about making good financial decisions. They've stuck with me. Although my kids are young, I hope to do the same.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes How Is Chess like Life? - Chess is a two player board game played by millions of people at home, in clubs, online and tournaments. Chess strategy consists of setting and achieving long term positioning advantages while tactics concentrate on immediate maneuvers during a game.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes 5 Financial Mistakes Married Couples Should Avoid - Here are five mistakes that married couples make when dealing with financial matters.

MR @ Money Reasons writes My Portfolio Checkup Challenge - Portfolio Fee Creep - Is portfolio fee creep eating away at your portfolio profits and you don't even realize it? Perhaps it's time to calculate the bite your fees are biting?

Jason @ Live Real Now writes Car Dilemma - We have 2 drivers in the house and 3 vehicles to drive, and the highest insurance premium is on the vehicle getting driven the least. We haven’t decided what we are going to do, yet.

Young @ Young And Thrifty writes Why Is There No Competition For the TD E-Series? - Unlike my pal Young and several of my other favorite financial bloggers, I am a 100% advocate of passive investing. Its much easier then trying to guess!

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes Why Is The Canadian Student Loans Program Insane? - One of the closest friends has recently been put through the ringer by the Canadian Student Loans Centre, and although this is far from the only saga of incompetence I have heard in relation to that bureaucratic boondoggle this one takes the cake.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes A Comparison Between Lending Club and Prosper: Peer to Peer Lending - If you've been reading our blog in recent weeks you'll know we've covered peer to peer lending and two services in particular: Lending Club and Prosper.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Financially Preparing for a New Baby - A guide to some of the financial considerations you need to make as you are trying to prepare for your new baby financially, by getting your money in order.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes The Myth of Diversification - Discover the myth about diversification and my take on it.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes The 6 Most Common Financial Mistakes People Make - It’s often said that the good thing about making mistakes is the lessons you learn from them. But what if you don’t know what you’re doing is a mistake?

Corey @ 20s Finances writes How Does the Stock Market Work? - The stock market plays a part in everyone’s daily lives, yet Wall Street is still one of the most mystifying places on planet earth.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Professional Profiles: John, the Late-in-Life Med Student - Forget that John is my ex - instead consider that he's about to take a monumental career leap, leaving his long-time desk job to become a med student.

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Balancing Debt Payoff and Living Life - If you are trying to pay off your debt, you will learn to balance debt payoff and enjoying life in the present.

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes UK Credit Rating and how it is affected by your Electoral Roll - A great tip on obtaining a good credit rating in the UK and how to start early on this process. Additionally some good resources to look at your UK credit rating.

John @ Married (with Debt) writes Is it Time to Buy or Sell Silver and Gold Bullion? - Last year I was buying and selling small amounts of silver and gold each month, but put that on hold after a large price drop in silver convinced me to focus every dollar on paying off debt.

Ken Faulkenberry @ Arbor Investment Planner writes Why Tactical Asset Allocation is Changing the Investment World - Tactical asset allocation is an active strategy that includes continual management of risk through portfolio rebalancing to a flexible asset allocation target based on value.

Ken Faulkenberry @ Arbor Investment Planner writes Why Tactical Asset Allocation is Changing the Investment World - Tactical asset allocation is an active strategy that includes continual management of risk through portfolio rebalancing to a flexible asset allocation target based on value.

Sean @ One Smart Dollar writes The Cost of Halloween Doesn't Need to be Scary - The average American will spend $80 this year on Halloween. This doesn't need to be the case if you find creative ways to cut down on the costs.

Sara @ Cultivating Wealth writes Is a High Deductible Health Plan for You? - It’s open enrollment season! You may have many benefits to choose from, but the one I get the most questions about is High Deductible Health Plans, or HDHPs.

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes How to Pick Your Next Bank - The bottom line is to think about your entire picture before you decide who to bank with. Interest rates are fine but with rates this low, your time is far more valuable. Make sure you do business with a bank that offers great service, low fees and is convenient. Then worry about the interest rates they pay.

Michael @ Modest Money writes Why Is Talking About Money Hard? - When it comes to discussing issues revolving around money with parents or partners, the conversation can get awkward, or even aggressive, quickly. As a result, many people try to avoid bringing up money matters as much as possible. This is the wrong approach.

Grand Per Month @ Grand Per Month writes How to Make $1,000 per Month as a Web Designer - If you are good at coding and have a flair for creating websites, you have a great skill that few Americans possess. With more and more people starting websites and blogs who have little knowledge of designing a website, web designers are in demand. If you can prove yourself to a few customers, you will likely soon have more business than you can handle thanks to word of mouth referrals.

Jeff Rose @ Good Financial Cents writes How to Manage Money as a Couple - One of the most important tools of a successful relationship with your spouse is: Communication. You have to talk! Even more so when it pertains to money. A recent reader was interested in how my wife and I manage our finances. Great question!

Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Mortgage Rates Hit Historic Lows But Many Still Can't Refinance - Never before has a 30 year fixed mortgage been as low as it is right now. The current rate for a 30 year mortgage stands at 3.55% while a 15 year mortgage is 2.88%. With this record low, it’s a shame that so many are still not able to take advantage of this. Since housing prices appear to have bottomed out, rising a little more than 1% in July, many homeowners are still underwater.

Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes How Much Do I Need to Save for College? - Saving for College has a College Cost and Savings Calculator, which is dead simple. You just put in a child's age and it tells you a number that you need to save. I put in $0 just now and it came up with a $602 number that I have to save each month. From there, you can adjust the scenarios just like I could with my Excel spreadsheet.

Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes Moving on a Dime: Save Money on Your Relocation - We originally figured with less stuff to move, we would save on what we paid the movers. But after we cleaned a lot of things out of the house, we realized we didn’t have that much left to move. At that point, we started thinking it wouldn’t be so bad to move ourselves. Complete crazy talk, but we went there anyway.

Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Banned for Life from Bogleheads Forum - Based upon being banned from the Boglehead forum, their restrictive policies, and their lack of viewpoints against anything other than “The Boglehead way” it has inspired me to create a forum of my own.

Mich @ BeatingTheIndex writes Argent Energy Trust: Eagle Ford Shale Upside Beacons - Argent Energy Trust is the third member in the select cross border club of Canadian income trusts. It offers high yield & exposure to the Eagle Ford shale oil play in Texas.

Marie at Family Money Values @ Family Money Values writes Need a Loan? Make the Case to your Family Bank. - Bank like the wealthy folks do - in your own family bank. Help out family members while keeping the interest in your family's pockets.

J.P. @ Novel Investor writes 2013 IRA Contribution Limits Increased - The IRS has announced the inflation adjusted numbers for the 2013 IRA contribution limits. Most important was the bump in the maximum contribution.

Paul Vachon @ The Frugal Toad writes 10 Frugal Ways to Save on Food - According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food is the third largest monthly expenditure families have after housing and transportation. With a little planning, you can save on food costs by trying some of these easy tips.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Is the Curtain Finally Coming Down on the Payroll Tax Cut? - The Payroll Tax Cut provided many people with extra money in their paychecks. But it looks like the sun is setting on this temporary tax cut in 2013.

Glen @ Credit Card Smarts writes Miles by Discover Card – Review - The Miles by Discover Card offer up easy to understand rewards where you can easily rack up miles for your everyday card use. See details in our Miles by Discover review.

Gen Y @ Gen Y Finance Journey writes How I'm Living Paycheck to Paycheck (Sort Of) - If you've checked out my portfolio or my goals, you may be a bit confused by this title. Clearly I'm not living in credit card debt, struggling to make payments each month, and I would be able to continue paying my bills for a year if I lost my job tomorrow. So how am I even sort of living paycheck to paycheck? Because I've earmarked roughly 40% of my take home pay for savings, and every month, the day after pay day, that money disappears from my checking account and is automatically transferred

John S @ Frugal Rules writes What Earnings Season and the iPad Mini Have in Common - Most publicly traded companies announce their earnings four times a year, which is known as Earnings Season. If you know what to look for it can provide a wealth of information the health and direction of the company.

FMF @ Free Money Finance writes How Much Should I Save Toward Retirement If I'm Starting Late? - I often get comments like "It's too late for me to do this" or something similar. Granted, it's usually better to start financial efforts sooner rather than later. But it's better to start now rather than put it off any longer. And while you'll need to make sacrifices if you start late, it's not hopeless.

Carrie @ PT Money Personal Finance writes Why Making More Money Is Crucial to Getting Out of Debt - Many people say you just need to cut back on spending in order to reduce debt, and while that works, the other option is to increase your income.

investeem @ Investeem writes Trading vs investing: What's the difference? - At the most basic level, both trading and investing involve an outlay of capital to make money grow. Stocks are bought and sold; profits are made or losses incurred. From similar starting points, the paths of trading and investing diverge in distinct patterns.

Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes Shortcuts to Financial Freedom - Paying off debt can seem long and boring, but there are no realistic shortcuts to financial freedom. It takes patience, and any get rich quick schemes, are just schemes.

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes Tips for saving money on your Halloween party - October is here and many people are planning halloween parties. Depending on the size of your crowd, your party could get costly. Here are a few ways to plan a spooktacular halloween party on a budget.

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Dividends versus Homemade Dividends - Relying on dividends in retirement from your nest egg is a superior strategy to selling off portions of your portfolio each year.

An added Halloween bonus- learn how to make your own Cylon Jack-O-Lantern (like the one pictured above) from the Evil Mad Scientist!

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Personal Financial Collective - 10/8/12

2012-10-08T08:30:00+00:00

I'm happy to announce the return of the Personal Finance Collective on the Debt Black Hole!

This is my version of the "carnivals" you see on other sites. But the word "carnival" brings back too many bad carny memories for me...so I've opted to associate the Personal Finance blogosphere with the Borg Collective from Star Trek. And every week or every other week (depending on the number of entries I get via my submission form on Blog Carnival HQ) I will post a new Personal Finance Collective to share what the hive mind is thinking about that week.

So read on Species 5618...RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

Harry Campbell presents Investing in I Bonds: An Intro to I Bonds for Young Investors posted at Your Personal Finance Pro.

Dividend Growth Investor presents The most challenging aspect of dividend investing posted at Dividend Growth Investor.

Miranda @ Financial Highway presents 6 Easy Ways to Make Money While Sitting in Front of the TV posted at Financial Highway.

Dave @ Excess Return presents Finding a Dependable Financial Advisor posted at Excess Return.

Savvy Scot presents The Financials Around Starting a Blog posted at The Savvy Scot.

Pauline presents Damages series finale and the rat race posted at Reach Financial Independence.

Jeremy presents 7 Considerations for Buying A Cheap Car posted at Modest Money.

Ted Jenkin presents How A Threesome Can Improve Your Retirement posted at Your Smart Money Moves.

Kristen presents Buy Inexpensive Fall Produce Now for Budget Cooking posted at My Dollar Plan.

Emily presents American "Gangnam Style" posted at PT Money Personal Finance.

SB presents 10 Tips to Avoid Internet Fraud and Scams posted at One Cent at a Time.

Young presents How Far Would You Go to Score a Deal? posted at Young And Thrifty.

Teacher Man presents Investing In Yourself Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive posted at My University Money.

Jefferson presents Ain't Too Proud to Use a Big Bird Spoon posted at See Debt Run.

W presents Can We All Stop With The Buffett Bullshit? posted at Off-Road Finance.

Mikey Rox presents 9 Unusual Ways to Use Beer posted at Pound Place.

Joe presents Which Winnie The Pooh Character are You? posted at Personal Finance By The Book.

Joe Wood presents Why Your Financial Plan Sucks posted at Boomer & Echo.

Earth and Money presents What Do You Need in Your Cage? posted at Earth and Money.

Savvy Scot presents How Much is Enough? posted at The Savvy Scot.

Thanks to everyone who submitted an article for the Personal Finance Collective! If you'd like to submit one- go to my submission form on the Blog Carnival HQ website!!!

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Financial Nemesis Update: September 2012 Eating Out Total

2012-10-04T08:30:00+00:00

Dave broadcasting from a motorcycle shop.
*Some people work for the weekend...I work during the weekend, too! Makes it hard to eat at home.*

I must apologize to you. Last week I promised I would talk about Financial Yellow Alerts this week as I continue sharing my Financial Alert Signal System with you. Well, unfortunately, that's not going to happen. I failed to look at the calendar and, therefore, didn't realize it was time for a new Financial Nemesis Update for September. So, no promises for what I'm posting next week...it may be more Financial Alert stuff..it might be something different...who frakkin' knows?!?!?!

But on to business...

Despite me being worried about how much money I'd spend eating out during FinCon12 last month, I'm quite happy with the results. We only spent a few cents more (21 cents more to be exact) than we did in August for a grand total of $365.93!

That's almost $100 less than my $450/month goal for this year! Hopefully, we can keep up this trend and lower the monthly average even more by the end of the year. Just three more months to go...

I do want to note that I did NOT include the little bit of money I spent eating out at FINCON12. Why? Because that was a business trip and the money I spent there I consider to be a business expense- not a family expense (even if I did include it- our September total would still have been under $450).

The new system I talked about last month is also still working well- at least during the week. We seem to be our weakest during the weekend, especially on Saturdays when I am at special events for work (which I do a lot of this time of year). We leave early, get home late and are exhausted. We usually eat breakfast at home, but when we're out and about working at these events for both lunch and dinner almost every single Saturday (again, due to my work)- I can't just leave and go home and eat something. But we're pretty good about eating at home on Sundays, though. So- SATURDAY seems to be when our financial nemesis attacks...and those attacks seem to be pretty successful.

So, my question for today- does your family go out to eat on a certain day like mine (mostly Saturdays) or is it random?

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Realistic Budgeting: How to Not Blow Your Money on General Geekery [Guest Post]

2012-10-01T08:30:00+00:00

Lord of the Rings Fighting Knives of Legolas Replica (Entertainment Earth Affiliate Link)

One of the biggest financial issues Geeks have to deal with is finding the right balance between buying the cool Geek stuff we want (and the list is always a long one) and saving money. Personally, I don't believe you have to choose one over the other. But you do have to make some, seemingly, difficult decisions about what's really important to you. Finding this balance is the subject of today's guest post from Carly Lance. Enjoy!

Let's get this out of the way first, for all you poindexters out there: yes, yes, nerds and geeks aren't the same, there is a difference, and pop culture has combined both into an unintelligible slush. Nerds are mostly academic, geeks have odd hobbies and technology. Holy two-dimensional archetyping, Batman! Although it's not quite accurate, we're going to use the terms interchangeably here. Got it? Good.

It goes without saying that budgeting is not easy, especially when there are so many things you want to buy. If you've got a particularly nerdy hobby, this rings as true as ever. Just look at all the geeky things to buy! Hand-crafted molecule necklaces on Etsy, replica swords for 'con cosplays, Portal guns, Legolas's bow, lightsaber chopsticks, Tardis bracelets, Brony t-shirts. The possibilities are endless, and there's simply a ton of things that the average nerd would go credit card-crazy over. If you let yourself get caught up in buying these things and forgetting to budget wisely, though, you'll quickly find yourself with only pennies. Direct some of that RPG wisdom towards your spending habits, and you'll be Hyrule-ing it out in no time.

Write. Everything. Down.

It's much easier to adhere to a budget when you aren't making things up as you go along. If you recoil in horror at the idea of a restrictive budget, trick your brain by thinking of it as a monthly "spending plan". Whether it's a list on paper or a typed-up spreadsheet, make a list of all your expected expenses. Designate a certain monthly percentage for savings (10% or so), and a certain percentage for emergencies and incidentals. Keep track of when you spend, where you spend, and how much you spend. If you find yourself falling victim to the Pocky section in the local comic shop, start bringing your own from-home munchies while you're out of the house. Know your habits, and if they're a drain on your pocketbook change them. Impulse buying is a trap-- you're smart enough to avoid-- if you need help keeping track of everything, find a secure budgeting website like Mint.com. Set your bank account up so you can check your balance on your phone.

Don't Spend More Than You Earn

This should be common sense for most people, but even the brightest minds can fall victim to rationalizing. "This Spider-Man tee is awesome! It's $30, a little bit over my budget, but I can charge it! I'll totally be able to pay it back at the end of the month." Cue the same scenario being repeated ten more times by the end of the month, leaving you with an awesome LARPing crossbow that lets you spear trolls and orcs to your little heart's content...but far less money than you thought you'd have. In order to spend wisely, you have to be strict with yourself. If you know the money needs to go to more important things, don't splurge!

Spoil Yourself When You've Earned It.

Reward yourself at the end of the month, but only if you have a surplus. Or even better: save up for the things you want most. Nothing makes an anime or comic convention better than having plenty of cash set aside to buy loads of the awesome stuff you want, and an excellent hotel room to stay in. Saving and spending wisely means the difference between a duct tape-and cardboard Slave Leia cosplay (because you're broke by the time 'cons roll around) and a realistic Hatsune Miku with robotic cat ears and a master suite that comes with a fluffy puppy (because you've stashed away cash like a squirrel on meth). In essence, the ability to budget is in your hands. Keep it there.

Carly Lance loves to blog about money management in hopes of helping others achieve control over their finances – because she knows how much it sucks when you don’t! She is also the blog manager for Personal Bankruptcy Canada, a company dedicated to helping “good people with bad debt”.

A big thanks to Carly for giving me a new catch phrase to add to my Geek lexicon - "Hyrule-ing it"! You can never go wrong with a Zelda reference!

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Financial Red Alert! (Financial Alert Signals Part 2b)

2012-09-27T08:30:00+00:00

This is a continuation of the 2nd part of the Financial Alert System series I started last week. The reason I'm calling this part 2b instead of part 3 - is because it focuses on what actually happens to your Financial Starship once a Financial Red Alert is issued. I got so wrapped up in making sure all the ships looked right and other minutiae for last week's video, I completely forgot to include this. Goes to show you...when I start playing with my toys- I tend to forget things. Important things.

These are the voyages of your Financial Starship...

Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube.

So, the question for today - if you are currently dealing with a Financial Red Alert situation, what changes do you need to make TODAY or THIS WEEK to cut back on the resources being used by your Financial Starship? If you're not currently dealing with a Financial Red Alert - what process or system do you or your family have in place when one occurs in the future? Leave your comments, questions and stories in the comments below! Next week I'll explain a Financial Yellow Alert! I promise...

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Financial Red Alert! (Financial Alert Signals: Part 2)

2012-09-20T08:30:00+00:00

"RED ALERT...All hands to Battle Stations!!"

It's a line you've heard in just about every episode and movie within the Star Trek universe. And it's something we should say when we find ourselves in certain financial situations, too!

This is the 2nd part of the Financial Alert System series. Last week we talked about the different ships I plan to use to explain how the Financial Alert System works and also asked you to...honestly...determine what your current financial status is. What is it? Still not sure?

Either way, check out the following video to better understand what I believe are causes for a Financial Red Alert (note: the financial situations I discuss in the video are not a complete list by any means - they're merely a few examples to get your proverbial wheels turning)

Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube.

So, the question for today - do you need to issue a Financial Red Alert because of a current financial situation or is the alert sound already booming in your head? Leave your comments, questions and stories in the comments below! Next week I'll explain my idea of a Financial Yellow Alert!

Debt Black Hole

Yakezie Carnival 3/3/13 - Personal Crossroads Edition

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Personal Finance Collective 12/28/12

12/28/12

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Carnival of Money Pros - Holiday Edition 12/23/12

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Personal Finance Collective 12/7/12

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Carnival of Money Pros - Halloween Horrors Edition!

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Personal Financial Collective - 10/8/12

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Financial Nemesis Update: September 2012 Eating Out Total

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Realistic Budgeting: How to Not Blow Your Money on General Geekery [Guest Post]

Write. Everything. Down.

Don't Spend More Than You Earn

Spoil Yourself When You've Earned It.

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Financial Red Alert! (Financial Alert Signals Part 2b)

What's Your Financial Status, Mr. Sulu? Subscribe To The Debt Black Hole!

Financial Red Alert! (Financial Alert Signals: Part 2)

"RED ALERT...All hands to Battle Stations!!"

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