Carnival of Personal Finance #347, The Giants Edition

It’s official now that Giants would rule the world for next one year. Congratulations to Eli and his team. Still, my heart goes out for Tom Brady. What a player he is!

Welcome to this edition of Carnival of Personal Finance. Plenty of good submission to go through as always. Enjoy the posts. The list might help you discover some new blogs.

Top 3 Editor’s Pick

#1 – Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents presents 7 Financial Advisors I would LIke to Punch in the Face, This is editor’s pick because it exposes an unhealthy trend  among so called financial experts who claim to be super wise. We should be cautious in our approach of seeking financial advice.

#2 – The Weakonomist from Weaknomics presents You Have Too Much Crap Because We Won The Cold War. Which is, I thought, an interesting point of view on the state of US economy today. Cost services are much higher compared to cost of goods.

#3 Jeffrey from Saving Advice presents Money Lessons Learned from Traveling Well. Well, ask me! I am from a different country where I saw frugality as only possible option. Get out of this country and get to third world countries. Learn from their lives. Seating on your couch and watching National Geography won’t help you much.

Budgeting

Craig Ford from Christian Debt Coach presents Little Changes Make Big Differences: $100 Spending Cut Challenge, and says, “Cutting a $100 spending per month can make a big difference.”

N.W. Journey from Net Worth Journey presents Stay Within the Boundaries, and says, “Learn how staying in the boundaries reaps massive rewards.”

Michelle McDowell from See Debt Run presents Good Buy, Baby!, and says, “Fighting off debt and building a budget can be difficult when you have a newborn in the house. Diapers, formular, baby food, new clothes/supplies/toys can all be expensive. This post shares some great ideas no how to give your new baby all the best without busting your budget.”

Crystal from Budgeting in the Fun Stuff presents Cutting Back to Make More Room for Fun, and says, “Budgeting fun into your life is something that takes work but leaving room for it is essential for a happy, healthy life.”

Glen from Parenting Family Money presents 5 Kids Expenses to Budget For – Apart from College, and says, “There are other expenses for kids-not on the magnitude of college-that are also worthy of budgets all there own. Make sure you budget for these kids expenses!

Charles from Money Green Life presents Dave Ramsey’s Debt Snowball Method Is Not The Best, and says, “By now, most of you have probably heard of the famous Debt Snowball method, developed by Dave Ramsey himself. The method is designed to help those in debt to get out of debt as quickly as possible, but is not the most economical method.”

Green Panda from Green Panda Treehouse presents Biggest Money Wasters in Your 20s, and says, “How we all waste money in our 20s.”

Kennedi from Face and Fitness presents Save Money By Dyeing Your Own Hair, and says, “Forget shelling out hundreds of dollars at a salon. You can dye your own hair for less than $20. ”

Matt Bell from Matt About Money presents How to truly MANAGE Money With Mint.com, and says, “Mint.com is one of the most popular online budget tools.  But to get the most out of it, you have to do more than just track your money.  ”

Paula @ Afford Anything from Afford Anything presents Can You Live With 100 Things?, and says, “Dave realized he was spending too much money and time on “stuff,” so he took a pledge to only own 100 things.”

Shaun from Money Cactus presents How to Have Anything You Want With No Regrets, and says, “If you struggle with spending too much, or don’t spend money on the things you want because you are afraid, this post will show you how to get what you want without any regrets.”

Jason from One Money Deesign presents What do you think about the Suze Orman Prepaid debit card?, and says, “Suze may have good intentions for her new card, but we do wonder what’s in it for her…”

Frugality

Beating Broke from Beating Broke presents Is Recycling Bullshit?, and says, “What, exactly, is recycling? It’s the taking of something that’s already been used, and putting it back through the manufacturing cycle so that the material can be used again. That extra cycle is where the term recycling comes from! But, what is the cost of that extra cycle. Let’s break it down a bit. We’ll ignore the first cycle, since it’s going to get used for the first cycle regardless.”

Lindy from Minting Nickels presents 30 Minutes a Day Without a Gym Membership, and says, “This article is a photo journal showing how I get my 30 minutes of exercise a day without stepping foot in a gym. ”

frugal  from TotallyMoney presents Cheap winter holidays: the ultimate guide

Money Thinker from Money Thinking presents 5 Things you Should Consider Renting or Borrowing

Eric J. Nisall from DollarVersity presents Trial Offers May Be Hazardous To Your Wallet, and says, “Any time you can try a product or service for free, pay close attention to the details. If you aren’t careful, that “free” trial may not be so free.”

Elizabeth G from Modern Gal presents Do You Feel Downwardly Mobile?

Investing

Dan from High Yield Edge presents International Bond ETFs, and says, “Looking to mix high yields with international exposure? Then check out this review of international bond ETFs where you can find protection from Europe, a weak US dollar and inflation.

Dan from ETF Base presents Muni Bond ETFs Rally Despite Doom and Gloom, and says, “Despite a renowned market expert’s warnings, municipal bonds ended up rallying big-time in 2011. Check this review of muni bond ETFs and learn more about triple tax-free investing.

Clint from Accumulating Money presents How Much Should You Save Before Jumping into Investing, and says, “The question of how much you should have saved before you jump into investing is a personal one. However, there are some general rules of thumb which can help you to make the decisions more clearly.”

Boomer from Boomer & Echo presents How To Set Up A DRIP, and says, “A DRIP, or dividend reinvestment plan, is a great way to build up your investment portfolio, especially when you are just starting out.”

D4L from Dividend Growth Stocks presents Why Dividends Matter, and says, “It seems that every financial adviser or financial publication is proclaiming that you should own dividend stocks. Each are eschewing the virtues of dividend stocks from their own perspective. To that I have two questions:”

Martin from Studenomics presents Should You Invest in the Stock Market in Your 20s?, and says, “Should your money be in the stock market?”

Pat Huddleston from Investor’s Watchblog presents Three Dangerous Words

IS from Intelligent Speculator presents Dividend Investing Will Make You Rich, and says, “Why you need to get into the dividend game.”

Dividend Growth Investor from Dividend Growth Investor presents Monthly Dividend Stocks, and says, “Most dividend stocks trading in the US pay dividends every quarter. A few pay dividends semi-annually, while a very small minority (mostly ADR’s) pay dividends once a year.”

Sean Smarty from Grow Money presents 7 Emerging Markets to Invest In.

Matt from Dividend Monk presents 6 Solid Dividend Payers with Particularly Powerful Brands, and says, “An overview of six companies that invest heavily in their brands to form a durable economic advantage over competitors. ”

Chris Holdheide from Stumble Forward presents Why Buying Gold Is Still A Good Investment – A Guide For Beginners, and says, “Learn why gold is still a great investment and how to invest in it properly.”

Debt

Grand Per Month from Grand Per Month presents Become Debt Free with a Grand Per Month, and says, “We can be like the typical Americans and stay mired in credit card debt, or we can be proactive and work hard to earn a grand per month and become weird, as Dave Ramsey says, faster than we ever dreamt possible. I am working to continue to earn money and become weird. How about you?”

Emily from Evolving Personal Finance presents Delay Marriage Until You’re Debt-Free?, and says, “Emily at EvolvingPF examines the advice that everyone should be completely debt-free before getting married. Emily shares her perspective that, as long as bad habits have been addressed, paying off debt together may actually enhance a relationship.”

Cathy Moran from Money Health Central presents The Woody Allen Rule And Debt Collection, and says, “Apply the Woody Allen Rule for success and use the statute of limitations to defeat lawsuits on old debts.”

Taxes

Kaye from Mrs Nespy’s World presents 8 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund, and says, “Are you getting a refund this year? Here are 8 ways to better secure your financial future with it!”

JP from Novel Investor presents 7 Tax Tips You Should Not Overlook, and says, “Looking to speed up your refund, lower your taxes or just get your return in on time? Here’s a few tax tips to get you started.”

Sustainable PF from Sustainable Personal Finance presents Preparing to File Your Taxes in Canada, and says, “Start now, and prepare a little bit at a time, and you will be ready to properly file your taxes when the time comes — with as little fuss as possible.”

Glen Craig from Free From Broke presents What is Self-Employment Tax?, and says, “When you own your own business, taxes can get complicated. One complication is paying your own self-employment taxes. But what is self-employment tax? Read on.”

Money Walks from Money Walks presents Taxes for Temps

Madison from My Dollar Plan presents 5 Different Definitions of Income for Your Tax Return, and says, “”Income” takes on a whole new meaning at tax time – read on to avoid confusion!”

Economy

Mr. Money from Smart on Money presents Would You Use a Local Currency Instead of a Federal Reserve Note?, and says, “Local currencies have almost always been a part of the economic landscape in the United States. Indeed, even in Colonial times individual colonies, cities and even banks issued their own currency notes. The tradition has continued throughout the years, although the practice hasn’t been much in vogue — until recently.”

Investor Junkie from Investor Junkie presents Capitalism Is NOT a Zero Sum Game, and says, “With capitalism the quality of life improves for everyone, not just the elite 1% as some might lead you to believe.”

Nicole from Nicole and Maggie: Grumpy Rumblings presents Moral Hazard or Why Ron Paul Says it’s Ok to Feed Kids, and says, “Nicole and Maggie explain the economics of moral hazard and how all public programs have false positives and false negatives because we do not have perfect tests for need.”

Career

Matt from Living in Financial Excellence presents Importance of Your Personal Brand in Business, and says, “Many small business owners make the mistake of portraying themselves as a bigger company than they really are. In today’s market, consumers connect with people, not with businesses. It’s important to let your company reflect your personality so you can attract the customers that connect with who you are, not just what you do”

Dan Meyers from Your Life, Their Life presents Your salary doesn’t define You, and says, “A salary is one of the least noble pursuits – if you’re working only for the money, you might need to reconsider.”

Broke Grad from Broke Grad Student presents Is A College Degree Worth It?

Miss T. from Prairie Eco Thrifter presents Finding Your Dream Job and How to Land It, and says, “The days of having the same job for life have long gone and these days it is expected that workers will change jobs several times throughout their career. It is also acceptable to change direction and have more than one career in your working life. So don’t get stuck in a job you hate; decide what you really want to do and go out and land your dream job.”

Teacher Man from My University Money presents What Percentage of the Population Should Have a University/College Education?, and says, “What is the optimal number of people that should have a post-secondary education in order for society to function at its peak potential? This is a question that Western countries have been asking themselves for years. ”

Squirrelers from Squirrelers presents Going Beyond the Resume: How Will Job Searching Change in the Future, and says, “In the past, finding a job involved a traditional resume. Today, in addition, it can also include Linkedin and in some cases other social media. What will it be like in the future?”

Mike from The Financial Blogger presents Blog Monthly Income Report A Kung Fu Panda Month!, and says, “A killer monthly income report we want to share.”

Chris from Experiglot presents Attitude and Selling, and says, “Can you make it at sales?”

Philip Taylor from PT Money Personal Finance presents What Is a Right to Work State and How Does It Affect Your Finances?, and says, “Defines the term “right to work state” for the reader, lists the states that are deemed such, and discusses how it could affect one’s finances.”

Real Estate

Martin from Passive Income Now presents Why Does Everyone Want to Buy a Home Instead of Renting?, and says, “Should you spend the money to buy a home?”

Credit

Liana from CardHub presents George Lopez Prepaid Card Evaluation, and says, “One of these things is not like the other: stand-up comedian, sitcom star, talk show host, prepaid card endorser. George Lopez recently joined the rapidly swelling ranks of prepaid card endorsers, and the card he’s backing better come with a laugh track because its fees sure won’t leave you smiling. ”

Colin Williams from Humble Savers presents Credit Cards – When It’s Safe To Use Them Checlist, and says, “If you live by your credit cards but have trouble controlling them, a quick Checklist that fits in your purse or wallet can come in handy!”

Mike from Credit Card Forum presents 730 Credit Score Is Good, But Not Excellent In 2012, and says, “It’s surprising how many major finance websites classify 730 as an “excellent” credit score… that’s so 2007. Here’s why it’s only a decent score nowadays.”

Ashley from Money Talks Coaching presents Cash Back Vs. Zero Percent, and says, “Have you ever shopped for a car and been offered a deal like $500 cash back OR 0% financing? I love how they word that. Like it’s a win either way for you.”

Craig Ford from Help Me Travel Cheap presents Lies Skeptics Spew About Credit Scores, and says, “How does applying for multiple credit cards impact your credit score?”

Mike from Rewards Cards Canada presents PC MasterCard Review, and says, “The PC MasterCard is a great credit card for anyone looking for no annual fee and a straight-forward rewards program. It was my go-to credit card:”

Money Management

Jason from Live Real, Now presents Charity Is Selfish, and says, “I try to give 10% of my income to charity. I don’t succeed every year, but I do try.”

Jon the Saver from Free Money Wisdom presents Showing Your Lunch Break Who’s Boss, and says, “It still amazes me to this day how people waste their lunch breaks. I’m sure you can relate. Think of all the people you’ve seen play online poker, surf the web needlessly, or even stare off into the distance as they eat lunch. Lunch breaks can be used a tool instead of a time waster.”

Peter from Bible Money Matters presents Find a Better Bank: How to Choose, and says, “Here are some great questions to ask yourself before you choose your next bank. Do yourself a favor, and choose a better bank!”

Other

John from Wallet Blog presents Medical Tourism: Will you be paying in cash, credit or airline miles?, and says, “Something old does something new! Some crazy things happening out in rewards land! Medical tourism collides with credit card loyalty programs. Here’s hoping that that trip to a far off place is all it’s cracked up to be! ”

James Petzke from James Petzke: Graduating College with a Surplus presents Choosing a School that makes Financial Sense, and says, “Choosing which college or university you attend can be difficult, and many people don’t take into account the issue of the cost of tuition. This post explains why you should.”

Suba from Wealth Informatics presents Future of shopping – Why does it matter to the consumers?, and says, “A review of the recent retail trends, a lot of cross-sells, up-sells and some of which may actually benefit shoppers, not just the retailers.”

Roshawn Watson from Watson Inc presents 3 Myths Regarding The Great Idea, and says, “Everyone has had an idea that could have dramatically changed the course of his or her life. It’s not the idea that makes the difference though; it’s what one does with the idea that counts. ”

Little Miss Moneybags from Little Miss Moneybags presents Life Insurance

FMF from Free Money Finance presents Investing in Plastic Surgery to Increase Income, and says, “Would you be willing to get plastic surgery to improve your career? Here’s the story of one woman who did — and was a huge success! ”

Money Beagle from Money Beagle presents So You Broke Your New Years Resolutions, and says, “Chances are most everybody made some resolutions. If you’ve already broken them, here’s what you do next!”

Craig Ford from Money Help For Christians presents When a Pumpkin Is More Valuable than a $1,000, and says, “When a Pumpkin is More Valuable Than $1,000″

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SB is a husband and working as a software professional for a Fortune 100 corporation in Florida. Thanks for visiting the blog. You can receive free full-text articles from One Cent at a Time in your email inbox, on the days we publish fresh content, by entering your email below. Your email will only be used for subscription, and each email will include a link you may use to unsubscribe at any time. You can also become our Facebook fan or follow us via Twitter