Its a Sunday and everyone who worked hard throughout the week deserves a break and the blogger who worked hard deserve some link love. So this brings me to the next edition of the Carnival. I am publishing this edition while I am outside and hence the away from home edition of the Carnival.

Once again, submissions with only one line descriptions are not included and purely commercial interests are also excluded. Some submissions did not make it due to editorial reasons.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Moving Soon? How and Where to Get Free Boxes to Save Money – In addition to learning how to move I’ve also learned how to save money while moving. One of the biggest costs can be packing materials (moving boxes, wrapping paper, bubble wrap, etc.) and I’m going to share with you how I managed to get these items for free!

Robert @ My Multiple Incomes writes Guest Posting in a Changing Online World – This is pretty one-sided. You get massive traffic. You get your name and brand in front of other bloggers. And now, Google has a warning for spammy guest posting. As a result, many top blogs have started discontinuing accepting guest posts: Problogger, Kikolani, and the list goes on. So, is guest posting still the way to go? And how do you get out there?

Buck Inspire @ Buck Inspire writes Stop Your Services Mr. Telephone Man! – When moving to a new home, you of course need to setup utilities in your new place. But do you always remember to shut everything off in the old? Don’t pay for services you won’t be using anymore!

MMD @ My Money Design writes Wealth Creation Strategies That Are Within Your Reach – With the information age and all the resources that come with it, there are more wealth creation strategies and opportunities available to us than ever.

Gary @ Gajizmo writes How To Save Money – Saving money isn’t easy. There is really only so much you can cut from your budget, but knowing how to save money and finding creative ways to meet your financial goals can make all the difference between a fully-funded retirement and living on social security. Here are in-depth methods of reviewing your spending and finding savings.

Kevin @ Passiveincometoretire writes 4% Retirement Rule, Pros and Cons – The 4% retirement rule refers to a particular strategy that is used by retirees when they want to use their savings. The rule says that the best strategy when using your retirement savings is to withdraw about 4% of the savings every year, adjusting the sum for inflation every year.

Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes What to do after Bankruptcy – Bankruptcy is one of the most significant events in life, comparable with marriage or divorce in its impact. However, unlike those two events bankruptcy is almost always a sign of bad times.

CT @ Cashtastrophe writes The Definition of a Recessionista – Many people have found themselves making financial cuts that they never would have considered before. Frugality is IN! There’s a term being thrown around these days, and that’s recessionista.

Steven @ MyDividendStocks writes Why would a Company not pay Stock Dividends – Dividends are an important part of the equation when you want to assess a company as an investment. Dividends that are paid out at regular intervals are a sure sign of the good health of a company. Therefore, companies pay out dividend not just to share their profits with their shareholders, but also to signal that their finances are in good health.

Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes Now We Can’t Trust the FTC to Protect Consumers? – CNBC has a very good 20 minute investigation on the whole “Is HerbaLife a Pyramid Scheme” question. What I found most interesting is the interview with the David Vladeck who was until recently the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection of the FTC.

Bank Free Credit @ Bank Free Credit writes What’s a Good Credit Score – when most people ask themselves, what is a good credit score? They are unsure, as it depends on what the credit score is needed for. Whether it be a house, a car loan, or just to qualify for a basic credit card.

Jacob @ AllPersonalFinance writes Should I invest in the Forex – The word forex is made up using two words: Foreign exchange. Forex trading refers to any trading in which one buys or sells one international currency against another. Every day, more than $4 trillion worth of forex trading is done all over the world, which should tell us that this is a huge market.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Bad Choices Can Be Costly – Many of my poor choices occurred when I was young and I had time to repair them. That’s not the case for an old friend. He knowingly made one terrible choice many years ago and has been paying for it ever since.

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes Why Do Professors Have Such Long Booklists? – One key trick that I learned while going to university (and also one we pointed out in our book), is to go to the first few classes before you plunked down hundreds of dollars of textbooks for a course.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Is it Time to Get Out of the Stock Market? – There has been a lot of talk lately about the stock market with its “historic” highs and what investors should do. This is a great time to remember to stick to your investment plan and not give in to fear.

Nick @ A Young Pro writes Finding Your Passion – Back when I was applying for every job I could see I was also taking every interview that I could. I learned a lot from those interviews, and one of the first lessons that I learned was to show passion. Potential employees that are passionate stand out from the crowd. If you are energetic, enthusiastic, and can talk intelligently about certain topics, employers will notice that you are in it for more than just the job.

Jon Rhodes @ HypnoBusters writes Napoleon Hill – The Secrets of How To Think Rich – This article shows you the works of the great Napoleon Hill. He personally observed many geniuses and highly successful people, such as Thomas Edision and Henry Ford over more than 20 years. Hill boiled down his findings to show anyone how to think like these highly successful people.

Grayson @ Debt Roundup writes Who Do American’s Look To As A Financial Mentor? – As the US economy and the economies of the world sputter along, who can we look to as a financial mentor? Spending and consumption is out of control and we need help.

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Let Your Coupons Expire and Save Money – In order to save money we need to stick to a plan and not spend more than we intended to do. There’s no shame in letting a coupon expire in order to stick to your grocery budget.

FMF @ Free Money Finance writes Confusion with Precious Metal Pricing – I noticed there are a TON of commercials for gold and silver investing. After a while I started keeping track of the advertisements, wondering what the difference would be from one company to the next. Service? Shipping? Something else? I thought that pricing would be the same. Boy, was I mistaken. I decided to do an experiment.

Deacon @ Well Kept Wallet writes 3 Unique Ways to Save Money – Do you like saving money? Who doesn’t, right? There is no reason to pay more for something if you don’t have to. There are so many ways that you can save money whether it is coupons, discounts, promo codes, you name it. Here are three unique ways that I have found to save money.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey @ My Personal Finance Journey writes Working From Home – Is it a Money Saver or Money Loser? – Whether you’re thinking of starting your own business or asking your current boss if you can telecommute, there are plenty of things to weigh when considering working from home. This post illustrates ways you may not have considered that working from home can both save you and cost you in the budget department:

Today I am hosting the Lifestyle Carnival and Free at 33 will be hosting The Money Mail carnival. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Lifestyle Carnival using the carnival submission form at Blogger Carnivals.

Some very good reads for this weekend. There were many more articles included for consideration but were omitted as they did not fit the categories or for other editorial reasons. If your article is included  please link to The Money Mail at http://themoneymail.com/  (or to this page).

TRAVEL

Jessica Moorhouse @ Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses writes Thailand Trip Days 11, 12, & 13 – Sunburns and Muay Thai – At the mid-way point of my trip to Thailand, I finally get a sunburn. It certainly wasn’t fun, but seeing some real Muay Thai on the island of Ko Lanta sure was!

HEALTH

Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Foods That Lift Your Mood – Most of us have days when we feel sluggish or ‘down’ and if you’re regularly experiencing these, it’s time to look at your diet. As well as being part of a healthy diet, there are certain foods which can make a big difference to your mood. Next time you’re feeling down, try reaching for some of these foods and test it out for yourself!

David Leonhardt @ Self-Help Happiness Blog writes The frugal shopper’s guide to protein – I set out to put together a short study of the various sources of protein readily available and their cost, as much for my own use as for blogging here. The goal is to find out how I can get a complete serving of protein for under a dollar. Beware – there is a scream in this post.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes 7 Simple Ways to Go Green in 2013 – Start with these 7 simple ways to go green in 2013, and stick with them, and you will not only find yourself living more sustainably, but you will also feel energized to tackle some of the bigger behavioral changes next year:

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes How Smoking Affected The Cost Of Our Life Insurance Premium – I can only hope that those that do smoke make the decision to quit for their own personal reasons like we did. They may also save money not only from not buying cigarettes but see the cost of their own life insurance policy go down.

Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes Another Month Of Weight Loss In 2013 – How Did I Do? – I set out this year to be healthier, and not just lighter. I want to get stronger, faster, and eat ‘cleaner’! So how did I do with my 2nd month in 2013?

Kim @ Eyes on the Dollar writes A Week in the Life of an Optometrist – This post highlights a week’s worth of interesting patient stores that an average optometrist might come into contact with on a regular basis. It is meant to provide the reader with a tongue in cheek narrative that anyone who works with the public will appreciate.

ENTERTAINMENT

David Leonhardt @ A Ghost Writers Blog writes hat makes a good book? – One of the questions we get frequently goes something like this: “Do you think I have a good enough story? Do you think it’s a best seller?” This gives us a moment to consider what makes a successful book, so I would like to share my thoughts on this with you.

David Bar @ Bar Whiz Blog writes The Boozer’s Bucket List – Wackiest Places To Have A Drink Before You Die – There are so many amazing bars and clubs around the world to have a drink in before you kick the bucket, it can be hard to choose which ones to add to your Boozer’s Bucket List. To make things a little easier, we’ve put together this list of the top six wackiest places to have a drink before you die.

Alice @ Hurricanes, Panties & Dollars writes The Empty Wallet Romantic Evening – You don’t have to rolling in dough to give that special lady in your life a romantic evening to remember. You can do it for cheap with a little bit of effort. 

WEALTH AND RETIREMENT

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Dividend Investors Should Focus on Valuation, not just Dividend Yield – The more experience I get as a dividend investor, the more I realize that attractive valuation in terms of a low P/E is very important. Another equally important factor is to focus on companies which have the plan and business model that would allow them to grow earnings per share over time. Only after these characteristics are met, would I even look at the dividend metrics of a stock.

Tony @ My Money Design writes How to Reverse Lifestyle Inflation – If you too were spending more money just because your income rapidly increased, you can turn the tide and reverse lifestyle inflation. Here is how:

Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes The Ultimate Guide to College Education for Your Kids – This compendium of information has nearly everything you’ll need to know when it comes to figuring out whether or not college is a good idea for your kid, and, if so, how to get your kid through without having to sell a kidney. 

HOBBIES

Robert @ Kids Ain’t Cheap writes The Expenses of a Family Pet – Know more about the expenses of having a family pet and why you need to include them in your budget.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Money Saving Gardening Tips From a Frugal Mama – From saving money on produce and groceries to being able to eat healthier there are many benefits to having your own garden. You don’t necessarily need to have a green thumb to garden either.

Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes The Cost of My Baseball Addiction - While my baseball addiction seems expensive, breaking down that expense in a per hour basis shows it’s actually quite affordable.

GOOD EATS

Tamar @ DeviledEggs101.com writes How To Make Deviled Eggs – Easter is fast approaching and many American families love their Deviled Eggs. If you are interested in preparing this delicious dish of hors d’oeuvres for your family’s next get-together, take a look at our recipe on how to make deviled eggs.

Karen @ EasyRecipes101.com writes Capri Salad – Looking for healthy, yet easy and delicious meals? Try out this capri salad and be ready for the summer and bathing suit season!

I am publishing this carnival a little late as I was away from a computer due to some personal events. However in the spirit of better late than never, I present you the 16th edition of the carnival. Also in the spirit of the carnival, I had to take out some submissions which had multiple post from same or related sites or author or were submitted with only a few words of description. Also some posts were omitted for maintaining the size of the carnival.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes Preparing To Venture Into Investing – Over the years I have been making the mistake of listening to the financial advisors at my bank. At the time I did not realize that they were nothing but salesmen. Why am I wasting my time on that crap when the majority of mutual funds get outperformed by indexed funds?

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. here is why

Pete @ Intelligent Speculator writes Passive Income Project: Am I Actually Willing To Become A Landlord? – What to consider before buying a rental property.

Bank Free Credit @ Bank Free Credit writes My Friend’s Bank of America Story – This is 2012. As of this date I have been doing business with Bank of America for 50 years. I opened my first savings account in 1962, when I was 14 years old. Today I am 63 years old. I have been married to my wife for 34 years, and I cannot remember the last problem I had with the Bank of America.

David Bar @ Bar Whiz Blog writes Five Ways Bars Get You To Part With Extra Money – Bar owners are very clever in getting you to leave as much of your paycheck as possible behind. Watch for these tactics so that you can bring some of it back home with you.

Jon Haver @ Pay My Student Loans writes SaveUp Review – Graduates and undergraduates struggle more and more every year to pay off their student loans, especially with the difficulties in the employment market. It’s also becoming more difficult for students to obtain loans to begin with, given the raised standards of lenders.

Gary @ Gajizmo.com writes Most Common 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.

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 Which Life Insurance Quotes To Get 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.

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.

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?

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!

Joe @ Modest Money writes Study on Why You Will Overspend This Season – When you are shopping this season, make sure you think about the impact of each and every purchase. If you find yourself creeping over your budget, stop, refocus, and look behind you because the perceptual contrast principle could be right behind you!

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

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Tax Time: What to Bring to Your Accountant – Before you head over to your accountant to do your taxes make sure you have all of the documents you need. See what to bring to your accountant.

Jason @ PT Money writes 5 Different 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 More Money Might Not Satisfy You – What does the Clark Griswold rant in Christmas Vacation have to do with your personal finances? Read and find out.

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.

Welcome to the fourteenth edition of the money mail carnival. Thank you for all those who submitted to the carnival. Please remember to link back to the Carnival.

Philip @ PT Money Personal Finance writes How Long Will It Take to Get My Tax Refund? - If you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to pay taxes, then the question of the hour is “How long will my refund take?” We break it down for you.

Jason @ WorkSaveLive writes, to take the guesswork out of which online tax software is right for you, we ve taken a tremendous amount of time to examine the best and most popular online tax preparation companies to determine which has the best software for your particular tax situation See the differences between TurboTax, H R Block, TaxACT, and FreeTaxUSA . See post Best Online Tax Preparation Software

Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes, is your blog or self-employment venture on your resume? Under what circustances would you include it and how do you think potential employers would respond? See post Is Your Blog on Your Resume?

Mary Rhodes @ Fine Tune Finances writes Are you Saving Money Just to Save? Or are You saving With Purpose? – Human nature dictates much time and money is wasted when we don’t have a goal. This also applies to our financial life, in short your goal your reason for saving, or purpose. If you are saving money just to build up a bank balance you are not likely to be successful at it.

Paul Vachon @ The Frugal Toad writes Winter Storm Nemo and the Importance of an Emergency Fund – What does the massive Winter Storm Nemo have to do with the need to have an emergency fund? In short, everything. Nemo is symbolic of any un-foreseen event that may disrupt one’s income or cause a financial hardship. From a simple power outage to a long-term illness, being prepared to handle an emergency can mean the difference between peace of mind and having your family’s world turned upside down.

Harry Campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes My First Default With Lending Club – With today’s pitiful interest rates, it’s hard to sit there and invest your money in CD’s that are returning 1 or 2 percent. So if you’ve been searching for alternative investments you may already know about Lending Club. But if you’re new to the peer to peer lending scene, you can read my first review of Lending Club here.

Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Top Short Term Investments – Even multi-billion dollar corporations are always trying to maximize the returns of their short term cash and investments, so why shouldn’t you? Here is a comprehensive list of all your short term investment options, from money market market accounts and Treasuries to “I-Bonds” and property tax certificates. Find where you feel comfortable parking your cash for the short-term.

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Getting Engaged? Be Sure that Ring Is Covered– Getting or giving an engagement ring is a special moment. It symbolizes a promise of two people to make a life together.

MMD @ My Money Design writes Believing In Yourself After Finding Out That You Suck – Despite what other people think of you, believing in yourself will have to come from your own hunger and ambition. Only you know what you’re capable of accomplishing.

Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence writes Big city life, is it worth it? – With an average salary, does it make sense to live in the big city?

Edgar @ Degrees and Debt writes Side Jobs: Snag A Job Review – Review of website SnagAJob to obtain a side job for diversifying income streams.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Money and Marriage: How to Get and Stay on the Same Track – Here are some of my tips on how to get and stay on the same money track as your spouse.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Recognizing Financial Patterns – The other day I had a moment of clarity; I was speaking to someone as interested about personal finance as myself, and realized I keep repeating a bad pattern. Until that moment, I hadn’t been able to see the pattern or even acknowledge that I had a repeating financial pattern.

Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Pound Foolish Review – Exposing a Very One Sided Book – I just finished reading “Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry” by Helaine Olen. It’s supposed to be an exposé about the follies in the personal finance industry. Perhaps the real exposé is the author’s bias.

Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes We Are All Experts – Many people have spent a ton of life energy in a quest to discover their passion. And for many of them, once they found it, that was enough. Finding the thing that lights them up inside satisfies the quest. But some people want more than that—they want to live their passion.

Grayson @ Debt Roundup writes The First Step to Recovery is to Admit You Don’t Have a Budget – When you have any problem, the first step to recovering is to admit the problem. The same goes with money. The first step to getting your finances in order is to admit that you don’t have a budget.

Girl Meets Debt @ Girl Meets Debt writes Getting Personal: Dating with Debt – I am getting personal in this post. Dating with debt from the point of view of someone who is in debt.

William @ Quote Me A Price writes Annuities and Structured Settlements: What�s the Difference? – Annuities and structured settlements have many similarities, and you might even make the mistake of thinking they are the same thing. Sure, they both pay regular payments to the people they are owed to over a specified time period, but the way state and federal laws see these two types of payments confirms that they are indeed different things.

Charles @ Wallet Hub writes Your Guide to FHA Loans – Home ownership can be difficult to achieve in today’s market, but it remains an “American Dream” not an “Impossible Dream.” Though requirements have been tightened in the wake of the home mortgage crisis, FHA loans continue to offer a way for persons of modest means to purchase a home.

Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes Lessons Learned from a Stolen Wallet– My wallet was stolen, and I learned many lessons from the ordeal. Find out what to do when your wallet is stolen and also how to prevent the theft in the first place

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Why You Should Say No to Refund Anticipation Loans – Refund Anticipation Loans are marketed as a way to get your tax refund quicker and just in a few days. The main problem is that they’re full of fees as well as the desire to spend the money once received.

Darwin @ Darwin’s Money writes These Mutual Funds Actually Beat The Index. And “The Market” – Mutual funds rarely beat their index, but in this niche, managers returned over 20% in 2012 while besting their index as well – is it worth switching back from ETFs to mutual funds?

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes The World’s Best Dividend Portfolio – For my retirement strategy I am relying on dividend growth stocks, which will provide dependable income, which increases over time and protects its purchasing power from inflation. I have a quantitative and qualitative process, which allows me to screen the hundreds of dividend growth stocks and narrow the list of candidates to 30 -40 individual companies.

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Becoming a Single Homeowner- The Plan– Becoming a single homeowner has been a trend lately with the ladies leading the way. Learn about the unique requirements of how the single person approaches buying a home.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Why You Won’t Get Rich Quick – Wouldn’t it be great to find some way to get rich quick? Let me tell you something – you won’t get rich quick! See why getting rich quick doesn’t work.

FMF @ Free Money Finance writes Real Estate 101: Summary – Throughout the Real Estate 101 Series my goal has been to introduce prospective and beginning investors to the world of real estate investing. Specifically I have tried to answer some basic questions, dispel some myths and misconceptions, and give actionable advice that can be used to move towards becoming a successful investor. As I finish the series I hope that the information provided here has mostly met that goal.

Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes What Should You Think About if You’re Planning on Buying a House Next Year – This article provides a checklist of things for a potential home buyer to consider if buying a house is in the offing in the next twelve months.

 

Welcome to the 13th edition of the carnival. You can also submit your posts for inclusion using the carnival form located here. I have noticed that many of you are not linking back, please be a good player.

Kim @ Eyes on the Dollar outlines how I changed my priorities in order to work less and spend more time doing the things I love. See post Work Less, Live More-Transition to Part Time Work.

Jason @ WorkSaveLive writes, as a result of my own financial hiccups, my husband and I wanted to ensure our own children never made those same mistakes As a result we are teaching them how to Give, Save and Spend their own money Money which is truly earned, not just handed over to our children each month. See postFinancial Responsibility And Kids: It’s Never Too Early To Start

Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes  I analyze our spending patterns in January to prove to myself that we would not benefit from participating in no-spend challenges.. See post Why We Don’t Do No-Spend Challenges

Philip @ PT Money Personal Finance writes 3 Ways to File Your Taxes for Free - Not everyone meets the criteria in order to be able to file their taxes online for free, but here are 3 options to see if you qualify.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Am I Crazy? Not Taking the Optimal Financial Path May Be the Right Decision – As a personal finance blogger I often pressure myself to make the best financial decisions possible so I can be a good role model to my readers. However, at times I feel like I need to do something I want rather than what makes the most sense financially. Read on to see what has been occupying my thoughts all week.

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Should dividend investors hold on to Abbott (ABT) and Abbvie (ABBV) following the split? – On January 1, 2013, Abbott Laboratories split into two companies, one which retained its name Abbott Laboratories (ABT), and another named Abbvie (ABBV).Since both companies have not had a chance to operate for long periods of time, I would simply hold on to my position.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Should You Break Up With Your Credit Card? When to Move On – Just like a relationship that isn’t working for you there comes a time when you should break up with your credit card. See when it’s time to move on.

Chris @ BudgetWays.com writes How To Save Money With Cheap Car Insurance – Most people spend at least a thousand dollars on car insurance, and if you have kids or multiple cars, you’re probably spending at least twice that. Learning how to buy the right type and amount of coverage, while applying for discounts is essential to saving yourself a few hundred dollars a year with cheap car insurance.

Gary @ Gajizmo.com writes Fun Jobs That Pay Well – Not everyone gets to have their dream job, but if you are looking for a stress-free, fun job with no real work, let us know if you find one, outside of collecting unemployment. Otherwise, here is a list of fun jobs that pay well – better than most people would expect.

Mary Rhodes @ Fine Tune Finances writes Is There Such Thing as Good Debt? – “Debt” is a word many of us have learned to fear. But having debt, to a certain degree, is not always a bad thing. There is such thing as good debt versus bad debt, and you may be in a position to put your mind at ease if your debt falls into the positive category.

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes The Lowdown on Frugal Living – Discover the real deal behind frugal living – what the trend is all about, why you should try it, and how the lifestyle can help you save a boatload of money.

William @ Quote Me A Price writes The Advantage of Utilizing a Structured Settlement Broker – If you need the money you have been awarded from a settlement immediately, selling your settlement to a structured settlement broker is a very good choice. Though, you should not try selling your settlement without the services of an expert in the field.

MMD @ My Money Design writes Is the Conventional System to Create Wealth Rigged? – Is following conventional financial advice a rigged game? There’s got to be a better way to create wealth beyond simply saving for the next 30 years!

Grayson @ Debt Roundup writes My Savings Account Interest Rate is WHAT? – As I get ready for the tax preparing season, I wanted to get ahead and find out about my interest earnings. Once I logged in, I realized that I was getting almost nothing.

Sean @ One Smart Dollar writes What is a Currency War? – Most people have never heard of a currency war or are not fully aware of what it really is. By understanding the concept you will be able to understand how it can affect your investments.

Carmen @ MyBestCarInsurance101.com writes How To Get The Best Car Insurance– As a former car insurance agent and broker, the top advice I provide for family and friends looking for the best car insurance is to just research. Reviewing the different types of coverage available, understanding your risk profile and the factors that affect your premiums, and asking for discounts can make all the difference when lowering your rates or finding new, cheap coverage.

Jon Haver @ Pay My Student Loans writes Finding Student Loans – Researching student loan options should be next on your list after applying to undergraduate or graduate school. If you already know you will need financing of some kind for your degree – and in this day and age it’s rare not to need it – take the time to find resources that can offer the best economic program for your life. So where to find student loans? Should you just walk into any bank? After all, private financial institutions are touting all kinds of educational loans that make i

Eemusings @ NZ Muse writes Does pay-what-you-want really work? – Can a business model that lets customers dictate pricing succeed?

Brad @ Structured Settlement Quotes writes Money Problems $999.99 Cash Give Away – Last month we hosted our first giveaway here at StructuredSettlement-Quotes.com. This month we continue the giveaway contest series by announcing the launch of our $999.99 cash giveaway. This contest will run until the end of February 2013.

William @ Quote Me A Price writes Annuities and Structured Settlements: What�s the Difference? – Annuities and structured settlements have many similarities, and you might even make the mistake of thinking they are the same thing. Sure, they both pay regular payments to the people they are owed to over a specified time period, but the way state and federal laws see these two types of payments confirms that they are indeed different things.

Girl Meets Debt @ Girl Meets Debt writes Making My Cash-Back Credit Card Work for Me – Now I know what you are all thinking…I must be crazy to want to start using my credit card again after being so irresponsible with it in the first place but you know what? I am finally at a place in my life where I feel confident that I can and will use credit sensibly.

Greg @ Club Thrifty writes My Credit Score: Why I Don’t Care and You Shouldn’t Either – Worried about your credit score? Don’t be. The credit score is one of the most deceptive tactics that lenders use to control your behavior. Here’s why.

Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes Would You Believe More Car Trouble?– I’m sitting here at my mechanic’s shop once again. Yes, my car has overheated again!

Jules Wilson @ Faithful With a Few writes Would You Be Willing To Move To Another Country – My wife and I would watch this show sometimes and think about whether we could really pick up and move to another country. I couldn’t imagine going about my life in the U.S. and then waking up one day and trying to find a home and establish a new life in a new place.

Alan Webster @ 401kcalculator.org writes Your 401k Limit Is More Generous Than Ever in 2013 – Your 401K limit is as high as it’s ever been. This post looks at how the 401k limit has changed compared to the rate of inflation.

John @ Card Hub Blog writes Ask the Experts: Where Do We Get Our Spending Habits From? – Are our spending habits learned, and if so, from where?

Lynn @ Wallet Blog writes Punting your Cable TV Bill – You can cancel your cable and fill the void with alternative TV-entertainment options While this is not an exhaustive list, it might meet your entertainment and budgetary requirements.

Will @ Card Guys Blog writes Don’t sunburn your credit card – This is the time when many people in northern areas start planning to head south for the winter. The problem many people face is that they have still not paid off all the Christmas expenses. But a mid-winter or late winter getaway does not have to break the bank.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes 5 Easy Ways to Save Money Lost Due to the Payroll Tax Increase – The Payroll Tax Holiday went away at the beginning of 2013. Some families were prepared, some were not. This is a list of ways to help make up for that, or if you’re looking to live more frugal and save money in general

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Financial Advisors 101~Get The Inside Scoop – Know the right questions to ask your financial advisor so you are an informed investor. You are in charge of your personal finances so ask the right questions to get the answers you need to make informed decisions.

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Four Consumer Stocks for a 2013 Economic Expansion – With the continuing rebound of the global economy for a fourth consecutive year, corporate revenues and profits are at record highs. US multinational corporations, which have substantial operations abroad, are very well positioned for the expansion in the number of middle class consumers in the developing markets.I expect the following companies to benefit from the rise of the middle class in emerging markets due to their strong brand names and because of their status.

NoTrustFund @ Where’s My Trust Fund writes Creating A Budget – Create a budget using the balance money formula.

Bryan @ BryanMaltier.com writes Compare Auto Insurance Rates Online – It’s hard to find a personal finance blog that hasn’t been talking about car insurance – whether it’s because many people’s policies are up for renewal early in the year, or car insurance companies are really making a marketing effort before summer approaches. Here is a complete guide to comparing rates online, from what you need to get a free quote, discounts you should ask for, questions you should ask, and state laws you should be aware of. The best part – it’s written by a former car insuran

Matt @ Dividend Monk writes The Comprehensive Guide to Index Funds – A detailed article that covers many of the aspects of index funds in an organized, search-able format.

JC @ Passive-Income-Pursuit @ Passive Income Pursuit writes How getting laid off was the best thing for my finances – Going through what brought me toward the goal of reaching early financial independence and keeping track of my finances.

Edgar @ Degrees and Debt writes Saving Money on Gas via Shopping Programs – How to use shopping programs to save money on gas

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes How to Blog and Make Money – 5 Ways to Use Your Blog to Make Money – You’ve heard the stories of those who blog and make money. But how do they do it? Take a look at five ways you can use a blog to make money.

Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes Rewards Credit Cards: My Interview With PT Money’s Philip Taylor, Michael Pruser, and Jason Steele – This interview with the PT Money team of credit card experts covered responsible credit card usage, travel rewards cards, and cash back rewards cards. We also took audience questions during the webinar and answered them, such as what to do now that you can’t buy dollar coins from the U.S. Mint using your rewards credit cards.

Marie at FamilyMoneyValues @ Family Money Values writes The Downside of Wealth – You think “If I just had more money, everything would be OK”. Past a certain point, however, more money can be more trouble than fun. Being wealthy is not for the feint of heart. You need to understand the things that can go wrong when you have lots of money, so you can learn how to avoid them! Here are six.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey @ My Personal Finance Journey writes Creative Ways to Save Money While Traveling – This post illustrates how one can stick to a responsible budget while travelling and still have the time of one’s life.

 

This is a very special edition of the carnival for me. I have gone to the drawing board to think about the future of The Money Mail. Where is The Money Mail headed? What is the purpose of this carnival? How do I extend on the purpose of the carnival.

The main purpose of starting the carnival was to get introduced to the members of the personal finance community and spread some link love. The carnival has helped me build some relationships and get in front of people withing the community. But I see limitations in the format and the way it is being currently managed. This thought led me to think about a way to bring together some members of the personal finance community and build a network of personal finance bloggers who can help each other grow. I have reached out to some of you and discussed the network. I am happy with the early response. If you are a contributor to the carnival or a regular reader, please feel free to get in touch with me and request more details on the network.

Starting next week, I plan to publish interviews with some leading personal finance bloggers. I hope these interviews will help other personal finance bloggers and enthusiasts in their journey.

I am also going to write guests post on some blogs in the coming weeks. I will tweet the details in the coming days.

Let’s jump in to the submissions.

Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes, I clear up some misconceptions about tax benefits for married people and itemizing deductions on income tax returns. See post The Marriage Penalty and Itemizing Taxes

Jason  @ Work Save Live writes  ReadyForZero is free online software that allows you to track your debt and pay it off in a cost effective manner, which then helps you to become debt free the fastest It links all your debts, the minimum payments, and interest rates in one place – letting you get an all in one snapshot of your debts. See post Become Debt Free the Fastest by Using ReadyForZero

Anne @ Unique Gifter writes  Important Dos and Don’ts for good wedding check writing etiquette! Simple tips that will make your gift easily received. See post Cheque Mate! Wedding Check Writing Tips

Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence writes 13 money resolutions for 2013: Be happy! – This post is part of a 13 money resolutions for 2013 series, and talks about how being content with what you currently have is the best way to live a rich life. There will always be bigger houses and shinier car but if you are happy with what you have, life will be perfect.

Lorillia B. Phillips @ Your Money Mentor writes How to make money online working from home – I wanted to put this article together to show any one who is currently out work or seeking to earn some additional income; ways they could make money online working from home.

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes The Dividend Kings List Keeps Expanding – The following companies have managed to reward their loyal shareholders with a dividend raise for over 50 years in a row each. This is particularly interesting, since this period covered several recessions, a few oil shocks and one embargo, a few wars, inflation and a lot of change in the global economy.

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes My New HSA Strategy – Rollovers and Trustee Transfers – Since my company was acquired by an even larger one last year, 2013 will be our first full year under the new administration. That means a whole lot of changes to our benefits and one of those will be to our HSA provider. Although the HDHP insurance portion will still be served by Aetna, our HSA provider will be switching from Fidelity to Chase. Chase is similar in respect to Fidelity but their investing options are more expensive and more limited. And since I don’t rely on my HSA for medi

Lance @ Money Life and More writes How We Set Up My Girlfriend’s Budget – Budgets… a lot of people can’t stand them! My girlfriend isn’t a huge fan of budgets either but she recognizes how budgets help you achieve your financial goals. More importantly, my girlfriend’s budget was made specifically to achieve her number one goal.

eemusings @ NZ Muse writes Can we all realistically expect to love our jobs? – Following your passion is a nice platitude, but statistically it just doesn’t work.

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Analyzing Savings Account Interest: Worth It? – Should you bank on savings account interest as a tool for growing your money?

MMD @ IRA vs 401k Central writes What are the 401k Withdrawal Rules for Getting My Money Back? – Before putting too much money into your employers retirement plan, it helps to understand the 401k withdrawal rules and when you’ll see your money again.

MMD @ My Money Design writes Rethinking My Strategy for What Stocks to Buy This Year – I’ve been giving a lot of thought as to what stocks to buy this year and using the Dogs of the Dow strategy. Here’s why I’m reconsidering this plan.

Gary @ Gajizmo.com writes Should I Pay Off My Mortgage? – It’s the beginning of the year and you are planning your finances. Will you be deciding to pay off your home in the next few years? Does it make sense to do so? Here are the pros and cons of paying off your mortgage early.

Chris @ IRetireEarly writes Advantages and Disadvantages of Mutual Funds – Mutual funds have been longstanding staples of the finance industry, but is mutual fund investing the right move for you and your financial goals? Check out the top 3 advantages and disadvantages of mutual funds.

Darwin @ Darwin’s Money writes Dollar Cost Averaging: Actual Results From the Past 10 Years – 10 Years of Results crunched for how you would have fared if you dollar cost averaged into the market versus a one-time investment. Interesting results!

PK @ Don’t Quit Your Day Job… writes Treasury Return Calculator – 8 cups of coffee + 6 hours of lost sleep = 4:30 AM and (as far as I can tell) the only reinvested coupon treasury note calculator on the web. The things we do for our blogs, am I right?

Josh Thompson @ Becoming Your Own Bank writes Infinite Banking Video – We have a new Infinite Banking sketch video that you will love!

David Leonhardt @ A Ghost Writers Blog writes Hagrid moonlights – This was not even intended to be a story about personal finance, but Hagrid teaches us a valuable lesson on economics, just the same.

Edgar @ Degrees and Debt writes Monitor Your Credit for FREE – Ways to monitor your credit for FREE!

Holly @ Club Thrifty writes The Value of Taking a Vacation – Vacation is the best thing since milk and cookies! While it may cost us a ton of money, going on vacation is essential for our well-being.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes How to Take the Emotion Out of Investing – The stock market is driven largely by emotion, some say upwards of 90%. If you have a solid investment plan though you can easily separate the emotions from the day to day activity of your investments.

William @ Quote Me A Price writes Can a Structured Settlement Transfer be Blocked by the Court? – Many people rightfully think that the decision of how to best use their resources, like money, is theirs to make. This is especially true of annuities and structured settlements, although that might not actually be true. Many states have laws in place dictating how structured settlements are dealt with, especially transfers or sales.

Anna @ BryanMaltier.com writes How To Save Money With Coupons – Couponing may still be one of the best ways to start paying closer attention to your budget by spending less and saving more. If you aren’t sure where to start on improving your personal finances, think about your consumption and find ways to cut back using coupons.

Jules Wilson @ Faithful With a Few writes What I Learned About Contentment from Watching House Hunters – It doesn’t matter whether we are thinking about our home, car, electronics, job, clothing, or even relationships; we need to be grateful and thankful for what we have.

Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes Plumbing And The Family Tree: The Roots Run Deep – We often have resources close to home. There are probably people in your family, your church, job, or even friends that can help save you time and a lot of money.

Marie at Family Money Values @ Family Money Values writes Family Culture Factors Affecting Long Term Wealth – Family culture encompasses your family’s history, traditions, values, views, habits, goals, communication methods, and experiences. Your culture can affect whether or not future generations will have access to the wealth you are now building or shepherding. What are these cultural factors that can make or break your wealth transfer success?

Will @ Card Guys Blog writes Fill the tank (or not), not your credit card – If you’ve ever looked at your credit card statement and wondered how it adds up so quickly, the answer might be in your gas station habits.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes 5 Home Improvement Tips to Save Up For – Below are 5 home improvements that will give you the most bang for the buck

Marvin @ Brick By Brick Investing writes Buying Options Is A Fool’s Errand – A detailed description and explanation of why buying options is generally a losing investment.

Carmen @ MyBestCarInsurance101.com writes How To Get The Best Car Insurance – Written by a former car insurance agent and broker, literally, a complete guide to buying car insurance, from details on factors that affect premiums, the different types of car insurance and when you should buy them, how to compare multiple policies, and discounts you need to apply for. This is a must-read for anyone reviewing their car insurance policy.

Jason @ PT Money Personal Finance writes How to Protect Yourself from Antiquated Airline Computers that Could Ruin Your Trip – Airline computers can be the cause of many travel issues, but what can you do about it? We analyze the reasons behind the problem and experts weigh in on ways to avoid them.

Girl Meets Debt @ Girl Meets Debt writes My Frugal Habits BEFORE I Started Blogging – The old me may have spent more money than I had, but even before I started blogging, I had a few frugal habits that I was already practicing daily. I know, it is suprising right?

Mr. MWD @ My Wealth Desire writes The World’s Best Personal Finance Magazines – Reading personal finance magazines could change your view about money and could help you improve your family finances. World’s best personal finance magazines provide a wide range of financial information and tricks to achieve your financial goal. If you want to improve your financial status and to have a financial freedom or stay updated on the latest opportunities, being surrounded by personal finance or investment reading materials like magazines is good for you.

The carnival is in the sixth edition and I have enjoyed hosting the carnival so far. I want to take this one step further by requesting fellow bloggers to hold the carnival on their site. Please use this form to send me a date you would like to host the carnival on. The next edition will be hosted by Lisa @ thriftability.com

I have updated the resources section with articles on Roth IRA. I will be adding more articles in the coming days.

Comments and Links: There are about 90 comments on the site, when I started the blog some time ago, it dint seem like anyone would leave a comment on the site, but I am glad to see the encouragement I am getting from fellow bloggers.

Carnival Inclusion: My posts were featured in two carnivals. Please let me know if I have missed you carnival and I will add it here.

Carnival of Financial Planning

FearlessMen’s Weekly Round Up

Yakezie Carnival

Tax Carnival

Guest post: I have started reaching out to bloggers for an opportunity to guest post. I am also glad that some bloggers have offered me an opportunity to let to speak with their readers. I am glad that this support system exists in the personal finance blogosphere.

Alexa Ranking: The Money Mail is now at 257K in Alexa Ranking. I will be honest, I did not expect to be at this benchmark so early. This is really motivating. A special thanks to my readers.  

Twitter: I have reached over 60 followers on twitter. You can follow me @the_money_mail. I am going to celebrate this as a small win. It is already motivating me to go after a bigger target. 

Spam: I am amazed at the diversity of spam comments I get. Right from someone offering SEO services to someone who loves my blog so much that I feel I saved their lives by starting to write. Come on guys get a life.

Featured Post

This week I shared the strategy that has worked for me every time I wanted to get back from failures. Small wins can give you motivation and confidence to achieve big wins.

http://themoneymail.com/small-wins/

Carnival submission

Kim  @ Eyes on the Dollar writes a post meant to showcase all the reasons to love your used car and help you avoid the end of the year advertisements that tell you otherwise. See post Reasons to Love Your Used Car

James Petzke @ This Is Common Cents writes The Only Real Get Rich Scheme – If you follow a simple two step plan, you’ll find that you will build wealth no matter what.

Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence writes Being outside of average – This is a guest post from the Outlier Model about their dreams of early financial freedom and sacrifices to get there

Lance @ Money Life and More writes 2013 Standard Mileage Rates Announced by IRS – The IRS has released the new standard mileage rates for 2013 that many companies use to reimburse you for business miles driven on your personal vehicles.

Martin @ Studenomics writes The Obligatory Save Money During Christmas Personal Finance Article – How you can save money this holiday season.

SavingMentor @ How To Save Money writes Free Money: $100 Gift Card And Up To 5% Cash Back On Gas & Groceries – It’s time for another one of those posts where I talk about some company giving away practically free money for doing something that requires very little effort.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes December 2012 Net Worth Update – From November 2012 to December 2012 my net worth increased 1.29% Year to Date my net worth has increased 39.19% From January 2011 to October 2012 my net worth has increased 140.48%

Beating Broke @ Beating Broke writes A Review of Dave Ramsey’s Revised Financial Peace University & New Speakers – While this latest version of Financial Peace University has all of the benefits of the old version, some of the material has been changed, and there are new speakers added to the mix.

Jason @ Live Real Now writes Getting Out of Debt: The Prime Rule – Getting out of debt is a simple process, but that doesn’t make it easy. It only has two real steps: stop using debt, and keep making the payments.

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes A Review of My Experience With Car2go San Diego: A Car Sharing Service – Although Car2go hasn’t reached every major city yet, there is probably some type of car sharing service available in your local metropolitan. Whether it’s Zipcar or some other service, the idea of car sharing has really taken off over the past couple years. I’m pretty intrigued by the whole idea because less cars on the road is better for the environment and traffic congestion. This is pretty important for a city like San Diego with millions of people and no viable public transportation

Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes Refusing to Conform: Why I Am Not Shopping on Black Friday – All across America, there are two groups of people gearing up for Black Friday. Those who can’t wait to check out the deals, and those who want nothing to do with it and are planning to stay home.

Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes Asea Scam? – Some of people who analyzed MonaVie and determined it’s expensive fruit juice did some research and found out that ASEA was expensive salt water. I knew that I had to write about ASEA.

Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Types of Insurance Policies For Homeowners – Consumers are well-aware of auto, health, life, and home insurance, but what about the other, less common types of insurance most Americans use at some point? We cover the importance of title, mortgage, liability, umbrella, earthquake, and flood insurance.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Adult Children Living at Home – How to Approach It – With the economy showing no signs of a quick recovery, chances are that even more parents will have their adult children living at home with them again. But with open and honest discussions about expectations and goals prior to move-in, it is possible for these “boomerang kids” to make a successful transition back under their parents’ roof and then back out into the real world.

Edward Antrobus @ Edward Antrobus writes Pros and Cons of No-Contract Cell Phone Plans – A list of some of the pros and cons of no contract cell phone plan providers. Is the difference in plan price worth the limited selection? I think it is.

Emily @ One Smart Dollar writes Not All Bills Help Rebuild Credit – Being late on any bill can help to hurt your credit, but did you know that not all of them can also help to build credit?

Megan Russell @ Kittenomics writes Financially Savvy Kittens on Gifts to Charity – This kitten gifts appreciated stock. Be more like this kitten.

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes How to Resist the Urge to Spend – At the core of almost all personal finance advice is this one foundational principle: you have to resist the urge to spend as much as you want. Without that discipline it is difficult if not impossible to reach any type of long-term financial goal.

Grand Per Month @ Grand Per Month writes Make It Easier to Earn a Grand Per Month – Offer Multiple Services – So, you have made the decision to make a grand per month on the side. You have picked a job and have found a client or two, but you still aren’t making the kind of money that you had hoped, or you aren’t finding clients as quickly as you would like. Does this sound familiar? If it does, you may want to think about expanding your services.

Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Make Mistakes the Easy Way: Through Someone Else – Chances are that the people you admire have already made decisions, bad and good, that you can use to improve your own life. Find out — read their biography!

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Who Said Paying Bills Isn’t Fun? – Ever since I’ve gotten myself in the habit of tracking our income, expenses, and recording every penny, paying bills has actually become…dare I say….. fun.

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes Get Your Parents To Buy You a House! – To most parents, buying a house for their 18-20 year old son or daughter to manage as a rental property as they go through school seems like a …

Jason @ WorkSaveLive writes, while some people seek interest-bearing checking accounts, PerkStreet Financial offers the best rewards checking account on the market. With their Cash Back Rewards Debit Card, PerkStreet has given consumers the opportunity to earn at least 1% rewards on ALL of their non-pin debit card purchases. See post PerkStreet Financial Review

Young @ Young And Thrifty writes How The Canadian Banks’ Spending Spree Affects You – The recent headlines that smack of patriotic pride concerning Canadian banks buying up distressed financial assets in the USA over the past few months have been interesting to say the least. I don’t know a heck of a lot about corporate finances at the highest levels, or even what metrics these guys are using in order to gauge if these acquisitions make sense or not. Anecdotally though, as a Canadian citizen, I think I should be interested, and possibly even concerned about these goings on, e

Grayson @ Debt Roundup writes Students: How to Finish College with No Debt – Millions of Americans graduate college owing tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, and some owe considerably more than that. For many students, this is debt that will take them years or even decades to pay off. There are even some individuals who are still paying on student loans well into their retirement years! While some cannot afford college with loans, many can finish college with no debt by following the right strategies.

Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Investing in Vacation Properties – We don’t normally think of vacation properties as investments, but at certain times and under certain circumstances, they can be one of the best investments you can make. This can very well be one of those times.

Matt @ Dividend Monk writes Financial Freedom: The Accelerated Version – A huge overview on how to become financially independent way ahead of the curve.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes The Fiscal Cliff Doesn’t Just Affect the Rich – People think the fiscal cliff is about the wealthy and their taxes. Truth is the fiscal cliff affects those who aren’t wealthy, especially the poor.

FMF @ Free Money Finance writes Gym Memberships are Good Deals — If You Use Them! – Memberships are not all bad. If you actually use a membership, it can save you a great deal over a per use payment structure.

John @ Frugal Rules writes 5 Frugal Ways to Start Investing Now – Investing in the stock market can be intimidating for many, but it does not have to be. With a little education and setting a plan you can invest in the stock market and not have to spend lots of money doing it.

Emily @ PT Money Personal Finance writes Have You Considered [the Cost of] Adoption? – If you’re considering adoption, this insightful post breaks down the 3 types of adoptions and the costs that can accompany them.

Buck Inspire @ Buck Inspire writes My Housing Crisis of 2012 – We all heard of being upside down on a house, but what about inverted or reversed? Here’s my crisis just before closing on my new home.

Matt @ Budget SNOB writes: one of the most forgotten ways to stay on budget is also the easiest. See post Using Cash to Stop Overspending and Stay On Your Budget