Welcome to the “Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself” edition of the Financial Carnival for Young Adults. Remember that awesome post of mine on how I changed my own battery? I have to admit, I felt pretty manly about the whole thing (even if there were only like 3 steps involved). Well, yesterday I ate a little bit of humble pie.
On my way home from work, my car’s battery light came on. Being the responsible adult that I am, I decided it was no big deal. Well, about a mile from my house, at one of the busiest intersections in Boston, at rush hour, my car completely turned off. Just totally and completely dead. I was totally fine and a tow truck came quickly, but now I have to figure out what wrong. I think it was just a bad battery, but we’ll see. Stay tuned.
On to the carnival…
Below are the best posts of the week from some of the best and brightest bloggers on the web. There’s a lot to learn here. If you’d like to submit to future editions of this carnival, you can do so here: Financial Carnival for Young Adults.
Enjoy!
Alexis @ FITnancials writes Extra Money Ideas Part 2 – Last week I had my Part 1 of ways that you can make extra money. Today is Part 2! As I said last week, lately, I haven’t been working a whole lot. It’s definitely a big difference as to when I was accepting all the shifts I could take and was working well over 40 hours per week.
Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes Just Make a Decision – It’s often better to make a decision and carry it out than to delay inordinately, even if it’s not the 100% perfect solution.
GMM @ Grad Money Matters writes Should you blog for money? – Blogging is a lot of fun. There are tons of positives of blogging, and you should start one today! When it comes to online money-making ideas you have to ask yourself what actually has the potential to make money, and what is a big fat waste of time.
Michelle @ Diversified Finances writes Disadvantages/Negatives of Working From Home – Last week, I talked about how I’m super excited to start working from home, and all of the positives that go along with it (such as no pants and making your own schedule, haha). However, there are some disadvantages and I would like to talk about them.
Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents writes Budget Categories – Lately, I have been having a good amount of people asking me for help with their budget. This includes my sister, my friends, and readers. It seems like a lot of people aren’t sure what to put in their budget, or how to even start making their budget.
Alexa @ Making Sense of Cents writes Slow and Steady Wins the Race – Imagine that you walk into work tomorrow only to be told that due to company downsizing your position has been eliminated. Your last day will be two weeks from now and unfortunately the company isn’t offering any severance packages. This comes to you as complete and utter shock. You have no backup plan.
Jordann @ Making Sense of Cents writes How do you determine your Emergency Fund? – An emergency fund is money that is set aside in case of emergency. It’s there for you when you need it for an unexpected expense, to prevent you from dipping into a credit card or a line of credit and ending up in debt.
Evan @ My Journey To Millions writes Do You Have a Right to Choose Your Child’s Degree or Major? – I tweeted a picture of my son taking pictures. Which made me ask this: can a parent who is paying for college choose a degree or major?
Tommy Douglas @ Getting Fit As A Baby Boomer Over 50 writes Considering Starting The Paleo Diet? – Thе actual foods eaten on the Paleo diet аrе essential for success. Learn how you can make this part of your diet.
Buck Inspire @ Buck Inspire writes Forced Out Of My Comfort Zone – I’ve been primarily in server management throughout my IT career. Recently, I vowed to expand my skills into networking.
Monica Iannacone @ Monica On Money writes How to Payoff Your Mortgage ASAP! – After becoming debt-free, my current financial goal is to payoff my mortgage early. Here’s how I’m doing it
FI Pilgrim @ FI Journey writes The True Impact Of Lifestyle Choices – Over the next few days I kept thinking about the word lifestyle and the far-reaching impact that it has on our lives (and finances).
Holly Johnson @ Club Thrifty writes Club Thrifty Fall Financial Lockdown – Spending has been getting a little crazy in the Club Thrifty household lately. As a result, we have put ourselves on FALL FINANCIAL LOCKDOWN.
Barbara Friedberg @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes Learn To Build Wealth In 15 Minutes A Day – Build wealth fast with a step by step money management program.
Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Creative money saving ideas for the car – Driving a car isn’t rocket science and neither is saving money. Here are our creative money saving ideas for the car.
Brock Kernin @ Clever Dude writes What Would You Do For a Cheap Hotel Room? – There are many tricks to getting a cheap room….how far would you go?
Travis Pizel @ Enemy Of Debt writes The Return Of The 100 Foot Water Slide – Want a way to have wet and wild fun with your friends? Check out this 130 foot water slide…
Mr. Frenzy @ Frenzied Finances writes Two X Problems: The Financial Challenges Women Face – Recognizing that there are many financial challenges women face, and what to do about them, will help women to prepare for the future. Read for information.
Abu @ Insurance Bangladesh Agent writes Insurance Bangladesh – Insurance Bangladesh company agent (IBCA) is an agent company which is helping the Bangladeshi people for getting insurance policy from the Bangladeshi insurance companies. We are assisting you to become a policy holder of any Bangladeshi insurance company. 12353852-house-insurance-and-home-owner-protection-from-mortgage-interest-rates-by-refinancing-a-payment-of-l There are two types of Insurance Companies in Bangladesh – Life Insurance Company & General Insurance Company. If you
MARTIN @ Don’t Throw Away Money writes Save Money While Still Having A Life – It is hard to keep up with the social life if our wages simply do not match up- times are difficult for many but there is no need to become a hermit crab. Being wise about where we spend our money means we can enjoy life and save a little too
Esther @ Bons Vivants Blog writes Manage Your Credit Rating – Credit reports are important- Don’t limit your chances of obtaining credit in the future!
LaTisha @ Young Finances writes 3 Reasons Why Kim Kardashian Has More Assets Than You – Kimberly Noel Kardashian, mother of North West and partner of Kanye West, is worth $40 million and earned an estimated $10 million in one year as of June 2013.
Corey @ 20s Finances writes Tips to Save Money on Your Wedding Reception – Here are some tips I have gathered while planning our wedding reception.
GD @ MLIQ123 writes Best Life Insurance Companies – Picking the right insurance policy for your family’s needs is just as important as choosing the best life insurance company who offers you good customer service. Between life insurance company ratings from A.M. Best and JD Power, one of which focuses on financial strength and the latter on customer satisfaction, here is a list of the top providers in the industry and what factors you should consider when picking your provider.
Kathleen O’Malley @ Frugal Portland writes Going on a Road Trip using AirBnB – We are using AirBnB for the first time. It is a great way to save money in a few ways.
Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes The Missing Help on Credit Scores – Didn’t get to learn about credit in high school? Neither did we. It’s strange, right? Read here for your basic education on credit and credit scores.
Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes The Self-Employment Dream: Less Talk, More Action – Maybe it came to you as a ‘lightbulb moment’, or maybe it’s a thought that you’ve stewed on and perfected for years. You know the one. It’s your business idea, your inspired concept to invent, design, manufacture or improve something that fills a gap in the market. You’ve discussed it with friends, colleagues, the postman – anyone who will listen.
Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes Smart Reasons for Investing in Your Financial Knowledge – Here is a question for you: would you invest in stocks and shares if you didn’t know a thing about them? What about other forms of investments? Would you be willing to sink a good portion of your savings into an investment you knew little to nothing
Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes What Are The 6 Best Investment Options of 2013? – Every investor is looking for the advice on the next big money maker. Smart investors are the ones who develop their own systems for determining which the best ways to remit their money are.
Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Cost for Tubing the Comal River Last Weekend – My friends and I headed out to New Braunfels last weekend and ended up tubing down the Comal River for 6 hours.
Eva Baker @ TeensGotCents writes Thrift Store Costume Ideas – Shopping With Sarah – Need a costume? Don’t have much money? Can you sew a little? Never fear! Get thrift store costume ideas from Sarah in her latest post on TeensGotCents.
MMD @ My Money Design writes Motivation In the Workplace and My Thoughts on Mind Control – Motivation in the workplace has gone from the desire to do your best into a simple will of survival. And worst of all: We let ourselves be hypnotized into this form of mind control. This post will explore why we let this happen.
MMD @ IRA vs 401k Central writes A Strategy for Getting the Most From Both a Roth IRA vs 401k – Some people just want to know – between a Roth IRA vs 401k, which one should I start off with in order to maximize my potential? The answer – BOTH! This post will show you how.
DW @ Great Passive Income Ideas writes I Want To Make Money on the Side – What Are Some Ways To Do So? – If you’re saying I want to make money on the side but don’t know how, then you should know there are a lot of easy things you can start doing now that work. Here are my tips for ways to accomplish that.
Mr FD @ Financial Debauchery writes How Much Is Gold Worth? More Than What a Dealer Will Give You! – It’s a really good idea to find out how much is gold worth before you’re about to go sell it to one those cheesy We Buy Gold places. Read on and have a better experience than I did.
Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes A Big Debt-Free Reward – My husband and I worked diligently together to become debt free. Well, he did the work and I was supportive (and along for the ride). Anyway, we did it.
Robert @ The College Investor writes Your Money Problems Won’t Fix Themselves – It’s starting to get frustrating how often I’m hearing the words everything will just work out. GUESS WHAT? YOUR MONEY PROBLEMS WON’T FIX THEMSELVES. Everything will not just work out. You have to take action. You have to do something!
Robert @ kids Ain’t Cheap writes Cheap, Fun Ways To Stay Cool This Summer – For kids, staying cool in the summer is as much about necessity as it is fun. While visiting a friend of mine recently, her two older kids (aged 9 and 11) we’re parked inside at the kitchen table where they were seeking refuge in front of the window AC unit. While this is ok once in a while, just because the days get warm, it doesn’t mean all summer activities have to stop! Here are a few ways to stay cool in the summer:
Robert @ Cult Of Money writes Auto Insurance Decoded: Understanding Your Auto Policy – It is extremely important to know and understand what coverage’s you do and don’t have. Without the proper knowledge you could be dangerously underinsured. If you have trouble decoding your auto insurance policy let’s take a look at some of the most common auto insurance coverage’s.
IMB @ Investing Money writes Two Markets in the Cross Hairs – This week the energy market and the S & P are in focus. Read here for information on these important markets and how they are changing.
Matt Becker @ Mom and Dad Money writes Is Peer-to-Peer Lending the Next Big Thing? – Peer-to-peer lending is pretty big in the world of personal finance right now. There are a lot of people talking excitedly about the great investment returns they’ve made recently, and of course this has only drummed up interest from others on how to get involved. This is typical of any new investment that’s seen some success, but does it mean that it’s a good thing to get involved with? Today I’d like to share some of my thoughts on peer-to-peer lending and how it might fit into an investment p
Tushar Mathur @ Everything Finance writes Self-Employed and Have Debt? Why Dave Ramsey May Not Work for You – Dave Ramsey. His name is synonymous with getting out of debt. No doubt his baby step program has helped millions get out of debt and stay out of debt. But he might now work for you, and here is why!
Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes I Am A Freelancer… What Five Business Moves Should I Make? – You have decided to leave your employer and make a go at a consulting business on your own.
Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes 5 Mistakes People Accidentally Make That Hurt Their Credit – One of the most common queries I’ve gotten over the years from clients and friends alike centers around how to improve one’s credit score, and how to keep the score maintained once it’s at a healthy level. This post is going to explain the five most common pitfalls people encounter whilst trying to build their credit scores.
krantcents @ KrantCents writes Some Things Get Better with Age! – Some things get better with age such as wine, cowboy boots, blue jeans, rib-eye steaks, balsamic vinegar and some human beings. Older people are not quietly go into the sunset and retiring. Successful entrepreneurs are getting older! The young entrepreneurs may get more press, but there are many older people becoming entrepreneurs.
Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Secrets of the Wealthy: How to Pick the Right Career – Passion. Commitment. Perseverance. What do these three things have in common? They are traits of the wealthy who have chosen careers in which they excel. Choosing a career is a tough choice and, unfortunately many people choose the wrong one.
Cat Alford @ Budget Blonde writes How to Avoid A Savings Addiction – Do you have a savings addiction? Do you always feel like you have to buy something just because you have a coupon? If so, here’s how to combat it!
CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Small Business Saving: How To Save Your Business Money – Running a small business and finding success? Great! Now you need to save your business money. Read here to learn how.
Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Add a Boatload to Your Savings Account in One Year, Even if You are Living Paycheck to Paycheck – There are a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck, out of necessity.
Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes How to Calculate Net Worth – Net worth is an important calculation that shows you your financial health. This post shows you how to calculate net worth.
Lauren @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes Let’s make money. Finding jobs on Craigslist! – Jobs on Craigslist still manage to be the Wild West of the job-hunting set. You just never know what you’re going to get. After several months of finding side hustles via Craigslist I’ve discovered a couple of things.
Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes How to Get an Interest Free Loan from LendUp – Get this… Did you know that 12 million Americans take out payday loans each year to cover their daily expenses! Crazy, right? On average, a single borrower takes eight loans of $375 annually and has to pay a whopping $520 in interest!
Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes How to Monitor and Maintain Your Online Persona – A discuss on online persona and how to monitor what is being said about you online as you attempt to generate a positive personality online.
Suba @ Broke Professionals writes 6 Reasons I Hate Underwriting – Buying a house is a different universe than it was five years ago. Getting a mortgage is like taking candy from a baby… or, maybe, a 42-year-old underwriter.
Mrs. Accountability @ Out of Debt Again writes How to Get a Statement and Reconcile Your PayPal Business Account – Trouble reconciling your PayPal account? This short tutorial will show you how to get a statement that will allow you to reconcile your account.
John @ Ourinsurancecanada.com writes Do 20-Somethings Need Life Insurance? – A lot of young people have in the back of their minds that they are invincible and nothing bad will ever happen to them. Well, they are very wrong. The unexpected can happen and there are accidents. 20-something’s should really think about life insurance.
JP @ My Family Finances writes Different Types of Loans for Your Family – In an effort to save time and painful research, here is a very brief overview of some of the more common types of loans that families have.
Daisy @ Suburban Finance writes Rent Vs. Buy – Should I rent a home, or buy one? This article will be helpful in deciding what you should do.
Minimalist @ Minimalist Finance writes Save Money on Your Education (Or Get it For Free) – Education is expensive. We all know this. Parents save for years for their kid’s post-secondary education, and sometimes that’s not even enough.
Jon Haver @ Pay My Student Loans writes How These 2 Students Racked Up 6 Figure Student Loans – Whenever we think of college and all the great things that come from attending a world class university, we only ponder upon the victorious things like the first job and graduation day. There is another side of college filled with horror, poverty and extreme sadness.
Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Frivolous Spending, Super Poo, and Debt Repayment. A few thoughts about the road to Debt Freedom – I am on a serious mission to repay my debt. I stopped shopping, am using up my sh$t, bring my lunch to work, make my coffee at work, and am picking up extra work. Basically, I’m serious as a heart attack when I talk about wanting to take care of my debt!
Mrs. PoP @ Planting Our Pennies writes Home Value Update – How To Use Market Comps – Mrs PoP reviews how to use market comps to keep track of your home’s value more accurately than Zillow without much effort!
Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Accrued Market Discount – What You Need to Know – Knowing about accrued market discount will help you make better investment decisions and handle taxes with better wisdom.
Christopher @ This That and The MBA writes Tips to Deal With Creditor Phone Harassment – If your creditor has sold your debt to a 3rd party debt collector, you are undoubtedly going to be contacted by phone. Debt collectors can be ruthless in their efforts to secure the money owed to them, continuously calling and using various threats to do so.
SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes No Plan: How Americans Fare in Planning Budgets – The recent results of a Gallup poll reveal little enthusiasm for budget planning. Budgeting is important! Read here to learn more about American budgeting.
Maria @ The Money Principle writes The Manifesto of a Frugal Artist – In this article I discuss two kinds of frugality: extreme frugality and frugality as an art form. I am a frugal artist; how about you?
Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Not So Free Free Things – Free is good, right? Someone offers to pass along something to you at no cost, should you take it? Maybe, maybe not.
SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes Ready, Set, Shop! It’s Tax Free Weekend – It’s my favorite time of the year – a time when I can go to the store and splurge a little bit, while simultaneously feel a little less guilty about the money I’m dropping.
Matthew @ Investing Five Daily writes Should I Use an Investment Advisor – How an investment advisor might view your growing portfolio
Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Revisiting New Year’s Resolutions – Here it is 8 months into 2013 and I’m not so sure I’m on target with my New Year’s Resolutions.
Harry Campbell @ Your PF Pro writes What’s the Best Day of the Week to Quit Your Job? – If you haven’t heard by now, I quit my job! My fiancee and I are moving and I did not want to make the hour plus commute so I gave my notice about a month ago. My last day was last Tuesday and so far being unemployed has been pretty awesome. Eventually I’m going to get back to my day job but for now I’m happy working online and living life. A lot of my co-workers thought it strange that I quit on a Tuesday but there was a method to my madness.
Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes Tips That Help You Manage Your Personal Finances Well – Managing personal finances and that too personal finance is not an easy affair. In fact many of us face problems in taking care of our personal finances in spite of making a budget. It often happens that we end up spending more than we actually intend to.
Jacob @ AllPersonalFinance writes Insurance… Don’t be Underinsured – Many people are always looking for cheap homeowners insurance. However in their haste to find cheap homeowners insurance they often risk the protection they need. Millions of residents in the UK are underinsured. Are you one of them? Now would be a good time to check your homeowners policy to make sure you have adequate coverage?
Ryan @ Cash Money Life writes Why you Should Take a Vacation – Studies show that taking a vacation can improve your quality of life and help your career by improving your concentration and productivity.
Pauline @ Make Money Your Way writes Renting part of your house or basement long term – This post shows how you can make money by renting part of your house or your basement to a new tenant.
Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence writes Keep your “safe” investments safe – This post talks about how to keep your investments safe and protect your savings from inflation
Hank @ Money Q&A writes Business Liability And Why It Is Important For Your Finances – Business liability insurance can and will help you and your business get through any type of situation, this form of insurance covers legal defense costs.
Bargain Babe @ BargainBabe.com writes 7 Cheap Meals for Dinner – The only thing better than a tasty, cheap meal for dinner is if someone else cooks it for you! If it’s you, consider reading my 7 cheap meals that are affordable, but also tasty!
Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank @ Monster Piggy Bank writes How to Save Money for a House – Learn about the common things you need to look for when saving money for a house.
Paul @ The Frugal Toad @ The Frugal Toad writes 5 Things Everyone Should Know About Loans – Sooner or later in life, everyone is going to need to borrow money. It happens, either because you’re making an investment in a residence, going to college, or buying another big-ticket item. There are many types of loans to choose from, all with different interest rates and grace periods. Before you jump into the first loan you can find, you should do some research and know what you’re getting into. In fact, here are five things you need to know before you think about taking out a new loan.
John S @ Frugal Rules writes Common Sense Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Going to College – It’s late July, which means that many students will be going back to college soon. I share some of the common sense things I wish I knew before I started college in order to help maximize time while going to school.
Odysseas @ Card Hub writes Can You Buy with a Credit Card & Return for Cash? – Your credit card company paid the merchant when you made your purchase, so should presumably be able to settle up with your card issuer while recouping your expense in cash – but here are a few reasons why cash returns for credit card transactions aren’t permitted.
Sonia @ Wallet Hub writes 2013 Checking Account Transparency Report – There are over 100 million checking accounts in the US and close to nine out of ten households have an existing one. Checking accounts are among the most basic and critical of financial service tools, allowing consumers to manage their monthly finanaces. That’s why having access to and understanding the costs associated with checking accounts is essential for consumers.
Bank Free Credit @ Bank Free Credit writes How to Dispute Info on Your Credit Report – A lot of people are intimidated by disputing their credit information. In reality, it should not be intimidating to dispute errors.
Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes I Spent A Lot of Money and It’s Okay – Once you’re debt free and you’re funding your retirement and college savings plans, it’s OK to spend money on yourself. Go ahead. Live a little. Splurge a little. You’ve earned it.
Jon @ Novel Investor writes Tax Harvesting: Using Investments To Lower Taxes – Tax harvesting is a legal way to lower your taxes by using losses to offset capital gains or selling a gain to avoid higher taxes in the future.
Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes FreshBooks Review – Invoicing Made Simple – FreshBooks has a number of other features that make it well worth the price (except at the Mighty Oaks level). Indeed, the level of integration and usability, along with the ability to access it from anywhere, makes it a valuable invoicing tool for the small business owner.
Bryan @ Gajizmo writes Best Time To Buy Everything – Need a new car, appliance, grill, suit, boat, wedding dress, camera, cell phone, television, luggage, laptop, mattress, or power tool? Check out our comprehensive guide on the best time of year to buy anything and everything you need. By planning ahead and knowing when stores are pushing out old stock for new releases, you can enjoy huge discounts on big ticket items. Check out this list detailing what to buy each month and let us know how much you save.
Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Do You Buy Expensive Cheap Junk – Just because a household item has a big price tag doesn’t mean it will give you the quality you have come to expect and deserve from such name-brand items. Taking the time to do some research before purchases might just help you from wasting your money on expensive cheap junk.
Grayson @ Debt Roundup writes Diversifying My Savings – I have been building my emergency fund for quite some time, but I have realized that I am not doing myself any favors. I need to diversify my money in order to have it make money. I decided to put some money into my Roth that I will use as my backup emergency fund, so if something really bad happens, then I will have it available.
AB @ Aspiring Blogger writes Your Job is Trying To Kill You! – I know life can be rough sometimes, but did you realize that your job could be trying to kill you? Now you have another reason to become financially independent!
Bryce @ Save and Conquer writes 5 Ways to Conquer Procrastination – Most of us procrastinate at one time or another, even though we know it’s bad for our personal life and career. It can be caused by laziness, having too many tasks, or not knowing how to do the task. These 5 tips can help to conquer procrastination.
Simon @ Modest Money writes How To Calculate The True Cost Of Owning A Car – Before you rush to a car dealer for that new car, you might want to calculate the additional costs of owning it. What initially seems like a low starting price can skyrocket over time when you factor in the added costs of insurance, maintenance, and fuel.
Simon @ Airline Miles Experts writes 4 Great Ways To Save With A Credit Card – A credit card is an alluring concept for many young individuals. You can pay for the items you need or want without actually having the money in the bank. While credit cards are convenient and beneficial, they can also be problematic if used irresponsibly. Here are some common credit card pitfalls and steps for avoiding them.
Anton Ivanov @ Dreams Cash True writes An Introduction to Peer to Peer Lending – Peer to peer lending has been gaining popularity as an alternative investment and a way to diversify. Learn the basics of P2P lending.
Jessica Moorhouse @ Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses writes Would You Sacrifice Your Relationships to Be Rich? – Some people will do anything for the almighty dollar, even sell stories about their family to the press to make a quick buck. But what’s the point in having boatloads of cash if you had to sacrifice all of your relationships to get it?
Michael @ Financial Ramblings writes Should You Invest Your Emergency Fund? – Should you invest your emergency fund? The answer (imho) depends on your circumstances.
Photo courtesy of ˙Cаvin 〄
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