2013-11-23



Welcome everyone!

My friend Pauline is off motorcycling around Europe and riding Camels through the Saharan desert (lucky her!) and I feel very fortunate that she asked me to take over for her for a day.

So without further ado, welcome to the 38th edition of the Carnival of Financial Independence, a selection of the best articles related to Financial Independence this week. If you would like to be included next week, please submit your post via Blogger Carnivals. If you would like to host for a future edition, you can contact Pauline at Reach Financial Independence.

The guidelines are:

You can submit a post that was published during the last month

The posts have to relate to reaching financial independence, and fit within the following categories: Savings and Simple living, Travel and Lifestyle, Wealth and Passive income, Real Estate and Investing, or Self employment.

Submit by Wednesday night for the Saturday edition

Please mention the carnival in your roundups if you have been featured!

 

Travel and Lifestyle

Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence writes How I lived on $400 a month in college – Find out how I lived on $400 a month in college in France.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Low Cost but Highly Treasured Holiday Gifts for Parents – Your parents have had a lifetime (yours!) to find and obtain the things they want and need.

Daisy @ Suburban Finance writes Giving When Money is Tight – Karen at Suburban Finance looks at methods of payment and how people do (and should!) pay for things in 2013.

Adam @ Money Rebound writes Does Having More Stuff Make You More Afraid of Losing It? – Having too much can make you appreciate wealth less. Learn to enjoy what you have while you still can.

Alexa @ Defeat Our Debt writes How to Debt Proof Your Christmas Shopping – If you are looking to have a debt free Christmas there are several things you can do. Follow these tips to debt proof your Christmas.

Graham @ Moneystepper writes How accidents can change your perspective on life and money – How accidents can change your perspective on life and money

Jason @ The Money Makers writes Apple Launches iPad Air in November – With a lighter and thinner chasis, the newly announced iPad Air has a more powerful processor with a great new design and performance features that is sure to continue Apple’s trend setting reputation.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Could You REALLY Retire? – One of the most important questions that many ask themselves right now is this: Will I have enough to retire?

Kali @ Common Sense Millennial writes Why Hipsters Should Be Our New Financial Role Models – One of my favorite quotes about investing and money comes from one of the most instantly recognizable faces on Wall Street, the Oracle of Omaha himself, Mr. Warren Buffett: “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”

Bobby @ Making Money Fast and Slow writes Janet Yellen Is Blind to Bubbles – Peter Schiff of Euro Pacific Capital spoke out today against Janet Yellen being confirmed as the next Fed Chairwoman claiming that she was completely clueless during the 2008 financial crisis.

Holly @ Club Thrifty writes Thoughts on Small House Living – We recently sold our home and moved into a temporary rental that is half the size. Read this post for my thoughts on small house living.

Adam @ Travel Ideaz writes Bilsa: Nowhere Near the Beaten Track in Ecuador – Getting in touch with mother nature isn’t so far away when you’re in Bilsa, Ecuador.

Robert @ Kids Ain’t Cheap writes Planning for a Baby – Whether it’s your first or fifth, babies take planning. Even in the event of an unexpected pregnancy there are still nine months leading up to baby’s arrival that will require plans of some sort! A lot of couples plan everything from baby’s conception to nursery color.

John @ Frugal Rules writes Why It’s Financially Possible to Move Abroad – Many only dream of moving to a Caribbean island, but think that it’s impossible to do. What many overlook though is the many benefits that come with it that can not only help

Fiona @ ReadyForZero Blog writes How Mindfulness Can Help Your Finances – Mindfulness can help you to put your finances into perspective and consequently help you achieve a balance in your life. Read on to learn more about the benefits of being mindful when managing your finances!

Mrs. Accountability @ Out of Debt Again writes In Control of the Money? Could You be Accused of Abuse? – Handling money in relationships is so tricky – money issues are one of the leading causes of divorces, and yet all too frequently, a completely neglected topic.

Andrea @ So Over This writes Tips for Moms who want to Tackle their Financial Insecurity – A recent report shows that moms who are financially insecure report feeling a lot more tension, stress and anxiety than moms who consider themselves to be financially astute.

Tushar Mathur @ Everything Finance writes 4 Alternative Christmas Presents for Kids to Avoid Toy Overload – We have too much stuff, especially kids’ toys. I’m guessing you can probably relate. Honestly, we don’t buy many of our children’s toys.

Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes The Freedom of Doing Away with a Monthly Phone Contract – The Freedom of Doing Away with a Monthly Phone Contract Do you find yourself constantly checking your smartphone during your waking hours, and even

Bargain Babe @ BargainBabe.com writes Top Five Budget-Friendly Things to Consider While Redecorating the Living Room – Top Five Budget-Friendly Things to Consider While Redecorating the Living Room offers tips on saving money every day.

Eva Baker @ TeensGotCents writes Shopping Addiction – Shopping With Sarah – Is it possible that you have a problem with shopping? As in a shopping addiction? Sarah reveals the concerns that you should look out for in your own life.

Lenny @ Best Money Saving Blog writes Avoid these Common Mistakes or you will Always be Broke – While being broke may just be the fault of your circumstance because you are out of work, underemployed or just went through bankruptcy, the fact is that most people are broke all the time because they make a lot of financial mistakes.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Is December The Best Month To Buy A Car In Georgia? – It’s become pretty common knowledge that the end of the year can be one of the better times to go car shopping.

Lindy @ Minting Nickels writes Born With a Savings Account: 7 Expenses Your Child Should Save For – Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with a trust fund. Most of the time, people have to work hard and save to get the things they want or need.

Daisy @ Suburban Finance writes Giving When Money is Tight – Holiday giving is a great feeling, but sometimes money is tight and giving is not in the budget. There are many ways to give back on a budget.

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Budgeting for our First Home and KILLING IT!!! – Hi everybody! I’m Lindsey from This is How I Roll, which is a lifestyle blog that has a little bit of everything on it.

Cat Alford @ Budget Blonde writes Good Financial Habits Are Way More Important Than Net Worth – Read about my BIGGEST PET PEEVE and why I think good financial habits are way more important than net worth. Do you agree or disagree?

Dominique Brown @ YourFinancesSimplified writes Thanksgiving on a Budget-Gimme a Break! – Around this time every year the internet is flush with budget tips for the Thanksgiving feast and budget tips about holiday gift shopping, which is well and good, but give me a break!

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Smart Holiday Shopping Tips – It’s November, so that means retail stores have had Christmas trees and music playing for about four months now. Just kidding. But, I was at the mall this past weekend and Christmas music was being played in the stores. There are all sorts of tips for saving money and being smart with your spending every holiday.

Michelle @ Budgeting For Travel writes Preparing Your House For Travel – Before we leave for our trip, there are many things that we need to do first. We do have a house, cars and dogs. And, we plan on keeping everything while we are gone and not getting rid of anything since we will only be gone for around two to three months.

Fehmeen Khan @ Loans and Lifestyle Blog writes 5 Tips To Save Money Before Your Vacation Begins – A lot of savings can be enjoyed during a vacation by properly planning everything. The article shares some easy tips that will help you save money before the vacation even begins.

Marissa @ Thirty Six Months writes The Things They Don’t Tell You About Money – I had a few people email me asking the transition period after University. It helps that my brother just finished his Undergrad, and looking to settle in the phase of his life where he cannot describe himself as a student anymore.

Buck @ Buck Inspire writes Tis The Enrollment Season To Be Jolly – It is time to enroll for your employee benefits! Some basics are pretty straightforward and really depends on personal preference like HMO versus PPO.

Monica @ Monica On Money writes 8 Warning SIgns That You’re Living Beyond Your Means – It might be hard to believe, but it is entirely possible to graduate from college debt-free. Think about how amazing it would be to start your new career without worrying about paying off student loans.

Larry @ KrantCents writes How to Take Control of your Life – Access to an education is the American way! A university education is expensive, but thanks to the internet, individual courses are free! Improving your skills should be a goal of everyone!

Natalie @ Debt and the Girl writes We Have To Escape… – I am going to let you in on a little secret. I have always wanted to escape. I just do not want to go into a private island somewhere in Fiji (though that would be nice). I have always wanted to get in my car and go.

Minimalist @ Minimalist Finance writes How to Get Free Firewood – Having a wood burning fireplace can save a lot of money on heating for home owners in the winter, however, much of the cost savings are eaten up by the cost of firewood.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Inexpensive Things To Do – Are you looking for inexpensive things to do with friends and still have fun? I highlight 5 things that my friends and I love to do to have fun and are cheap.

Jessica Moorhouse @ Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses writes Why I Won’t Be Home for the Holidays (Also My Big News!) – I can finally share my big news (and explain why I won’t be home for the holidays this year)! This past Monday I finally found out that everything is a go and I can share my exciting news with you! So what am I talking about? A new job of course!

Harry Campbell @ Your PF Pro writes “Does Brewing Your Own Beer Save You Money? “ – “I’m not sure how many of you have picked up on it, but I like to drink(alcohol, that is). I don’t spend my weekends binge drinking, but I love to enjoy a glass of wine while I’m cooking or a nice cold beer after a long day of work of exercising. I’m probably the furthest thing from a beer snob though, since I’ll drink everything from Natty Light to Corona. But if I had my choice, I’d probably go with a nice microbrew like Fat Tire or Sierra Nevada. ”

 

Wealth and Passive Income

SavingMentor @ How To Save Money writes $1000+ Cash HUGE Christmas Giveaway! – You read that right! I’m giving away $1000 of my own hard earned money in cold hard cash this Christmas in what I hope will be one of the biggest giveaways the Canadian personal finance blogging scene has ever seen.

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes All That Glimmers: The Truth Behind Cash For Gold – There are a lot of scams out there when it comes to cash for gold. Read for necessary information to know the legitimate companies from those that scam.

Anton Ivanov @ Dreams Cash True writes Best CD Rates for 2013 – Highest Certificate of Deposit Rates – The best CD rates, updated for 2013. Find the highest Certificate of Deposit rates and learn what things to look for when picking the best CD accounts.

Hadley @ Epic Finances writes Increase your Retirement Savings without a 401(k) – One of the unfortunate facts of working today is that over 70% of smaller businesses do not provide their employees with any type of retirement savings plans at all.

JP @ My Family Finances writes Managing Money: 5 Retirement Expenses to Budget For – You may have heard people tell you that it’s never too early to start saving and planning for your retirement.

Jon @ Novel Investor writes 2014 401k Contribution Limits Unchanged – Do you know how much you can put into your 401k plan? Find out the maximum 401k contribution limits allowed each year.

Dollar @ Easy Extra Dollar writes 5 Tips For Choosing An Affiliate Program – When you send a surfer to a merchants website, you will earn a commission based on what that surfer spends on their site. This benefits both you and the merchant as you will earn a commission and the merchant will make a sale and gain a new customer.

 

Real Estate and Investing

Pauline @ Make Money Your Way writes How does Currency Trading Work – Today Troy continues the investing for beginners series and now he talks about how does currency trading work.

Matt Becker @ Mom and Dad Money writes How to Start Investing From Scratch – Part 2 - Welcome to Part 2 of my mini-series on how to start investing when you have little money or understanding of investing. This article will give you some simple steps you can take right now to get started on the right path.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes Who Do You Trust When Making Investment Choices? – I bet that isn’t a question you have ever asked yourself. And yet it is one of the most important questions you will ever need to answer. We sometimes hear stories of people who have lost thousands of dollars in a bad investment.

Pamela Douglas Webster @ Hands on Home Buyer writes Should You Consider Relocating to a New City to Buy Your First Home – If housing is too expensive where you live now, can you do better living somewhere else? Exploring geographic arbitrage and home buying.

Justin @ Root of Good @ Root of Good writes Snapshot of Root of Good’s Diversification and Asset Allocation – Justin explains the asset allocation in his seven figure investment portfolio. Here’s a preview: global diversification spanning the US, Europe, Asia, and Emerging Markets along with a tilt to value and small cap stocks. There’s also a slice of alternative investments (real estate) to round out the portfolio.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes Franchise Brokers 101: Who, What and Why? – Buying your own franchise may appear to be pretty easy. After all, the franchisor basically tells you what to order, how to set up your business, and in many ways, how to run it. They provide training and equipment and sometimes even help you find the right location.

IMB @ Investing Money writes Investing in Internet Security Companies – Internet security is one of the biggest problems facing government and business activity. Read here for more information regarding internet security.

Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes Four Reasons You Should Invest In Real Estate And How To Get Started – Real estate is an interesting sector of the market to be invested in. There are a variety of ways to make money from a real estate investment, and even a novice investor can learn how to get the best return on his or her money.

Dave @ Gen Y Finances writes What To Know Before You Buy a House – I have seen many people buy a home only to have made many, many mistakes. Before you buy a home, there are many things that you should think about or look into before you make one of the largest purchases in your life.

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes How to buy dividend stocks with as little as $10 – I recently stumbled upon Loyal3, which lets you purchase shares of some of the best stocks in the world for no cost. In fact, you can purchase shares in some of your favorite dividend stocks with as little as $10 with no commissions whatsoever. Even better, you can use your credit card to purchase shares directly from the companies you are investing in with no cost and earn credit card rewards in the process.

Lauren @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes What I Would Do With a $1,000 – How would you invest $1,000? I get asked a version of this question fairly often, read what I would do…

Sam @ The New Business Blog writes 5 Mistakes that Successful Entrepreneurs Wish they Would have Avoided – Many successful small business owners and entrepreneurs made mistakes when they started their businesses that they wish they could go back and correct.

Marissa @ Finance Triggers writes How to spot a good mortgage broker from a bad one – How can you decide if a mortgage broker is a good one or a bad one? The best way is to learn the answers to these questions.

Lily @ Paying Debt Down writes Why You Should Enter the Market Sooner – The global real estate market is still recovering from the housing bubble, but now is the perfect time to purchase a new home.

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Asset Allocation of Bonds – Take the confusion out of what percentage of your income portfolio is to be devoted to bonds with our comprehensive investment guide.

Daniel @ Make Money Make Cents writes Investing is Key to Beating Inflation – Investing is the key to outpacing inflation and keeping your financial security on track. Consider that that $20 a 100 years ago would be equivalent to over $300 today and you can see the glaring impact of inflation.

Jay @ Daily Fuel Economy Tip writes Obtaining an Offshore Bank Account – Have you ever thought about getting an offshore bank account? If not, allow me to give you some reasons why they are an important financial tool for your portfolio.

Danielle @ Saving Without a Budget writes Financial Tips That Sound Bad but Work Well – If you ask most certified financial planners you will find that one of the things they are constantly warning their clients against is making bad money choices based on popular financial advice, which is often wrong.

Robert @ The College Investor writes How To Build A Balanced Investment Portfolio – Investment isn’t gambling. Unlike taking a trip to Las Vegas, the odds are in your favor – the house doesn’t have an edge. However, unless you build a balanced portfolio, you are going to lose that advantage.

Robert @ Before You Invest writes Why Big and Popular Companies Can Be Bad Investment Choices – When you ask people to name some of their most admired companies, they often name companies like Google, Apple, Coca Cola, Pepsi, GE, etc. When they first jump in to the world of stock market investing, they also get attracted to these stocks and buy them. Also, many of us are looking to get in to newly listed “cool” companies like Facebook, Linked or Twitter. But are these companies good for investment?

Rodriguez @ Modest Money writes Prosper Review – Detailed Prosper Lending Review – Prosper provides an excellent platform where lenders and borrowers can meet and engage in mutually beneficial transactions or as it is commonly known, peer to peer lending. Prosper enables borrowers to acquire loans at fair market rates while allowing lenders invest in the debts and profit through interest payments.

 

Self employment and Career

Jack @ Money Saving Ethics writes Top Tips for Earning Extra Cash During the Holidays – Well boys and girls the Holidays are practically upon us once again and, if money is tight, you may be looking for some ways to bring in some extra money so that you will be able to finance all of those holiday gifts, parties and so forth that you are excitedly looking forward to.

Betsy Muse @ ConsumerFu writes How to Start an Online Business – Use this comprehensive guide to starting an online business to jumpstart the launch of your new venture.

Harry Campbell @ The Four Hour Work Day writes Working From Home Can Get Lonely – “I learned a lot during my three months working at home. And although I talk about the benefits a lot, there are definitely some drawbacks to the four hour work day that you should be aware of. There’s obviously more risk to starting your own business and that can put a lot of pressure on you. If you have a bad month or sales are down, your income will suffer and you might not have enough money to eat. It’s also hard to get self-motivated sometimes since there’s no one forcing you to b

GenY @ Gen Y Finances writes Advice for Young Professionals – Graduating from college can be a very exciting time. You find yourself with your first real job, the freedom that comes with no more studying, and of course a nice paycheck. All of this new found time and money can invite bad habits though.

Alexa @ Single Moms Income writes 10+ Lucrative Offline Small Businesses to Start in 2014 – Have you caught the entrepreneurial bug but don’t have a passion for online businesses? As much as I absolutely love the online world I cannot help but feel the urge to get involved in some type of offline business.

Ryan @ Cash Money Life writes Resisting the Hard Sell – How to Say No to a Slick Sales Pitch – A good salesman know which points to push in order to make a sale. We show you some of the big things to look out for so you can avoid the hard sales pitch.

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Easy Ways to promote a small business – Easy and cost affordable ways you can promote your small business and gain that edge over your competition.

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes How to Make More Money At Your Current Job – You’ve been working hard and just hoping for a raise at your current job but it’s never come. You’ve read about others starting side businesses but you know that’s not for you.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Four Ways Small Business Owners Talk Themselves Out Of Success – Have you always wanted to start your own business? It is resistance keeping you from your goals. You can achieve small business owner success.

Michelle @ Diversified Finances writes How Can I Become A Full-Time Blogger? – Blogging is a lot of fun, but there are many things that go along with making an amount from blogging that you can actually live off of.

Harry Campbell @ Your PF Pro writes “Annual Enrollment for 2014: My Company’s HSA vs Traditional Plan “ – As most of you know, a health savings account or HSA is one of my favorite investment vehicles of all time. It’s the only investment that allows for triple tax savings – the money you put in isn’t taxed, the money you take out isn’t taxed and the earnings aren’t taxed – as long as you spend the money on qualified medical expenses. If you’re the perfect specimen of health by the time you retire, you can withdraw the funds in your HSA just like you would with a normal 401(k) or tra

Harry Campbell @ The Four Hour Work Day writes There’s no Loyalty in the Corporate World – I will never understand why people go into work and kill themselves working long hours and sacrificing their social life just to make someone else richer. If you’re getting paid by the hour, then you’ll see a direct correlation between how many hours you work and how much money you make. Unfortunately though, most high paying jobs aren’t hourly these days so you’re stuck working for a fixed salary.

 

Saving and Simple Living

Bob @ Dwindling Debt writes Every Day Tips for Saving Money – Have you ever heard the old adage penny wise and dollar foolish? If you have then you know what we mean when we say that many people who seem to take great care of their big bills have a hard time with their budget because their little bills end up wasting a whole lot of their money.

Katie @ IRA Basics writes The Secret of Saving for Your First Deposit – Are you ready to become a homeowner and do not fancy a no-deposit home loan? Then the biggest obstacle standing in your way is the first deposit or down payment.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes 3 Big Advantages of Using Saving Accounts – A short guide to several advantages to using savings accounts, including safety, providing interest, and allowing easy withdraw.

The Warrior @ Net Worth Warrior writes The Problem with the Frugality Mentality – Personal finance bloggers, like me, tend to focus on reducing spending and expenses, but rarely look at the other side of the coin to doing so. In this post, I discuss the downside to the mentality that frugality is always necessary.

Daisy @ When Life Give You Lemons writes How to Save Money on a Wedding – When You’re a Wedding Guest – If you’re someone who has been invited to seven weddings this summer, you may not be feeling so excited. In fact, you may be feeling downright hateful at this point. After all, all that fun and excitement does not come cheap.

Stu @ Poor Student writes How to Decorate a Dorm on a Budget – Nobody wants to live in a characterless room with four white walls while they are away from home, so you might as well try and decorate on a budget. Stu has some sweet ideas for decorating on a budget, especially in a small spac

FI Pilgrim @ FI Journey writes Financial Lessons I Remember Learning From My Dad – I love thinking back to the lessons my dad taught me as a kid. Here I run through a few of the financial lessons I remember learning from my dad.

Adam @ Money Bulldog writes Let Your Inner Child Save You Money – What can your younger you do to help you save some money right now?

@ Pay My Student Loans writes Getting a College Scholarship if Your Parents Can’t Pay – As if planning to leave home for the first time weren’t difficult enough, some students on their way to college have to figure out how to pay for it because their parents can’t.

Matt Becker @ Mom and Dad Money writes Keeping a Budget vs. Tracking Your Spending – Budgeting is one of those things that, despite the almost ubiquitous advice that you need to keep one, continues to mean different things to different people. Today I’d like to compare two different methods, keeping a budget vs. tracking your spending, and talk about which one you should use.

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes How to keep the romance alive on a budget – You don’t have to spend a fortune to show the love of your life that you are truly, madly, deeply in love. Simple gestures and planning will go a long way with your partner and your budget.

Christopher @ This That and The MBA writes The Best Financial Lesson I Ever Learned – Fast forward to the 90’s and the Internet boom. The Internet boom created a huge jump in the stock market. Millionaires were being made overnight. I became interested in the stock market in 1995 and bought my first mutual fund, The Fidelity Select Technology fund.

 

Thank you for reading, have a great weekend!

Photo courtesy of pasotraspaso

The post Carnival of Financial Independence appeared first on Mom and Dad Money.

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