Welcome to the Carnival of Money Pros. Below are some of the best submissions to this week’s carnival. Enjoy!
SB @ One Cent at a Time writes Things to Take Care Before you Refinance – You have done your research and found that refinancing might alleviate some of your debt on your current mortgage. This sounds great, but in many cases, refinancing can cost more in processing fees than it could actually save you in monthly payments.
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.
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 How to start a budget – 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.
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?
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.
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’ve 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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
Bryce @ Save and Conquer writes How Are Target Date Funds Put Together and Can We Do Better? – I have three concerns with target date funds: they typically carry a higher percentage of stocks to bonds than they probably should; their expense ratio is typically higher than the combined ERs of a comparable 3-fund portfolio; and they may contain actively managed funds. We can do better.
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!
Roger @ 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.
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.
Kathleen O’Malley @ Frugal Portland writes Going on a Road Trip using AirBnB – We are using AirBnB for the first time. It’s a great way to save money in a few ways.
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 @ Money Reasons writes Upper Middle Class Online Test – Check out my results from this Upper Middle Class Test. I included the url so you can try it too.
Corey @ 20s Finances writes Tips to Save Money on Your Wedding Reception – Here are some tips I have gathered while planning our wedding reception.
Robert @ The College Investor writes Equal Weighted Index Funds Outperform Their Benchmark Indexes – An equal weighted index fund is just like it sounds – everything inside the index fund is equally weighted. This differs from other index funds, in that most are capitalization-based, meaning stocks with higher market capitalization (or value) are held as a higher percentage of the fund. Let’s see how that really breaks down…
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
Shredding Debt @ Shredding Debt writes Debt Payoff Progress for June 2013 – Well, we made some more progress during the month of June which is good news. Here’s how much debt we’ve knocked out.
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.
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!
Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes The How-To of Houses–Advice for New House Buyers – Home ownership is a wonderful thing, but it can be a complex process that you may need help with. Armed with the following tips, hints and facts, you’ll know a bit more of what to look for and expect when you begin your search for your dream home.
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.
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
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.
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?
Glen @ 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 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 When Should You Start Saving for Retirement? – Saving for retirement can be challenging for many. There are many excuses to use from not having enough money to it being too far away. However, by starting to save for retirement earlier rather than later, regardless of the amount, you put yourself in the best position possible.
Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes What is Disc Golf? A Frugal Hobby for Everyone! – Disc golf is a great hobby for those who are looking to avoid spending high dollars. It is a super fun sport to play, with virtually no up-front or ongoing cost.
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.
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!
Mr. Utopia @ Personal Finance Utopia writes HOAs: Good or Bad? – Homeowner associations (HOAs) offer clear benefits, but also have distinct drawbacks. Discover HOA pros and cons to know if an HOA property is right for you
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.
I would also like to note I have been featured in the following carnivals:
Festival of Frugality
Carnival of Personal Finance
photo by:
snappybex