Financial Blog Articles about Personal Finance this Week

Carnival of Financial Planning - March 7  2009 Edition

Welcome to the March 7, 2009 edition of the Carnival of Financial Planning.

The Carnival of Financial Planning takes a long-term view of personal financial planning for individuals and families. We focus on efficient and sustainable personal financial planning practices that can lead to lifetime financial security.

This edition is arranged by subject heading, so that you can browse efficiently.

Enjoy!

The Skilled Investor

Budgeting

Raj Patel presents Build a Rough and Quick Budget in Minutes posted at DebtGoal.

financialnut presents Budgeting Tips: 5 Things You Must Do When You Go Over Your Budget posted at Financial Nut.

RJ presents How to Create a Budget posted at Our Financial Planner, saying, “Tips for creating your own budget.”

Abigail Perry presents What does ‘budget’ mean to you? posted at i pick up pennies, saying, “A discussion about what, exactly, constitutes a budget. How concrete does it have to be? How flexible can it be? Does any money plan count as a budget? Musings and a few answers from readers”

Insurance Toolbox presents Scummy Debt Collectors Trying to Collect Money from Consumers that’s Not Even Owed posted at Fine-Tuned Finances.

Tiffany Colter presents » Hidden Leaks posted at Hidden Leaks, saying, “Common Sense Money Management in Tough Economic Times. Articles include tips on saving money, budgeting, finding hidden leaks in your budget, and facing job loss.”

Pasadena Financial Planner presents Living Expense Tracking Methods posted at Pasadena Financial Planner.

Larry Russell presents Financial Planning Reading List posted at Pasadena Financial Planner.

Economics

Silicon Valley Blogger presents No 2009 Economic Stimulus Check? How Obama’s Stimulus Plan Affects The Middle Class posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Thanks so much!”

Curt presents When Starting a New Business, Take What the Defense Gives You posted at PennyJobs.com.

Colin Robertson presents What Caused the Mortgage Crisis? posted at Mortgage Tips and Credit Help.

Peter Jones presents The Bankers Who Broke the Economy: Lords of Finance posted at Great New Books that Are a Must Read.

My Life ROI presents How Government Spending IS Different posted at My Life ROI, Getting the Best Return On Life, saying, “In this article I take a very unpopular idea amongst the PF community… that government spending is not regulated by the same principles that consumer spending is. The government should spend less than they earn during good times and must spend more than they earn during bad times. Hard numbers are included. The best part is that me and Rocket have a CIVIL disagreement. No ad hominem attacks needed!”

Dana presents Believe it or not, the recession has perks posted at Investoralist, saying, “The younger generation feels squeezed by the financial crisis on multiple fronts, not realizing this recession offers unprecedented opportunities years down the road, for both property ownership and investment.”

David presents $787 Billion Recovery Plan posted at Personal Finance Ology, saying, “http://www.personalfinanceology.com/787-billion-recovery-plan/”

Investing School presents What is the Federal Reserve posted at Investing School, saying, “What is the federal reserve and what do they actually do?”

Estate Planning

Jeff Rose presents Understanding Beneficiary Options- What’s Your Legacy Plan? posted at Jeff Rose.

Jeff Rose presents 2009 Gifting Rules posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “Give a gift, but know the tax and estate planning issues that arise.”

Financial Planning

FIRE Getters presents A Simple Budget That Works? posted at FIRE Finance.

Patrick @ Military Money presents Money Management and Money Saving Tips posted at Military Finance Network, saying, “Money Management and Money Saving Tips”

Shaun Connell presents Are You Making These Debt Mistakes? posted at Financial Planning, saying, “Every day, tens of thousands of individuals up to their necks in debt emotionally make the wrong decision. In pure desperation, they feel as though they can’t take another month of the debt. Throwing away their biggest ally (brutal rationality), they decide to “just do something.””

kathryn presents Surprising Ways to Make Extra Bucks posted at Out of Debt Christian, saying, “Poetry has never been my strong point – especially that kind that doesn’t even rhyme. It might surprise you to discover that some of those “poems” can be worth big bucks and that is just one way that your random thoughts can bring in the cash.”

Kat presents Annual $$ Check-up posted at the part-time life, saying, “How often do you take a look at your overall financial picture and net worth? And what method do you use? This happy part-timer opts for good ‘ol pencil, paper, and calculator…”

Andy presents Smart Money Mindset posted at Personal Hack, saying, “It shocks me how finances are one of the most neglected aspects in many people’s lives. Fortunately I grew up with a family that taught me how to manage my finances well from a young age. I also got my first job when I was 15 years old which I think helped make me more responsible with money.”

David presents The Basics of Interest: Part 1 posted at Personal Finance Ology, saying, “Learn everything that you need to know about interest rates before you sign on the dotted line.”

jim presents Preparing Financially for a Baby posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Discover More Card Offers $50 Cash Back Bonus posted at The Digerati Life

The Smarter Wallet presents Job Hunting Tips: How To Deal With Losing Your Job posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, “Thanks!”

Tyrone Solee presents Game of Money – Four Quarters of Life | Millionaire ACTS posted at Millionaire Acts, saying, “The article discusses the four quarters of life of a person and how to efficiently manage finances and ultimately win the game of money.”

Nesher presents Personal Finances Management? Take it Easy and Have Fun with Moneytrackin’! posted at Collection of the Web Freebies.

Financing a Home

Joshua Dorkin presents How High Is Up? A Look at Real Numbers Defined by the Real Estate Collapse posted at Real Estate Investing For Real.

Joe Manausa presents Tallahassee Foreclosure Report | Tallahassee Real Estate Blog posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “There is plenty of news in the national media about foreclosures. From everything that I have read, I suspect for every 100 foreclosures that have and will hit the real estate market during our current housing crisis, we have only seen 2 or 3. The bulk of the foreclosures have yet to hit the market.”

Joe Manausa presents First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit | Tallahassee Real Estate Blog posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “In case you did not hear the good news, the American Recovery And Reinvestment Act of 2009 (which President Obama signed into law last week) included significant improvements to the temporary First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. While many might view this as a great benefit aimed only at the first-time homebuyer, the reality is that it will help stabilize the housing market by bringing more buyers into an inventory-laden problem in need of more demand.”

Financing Education

Homemaker Barbi (Danelle Ice) presents College Costs Are Rising: Save Now With an Education Savings Account (ESA) posted at Homemaker Barbi, saying, “Guest poster Amanda Espinoza explains what an Education Savings Account or ESA is and how to invest for your child’s college tuition tax-free.”

Wenchypoo presents Rethink the Value of College posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Patrick @ Military Money presents Extra College Money for Military Members and Veterans posted at Military Finance Network, saying, “Tips on how to get college tuition assistance and scholarships for military members and veterans.”

keevisr presents Loan Info Central: Student Loan Consolidation posted at Loan Info Central, saying, “If you have reached your wit’s end with your school loans, consider a student loans consolidation.”

Income

Curt presents Are You Really Gaining Wealth or Has the Wealth of America Been Fabricated? posted at PennyJobs.com.

FMF presents Free Money Finance: Four Strategies to Help You Land Your Next Job posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Tips for finding your next job.”

Investing

The Smarter Wallet presents Charting Stock Movements With Fibonacci Trading Techniques posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, “Thank you!

TStrump presents Diversification - How Much is Enough? | The Strump posted at The Strump - Financial Blog, saying, “Conventional wisdom says that we should diversify our investments. But, how much should we diversify?”

Marc Ryan presents Investment clubs: should you play the game? posted at IndependentInvestor.info, saying, “I had the pleasure of speaking in January 2009 in Montreal to a prestigious investment club- Optimus Investment Club. Members describe themselves as the oldest continuously meeting club of its kind in North America . The topic of my presentation was the investment club and what I call the indexing paradox. Does participating in an investment club help a member to acquire the skills and prerequisites for becoming a do it yourself investor?”

Qovax presents Options Backdating, Spring Loading posted at Value Investing and Entrepreneurship by Qovax, a Software Startup, saying, “Options backdating is one of the favorite shenanigans that executives can use to enrich themselves and employees instead of the shareholders. This is because backdating options is usually considered benign and not necessarily illegal as long as everything is disclosed to the shareholders.”

Dividend Tree presents Asset Allocation is Not Enough for Portfolio Risk Management posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “Asset allocation along with the “quality of investments” is what matter the most. A standalone use of asset allocation will not help in reducing investor’s risk.”

VC presents Investing In Corporate Bonds posted at The Penny Daily, saying, “Discusses Investing In Corporate Bonds, what the risks are right now, and if they are right for you.”

Dividends4Life presents Dividend Stocks: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly posted at Dividends Value, saying, “Like virtually everything else in this world Dividend Stocks can be placed into a few categories based on their historic performance and expectations for the future. Here are three broad categories and some representative selections from each:”

ABC presents Recession posted at ABCs of Investing, saying, “Defining recession”

Rob presents The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Helps Real Estate Investors posted at Two Wise Acres, saying, “The stimulus plan may be a big boon for real estate investors if they know how to use it.”

Patrick @ Cash Money Life presents Free Stock Trading and Investing Tools posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “Free stock trading and investing tools to help learn how to make better trades and investments.”

Bill Spohnholtz presents Squash the Gold Bug posted at Learn The Stock Market And How to Trade, saying, “If you’re as nervous as me about the economy you’ve probably considered buying your money in the backyard and sitting on it with your gun. Everyone on the radio or TV is telling you that you need to buy gold to shore up your investments, but I’m not so sure that’s your best bet either.”

Mike presents Dangers Of Leveraged ETFs posted at Bear Market Profits, saying, “The ultra ETFs have more danger than merely the leverage they entail.”

Den Levin presents Get Ready For The Crowding Out Effect | Credit Makes The World Go Round posted at Credit Makes The World Go Round, saying, “With the US government projected to have the highest deficits ever, businesses will have an even tougher time borrowing due to the crowding out effect.”

Dividends4Life presents Inegrys Energy Group (TEG): Things That Make You Go Hmmm? posted at Dividends Value, saying, “Utilities may not be the perfect dividend stock, but they should be one of the more predictible ones. This is not always the case. On Wednesday February 25th, Inegrys Energy Group (TEG) issued their earnings release and the market was not pleased.”

jim presents Which is the Best Broker for an IRA? posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Larry Russell presents 7 Ways to Pick the Best Noload Mutual Funds and ETFs posted at Best No Load Funds, saying, “Taken as a whole, the vast body of investment research studies show that there really are better approaches to buying and owning mutual funds and ETFs. You do not need to frantically chase fund performance. Performance chasing simply does not work.”

Managing Debt

PFCreditCards presents 8 Reasons Why You Hate Credit Cards posted at PF Credit Cards, saying, “Do you hate credit cards? Maybe this is why!”

Solid Planning presents Not a Rounding Error, it’s a Strategy posted at Solid Planning.

David presents What is aMerchant Cash Advance posted at Merchant Cash Advance Guide, saying, “Business have to plan financially, too, and more and more are turning to merchant cash advances. MCA’s are a controversial and expensive form of financing, but still growing in volume.”

Lauren Rose presents Debt Relief Grants from the Government posted at No Debt Anymore .org, saying, “A close look at debt relief grants from the government, including loans, bursaries, benefits and assistance.”

simon presents Reducing Debt With Secured Consolidation Loans posted at Secured Loan Online.

W. Jackson presents Where Does Your Money Go? posted at My Financial Success, saying, “Where does your money go? Take some time out to make a budget. Or better yet write down what you spend your money on. You will probably be surprised on what you purchase.”

Mike presents Great Depression Myths posted at Great Depression Version 2: Bear Market and Economic Depression, saying, “With all the comparisons between our current financial and the Great Depression, it is time to dispel some basic myths about the Great Depression”

Miscellaneous

nickel presents Credit Reports and Identity Theft posted at CreditAddict, saying, “Steps to take if you’re afraid you’ve become a victim of credit fraud or identity theft.”

Lauren Rose presents Never Use Copy Paste for Your Credit Card Number and Internet Explorer | No Debt Anymore .org posted at No Debt Anymore .org, saying, “Under certain circumstances, your clipboard contents from a copy and paste command can be stolen from the Internet. And that includes your credit card number!”

julie presents A Tip for Planning Thrifty Shopping Trips posted at Thrifty Frugality, saying, “This is a simple strategy for organizing your shopping to save more money.”

KCLau presents Learn Money Tips playing iMafia posted at KCLau’s Money Tips, saying, “About iMafia, an application for iPhone. How it is connected to real life in terms of personal finance and how to play the game.”

MoneyNing presents Our Eternal Pursuit of More Wealth posted at Money Ning, saying, “Is money never enough? Know what’s important and you will be much happier!”

Retirement Planning

Super Saver presents Retiring on the Cheap - Part II posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “Relocating to a state with lower taxes is one way to significantly reduce expenses in retirement.”

Jeff Rose presents 7 Things To Know About The 2010 Roth IRA Conversion posted at Jeff Rose.

Risk Management and Insurance

Dorian Wales presents Valuation and Risk Measurement Models under Heavy Criticism – What Went Wrong? posted at The Personal Financier, saying, “Are valuation and risk measurement models as the root of all evil?”

Jeff Rose presents Women and Long Term Care posted at Consumer Boomer.

Pinyo presents 10 Things To Know When Buying Insurance Policies posted at Moolanomy.

Savings

MoneyNing presents What Everyone Ought to Know When Applying for Free Stuff posted at Money Ning, saying, “Are you taking advantage of free stuff offers? Here’s what you need to know!”

PFCreditCards presents How to Beat Priceline and Get a Winning Bid posted at PF Credit Cards, saying, “Priceline’s name your own price program is amazing. Here’s what it is and how to use it to your advantage.”

Sigrid Landau presents A Trio Of Quick And Easy Money Saving Tips To Help You In Survive The Difficult Times posted at A1 How To, saying, “We all need to learn to save more.”

Taxes

nickel presents Limits on Itemized Income Tax Deductions posted at fivecentnickel.com, saying, “Did you know that you can lose out on a portion of your income tax deductions if you earn too much money? Sad but true.”

Sam presents New !! Save Money on Your Federal Income Tax with These Credits and Deductions posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying, “Save on Your Federal Income Tax Deductions and Credits Never pay more federal income tax than you have to. Here are the recent changes in tax rules you can use to save money”

Money Tipper presents TurboTax Discounts for Vanguard Customers posted at Money Tipper, saying, “Great news for Vanguard customers! They’re providing discounted, if not free, access to TurboTax. Check it out.”

Kathryn presents How to Organize Tax Information Throughout the Year posted at Kathryn Vercillo on HubPages, saying, “Tips for tracking expenses throughout the year to make tax time easier.”

Barb A. Ryan presents Asset Allocation, Investment Asset Tax Location, and Emergency Cash Management posted at Pasadena Financial Planner.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Financial Planning using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Tags: financing education, personal budgeting, personal capital gains taxes, personal earned income, personal economics, personal estate planning, personal financial advice, personal financial blogs, personal financial planning, personal insurance, personal investing, personal retirement planning, personal risk management, personally managing debt

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