Kick-Ass Carnival of Financial Planning

Make way for the kick-ass carnival of financial planning!

Budgeting and Economics

Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy, Skinny Wallet writes Making Our House Our Home – My husband and I bought our house a year and a half ago.  We are finally making some changes!

Jules Wilson @ Faithful With a Few writes Dealing With Financial Stress Is Driving Us To Get Out Of Debt! – Dealing with financial stress can really cause a mountain of problems.  A lot of things have been going on with us recently, and our finances almost came crashing down because of it!

Jordann @ Making Sense of Cents writes Staying Productive While Freelancing – Freelancing and side hustling are great ways to make extra cash.  They can help you achieve you goals, or even your life long dream of working for yourself.   Whatever your reason for doing the side hustle, you probably know as well as I do that it takes a ton of work, dedication and commitment.

Mike @ The Financial Blogger writes Another Project on the Table! – Life is not interesting without risks and projects

Bryan @ BryanMaltier.com writes How Much Life Insurance Do You Need At Different Stages In Your Life? – Everyone, or at least most everyone, knows how important life insurance is. And one of the largest contributing factors to the price of your policy is the amount of coverage you purchase.  In this post, Jeff Rose of Good Financial Cents discusses how much life insurance you need at different stages in your life, from your 30s and 40s to 60s and 70s.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes Saving Money By Getting Healthy – Often when you hear about approaches to health and business the word ‘holistic’ is used with a fair amount of frequency.  And while for some it may just be the buzzword-du-jour, it does actually have very powerful and far reaching benefits as a concept.

Robert @ Kids Ain’t Cheap writes How to Save Money on Food – Other than housing, food is probably the second largest component in a family’s budget.  With food prices only rising, it is important to save as much money as possible without compromising the integrity of your family’s healthy diet.

Joe @ Midlife Finance writes Making Credit Cards Work For You – These innocent little slivers of plastic have gotten a bad rep.  Not because they’re doing anything evil — but because some people have used them to get into serious debt.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Budgeting Facts – I love crunching numbers, especially when it comes to working out my monthly budget.  However, I learned how to make a budget through trial and error and I’m still working out the kinks.  So when I came upon this infographic and read the fine print, I realized I’ve been doing it all wrong.

“We kick ass”.  2010_kick-ass_012 by MO-A, on Flickr.  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Career and Income

Gary @ Gajizmo.com writes Best Summer Jobs For College Students – Summer is here and college students may be worried that the economy won’t permit them to get jobs this summer.  Fortunately, more than 19 million youths got summer jobs last year, and here is a great list of jobs for college students.

Philip @ PT Money writes PTM 033 – Using a Passion for Language to Create a Multi-Million Dollar Business with Sean Hopwood of Day Translations – Sean Hopwood shares how he began his full service translation and interpreting business.  In this podcast Philip talks to Sean about his company Day Translations and everything it takes to make it successful.

SB @ One Cent at a Time writes 15 Creative Ways to Earn Money Online From Home – People from around the world can cater to the global need for information and services, and, earn good money working from wherever they are.  This article lists 15 very creative, legal and constructive ways of making money online from your home.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes I Want To Be An Extreme Couponer But Don’t Have The Patience – Being an extreme couponer sounds great because you can saving 75% or more on the things you need (and want), but it takes a lot of work!

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes National 529 Day – Check out this 529 Day special edition of Your Smart Money Moves to find out how to save for your child’s college education on your personal finance budget!

krantcents @ KrantCents writes Too Young to Retire! – Too young to retire and too old to get a job! There are many people in their forties and fifties that feel that way.  They lost their jobs in the recession and cannot find another one.  They already exhausted their unemployment and have given up.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Tricks I Used to Save Money in College – During my four years away in college I used a couple of tricks to save money and I am now passing them on to you.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes No triple-dip hip hooray! – Anyone who doubts that local authorities are still wasting ratepayers’ money on incompetents in pointless jobs need look no further than Kent’s police.

MMD @ My Money Design writes My Affiliate Marketing Ideas for Targeting the Right Audience – As far as blogging revenue goes, the right execution of your affiliate marketing ideas can be a great source of passive income as long as you have a plan.

Robert @ Entrepreneurship Life writes Becoming an Entrepreneurial Writer: A Guide to Guest Blogging Part I – When you’re first starting out a blog, online magazine, or other website, guest posting can be tricky, but it’s beneficial in many ways. While I’m certainly no expert on this subject, I’ve certainly learned some on my own from both gathering guest writers for my website, Adult Ballerina Project, as well as guest blogging for some other fellow bloggers.

Robert @ Beat The 9 to 5 writes How a Bad Boss, Boredom, and a School Crush Led Me To Entrepreneurship – I’m always fascinated by stories about how people decided they wanted to become entrepreneurs.  We always hear about the inspiring story, or the life changing event.  But, in most cases, it was a series of events and circumstances that all connected together to put the right pieces in place.

Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Want to Be Your Own Boss? Tips for Starting a Freelance Business – Everything begins with a dream and so, if you have a dream of starting a freelance business, you have already taken the first step.  There are many other necessary steps to take, so here are some helpful tips to get you started, the right way, in your own business.

Debt and Credit

Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes 5 Things You should Do when Interest Rates are Low – Low interest rates sound exciting and attractive.  Consumers can take advantage of those by getting cheaper loans.  But what if you are an investor?  It could be a challenging time especially when you aim to keep your money growing.  Bank deposits may get worse at this time because those already assume much lower interest rates before prevailing rates dropped.

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Cash or Credit: How to Use Your Credit Card Less – It’s tempting to pay with credit that your credit card debt can spiral out of control before you know it.  Don’t let it happen!  Read these tips to avoid it.

Sam @ Simplefinancialfreedom writes Why There Should Be Inclusive Credit Scores – Every year thousands of Americans make mistakes that show up on their credit report.

Kevin @ 20smoney.com writes How Bad Credit Can Hurt in an Emergency – People often don’t realize the effect that their bad credit issues has until they are in dire need of money, and don’t have access to it because they maxed

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Free Southwest Airlines Ticket? Yes Please! – Free airline tickets?  YES PLEASE! Want to know how I did it? It really isn’t that complicated at all.  The only bummer about the whole situation is that the ticket isn’t for a flight for me.  I got the ticket so my brother could fly out to my upcoming wedding which is pretty awesome if you ask me.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Is a Security System Worth the Cost? – Statistically, you have a good chance of not getting your house broken into, so that begs the question (Is a security system worth the cost?)

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes How to Build Credit for the First Time? – A major challenge faced by many today is building credit and in the absence of a credit history, one may find it hard to qualify for a credit card or any kind of loan.

Jon Haver @ Pay My Student Loans writes Stafford Loan Limits – Stafford loan are fixed rate student loans specifically for undergraduate students in universities or colleges and are participating in direct loan program.  This kind of loan can be used in tuition payment and also other eligible school expenses.

Investing and Saving

Kyle @ My University Money writes The Canada Learning Bond and How to Get It – If you’re already in school it might be too late to benefit a whole lot from the Canada Learning Bond, but it’s not too late for other young Canadians that you might know.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Online Brokerages I’ve Used: Etrade Review – There are many online brokerages to use as you look to invest in the stock market.  The good ones are there to meet your needs and help make sure you’re doing what you can to be investing for things like retirement.

Jon @ Novel Investor writes ETFs For Rising Interest Rates – The recent Fed hints at ending QE means rising interest rates.  Here are several ETFs to protect yourself and invest in as interest rates rise.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey writes Help Your Child Open a Roth IRA with His Summer Job Money – This post describes how you can use the income from your child’s summer job to open a Roth IRA for him/her and to get him/her learning about money and investing from an early age.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey writes Tips for Riding Out Stock Market Downturns – Whenever there is an extended period of rampant growth and excitement, there is almost always a little trouble lurking right around the corner.  Being prepared for the downturn can help you from giving back your gains and losing your sanity.  This post describes a few tips to help you ride out the next short-term market storm.

Super Saver @ My Wealth Builder writes Low Awareness of 529 College Savings Plans – Over two thirds of Americans do not know what 529 college savings plans are, despite the fact that the average student loan debt is $27,000 for college graduates.

Super Saver @ My Wealth Builder writes Implemented ETF Investment Strategy – I decided to go with the low cost Schwab ETFs and Vanguard ETFs, which are both commission free depending on the brokerage accounts we use.

Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes The Road to Misery is Paved With Good Intentions – It wasn’t until I hit a financial and emotional low in my late 20’s that I began to see how my horrid money management skills were bankrupting me in more than one way.

MR @ Money Reasons writes My Personal Finance Pyramid Update – Lower (Upper Middle Class) – My Personal Finance Pyramid If you have read this blog in the past, you know that I created a visual chart to gauge my personal finance progress as I climb a wealth pyramid that I have created.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes What Should You Do if You Simply Cannot Save for the Future? – The focus of this blog is to start investing money: sinking it into one or more investments so you have a nest egg to fall back on in the future.  However, all this relies on the fact you have at least some surplus cash to play with.

Irfan @ Everything About Investment writes Money Saving tips for 2013 – According to Bureau of Economic Analysis, on an average, Americans save around 4 percent of their income.  But some great savers manage to save more than that.  Here are some money saving tips for 2013, go through these tips and find which you can apply and use them in your life and you’ll quickly find yourself saving some serious money.

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Will your circle of friends be your financial ball and chain? – Do your friends constantly challenge your financial plans?  Are they holding you back?  Should you surround with the successful people you you want to be like?

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Easy Ways to Improve Your Finances – Everyone wants more money or more peace of mind when it comes to money.  Almost everyone, at least.  While this may not be possible for everyone, there are a lot of practical steps that you can take to improve your financial situation that require very little time or energy.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Would We Have Saved Money Renting? – Home ownership is supposed to be the American Dream, but it wasn’t for me.  Here’s how much money we lost buying a house instead of renting one.

Lauren @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes I’ve just been robbed….and I’m not sure how to feel. – Still, there are psychological ramifications from being robbed, at least for me

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes When Wills Aren’t Enough: Time for Trusts – A look at trusts, particularly Revocable Living Trusts, as a way to pass money to beneficiaries without having to go through probate processes.

Pete @ Intelligent Speculator writes Time For A Fresh Look At Facebook – Facebook — is it worth your money?

Div Guy @ The Dividend Guy Blog writes Stock Squeeze! Look For All The Money You Can Invest in The Stock Market –

Barbara Friedberg @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes What Happens When FED Exits from Stimulus? – End of quantitative easing, raise interest rates.  Will there be a stock market crash?  What will happen to investments?

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes How Warren Buffett made his fortune – While most investors are familiar with the story of Berkshire Hathaway, few seem to know how exactly Buffett made his first millions, that catapulted him to Berkshire Hathaway and the companies and stocks he owns through it.

Minimalist @ Minimalist Finance writes Getting Rid of Bank Fees – Getting Rid of Bank Fees has been published on Minimalist FinanceOne of the worst wastes of money is banking fees.  Nobody actually wants to spend money on banking fees, but unfortunately most think that they are stuck paying them.  Some people pay upward of $20/month just to have a checking account.

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes We’re Taking Advantage of the Cheap Cruise Prices! – Overall, Carnival just doesn’t have a good rep right now.  So what have we done?  We have booked a cruise on Carnival, of course.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Five Ways to Save Money through Your Smart Phone – Smart phones can be pricey; but when used properly you can save money using them.  In this article we set out five ways to save money with your smart phone.

IMB @ Investing Money writes Why the Fed’s Money Printing Has Not Lead to Higher Inflation – Why is there a seeming contradiction-rapid money printing and low inflation?  To find answers we must follow the money trail.  Read here for more information.

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes The U.S. Bond Market May Be Much Different Than You Think It Is – A breakdown of the size of the US Bond Market by bond type, as well as a comparison of how big the bond market is to the stock market.

Ryan @ Cash Money Life writes 10 Apps for Saving Money on Groceries – Spending too much money at the grocery store?  Try a few of these fantastic smartphone apps that will help you stick to your list and save money.

Ray @ Squirrelers writes Stocks and Inflation: What is the True Equity Premium? – Stocks have done very well of late.  However, there is often a lot of yearly volatility of stock returns, and the averages don’t always clearly outpace inflation.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Saving Cash and the Environment at the Same Time – You may think the extra steps to help the earth are a pain, but they can save you money, too.  Read for tips on the simple things you can do.

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate – I used to be shy and socially awkward.  Every social interaction was better when it was over.

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Investing: How to Be More Conservative With Your Money – These days, investors should know the ways to handle their money.  We’ll help.  Here are some great tips on being conservative with your money as an investor.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Confessions of a Short Term Stock Trader with Swing Trading – I have a confession.  I have been swing trading with a small part of my stock portfolio, buying and selling stock for only days for short term price moves.

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes 3 Questions To Ask Yourself When It Comes To Splurging – Today I will be talking about 3 Questions To Ask Yourself When It Comes To Splurging.  When it comes to buy a big ticket could be tempting to swipe the cards.  Some things are more important than saving money.  Yes this might also lead to financial problems.

Walt@MyWealthDEsire @ My Wealth Desire writes How to Stop Overspending Money & The Ultimate Key to Create Wealth – Overspending Money is one of the hindrance in creating wealth and in living a prosperous life.  Because of overspending, it limits your ability to save and invest your money into any investment vehicle.  One thing is sure, you will never reach your financial goals or be able to create your wealth if you are continuously spending beyond your income.

Brock Kernin @ Clever Dude writes Can Investing be a Passion? – Everyone needs a passion, can Investing be one?

JC @ Passive-Income-Pursuit writes The Cost of a Loss – Just how bad is a loss when it comes to your investments and how long does it take to recoup?

Risk Management and Insurance

Abbie @ Finance Junkie writes Keeping Down The Cost Of Your Car Insurance – Throughout life our money is battling with rising inflation rates, so it makes sense to do what we can to save our money wherever possible and car insurance is a good place to start saving.

Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes Monkey Brain is Bad for His Own Health – How psychic costs prevent us from taking appropriate risk-prevention measures in our lives.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Can you trust no medical exam life insurance? – When you apply for life insurance, there is usually quite a lot of paperwork to contend with.  Along with the paperwork and the small print, you will often have to undergo a medical exam as well.

Matt Becker @ Mom and Dad Money writes My Life Insurance Mistake – As soon as my wife and I found out we were pregnant with our first child, I knew we needed to buy some life insurance.  Learn from the mistakes I made early on and what I did to correct them so that you can make better decisions for your own insurance needs.

Jon @ Our Insurance Canada writes Life Insurance Quotes – Life Insurance is one of the most inexpensive ways to protect your family if the worst should come to happen.  In the event of your death their income is safeguarded and worrying about finances is one less stressful thing they have to do at a terrible time.

Real Estate and Property

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Buy or Sell First: One Home, One House, Two Mortgages and A Pool – If you are hoping to sell your house and buy a new home you might want to do your research first so you are an informed homeowner.  Don’t make the same mistakes as this couple who are stuck with a house, a home, a pool and 2 mortgages.

Mr. Frenzy @ Frenzied Finances writes The Advantages of DIY: Around The Home Projects To Save Money – Looking to save some money on fixing up your home?  Why not do it yourself?  It’s not too hard.  Here are several DIY around the home projects for you to try.

Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes What Do You Do With Your Fun Money? – It’s something every financially independent couple should have: fun money.  But are you really having fun with this extra cash?  For me, the answer is no.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes House Rich and Cash Poor: How to Save Money on Your Home After the Closing – Are you house rich and cash poor, meaning you live in the home of your dreams but are mortgaged to your maximum budget allowance?  Experts say that your housing expenses should be no more than 30% of your monthly budget.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Budget & The Home: Budgeting Your Home Improvements – Looking to fix up your house a little? You might need to budget to make it work.  Here’s how to budget the little and big things your house may need.

Mel @ Mel’s Money writes Money Saving Tips For Decorating Your Home – Whether you are decorating your entire house or just one room, here are some tips on how to achieve the look you want without having to fork out lots of money.

Jacob @ AllPersonalFinance writes Want to get a good real estate deal? Listen to your agent’s advice – Whenever you enlist the help of an agent, you do that not only to get a list of homes according to your preferences.  A real estate agent can be very helpful in guiding and educating you.  Most often when an agent suggests an alternative, home buyers often dismiss the suggestion and go with their own choice.  A few consider the advice carefully.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Inexpensive Ways to Modernize Your Home – When we saw the house we ended up buying, the updates weren’t extensive, but the they were enough to make the house look way newer, and it wasn’t expensive, either.  Here are some things that we saw really updated the house drastically, with little work and little budget:

Retirement and Taxation

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes How To Quickly Double Your Money – Using the Rule of 72 can help you estimate (1) how much money you’ll have in retirement and (2) what kind of returns you need to ensure a comfortable retirement.  It can also be used as motivation to save money now (because you know you won’t save more later).

Kevin @ Passiveincometoretire writes The New Retirement for Some – CNN.com delivers the latest breaking news and information on the latest top stories, weather, business, entertainment, politics, and more.  For in-depth coverage, CNN.com provides special reports, video, audio, photo galleries, and interactive guides.

Steven @ MyDividendStocks writes Earned, Passive Income And Your Portfolio – There are essentially three types of income passive, earned and portfolio.  When filing your income tax at the end of the year each one of these types of incomes have different taxes.  This is why it is important that you completely understand the difference between each one.

Darwin @ Darwin’s Money writes 5 Reasons You Should NEVER, EVER Sell Your Pension – Many people are now selling their pensions for a one-time cash settlement.  This is a huge mistake.  See why.

MMD @ IRA vs 401k Central writes Roth IRA Basics and How They’re Different From a Traditional IRA – It helps to know your Traditional and Roth IRA basics.  Although both are excellent tools, one of them is likely better suited to your individual needs.