• Friday Links
  This week the Canadian Personal Finance Blog addressed the question, How Do I Retire at 35? Financial Highway discussed in-depth how Peer to Peer Lending Worked for Me.  Could it then work for you? Feeling a little unsure about your finances?  Reti…
  - 1 day ago, 17 May 13, 3:00am -
• How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Child?
  When my wife and I first decided to have a baby, the first financial thought that came into my head was this: How much will it cost to raise a child? Looking online, I found a lot of simple answers. Some estimates even put the cost at as much as $300…
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 3:00am -
• Do you DIY or Pay for Help?
  When you’re thinking about doing home repair, renovation, or improvements, budget is usually at the top of the list. We all have dreams of what our house could look like – someday, if only we had the money. Money, however, is often the biggest d…
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 3:00am -
• How to Buy Stocks: A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Stocks
  One of the unfortunate truths is that many people make investing far more complicated than it needs to be. It’s common to treat investing as a mystery that can only be penetrated by those with special insight and knowledge. However, buying stocks d…
  - 4 days ago, 14 May 13, 3:00am -
• Learn to get Uncomfortable to Save Money
  Living in a consumer culture is pretty amazing. We have the strength of international industry and commerce allowing us to do a wide range of jobs while enjoying the benefit of agriculture and machinery half a world away. We don’t need to farm or…
  - 5 days ago, 13 May 13, 3:00am -

• 10 People Using Vine That Are Making That Money
  Looking to make a quick buck or earn extra money on the side? Here are 10 Vine* videos (each 6 seconds or less) with ways you can make some extra cash. *Vine is the new wildly popular video app from the folks at Twitter. 1. Clean out the garage and i…
  - 1 day ago, 17 May 13, 7:00am -
• IRS Targeted “Folks Waving Tea Bags Around”
  The IRS, a bureau of the Department of Treasury and the same agency that will be enforcing the Obamacare “tax”, is tasked with enforcing the laws that help determine what organizations can be considered non-profit and tax-exempt. Over the past we…
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 12:25pm -
• The Four Items You Really Need to Include in Your Estate Planning Checklist
  Do you have a will? No? You are not alone. In fact, a RocketLawyer.com survey last year found that over 50% of Americans do not have a last will and testament.  Even more troubling is the survey found that over 40% of Baby Boomers age 55 to 64 years…
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 7:30am -
• 10 Ways to Meet Minimum Spending Requirements For Credit Card Bonuses
  So you applied for that new credit card with the huge upfront spending bonus. Now you’re left wondering “how the heck am I going to spend $xxxx.xx in x months.” You might not have even made it that far. You may look at those upfront spending re…
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 11:20am -
• This Week is National Bike to Work (or School) Week
  …and Friday, May 17th, 2013, is National Bike to Work Day. Are you participating? The month (started in 1956) and associated events are put on by the League of American Bicyclist (League) as part of National Bike Month. It couldn’t be easy to par…
  - 4 days ago, 14 May 13, 3:05pm -

• newCredit Card Basics: Everything You Should Know
  The credit card is one of the most divisive products among all the financial tools available. Ask around and you’re sure to find people who pay all their expenses using credit cards as well as others who swear the products are the embodiment of pur…
  - 19 hours ago, 17 May 13, 3:08pm -
• Elimination of the Payroll Tax Cut Reduced Consumer Spending
  In 2010, Congress passed the Tax Hike Prevention Act, which among other things reduced the payroll tax from 6.2% to 4.2% starting in 2011. For two years, workers saw higher take-home income than they would have had the law never existed, and consumer…
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 10:18am -
• Banks Borrow Money at Low Rates, Why Can’t Students?
  Senator Elizabeth Warren, the architect of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, introduced a bill in Congress to give student borrowers a break. The premise is that students, whose education is important to the economic growth of the United Stat…
  - 4 days ago, 14 May 13, 8:44am -
• The Great Gatsby Backlash
  I’m looking forward to seeing Baz Luhrmann’s new film treatment of The Great Gatsby. The book, of course, is a seminal piece of American literature, and the new movie is yet another in a long line of interpretations. I like the director’s previ…
  - 5 days ago, 13 May 13, 9:34am -
• The Honesty of Companies, Middle Class Stagnation
  Happy Mother’s Day! Take some time to thank your mother for any good personal finance lessons you learned while you were growing up, whether by positive or negative example. A few times a month, Lance from Money Life and More will stop by to shar…
  - 6 days ago, 12 May 13, 5:47pm -

• newBlogging Superstars Share Their Secret Sauce: Ryan Guina of Cash Money Life
  Ryan Guina has been running two successful blogs, Cash Money Life and The Military Wallet, for six years. I recently talked to him about how he manages two blogs and his secrets for becoming a successful blogger: How did you get your two blogs starte…
  - 23 hours ago, 17 May 13, 10:47am -
• Win a Free Ticket to #FinCon13 from Jemstep
  Jemstep is giving one lucky blogger a free ticket to #FinCon13. If you already have your #FinCon13 ticket, they will reimburse you. All you need to do is head over to this post and “Like” Jempstep on Facebook using their Rafflecopter widget. That…
  - 12 days ago, 6 May 13, 2:14pm -
• Video Wrap-Up: Moving From Free to Paid Content
  Ben Edwards is the force behind Money Smart Life. Ben’s a software engineer by day and a money nut by night, so Money Smart Life turned out to be the perfect place to share his personal finance adventures and work his programming magic behind the s…
  - 16 days ago, 2 May 13, 2:24pm -
• Connect with Fellow #FinCon13 Bloggers Year-Round
  While the Financial Blogger Conference can only last for one long weekend, the connections you make with each other are much more long lasting. Even if #FinCon13 will be your first chance to attend the premier blogging conference, you can still get a…
  - 19 days ago, 29 Apr 13, 11:49am -
• Getting to #FinCon13: Options for Inexpensive Travel
  It’s likely that FinCon13 will be the most affordable conference you attend this (or any) year, with the price of the conference, hotel, travel, and on-site expenses adding up to less than just the cost of another conference. However, as financial…
  - 26 days ago, 22 Apr 13, 2:34pm -

• How Car Leases Torpedo Your Finances
  When people are in need of a car, the focus is on the car itself to such a degree that it can seem as if the purchase is happening in a vacuum. After all, there’s always a dealer somewhere who will show us how we can afford something we’re not re…
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 5:30am -
• The Connection Between Happiness and Being Frugal
  On Friday we considered the effect that being frugal has on your ability to achieve financial freedom in The Connection Between Financial Freedom and Being Frugal. Today, we are going to dare consider that there may also be a connection between happi…
  - 5 days ago, 13 May 13, 5:00am -
• The Connection Between Financial Freedom and Being Frugal
  In past articles, I’ve made the case that earning more money is more important than being frugal. On balance, this is a position that I still hold to. However, there are significant ways that being frugal can complement the effort to earn more mone…
  - 8 days ago, 10 May 13, 7:27am -
• 10 Reasons Why People Cannot Get Out of Debt
  Everybody knows that too much debt is bad; the financial universe is filled with blogs, experts, and gurus who tell us as much and even how to get out. So why is it that people cannot get out of debt? Is it because debtors behave badly, that they fai…
  - 10 days ago, 8 May 13, 5:00am -
• How to Sell Your Car Yourself
  In an earlier post we covered the importance of having your down payment ready before you buy a new car and now we’ll take a look at the mechanics of how to sell your car yourself to help raise that down payment. By selling your car yourself, you c…
  - 12 days ago, 6 May 13, 5:00am -

• newDiscover it® Credit Card Review: Cash Back, No Fees, Great 0% Balance Transfer Offers
  With its cash back rewards, balance transfer offers and no annual or overlimit fees, Discover has a solid credit card offering. Here's a review.
  - 24 hours ago, 17 May 13, 10:27am -
• Peer to Peer Lending: Loving Your Neighbor With Your IRA
  After World War II, the United States was in a place of tumult. Despite a courageous victory over the Axis powers overseas, the nation was still suffering from all sorts of problems at home. One of the largest of these dilemmas was the presence of po…
  - 4 days ago, 14 May 13, 5:30am -
• Just Say No To Friends, Family And Dates And Be… A Refusenik?
  Are you determined not to spend money attending events that you aren't really interested in that can be quite expensive? You may be a refusenik.
  - 5 days ago, 13 May 13, 9:43am -
• 4 Tips For Paying Off Credit Cards
  Researchers estimate that as many as 50% of U.S. household have credit card debt. Here are 4 tips for getting out of debt.
  - 11 days ago, 7 May 13, 9:31am -
• An Emergency Fund Is More Than Just Money In The Bank: You May Have More Money Available Than You Think
  If having a small emergency fund of $1,000 or even $3,000 makes you nervous, keep in mind that you probably have much more money available to you than you think.
  - 12 days ago, 6 May 13, 9:02am -

• Best of Blogs – Off to Ottawa
  A while back I wrote a couple of articles analyzing the Air Miles Rewards Program using an example of booking our trip to Ottawa.  The time has come and we are off to the nation’s capital to visit family, see parliament hill and walk along the Ca…
  - 1 day ago, 17 May 13, 12:10am -
• Voluntary deferral of OAS
  As part of the 2012 federal budget, the government announced three changes to Old Age Security (OAS)program. The age of eligibility for OAS will gradually increase from age 65 to age 67. You will be able to defer taking your OAS pension by up to five…
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 12:02am -
• Six steps to avoid being a money moron
  “Life can be awkward at times. It’s part of the growing process.” – Jim Fargiano There’s a saying that “love conquers all” and to a certain extent that’s true. When you love someone you’re willing to overlook many of their flaws and…
  - 4 days ago, 14 May 13, 12:14am -
• How Much Income Do You Need in Retirement?
  Planning for how much income you need in retirement is one of the most difficult things to do. It’s difficult, because we have to make some goals, predictions and assumptions about the future. The further you are from retirement, the more difficult…
  - 5 days ago, 13 May 13, 2:25am -
• Best of Blogs
  This Week I Wrote: On Monday I explained why Your Investment Foundation and Framework is Key. On Tuesday Sarah shared a lot of Lessons from Financial Crisis. On Wednesday I listed out all of the Life Insurance Options for Retirees. Other Great Reads:…
  - 8 days ago, 10 May 13, 3:00am -

• Help a Reader: 401k vs. Roth
  Here's an email I recently received from a reader: My company just announced a series of changes they are making to our benefits, including our 401(k) plan. Currently, they match $0.50 on the dollar up to 3% of your annual...
  - 1 day ago, 17 May 13, 2:29am -
• Target Investment Mix at Age 50
  I'm approaching 50 years old. I remember when my mom became 50 and I thought "Man, she's old." :) Anyway, CNN Money ran a series on "Best Moves if You're _____ Years Old." This one is the piece for those...
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 2:29am -
• Average Tax Refunds
  The Wall Street Journal lists the average tax refund as follows: Income: $25k-50k; Average Refund: $2,774 Income: $50k-75k; Average Refund: $3,051 Income: $75k-100k; Average Refund: $3,657 Income: $100k-200k; Average Refund: $4,704 I'm wondering if t…
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 2:29am -
• Help a Reader: Anniversary Challenge
  Here's an email I recently received from a reader: I am writing you with a simple example of a goal but also a challenge for suggestions. As a long time reader of FMF I now believe in setting a goal....
  - 4 days ago, 14 May 13, 2:29am -
• Do You Share Your Salary with Others?
  This post talks about how today's younger generation is more open about sharing their salaries with each other. And it got me to thinking how common sharing salaries is. When I was coming up through the business ranks, sharing salaries...
  - 5 days ago, 13 May 13, 2:29am -

fwisp

• newHow Algorithms Shape Our World
  Kevin Slavin argues that we're living in a world designed for -- and increasingly controlled by -- algorithms. In this riveting talk from TEDGlobal, he shows how these complex computer programs determine: espionage tactics, stock prices, movie script…
  - 1 hour ago, 18 May 13, 8:36am -
• newCould Children of Gay Parents Lose Some of Their Financial Aid?
  Some think that a recent move by the Department of Education could result in the children of same-sex parents being shackled with more student loan debt.6 Vote(s)
  - 7 hours ago, 18 May 13, 3:25am -
• newJob Application Tools to Help Manage Your Job Search
  As you participate in the job hunt, it is easy to lose track of what you've done. Here are a few tools that can help keep you on top of your job search.7 Vote(s)
  - 7 hours ago, 18 May 13, 3:25am -
• newJapanese Yen Remains Weak after GDP Reading — Forex News
  The latest GDP reading for Japan has been released, and it shows an improvement for the first quarter of 2013. This news hasn't served to strengthen the yen, however.9 Vote(s)
  - 7 hours ago, 18 May 13, 2:51am -
• newWhere Should You Keep Your Investment Assets?
  One of the things to keep in mind as you plan your investment strategy is where you want to keep your assets.9 Vote(s)
  - 7 hours ago, 18 May 13, 2:51am -

PF Buzz

• The Best Way To Prevent Showrooming In Brick And Mortar Stores
  Most brick and mortar stores are fighting showroomers the wrong way. This article suggests a better approach to prevent showrooming in physical store
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 8:20am -
• Book Review - How Much Money Do I Need to Retire?
  If you're not sure how much money you need to save to retire, Todd Tresidder's new book might have a surprising answer.
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 5:46am -
• UK Pound Gets Boost from BOE Outlook
  UK pound is gaining ground today, heading higher as the latest BOE economic outlook provides some hope for growth.
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 7:43pm -
• Stronger US Dollar Pushes Gold Prices Lower
  The US dollar index is higher today, gaining ground as the greenback shows improvement against the euro.
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 7:41pm -
• Digitally Organize Your Finances and Save Money
  “When people have clutter in their lives, it leads to late payments and fees, and that can lead to credit problems,” Vera Gibbons tells me.
  - 3 days ago, 15 May 13, 7:40pm -

Reddit

• newI have over $10,000 | What to do?
  throwaway account but I love reddit: Part of my history: I'm 27. I declared bankruptcy 3 years ago. 6 months ago I had a head injury. I returned to work 2 months ago, but am not there full time yet (almost) I have a great place of employment. Great…
  - 8 hours ago, 18 May 13, 2:18am -
• new5 Reasons to Check Your Credit Score
  submitted by AskCareOne [link] [comment]
  - 22 hours ago, 17 May 13, 11:40am -
• Retirement Planning for Self-Employed Entrepreneurs
  submitted by investor24 [link] [comment]
  - 1 day ago, 16 May 13, 11:00pm -
• Job Application Tools to Help Manage Your Job Search
  submitted by MirandaBlogger [link] [2 comments]
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 8:24pm -
• Investing: Even Indexing Takes Work
  submitted by rwohlner [link] [1 comment]
  - 2 days ago, 16 May 13, 1:47pm -

pf blogs

• newWill the coalition really being costing worker's $20,000
  Aside from accepting in principle all of the savings measures announced in Labor's budget, in Tony Abbott's budget reply he also flagged saving an additional billion or so by deferring the introduction of Labor's SGL increase to 12% by two years.La…
  - 24 mins ago, 18 May 13, 10:23am -
• newWho had the worst week in D.C.?
  Last week was wild in D.C. Three separate hot button issues erupted into what are being termed by many as scandals. It made me miss being there to watch the crazy first-hand. Questions are being asked, fingers pointed, jobs lost in the wake of three…
  - 40 mins ago, 18 May 13, 9:19am -
• newTen Pieces of Inspiration #126
  Each week, I highlight ten things each week that inspired me to greater financial, personal, and professional success. Hopefully, they will inspire you as well. 1. Keith Ferrazzi on poverty “Poverty, I realized, wasn’t only a lack of financial re…
  - 59 mins ago, 18 May 13, 9:00am -
• new5 Tax Deductions for Job Seekers
  Some Job Hunting Costs Are Tax DeductibleRead the rest... ...
  - 59 mins ago, 18 May 13, 9:00am -
• newA Series of Unfortunate Events
  Just as one issue starts to be put behind us, it seems another comes to take its place. Unfortunate events, indeed. ...
  - 4 hours ago, 18 May 13, 6:00am -

E-Books

• Sell Your Crap
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• The Insider’s Guide To Frugal Food & Fitness!