Carnival of Personal Finance #168 – Fire Up the Grill, It’s Labor Day

Welcome to the 168th edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance! If this is your first visit to One Caveman’s Financial Journey, welcome to my humble cave.

For those who are not in the United States, today most of our nation is grilling, watching football, or shopping for home improvement supplies as we take a day off of work to remember the achievements of the labor movement some 114 years ago. With autumn soon approaching, we yearn to take one last gasp of summer before we’re pushed back indoors by early dusk and brisk northern winds. As many of us are off of work today, take this opportunity to read through what the personal finance blogosphere has say and make sure to share some love with the authors and articles you like!

Who Is That One Caveman?

I started this blog eight months ago to share my experiences – failures, successes, and all – with whoever cared to listen with the hopes that just one person reading might find some help in a similar situation. In that time, I’ve heard from countless people who have shared many common steps along our financial journey. As a proud father of one (plus one on the way) supporting my entire family as sole breadwinner, my wife and I have had to get creative to find various ways to save money and get ahead on our debts. As an adventurous experimenter, I’m always discovering and sharing gems from my discoveries.  I hope you’ll stick around, subscribe to my feed or receive updates by email, and join in the community… Because this journey we’re all on is best traveled as a group!

Now, onto the Carnival!

The Choice Steak (Editor’s Picks)

Seared to perfection, nothing beats the taste of a home-grilled steak. Labor Day is a great time to fire up the grill, throw on a few favorite meats (or veggies) and have yourself a wonderful dinner! Like that choice cut of meat, these articles are the tastiest of the week:

• Squawkfox explains beautifully that we have a better chance to succeed when we surround ourselves with excellence. Mentors, friends, family, and others all directly or indirectly influence our lives, so be mindful of the impact an individual can have on you and spend most of your time with the people you most want to be like.
• The Personal Financier wonders if we overvalue our spare time. While it could be said that free, personal time borders on invaluable, it is curious the lengths to which we go and the costs we incur to gather as much as spare time as we can.
• Debit versus Credit encourages us to behave like smart businesses and cash in on the economy’s problems. Leaving the market at a time like this prevents you from locking in great deals before the markets inevitably turn up again.
• Bible Money Matters asks the loaded question, “Who is to blame for your money problems?” While it’s easy to say that all your problems are caused by external issues, that’s often overlooking your biggest problem: you!
• Liberta – Freedom shows us how to become financially free. Nearly everyone can become financially free if you follow Francois’ six simple steps.

The Hot Dogs (Budgeting)

Cheap, but still tasty – hot dogs are a great grilling treat that everyone loves. These authors know how to barbeque on a budget and aren’t afraid to share!

• Mighty Bargain Hunter – Evaluate your kids’ enrichment activities
• Free From Broke – What Is Raising A Child Worth – We’re Going To One Income
• Happiness is Better – Getting Closer to Being Debt Free
• Harvesting Dollars – Set Budget Priorities With Net Spendable Income
• One Million and Beyond – Planning Ahead
• Single Guy Money – The Small Amounts Really Do Add Up

The Hamburgers (Career)

Any grillmaster worth his sauce knows that you can’t hold a proper barbeque without an ample supply of hamburgers. It’s the most valuable entree at a grill party, just as your career is your most valuable asset. Add some heat to your career with these great articles.

• Value For Your Life – How I Deal With Difficult People
• Fabulously Broke in the City – Does money really affect the way you think about work?
• Money and Such – Career Insight: Patience Pays

The Plastic Utensils (Credit)

Regardless of their environmental impact, good luck hosting a barbeque without utensils. These plastic utensils of your financial barbeque are tools that will help you succeed, as long as you don’t go overboard.

• Master Your Card – I’m a Stoozer, are you?
• Money Smart Life – Secured Credit Cards & Secured Loans Can Help Build Your Credit History
• Ask Mr. Credit Card’s Blog – Should I Open Up Multiple Credit Card Accounts for a Balance Transfer?
• Bad Credit Advisor – Credit scores and what they mean
• Bridging The Gaap – Analysis of 7 Canadian Cashback Credit Cards…and BTG’s Free Excel Model!
• Discover Debt Freedom – Increasing Your Credit Limit Can Improve Your Financial Future
• Money Under 30 – Q&A: How Can I Close Credit Card Accounts Without Hurting My Credit Score?
• Taking Charge – ABC News producer uses corporate credit card to escape Denver jail

The Flies (Debt)

Nobody likes them, but every grill attracts them. Face it, if you’re cooking outside, flies are going to find you. Nobody likes debt, but all of us have some and it has to be dealt with. These authors know to keep a fly swatter handy when heading out to the grill.

• The Budgeting Babe – Trouble Consolidating Student Loans
• Budgets are Sexy. – If you’ve got $13,000 in bad credit card debt, ask for help!
• www.BrokeFamily.com – Performing a Plasectomy in honor of willitblend.com

The Plates (Economy & Finance)

You can serve up all the food you want, but nobody’s eating anything without a decent plate to hold their meal. A quality plate is a solid foundation for a barbequed dinner. These authors want to make sure your personal finance has just as solid of a foundation.

• Amateur Asset Allocator – Which Candidate Is Better For The Economy?
• saving to invest – Six sure fire ways for students to ruin their financial future
• Canadian Personal Finance Opinions – Financial Planners An Opinion
• Personal Finance Analyst – Tonight, Say A Prayer For Countrywide Mortgage. They Need It!
• The Money Saving Blog – The Most Stupid Financial Decisions of All Time

The Homemade Sides (Frugality)

I love baked beans and macaroni salad at barbeques. They just don’t feel complete without these tasty, but frugal side dishes. Serve up a bit of frugality of your own with these articles.

• FruGal – Fast FruGal Wisdom
• The Smarter Wallet – How To Save Money On Generic Drugs
• Sound Money Matters – 8 Frugal Labor Day Activities
• the Financial Wellness Project – ways for young students to �find� money
• American Consumer News – Gently Used Could Save You Bucks Big Time
• Frugal in the Fruitlands – Gender and Finance: How Much Do You Spend on Hygiene?
• Greener Pastures – Eyeglasses Mania
• I Can Has Moneys? – Spending Money to Make Money – Selling a Car
• Living Well on Less – I’m an herb killer
• Momma’s Blog – Winning The Grocery Game
• Not Made Of Money – Cash In With End Of Summer Bargains

The Pork Chops (Investing)

The market may be squealing like a stuck pig, but if you keep feeding that hog, it will feed you someday. These authors know that even if the market is wallowing in the mud, you’ll get nothing if you’re not in there, too!

• Blueprint for Financial Prosperity – Don’t Invest In What You Know
• Dividend Growth Investor – International Dividend Achievers for diversification
• Fix My Personal Finance – The Ways To Lower Your Life Insurance Costs
• My Simple Trading system – How Markets React to Fundamentals
• The Dividend Guy – Updated My Pension Allocation for Diversification
• Tough Money Love – Will Your Retirement Nest Egg Be “Puny?”

The Sauces (Money Management)

A hunk of seared animal flesh may be tasty, but without proper grill management and sauce application, they’ll quickly dry out and become worthless chunks of char. Manage your own money grill with tips from these authors.

• Everyday Finance – 10 Tips for College Freshmen: Financial Advice to Live By
• Retired At 47 – Should You Carry a Credit Card?
• Student Scrooge – Is that sketchy ATM safe?
• Accumulating Money – Umbrella Insurance: Must-Have Protection
• Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck – Five ways to be (or not to be) fiscally responsible
• Destroy Debt – Preparing for the 2008 Holiday Season- Make it debt Free
• Fiscal Zen – Clipping Coupons and Baking Bread: Is It Worth Your Time?
• Funny about Money – Social Security as Investment Account?
• InsureBlog – Profiles
• Money Answer Guy – Why Don’t We Save More Than We Do?
• PennyJobs.com – The Best Financial Advise I Received and How I Use it Practically
• Savings Toolbox – Why the Sub Prime Mortgage Melt Down is Great for Savers
• See My Money – Real World 101
• The Family Wallet – Insurance Needs When You Have A Family
• The Financial Blogger – 5 Reasons Why You Should Consolidate Your Assets With One Institution
• The Wisdom Journal – The X-Files and Your Money: Strange Similarities?

The Whole Chicken (Real Estate)

Nothing takes more careful preparation and grilling than a full bird. It takes great timing, a persistent and patient grillmaster, and a touch of luck. Take a peek at what these personal finance bloggers are cooking up.

• HelloMoney – The State of Homeowner’s Insurance
• Searchlight Crusade – What If You Cannot Refinance Later?
• The Digerati Life – When Big Houses Enter Foreclosure: Extreme Makeover Home Edition Goes Sour

The Frozen Meat (Saving)

A good grillmaster will never let himself run out of meat. You never know how many extra mouths will show up when a barbeque is held, so you need to keep an ample supply of meat at the ready. Take a peek in the freezers of these smart-saving authors.

• Getting Rich in Grad School – Four myths or five reasons why I do not need universal life insurance
• Green Panda Treehouse – Put Tuition Refund in a High Yield Savings Account as an Emergency Fund
• My Two Dollars – 13 Ways To Save Money And Go Green.
• Online Savings Blog – The Secret Catch to Bank of America’s “Keep the Change” Program
• Tight Fisted Miser – Keep Savings Aside from Retirement Accounts

The Dog’s Share (Taxes)

A smart grillmaster keeps a portion of meat aside as a sacrificial offering to the resident dog. The way the dog sees it, either you give him some of that delicious meat voluntarily or he’ll knock over your grill to get what he wants. These authors know that taxes are a painful reality, but not as painful as losing your whole meat store.

• Don’t Mess With Taxes – Legit business expense? Deduction?
• Free Money Finance – When to Hire a Tax Professional
• My Dollar Plan – IRS Loses Lawsuit: Refunds for 30 Million Policyholders Possible

The Kebabs (Other)

Sometimes you have only a little bit of everything, but there’s still a party to host. You can send the whole crowd home happy with a few skewered kebabs on the grill. Finish your barbeque with a few of these random assortment articles.

• Christian Financial Help – A step-by-step guide to starting an Ebay business
• Financial Ramblings – Surplus Calories Cost Much More Than You Think (But How Much More?)
• FiveCentNickel – Risk-Free Banking
• LivingAlmostLarge – Is $250k/year rich?
• Personal Finance Blog by MoneyNing – How Our Perception Keep Us Poor
• Save and Conquer – Hoaxes
• Saving Advice – Talking About Money Is Inappropriate
• Smart Money Daily – Celebrity Charity: Is that an Oxymoron?
• So Cal Savvy – Gifting Rules
• The Copyeditor’s Desk – Multitasking: How Writers and Editors Never Get Anything Done
• Uncommon Cents – Why do Some eBay Sellers (and Other Vendors) Refuse to Ship to Hawaii, at Least Cheaply?

Next week, BankerGirl will host the next installment of the Carnival of Personal Finance. Be sure to submit your best work from this week for her to review!