Carnival of Financial Planning – Edition #174 – March 4, 2011

Welcome to the March 4, 2011 Edition #174 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, Editor

Budgeting and Economics

Ryan @ MFN presents Military Discounts posted at The Military Wallet, saying, “With prices rising faster than pay raises, it’s important to find was to save money. If you are in the military, then you should always ask for a military discount when you shop – you can often save money.”

N.W. Journey presents An Analysis of Budgeting Tools posted at Networth Journey, saying, “Get important information about budgeting tools.”

The Skilled Investor presents How to Save More posted at Personal Financial Strategy, saying, “Budgeting and self-control in consumption is far more important than clever investing. Expenditure control and budgeting works, while “clever” investing usually is counter-productive.”

Estate Planning

Jeff Rose, CFP presents What Happens When You Die Without a Will? posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “Here’s some very helpful information about wills and why you don’t want to die without one.”

Financial Planning

Jon Elder presents How I Graduated College Debt Free and Survived | Free Money Wisdom posted at Free Money Wisdom, saying, “I graduated college debt free. Most people would say it’s impossible, but I’m living proof that it’s not! It’s so rare these days that most people I tell my story to don’t believe me. Maybe I should write a book on this haha.”

Frank Knight presents Strategic Asset Allocation posted at Best Personal Financial Planning Software, saying, “When you are already there and invested in an asset class, you are following a passive asset allocation strategy. Tactical asset allocation strategy advocates suggest that you can anticipate the crowd, but flow-of-funds studies show that almost all tactical asset allocation fund flows are late money flows that chase performance after valuations have already moved.”

Tom @ Canadian Finance Blog presents Resources to help keep your personal and professional financing on track posted at The Canadian Finance Blog, saying, “There are a number of programs and agencies out there to help you make important financial decisions, you just need to know how to find them.”

Larry Russell presents No Load Mutual Funds posted at Best Index Mutual Funds, saying, “Superior past performance has simply not been shown to be a reliable predictor of superior future performance. However, low costs can lead you to the best mutual funds

Jon Elder presents Roth 401k Versus 401k: What is Right for Me? posted at Free Money Wisdom, saying, “A Roth 401k acts in the same way in terms of your boss managing your plan. Also, just like a typical 401k, money is taken out of your paycheck and placed within the Roth 401k plan.”

Christien presents How much does Financial Planning cost? posted at How Much Does Everything Cost?, saying, “Anyone with a decent income or moderate amount of wealth can benefit a lot from financial planning. It is the process of setting up financial objectives, assessing resources and assets, getting prepared for future finances and creating plans to achieve several monetary goals. Financial planning involves many scopes such as risk management, asset allocation, taxation, retirement and estate plans.”

Janet Russell presents Inferior Mutual Fund Performance posted at Best No Load Funds, saying, “The investment research literature does provide some modest evidence that substantially inferior past mutual fund performance is more likely to lead to inferior mutual fund returns in the future. Excessive costs and high management expense ratios are the likely culprits, when explaining sub-par diversified investment fund returns.”

Financing Education

Ryan @ MFN presents Can I Collect Unemployment Benefits While Using the GI Bill? posted at The Military Wallet, saying, “Military veterans who seperate from active duty and want to use their GI Bill benefits to go to school are still eligible for unemployment benefits, enabling them to concentrate on earning their degree.”

yazzyislam presents Tax Tips for Students posted at Wiley Student Blog.

Health Care

Tim Chen presents Considering a Medical Credit Card? Proceed with Caution posted at NerdWallet Blog – Credit Card Watch, saying, “Originally used for elective surgeries like liposuction, medical credit cards are increasingly used by those with limited or no health insurance to pay doctors, dentists, chiropractors and even veterinarians.”

Investing

Consumer Boomer presents Is Investing in Tax Lien Certificates and Tax Deeds Safe? posted at Consumer Boomer, saying, “This article will give you some important information about investing in tax lien certificates and tax deeds and will answer you questions about their safety.”

Darwin presents Yield Curve Explained – MBA Mondays posted at Darwin’s Money, saying, “Learn about the yield curve, why it’s important and how you can see what the market is trying to tell you about future recessions, inflation and more.”

Dividends4Life presents 23 Stocks With A Vision Of Higher Dividends posted at Dividends Value, saying, “To succeed as a dividend growth investor you must identify and purchase stocks with sustainable dividend growth. Inertia is powerful force. Once a company has established a track record of growing its dividend over the decades and developed a shareholder base that expects higher dividends each year, it becomes increasing difficult for management to cut or fail to raise their dividend.”

The Skilled Investor presents Stock Market Timing posted at Personal Investment Management, saying, “Always stay invested to earn risk premiums. You must have your money invested and at risk to get risk premium returns. Jumping out and in or “timing the markets” doesn’t work.”

Frank Vertin presents Best Index Funds posted at Index Mutual Funds, saying, “Top ten no load index funds that track the Standard and Poors 500 composite index in terms of lowest costs.

Mike Piper presents Picking Mutual Funds: Don’t Just Look at the Winners posted at The Oblivious Investor, saying, “When researching mutual funds, many investors only look for characteristics common among winning funds. But that’s only half the picture.”

Frank Knight presents Muni Bond, posted at Best Financial Planning Software, saying, “Municipal bond investments and your state and federal marginal income tax rates: Some investors hold municipal bonds in an attempt to reduce their tax burden. This article discusses the relationships between tax-exempt municipal bonds, bond market returns, marginal tax rates, and investment asset tax location.”

Managing Credit and Debt

Aaron presents You Can Do More Than Just Make Purchases With A Prepaid Card posted at Prepaidcards123, saying, “You can do more than just make purchases with a prepaid card.”

Charles Chua C K presents 8 Reasons Why You Have Unmanageable Debts posted at All About Living with Life.

David presents 6 Tips To Protect Yourself Against Card Fraud posted at Credit Card Offers IQ, saying, “Tips to protecting yourself against card fraud”

Miscellaneous

Michael presents Giving Your ZIP Code to Cashiers posted at Consumerism Commentary, saying, “How annoying is it to give your zip code to someone who doesn’t want it, and doesn’t care? Well those days are about to be over.”

Jim Wilkerson presents Choose Mature Noload Mutual Funds posted at Best No Load Funds, saying, “Very young stock and bond mutual funds are more likely to put you into the position of being an experimental guinea pig of mutual fund companies and the ETF industry.”

Job-Interview-Site.com presents Compare Online Colleges Side by Side posted at Job Interview Guide, saying, “Online colleges are those colleges that offer their degrees on an online basis. The online colleges can be either a virtual arm of the Brick and Mortar College, or can be only an online college.”

Pasadena Financial Planner presents Vanguard Index Funds posted at Top Mutual Funds, saying, “Compares Vanguard’s actively managed mutual funds and Vanguard’s passively managed index mutual funds. Vanguard investors should read and understand this study.”

Michael Pruser presents What To Do When You Lose Your Passport posted at The Dough Roller, saying, “When you lose your passport, remember not to panic, and follow these simple guidelines.”

Retirement Planning

Jeff Rose, CFP presents How To Take Money Out Of Your Retirement Accounts posted at Jeff Rose, saying, ““How do I get a paycheck? How do I actually draw money from my retirement accounts?” I want to address those questions and demonstrate real quickly how that works.”

mike presents The Perfect Retirement Myth posted at Money Smarts Blog, saying, “For younger people, retirement planning shouldn’t be too detailed.”

2 Cents presents Safe Retirement Withdrawal Rates and Probable Outcomes posted at Balance Junkie, saying, “Some of the conventional research on safe withdrawal rates does not put enough emphasis on the effects of secular cycles and valuations on the longevity of our retirement savings.”

Frank Knight presents Roth ConversionRetirement Planning Software posted at My Financial Freedom Plan, saying, “Whether to invest in a Roth IRA or Roth 401k versus their traditional retirement account alternatives is one of the most complex personal financial decisions. Roth accounts do not make sense financially for most people. They are a good deal, for a minority, but you need to do the analysis.

Jim Yih presents Understanding Government Benefits posted at Retire Happy Blog, saying, “Government benefits represent the cornerstone of the Canadian Retirement Income System. If you are nearing retirement or in retirement it is important for you to understand how these government benefits play a role in your retirement income.”

Walter W. Fouse presents Top 10 Large Cap Funds posted at Best Mutual Fund, saying, “This table of low cost top 10 S&P 500 mutual funds has been organized with the lowest cost index fund first. Nevertheless, each of these S & P 500 index funds is among the least costly on the market.”

Risk Management and Insurance

Consumer Boomer presents Permanent Life Insurance Rates posted at Consumer Boomer, saying, “This article will help you learn more about universal life insurance rates, and you’ll find out how a permanent rate can be a good thing.”

Jules Wells presents Investment Risk Questionnaire Investment Software, posted at Financial Answers saying, “There is a way for you to get a much better assessment of your risk tolerance than you would from a simple conservative versus aggressive financial industry investor questionnaire.”

Taxes

Jeff Rose, CFP presents TurboTax SnapTax Review – File Your Taxes in Seconds! posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “Snap Tax allows you to fill out your taxes completely on your mobile phone. Here’s how.”

Consumer Boomer presents Finding Out Where Your Federal Tax Refund Is posted at Consumer Boomer, saying, “The Internal Revenue Service has a page on it’s website dedicated to helping people track their refunds. Find out more information by reading this article.”

PT presents Alternative Minimum Tax Patch for Tax Year 2010 posted at Prime Time Money, saying, “Confused about the Alternative Minimum Tax? Here is a clear explanation about the AMT and 2010′s patch to the tax.”

Madison DuPaix presents Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) posted at My Dollar Plan, saying, “Not sure what the Earned Income Tax Credit is? Read this to find out.”

Financial Freedom presents IRA ContributionsRetirement Tool, posted at Financial Freedom, saying, “The Roth tax optimization puzzle for asset conversions, as well as for annual Roth contributions during working years, is one of the most complex decisions that the ridiculously complex US taxation and retirement planning system forces upon individuals.”

Craig/FFB presents Where is My IRS Form 1040 Tax Package (or Where Can I File Free)? posted at Free From Broke, saying, “This year you won’t find tax forms in the mail. See where you can get them and where you can file for free.”

Ken presents Child and Dependent Care Credit: What Expenses Can I Include? posted at Spruce Up Your Finances, saying, “Child care expense is not just limited to the money you paid your babysitter, it is much more than that.”

Money Crashers Blog presents 14 Commonly Overlooked Personal Tax Deductions For Individuals posted at Money Crashers, saying, “The only thing worse than paying taxes, is paying more than you have to. With this year’s tax filing deadline coming up, make sure you’re getting every penny you deserve by checking if you’re eligible for these 14 little-known tax deductions.”

Larry Russell presents Roth IRA Calculator posted at Retirement Planning Tools, saying, “Trying to decide about a traditional IRA to Roth IRA conversion without first having a comprehensive lifetime financial plan in place makes absolutely no sense. Without such a plan, you cannot figure out whether or not you are likely to achieve the tax savings in retirement that would warrant paying higher taxes now.”

Ken presents Who Can You Claim As Dependents on Your Return posted at Spruce Up Your Finances, saying, “When you file your return, you are entitled to a personal and dependent exemption of $3,650 in 2010. That’s why having dependents can help you reduce taxes as well”

Matt Jabs presents 10 Most Commonly Missed Tax Deductions posted at Debt Free Adventure!, saying, “Use this list of the most commonly missed tax deductions to lower your adjusted gross income and save money. Don’t overpay taxes!”

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.

Technorati tags: carnival of financial planning, blog carnival.

Winners have been picked by my 2 kids… so not hard feeling on me I have compiled all the entries in a excel spread sheet and ask them to stop me as I was scrolling up and down randomly (what a technique, huh?). So here are the winners:

Winners for the 3 Online Business Guides:

Uriel

CM

Briana

And the big winner of the iPad is….

Sneeker!

Emails will be sent to winners today… I promise

Welcome to this edition of the Best of Money Carnival; My Favorite Money Quotes Edition. I’ve gathered my favorite money quotes along with my favorite entries for this carnival. I hope you will enjoy it!

#10 “A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.”

Bob Hope

Since I work in a bank, I find this one particularly funny… because it’s true . The more money you have, the more the bank is willing to lend you some. However, if you are broke and have a fabulous idea, don’t bother asking the bank for financing .
Susan Howe presents Living Like a Millionaire on Pennies a Day posted at Get Rich Slowly.

#9 “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.”

Ayn Rand

Many individuals see money as a tool. I definitely agree with them as money can only become what you are doing with it.
Khaleef @ KNS Financial presents 401k Advice – Stop Passing Up Free Money! posted at Faithful With A Few.

#8 “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

Benjamin Franklin

I would even add that a penny saved is 2 pennies earned… A highly-taxed-Canadian
Tom @ Canadian Finance Blog presents Avoiding Financial Disaster – New Work, No Debt posted at Canadian Finance Blog

#7 “My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income.” – Errol Flynn

The only solution I found with this problem is to always earn more money .
freefrombroke presents How to Prepare for Downsizing Within Your Company posted at Free From Broke.

#6 “How are you going to pay for this?” “With Daddy’s plastic card!”

My son William

This was our first conversation about money. He wanted to buy chips and I asked him how he was going to pay for them. 1^st answer was to give his sister’s necklace in exchange…
Jason @ Redeeming Riches presents 9 Tips to Help You Create Passive Income for Life posted at Redeeming Riches.

#5 “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.”

Will Smith

Too many times, money is used for the wrong purpose.
PT presents 5 Lessons Learned From Filing Bankruptcy posted at PT Money

#4 “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.”

Jim Rohn

It is with time that you can accomplish the most amazing things. I really wish I could buy more!
FMF presents How to Become Wealthy posted at Free Money Finance.

#3 “Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.”
Oscar Wilde.

I don’t think that Oscar meant that you should live above your means but to become more creative in order to not have to worry about your spending .
Paul Williams presents Good Money Management Is About Avoiding Dumb Mistakes posted at Provident Planning.

#2 “I don’t like money but I surely like what I can do with it.”

Me!

Most people think I like money because I work in the financial industry add that I continually seek all the possible ways to make more money. The reality is that I don’t care about money, I just want the lifestyle that goes with it!
Daniel presents Suze Orman Gave Bad Advice posted at Sweating The Big Stuff.

#1 Money doesn’t bring happiness… BS!

My Partner at a Habs-Bruins playoff games

This was his birthday present a few years ago; a pair of hockey tickets in the Red section. Boy, we had a blast!
2 Cents presents Time to Stop the Bubble Machine? posted at Balance Junkie.

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Image credit #6 : my son William

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As you may noticed, I don’t review many websites anymore. While I never intended to review a tons of them, a few reviews are not bad for my wallet once in a while . However, this time I got contacted by a long time internet friend; Blain Reinkensmayer. This is the kid behind Stock Trading To Go and he is up with another great idea: Trade Wiser.

What is the purpose of Trade Wiser?

While most bloggers say that you are getting ripped-off by financial advisors and their high (too high… very high… ridiculously high) management fees, many investors have started opening brokerage accounts and begin trading by themselves. However, then again, many investors open the wrong type of brokerage account with the wrong broker according to their needs.

So if you are about to open a new brokerage account or if you are wondering if there are any better options than your current brokerage account, Trade Wiser can help you find out this information.

In fact, Trade Wiser is a website that compares tons of brokerage accounts in one place. You get to see how much commission is paid per trade (and depending on the type of trades too), learn more about their trading and research tools along with customer service appreciation scores.

What I like about Trade Wiser

I think the idea is brilliant. So brilliant that I will talk about why it is so smart to use such great website in my next newsletter about how to make money online (don’t forget to subscribe if you want to learn more about it ).

I like how it is easy to compare 2 brokers at the same time with great visuals and easy to understand ratings (with stars… how convenient!). I also like how you can search your brokers (according to fees, important website reviews or trade platforms) and get a quick idea of which broker is the best one.

There is also a commission calculator to show you if you are making a good deal by keeping your old brokerage account or not .

Along with other great features, you can also contact directly Trade Wiser to get more assistance if you have a specific needs (let say that you want to do a DRIP and you are inquiring about fees, I guess you could contact them as ask them to do the research for you .

What could be improved on Trade Wiser

The one thing I would have liked is a more personal review of each broker. Maybe this is something yet to come but I think that having a personal point of view on each platform would be nice. Especially if you are rating customer service, knowing on what you base your rating could be interesting . Instead, the broker reviews give a feeling of generic advice with a few small screenshots (I would like to have them bigger please).

Final thoughts on Trade Wiser

The idea is great, the service is good but it could be improved with the feedback of real traders. I would be very curious to know which brokers you use and why you use them? How about starting the discussion here? Personally, I just opened a Questrade account, read why here.

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Disclaimer: This is an honest but paid review. We did it because we think it is a great financial resource on the Web and our opinion has not been biased. We are now offering to review your website for a highly competitive price. If you want The Financial Blogger to review your website, please feel free to contact us at thefinancialblogger (at) gmail (dot) com or visit our advertise section.

Welcome to the July 30, 2010 Edition #152 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, Editor

Managing Debt

Think Money presents Credit cards at Christmas – plan ahead posted at Think Money. “This Christmas, a lot of us will turn to our credit cards to make sure we have the funds we need for the celebrations we want. But what will that mean for our finances in the New Year and beyond?”

Matt T. Henterly presents How to Live With a Low Credit Score posted at The SimpleChecking Blog, saying, “Tips on dealing with a low credit score; when you can’t do much to change it.”

Ryan @ CML presents Fair Debt Collection Practices Act posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “Borrowers are protected by the FDCPA against unfair and illegal debt collection practices. Find out your rights and what you can do if a debt collector violates them.”

Silicon Valley Blogger presents DIY Debt Management Plan: Go On Oprah’s Debt Diet! posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Some ideas for managing debt.”

David presents One Credit Card Rule Above All Else ? Don?t Pay Interest! posted at Credit Card Offers IQ, saying, “Tips on how to not pay interest”

The Smarter Wallet presents Are Debt Counseling Services The Way To Debt Relief? posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, “On debt counseling services.”

Money Beagle presents Your Mortgage Is Debt, Too! posted at Money Beagle, saying, “I think it’s important to understand and track all of your debt, including mortgage debt. After all, it is something you owe!”

Learn Save Invest presents 5 Steps To Debt Reduction posted at Learn Save Invest, saying, “Here are 5 tips you need to master in order to reduce your debts.”

Craig Ford presents Debt Snowball Explained | How To Pay Off Debt Using the Debt Snowball posted at Money Help For Christians, saying, “An introduction to the debt snowball.”

Big Cajun Man presents Found Money Trap posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “Found money should go on debt no matter what!”

Budgeting and Economics

2 Cents presents The Culture of More: 5 Socioeconomic Bubbles Ready to Pop posted at , saying, “Here are 5 bubbles that have been inflating over the past couple of decades. If one or more of them pops, it could have a substantial impact on your financial planning.”

Susan Howe presents 9 of the World’s Most Expensive Oil Spills posted at Insure.com Insurance Blog, saying, “Check out 9 of the world’s most expensive oil spills.”

Super Saver presents Living on a Cash Basis was a Good Experience posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “Living on a cash basis quickly taught me financial responsibility.”

Roshawn Watson presents Will the Economy Collapse In 2011? posted at Watson Inc, saying, “With the steep increases in federal, state, and local taxes scheduled for next year, will economic activity be stifled to the point of economic collapse in 2011?”

KCLau presents Global Spending: How People Spend their Money posted at KCLau’s Money Tips, saying, “Results from a World Bank study entitled Global Purchasing Power Parities and Real Expenditures 2005 International Comparison Program spanning 2003 to 2008.”

The Skilled Investor presents Save More Money posted at Personal Finance Strategy, saying, “Budgeting and self-control in consumption is far more important than clever investing. Expenditure control and budgeting works, while “clever” investing usually is counter-productive.”

FaithAllen presents How to Do Monthly Financial Budget Planning with Excel | eHow.com posted at FaithAllen, saying, “Budget your money through excel monthly is a very good way to watch out your spending.”

Roshawn Watson presents Why Is Debt Really Decreasing? posted at Watson Inc, saying, “In the first quarter of 2008, our debt to disposable income peaked at a staggering 131%. This means for every dollar we earned, we spent $1.31. As of March, our debt as a share of our annual income is presently 122%. If you think this change indicates that we have collectively been so scarred by the “Great Recession” that we are now behaving fiscally responsible, think again. There is a surprising and sad reason why our debt has gone down. Hint, it has nothing to do with frugality.”

Mike @ Green Panda presents The $7.27 Mistake Plus Ways To Avoid It posted at Green Panda Treehouse, saying, “How to make the most out of your money when going out.”

Bucksome presents 6 Luxuries In My Budget posted at Buck$ome Boomer’s Journey to Retirement, saying, “By including small luxuries in my budget, it’s easier to follow month after month.”

Financial Planning

Arjun Rudra presents Financial Planning Implications Of Marriage Vs. Common Law Relationships : Investing Thesis posted at Investing Thesis, saying, “July 20th, 2010 marked the 5th anniversary for same-sex couples across Canada. However, despite amendments made by the federal government, many provincial statutes remain unchanged, and there are many jurisdictions which do not recognize common-law couples, whether same or opposite-sex. This can have an impact on both estate planning and property rights.”

Dividend Tree presents Building Core Competency for Long Term Survival posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “whether it is running a business or individuals investment portfolio, it is important to build a core competency for long term sustainability. In my case, I focus on good quality companies that consistently pay or have potential to pay growing dividends over time.

Jacob A. Irwin presents What order of accounts should I prioritize investing funds to? posted at My Money Blog – Personal Finance and Investing, saying, “A description of what uses new funds should be prioritized to when they are available to individual investors.”

The Financial Blogger presents My Financial Goals Reviewed posted at The Financial Blogger, saying, “In order to achieve my financial goals, I keep an update every 6 months so I can make sure to make adjustments to my original plan if necessary.”

Jim & Martha presents New Credit Card Applications Hurt Your Credit Score posted at Wanderlust Journey.

FMF presents Life Planning Part 1: Plenty of Money posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Thoughts on how to start determining your goals so your financial plan can work to fulfill them.”

Joe Plemon presents Which Comes First: Earning or Saving? posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “The number one financial principle is to live on less than you earn. Right? Or do you need to get those earnings up first? This post helps the reader think it through.”

Ryan @ MFN presents What to Do With an Enlistment Bonus posted at The Military Wallet, saying, “What should you use a large cash bonus for? Pay down debt, invest, spend?”

Mike @ Green Panda presents Prioritizing Financial Goals posted at Green Panda Treehouse.

Larry Russell presents No Load Mutual Funds posted at Top Index Mutual Funds, saying, “Superior past performance has simply not been shown to be a reliable predictor of superior future performance. However, low costs can lead you to the best mutual funds.

Frank Knight presents Roth IRAFinancial Software posted at Financial Freedom Plan, saying, “Whether to invest in a Roth IRA or Roth 401k versus their traditional retirement account alternatives is one of the most complex personal financial decisions. Roth accounts do not make sense financially for most people. They are a good deal, for a minority, but you need to do the analysis.”

Sustainable Life Blog presents Prioritizing Goals? posted at Sustainable Life Blog, saying, “Wondering where to turn when starting to attack debt? Here’s a quick guide on how to help you prioritize your goals.”

Financing a Home

Ryan @ CML presents Mortgage Prequalification vs. Preapproval posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “What is the difference between mortgage preauthorization, prequalification and preapproval?”

Jacob A. Irwin presents How to Improve Your Chances of Being Approved For a Home Mortgage Loan posted at My Money Blog – Personal Finance and Investing, saying, “A look at 7 tips for making you a more attractive home mortgage loan applicant.”

The Financial Blogger presents Real Estate: Time For The Mortgage! posted at The Financial Blogger, saying, “Here are what you need to get a mortgage these days.”

Financing Education

MoneyNing presents How to Use a 529 Plan to Improve College Savings posted at Money Ning, saying, “A 529 plan can help your college savings tremendously. Check out how the government can help contribute!”

Income

Ryan @ CML presents How to Open a Business Savings Account posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “Opening a business bank account is different than opening a personal bank account. Find out which documents you need to open a business savings or checking account.”

Writers Coin presents The Importance of Failing Fast posted at The Writer’s Coin, saying, “Failing isn’t something we should be afraid of—it’s a surefire way of getting from A to B as quickly as possible.”

Consumer Boomer presents Finding a High Interest Savings Account posted at Consumer Boomer.

Investing

Darwin presents Why Bear Market Funds are Lousy Investments posted at ETF Base, saying, “Bear Market Funds came into favor during the recent crash but their performance leaves something to be desired. And long-term, there are several reasons they are terrible investments. Read up so you can defend against aggressive marketing of these investments during the next correction.”

Dividend Tree presents Dividend Investing and Businesses with Moat posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “In general, companies with moats in their business are very good dividend growth providers. However, the opposite may not be true.”

Praveen presents Caveat Emptor: If An Investment or Opportunity Appears Too Good To Be True, Beware! posted at My Simple Trading System, saying, “Beware of investment opportunities that seem to be too good to be true.”

Paul Williams presents Investing Basics: What Are Options and Futures? posted at Provident Planning, saying, “If you have no idea what options and futures are, this article will give you a basic overview and introduction. It’s also part of a series designed to familiarize you with the very basics of investing.”

Zach Scheidt presents Solar Selloff Close To Exhaustion? posted at ZachStocks, saying, “Solar stocks are off sharply due to Euro-Zone concerns. Trina Solar could end up being an exceptional value if earnings remain somewhat stable and management is able to calm investor fears.”

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Where To Invest Extra Cash and Savings Today posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Thanks!”

Michael Pruser presents SmartMoney’s 2010 Best Online Discount Brokers posted at The Dough Roller, saying, “A review of SmartMoney’s best online discount brokers for 2010″

The Skilled Investor presents Market Timing posted at Investment Portfolio Management, saying, “Always stay invested to earn risk premiums. You must have your money invested and at risk to get risk premium returns. Jumping out and in or “timing the markets” doesn’t work.”

Intelligent Speculator presents Of course Amazon (AMZN) results are terrible!! Blame Apple (AAPL) posted at Intelligent Speculator, saying, “Amazon isn’t doing so well with the iPad now out in the market.”

Barb presents Keep Pace WIth Inflation posted at Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance, saying, ““Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.” Ronald Reagan Since we haven’t had much inflation in recent years, it’s easy to forget about it’s VIOLENT IMPACT. TIPs are bond-like investments issued by the US government. They have a fixed interest rate… BUT they keep up with inflation because when INFLATION RISES the principal amount of the security (bond) also goes up.”

Frank Vertin presents Top Index Funds posted at Noload Mutual Fund, saying, “Top ten no load index funds that track the Standard and Poors 500 composite index in terms of lowest costs.

Tomas Escent presents Stock Trading Automation posted at Nerds on Wall Street

Carlos Sera presents A Puzzling Tale – The Case for Bonds in 2040; Financial Tales posted at Financial Tales, saying, “Today I release A Puzzling Tale and it falls under the category of Investing Tales. A Puzzling Tale deals with what is called “The Equity Premium Puzzle or EPP.” You’ll have to read the tale if you don’t know exactly what it is. Nevertheless it has baffled investment theorists for decades and to this day has no resolution. This tale speaks to the problem confronting every investor, namely, where do I put my money. How do investors make a trade-off between risk and reward?”

Tushar Mathur presents Can’t Control the Markets? Try controlling the Costs posted at Everything Finance, saying, “The financial markets are prone to unpredictable periods of turbulence. That can make investing feel a bit like a roller-coaster ride. The disappointing results may have left you feeling concerned over your financial future. You’re not alone.”

Alexander presents Real Estate Invement Trusts posted at Dividend Stocks, saying, “If you are looking for extra income from your investments, take a look at real estate investment trusts.”

Frank Knight presents Municipal Bond Financial Software, posted at Personal Finance Software, saying, “Municipal bond investments and your state and federal marginal income tax rates: Some investors hold municipal bonds in an attempt to reduce their tax burden. This article discusses the relationships between tax-exempt municipal bonds, bond market returns, marginal tax rates, and investment asset tax location.”

Dividends4Life presents 15 Dividend Stocks Defending Shareholder Returns posted at Dividends Value, saying, “Dividend stocks are sometimes referred to as defensive stocks since many investors flee to them in an economic downturn. Their dividends, if sustainable, provide a minimum level of positive return. This cushions the downward pressure from the market. Better yet, great dividend companies not only sustain their dividends in a downturn – they actually raise them.”

Miscellaneous

Joe Plemon presents This Family Paid Cash For Their Car; You Can Too! posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “A story about some friends who are excited about paying cash for their car. Turns out they are doing lots of things right.”

Super Saver presents Disputed Price Increase on Phone Bill and Won posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “Last month, our phone bill was up 12%, with no changes made on our part. We disputed the increase and the phone company agreed.”

MoneyNing presents Is Financial Compatibility Important When Choosing a Life Partner? posted at Money Ning, saying, “Did you and your spouse talk about financial compatibility before your marriage?”

Joe Plemon presents Do We Spend More With Credit Cards? A Study Proves … Maybe posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “Do you spend more money using credit cards or using cash? This post tells of a very intriguing study on how people make spending decisions…but is inconclusive about the credit card / cash debate.”

nissim ziv presents Workplace: Flexibility in the Workplace Can Increase Effectiveness posted at Job Interview Guide, saying, “Basically, workplace flexibility means that the employees have a lot more freedom to do their work. Right from deciding where they wish to sit in the office to working from home for some days of the week, everything is possible.”

BIFS presents True Trick to Save Money on Appliances posted at Budgeting In the Fun Stuff, saying, “Who knew cleaning these things could save me hundreds or even thousands of dollars overall?”

Pasadena Financial Planner presents Vanguard Investment Performance posted at Top Mutual Fund, saying, “Compares Vanguard’s actively managed mutual funds and Vanguard’s passively managed index mutual funds. Vanguard investors should read and understand this study.”

Retirement Planning

FMF presents The 12 Most Important Decisions You Must Make Before You Retire posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “12 factors you must consider before you decide to retire.”

PT presents Can You Count on Social Security? posted at Prime Time Money, saying, “Can you count on the government’s social security program to help you in retirement?”

FMF presents Too Many Relying Too Much on Social Security posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Too many Americans are counting on too much from Social Security — a move that could be a financial disaster.”

Larry Russell presents Roth IRA Conversions posted at Best Financial Planning Software, saying, “Trying to decide about a traditional IRA to Roth IRA conversion without first having a comprehensive lifetime financial plan in place makes absolutely no sense. Without such a plan, you cannot figure out whether or not you are likely to achieve the tax savings in retirement that would warrant paying higher taxes now.”

Super Saver presents Retirement Finances – What worked and what did not posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “Here’s my summary of what has worked and what didn’t in our first three years of retirement.”

Jules Wells presents Retirement Calculator-Retirement Savings Software, posted at Retirement Financial Planning, saying, “This article helps you understand the trade-offs between traditional and Roth tax-advantaged retirement plan contributions, including Roth 401k and IRA retirement plans. It helps with the 2010 Roth conversion decision.”

BudgetSnob presents Most Affordable Places To Retire posted at Budget Snob.

Risk Management and Insurance

FMF presents Four Times You’ll Probably Need Long-Term Care Insurance posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “If you find yourself in any of these four situations, it’s likely that you’ll need long-term care insurance.”

Jeff Rose, CFP presents Will You Be Able To Afford COBRA Insurance? posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “If you have been laid off and want to avoid a breakage in health insurance coverage, you can still get COBRA. However, you may find that you premium goes higher without your employer picking up part of the tab. If you can still afford COBRA, that might be something to keep in the interim.”

Jeff Rose, CFP presents Should You Buy Life Insurance for Your Child? posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “Many argue that purchasing a life insurance policy for your child is a low-cost money move that will be beneficial in the future. It can be an effective plan for the future should the child grow up with health problems or have family history of health problems that would be make it difficult for them to get insured as an adult.”

Big Cajun Man presents Self Insured Company Disability Plans posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “Sometimes insurance is not as safe as you might think (in Canada at least)”

Jeff Rose, CFP presents Online Life Insurance Quotes posted at Consumer Boomer, saying, “The Internet does provide a good resource for locating life insurance agents whom you may not otherwise have found searching through the phone book.”

Savings

KCLau presents Are You Rich in Internal Assets? posted at KCLau’s Money Tips, saying, “pay attention to the internal assets”

freefrombroke presents Crank Up Your Money Saving Goals With SmartyPig posted at Free From Broke, saying, “Having a SmartyPig account can be a great way to save up toward specific goals. It’s also a great way to get friends and family involved with your savings goals.”

Jim & Martha presents Passport Fees Increase July 13th posted at Wanderlust Journey.

Taxes

Madison DuPaix presents 0% Capital Gains Tax Rate Really Exists posted at My Dollar Plan, saying, “Find out why 2010 could be your year for cashing out stocks. Capital gains rates may never be this good.”

Ryan @ MFN presents Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension for Military and Overseas Federal Employees posted at The Military Wallet, saying, “There is an extension to the homebuyer tax credit, which is available to military members and federal employees who live overseas.”

Super Saver presents Taxes are Going Up – No Surprise posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “And it won’t be just for the “wealthy.”

Financial Freedom Plan presents Roth IRA ConversionFinancial Software, posted at My Financial Freedom, saying, “The Roth tax optimization puzzle for asset conversions, as well as for annual Roth contributions during working years, is one of the most complex decisions that the ridiculously complex US taxation and retirement planning system forces upon individuals.”

Mike Piper presents 2011 Tax Brackets: What Will Change and How Should We Plan for It? posted at The Oblivious Investor, saying, “A look at the likely income tax changes between 2010 and 2011, plus some thoughts on how we can plan for them.

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.

Technorati tags: carnival of financial planning, blog carnival.

If you live in the UK and want to start saving your money, you should consider a cash ISA. They’re not as complex as some people would have you believe, and in this article I will explain exactly how a cash ISA works, how it can benefit you, and how to get the best out of one.

So, how exactly are Cash ISAs different to traditional savings accounts? Well, there’s only really one major difference between the two – and that’s the fact that with an ISA, you don’t pay tax on any interest you earn. Interest earned in a standard saver will be taxed at the usual 20% (or 40% if you pay the higher rate), whereas with a cash ISA, every penny is yours – although any money you withdraw will cease to receive this benefit.

As it stands currently, a UK based saver under the age of fifty can deposit £3,600 per tax year in an ISA, while over fifties can deposit £5,100. This is due to change at the start of April though, meaning that everybody can pay in the full £5,100 in the 2010/11 tax year. It is worth remembering that any money withdrawn from your ISA still counts towards the yearly amount – for example, if you were to place the full £5,100 in an ISA at the start of the tax year and subsequently withdraw £100, you would not be able to replace it.

Due to the fact that you are not paying interest, an ISA’s interest rate doesn’t need to be as high as a traditional saver’s, for example, a normal saver would have to pay 3.5% in gross interest in order to earn as much net interest as an ISA that pays 3% – and if you’re a higher rate payer, your regular saver account would have to pay 5%.

Once you’ve got your ISA though, don’t just assume you have the best rate – providers change their rates quite often, and the wise saver will do their best to keep abreast of the deals offered. If you do decide to transfer your ISA however, under no circumstances should you withdraw the full balance, as you will receive no tax benefit at all. Your new provider should have a form for you to fill in, and they will then deal with the transfer. Many providers do not tie you to the account for a set period of time, so it is worth checking every so often that you are getting the best rate you can.

As mentioned previously, shopping around a little can bag you a far better interest rate than those offered initially Cash ISAs can make all the difference to your savings account, so finding the best one for you is of the highest importance. Compare cash ISAs at moneysupermarket to get the best deals.

This post was provided by the Cash ISAs team at moneysupermarket.com

KISS: Keep it SMART Stupid!

The very first trick to achieve your goal is to set them according to the SMART method.  Therefore, your goals must be:

- Specific – Editor’s Picks

You must write your goal on a piece of paper and be very clear about what you want to achieve. Being specific is the key if you don’t want to lose yourself in a sea of possibilities. Start with small things, it will easier to achieve your goals. Here are my editor’s picks:

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- Intelligent Speculator presents his 2010 stock picks. He won our stock picking contest among 9 Bloggers with a spectacular 81.55% return in 2009. you might want to look at his 2010 stock picks before you make your own choice

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- Vh from Funny about Money presents Happy New Year! What Are Your Goals?.

The Funniest thing about this post is that I have decided my theme way before reading then entries. Funny About Money uses the SMART techniques to set up her goals!!

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- Craig Ford from Money Help For Christians presents How To Get Motivated To Manage Your Money, and says, “With so many new resolutions sometimes we just need a little push helping us to get the motivation to start managing our money.”

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- Silicon Valley Blogger from The Digerati Life presents Use A Debt Consolidation Calculator, See How To Erase Debt Faster, and says, “I illustrate how much you can save (or not) through debt consolidation, using a debt pay off calculator.”

A lengthy and well documented case study about erasing debts.

- Measurable – Investing

Set a few metrics around your goal to make sure you can assess that you have attempted your goal. For your investing portfolio, you should establish metrics such as asset allocation (percentage), amount to be invested per month (systematic investment) and expected yield (much harder to attain ). Here are some great investments related articles:

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- Dividend Growth Investor from Dividend Growth Investor presents Capital gains for dividend investors, and says, “While dividends have produced about 40% of average annual returns each year over the past 8 decades, capital gains are important as well. If investors believe that the company’s performance over time would improve, they would bid up the stock price. While the dividend payment would have increased roughly at the same rate as the growth in stock prices, the current yield could be unchanged. ”

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- D4L from Dividends Value presents Seven Stocks Expected to Grow Their Dividends in 2010, and says, “As the year draws to a close there were very few companies of note increasing their dividends this week. With that, I thought it would be interesting to see who might be the big dividend raisers in 2010. Here are seven companies for your consideration:”

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- Mike Piper from The Oblivious Investor presents What’s the Purpose of Diversification?, and says, “There appear to be two conflicting definitions of “diversification.” Depending upon who you ask, a Wilshire 5000 index fund may be as diversified as you can get, or it may not be diversified at all.”

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- Paul Williams from Provident Planning presents Free Portfolio Rebalancing Calculator!, and says, “Use this free calculator to quickly rebalance your portfolio to your target asset allocation without having to do all the math.”

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- Bret from Hope to Prosper presents Hopeful Predictions for 2010, and says, “Financial predictions for 2010, with some facts to back them up.”

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- DR from Doughroller presents Comparison of TIPS and Series I Savings Bonds, and says, “When you think of inflation protected bonds, you probably think of TIPS. But did you know that I Bonds are also adjusted for inflation?”

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- Helen from Science and Money presents Required Minimum Distributions vs. Roth, and says, “The taxman cometh when you turn 70 1/2, and he taketh away the taxes on your IRA through required minimum distributions. In this post I investigate whether it’s useful to accelerate RMD’s by converting your IRA to a Roth. (Plot spoiler: No, it isn’t.)”

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- Matt Jabs from Debt Free Adventure presents Traditional IRA and Roth IRA Contribution Limits, and says, “Continually updated information on Roth IRA contribution limits and Traditional IRA contribution limits for each subsequent tax and contribution year.Now that you know how much and when to contribute, now you should focus on where to house your IRA.”

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-Clarence Haynes from Personal Finance Analyst presents Calculating 401(k) Early Withdrawal Fees, Look Before You Leap… .

- Attainable – Money Management

While an easy goal won’t push your limits, unrealistic goals won’t do any good on your motivation. You need to look at setting a fair challenge. Learning how to manage your money through a budget could be a very interesting goal for 2010. Here are the articles about money management:

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- J. Money from Budgets Are Sexy presents Do you have money left over each month?, and says, “The whole point of budgeting, besides sharpening your math skills & getting an A+ from yours truly, is to figure out how much “extra” you’re playing with every month. When all your bills are paid, how much do you have left over?”

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- Sean from Growing Money presents Holiday Tipping.

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- Jason from Live Real, Now presents How have you improved your situation today?.

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- FMF from Free Money Finance presents Marriage and Wealth, and says, “Is it just a coincidence that married people have higher net worths?”

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- CPF from Christian Finances presents Tax Tips for the end of the year!, and says, “These are some tips for the end of the year to get your taxes in order… ”

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- J.D. Roth from Get Rich Slowly presents It’s More Important to Be Happy Than to Be Rich, and says, “True happiness comes when you learn to be content with what you have. If you don’t take the time to figure out what Enough means to you, you’ll always be unhappy with your financial situation. ”

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- SS4BC from Small Steps for Big Change presents Things I Wish I Had Known As A Graduate Student.

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- B Simple from Simple Financial Lifestyle presents How Does Your Personal Financial Budget Fit?.

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- Dana from Not Made of Money presents Five Good Financial Habits to Start in the New Year.

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- ElizabethG (Modern Gal) from Modern Gal presents A Fresh Financial Start.

- Relevant – Frugality and Debt Management

While increasing your net worth is a good resolution, you may want to concentrate your effort on paying down your debts first. This will more relevant and you will probably increase your net worth in the end anyway

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- Darwin from Darwin’s Finance presents How I Saved 44% on my Comcast Bill, and says, “Want to save 40% or more on your Comcast or other provider bill? A step by step chat session transcript outlining exactly how to negotiate massive discounts from service providers.”

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- Curt from PennyJobs.com presents 2009 Budget Reflections.

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- Silicon Valley Blogger from The Digerati Life presents Use A Debt Consolidation Calculator, See How To Erase Debt Faster, and says, “I illustrate how much you can save (or not) through debt consolidation, using a debt pay off calculator.”

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- CindyS from Oh My Aching Debts presents Life On A Cash Basis, and says, “We live life on a cash basis. ”

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- Miss Thrifty from Miss Thrifty presents Invisiblehand will slash ??? from your shopping.

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- The Smarter Wallet from The Smarter Wallet presents Debt Consolidation Loans: Tips, Pros and Cons, and says, “Here are some of our ideas for consolidating debt.”

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- Blogging Banks from Blogging Banks presents $125 Chase Checking Bonus.

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- LeanLifeCoach from Eliminate The Muda! presents Building Credit Without Credit Cards, and says, “Whether you are just starting out or you found yourself in the position of having to rebuild your credit, there are several options at hand. ”

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- Daniel from Sweating The Big Stuff presents How To Get The Most From Your Gift Cards.

- Time Sensitive – Other

Technically, your resolution should be keep throughout the year and your ultimate deadline should be December 31^st 2010. However, I suggest dividing your goals in pieces to be evaluated every quarter so you can follow your bigger goals a few months at a time.

- Eric from Narrow Bridge Adventures presents Getting Ready for Tax Time: 5 Tax Forms You Need, and says, “An early look at what we need to do to get ready for our 2009 taxes. April is not too far off after all.”

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- Cents from Making Cents of Money presents Selling Magazine Subscriptions for Income.

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- Henry Stern, LUTCF, CBC from InsureBlog presents Alphabet Soup News: “Reform” Edition, and says, “Summary: If you have an Health Savings or Flexible Spending account, 2010 brings an increase of up to 40% in the cost of your medications.”

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- jim from Bargaineering.com presents How to Donate Appreciated Stock.

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- mbhunter from Mighty Bargain Hunter presents Your calling doesn’t necessarily fund your retirement by itself, and says, “Are you taking a low income to pursue your calling? Please don’t throw in the financial towel!”

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image source: Aaron Geller, Aussiegall, Dcysurfer, Takomabibelot, Victor Frankowski.

#1 Becoming a Millionaire by 35

This is definitely my biggest dream. Why 35? Simply because 30 was too short and 40 was too old This is also why we named our company M-35! At the age of 28 (only 7 years to go! Doh!), my net worth is around 100K. So I basically have to multiply it by 10 in 7 years. While this sounds completely ridiculous for most people, I look at it as quite the challenge instead. One way or the other, if I do all I can to make it, even if I fail, I’ll surely end-up with a nice fat net worth at that age anyways As becoming a millionaire at 35 is my biggest dream, here are my EDITOR’S PICKS:

A special mention to FMF who presents Five Steps to Six Figures in Seven Years posted at Free Money Finance. As I just started my new series about how to make 6 figure income, I really like the advices in this great articles!

Baker presents There’s Always An Excuse Not To Give posted at Man Vs. Debt.

Rainy-Day Saver presents Bad Spending Habits — We All Have Them posted at Rainy-Day Saver.

vh presents Would you buy a house near a Walmart? posted at Funny about Money.

BWL presents An argument for giving gift cards posted at Christian Personal Finance.

J.D. Roth presents The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good posted at Get Rich Slowly.

#2 Running my own business full time (and golfing every Friday!)

For those who have been reading The Financial Blogger for a long time (and if you are a new reader, I suggest you subscribe to my RSS Feed and Mailing List), you know that I am running a company as an alternative source of income. Over the past 2 years, the company’s revenue hasn’t stop growing and I am now hoping that it will reach the critical step where I could quit my job for good. Once this goal is achieved, I will “force” myself to go golfing every Friday morning. This is will become a special moment where I can think about the company, its direction and also about how the hell I will be able to play below 90!

Super Saver presents It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask posted at My Wealth Builder.

David R. Lampsen presents It’s the Grocery Game… And I’m Actually Interested posted at Personal Finance Analyst.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Yet Another Tax Humor Piece: Interactive Taxes posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Suzane Smith presents 13 Most Common Sneaky Charges on Your Credit Card Bills (and How to Spot Them) posted at Online Criminal Justice Degrees.

Mr Credit Card presents How To Maximize Reward Points for Vacation and Travels posted at Ask Mr Credit Card.

#3 Buying an acreage property

I almost realized this dream this year! I really would like to buy a house with 3 to 10 acres of forest. I love to have space around me and I really like forests. We saw a property with 3.5 acres of land recently but there was only one bathroom and no possibility to build a second one. That is too bad; I’ll have to wait for the next one!

Linda Jones presents 100 Money Experts You Should Follow and Learn From on Twitter posted at AccreditedOnlineColleges.org.

Zach Scheidt presents Whole Foods Market – Not Every Sale is a Bargain posted at ZachStocks.

Robert D Flach presents WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’ – WEDNESDAY EDITION posted at THE WANDERING TAX PRO.

oneadvice presents What Debt Solutions are Available? posted at One Advice.

Case Ernsting presents Memberships Can Save Your Business Money posted at FinditLocal411 Blog.

Alex presents The Best Free Online Budget Tracking Tool posted at MoneyStance – Money Making Opportunity Reviews.

Robert Damone presents Ten Myths About ETF Investing posted at ETF Database.

Randolph Goldberg presents How to Rebuild Your Credit posted at Las Vegas Bankruptcy Information.

#4 Teaching my children about money properly

I am the lucky father of two amazing children. They are now 4 and 2 and obviously don’t know much about money yet. As we educate them, I hope that I will be able to show them how to handle it carfully, how to avoid the pitfalls of debt and how to create revenue with their talent. Financial education is very important to me as money can facilitate a lot of aspects of one’s future.

Mrs. Money presents The Debt Shoebox | Ultimate Money Blog posted at The Ultimate Money Blog.

Tyler presents Multiple Intelligences: Why You?re A Green Rock Star but Suck at Saving Money posted at Frugally Green.

Annette Berlin presents How To Buy Craft Supplies on Ebay posted at Craft Stew.

Wenchypoo presents Just in Time For Black Friday and Beyond: Print Ad Susceptibility posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

mrs laughton presents The Definitive Guide To Real Estate ETFs: Real Estate ETF Investing 101 posted at ETF database.

The Amateur Financier presents Small Business 101: Bootstrapping posted at The Amateur Financier.

Billeater presents Five Ways to Save Home Heating Energy posted at Billeater.

J. Money presents The $100 Scratch Off Lottery Project! posted at Budgets are Sexy..

debt kid presents Getting Out Of Debt Is Lonely posted at Debt Kid.

eemusings presents What are you worth? posted at Musings of an Abstract Aucklander.

So, that’s it for the Carnival. However, I really would like to know about your financial dreams?

image source: chispita,

Enkhtuvshin’s 40D..’s ,

brianforbes37,

- How to save money on a wedding

- How to save money for Christmas

- Learn to trade stocks with 10 free lessons

- How to cut your grocery bill by 20% while being lazy

**** Don’t miss our 2X  $50 giveaway at Gather Little By Little with our SmartyPig Review!***

#1 My Zedbed Mattress

I have always been wondering what the difference is between a $200 mattress and a $2000 one. Everywhere I had lived, I was never impressed by the bed I was sleeping in. They all look the same to me and this is why I kept mine for 30 years (no joke!). But, I slept in a different bed in a hotel in Quebec City (Hotel 71… the place to stay if you go to Quebec City!). I simply had a marvellous night (and I am talking about the kind of sleep I had… pervert! ). This mattress doesn’t have springs. It has different layers of foams and other stuff (inspired by NASA). It is just too much! So I finally caved and coughed up the 2 grand for the mattress. And everyday, I smile when I am about to go to sleep

Baker presents The X-Men Guide To Unlocking Your Financial Mutant Powers posted at Man Vs. Debt.

GLBL presents Homeschool Finance posted at Gather Little by Little.

Peak Personal Finance presents 5 Financial Rules for Women posted at Peak Personal Finance.

Super Saver presents Opportunity to Pay Zero Federal Income Tax in 2010 posted at My Wealth Builder.

Fabulously Broke presents Major Holiday Busters Part 2 posted at Fabulously Broke ….in the City.

Kristia presents Use Your Frugal Skills and ‘Adopt’ a Family This Holiday Season posted at Family Balance Sheet.

MiddleWay presents Year End Utilities Review posted at Early Retirement the Middle Way.

Tyler Tervooren presents Give Yourself the Right Tools for the Job posted at Frugally Green.

Ash presents Costs, Part 1 – Opportunity Costs posted at Breathe-Smile.

#2 My 42” Plasma TV

4 years ago, I went on a crazy shopping spree during Boxing Day to find my TV. I had a 20” TV for 8 years and was looking for a change. I don’t watch too much TV but I watch a movie here and there since it is harder to get out to the cinema with 2 young children at home. Then again, plasma TVs were definitely not cheap 4 years ago. However, even today; every time I light it up, my TV holds up and I continue to appreciate the size and the quality of the picture.

FMF presents Mindless Spending: Frequency Matters More Than Height posted at Free Money Finance.

Jeff Rose presents 3 Ways to Save Money During a Recession posted at Jeff Rose.

Andy presents Weekly Wrap – Cheaper Online Stock Trading and My New Costco-Amex Card posted at Saving to Inve$t.

Paul Williams presents Raising a Cow for Beef: Month 3 posted at Provident Planning.

jim presents How to Cancel Your Cable TV Service posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Hank presents Living With Less: Social Security and Many Companies Are Cutting Cost of Living Adjustments posted at Own The Dollar.

Peter presents 2 Compelling Reasons To Buy The Most Expensive House In Your Neighborhood posted at Bible Money Matters.

J.D. Roth presents How Much House Do You Need? posted at Get Rich Slowly.

Stephanie presents I made Fabric Bags with Ties posted at Stop the Ride!.

#3 My Laptop

For once, I didn’t have to pay a fortune to get something solid! When I started The Financial Blogger 3 years ago (3^rd birthday is approaching, make sure to come back for the giveaways!), I decided to buy a brand new laptop to be able to write in the bus. Well 3 years later, I am still with the very same laptop and I just love it! It’s a Toshiba Satellite (the cheap one) and it is very solid! (Trust me, I am not the perfect gentleman when it comes to handling these things ). This little square piece of plastic has become my new best friend!

Elle presents Shopping Around for Painting Supplies posted at Couple Money.

Wise_Bread presents Get More Bang For Your Membership Buck posted at Wisebread.

Joe Plemon presents 6 Steps on How to Prosper by Celebrating Your Marital Differences posted at Personal Finance By The Book.

Ray @ Financial Highway presents Best Credit Card posted at Financial Highway.

MLR presents How to Evaluate the Rent vs Buy Decision posted at My Life ROI, Getting the Best Return On Life.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents ING Direct Review: Electric Orange, Business Savings Accounts posted at The Digerati Life.

PT presents A Thanksgiving Stuffed with Savings posted at PT Money.

Wren Caulfield presents Couchsurfing to Save Money and Make Friends While Traveling: Our Experiences. posted at True Adventures in Money Hacking.

DR presents Sccusesufl Peosrnal Finnace Deos Not Riqueire Perftceion posted at The Dough Roller.

Billeater presents Know Your Food Plan Levels and Save posted at Billeater.

#4 My BlackBerry

Speaking of best friends, my BlackBerry is now more than a friend (maybe I could say it’s my 3^rd child… just kidding ). But seriously folks, I was not convinced about the added value of having a BlackBerry. I was reading about people getting addicted or paralyzed as they were trying to do too many things at the same time. But with the company growing, I had no other choice but to try it in order to improve my productivity. I can tell that once you have found a balance in your life and you have shown your BB who is the master, it is the most useful thing I carry with me everyday!

debt kid presents 7 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Save When All You Want to Do Is Spend posted at Debtkid.

The Smarter Wallet presents How To Live Debt Free With No Credit posted at The Smarter Wallet.

a.b. presents I Am So Cheap…..I reuse tape. posted at Modern Tightwad.

Barry presents Money Mangement As You Approach Retirement posted at Associate Money.

Craig Ford presents 50 Christmas Gift Ideas: Make Your Own Personalized Gifts posted at Money Help For Christians.

Sun presents The True Cost of a Coupon posted at Earn More Invest Wisely at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

Madison presents Black Friday 2009 Free Stuff posted at My Dollar Plan.

Miss Thrifty presents Get your digital photos printed for free posted at Miss Thrifty.

Tom @ Canadian Finance Blog presents Save Money This Christmas With LED Lights posted at Canadian Finance Blog.

MoneyNing presents Are 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards for Life Possible? posted at Money Ning.

So that’s it for the Festival of Frugality! And you, What was your best purchase?

Image source:

rabbitdan

jeffisageek

arbron

edans

Welcome to this new edition of the Festival of Stocks! For this festival, I have decided to share my thoughts on a few investment products you may have or consider to include in your portfolio. If you are new to The Financial Blogger, I may suggest you read those investment related posts:

- 10 Trading Lessons for Free

- Top 10 Dividend Stocks in Canada

- 9 Free Investing Resources

- 4 best stocks in 2009

#1 ETF’s (Exchange Traded Fund)

For someone who knows a little bit about stock markets and economy, building a portfolio with ETF’s may be the best solution. ETF’s can track anything you may think of (this is probably their biggest flaw at the same time!). So you can build a customized portfolio and fees are minimal. ETF’s are definitely the best products available on the market right now (again, for someone who knows what he is doing!).

The Smarter Wallet presents Should You Trade Stocks Online? posted at The Smarter Wallet.

Canadian Investor presents Should Penny Stocks Be In Your Investment Strategy? posted at Canadian Penny Stocks Blog.

Steve Alexander presents MFI Stock Review: Sturm Ruger & Co Inc. (RGR) posted at MagicDiligence – The Best Magic Formula Stocks.

AlexG presents Jim Rogers Financial Times Interview Novemver 03, 2009 | All Things Jim Rogers posted at All Things Jim Rogers.

#2 Mutual Funds

Several bloggers hate mutual funds or despise them. However, mutual funds can be very useful depending at what financial stage (and knowledge) you are. For example, for someone who is accumulating on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, investing periodically in a mutual funds will allow him to participate in the market with a small amount (things you couldn’t do if you would buy ETF’s). You also have managed solutions for clients who don’t want to take care of their investment but still want to invest. Overall, mutual funds are not as bad as they are described by a few financial journalists / bloggers.

Zach Scheidt presents Vitamin Shoppe Adds to Successful IPO posted at ZachStocks.

GLBL presents Get the Swine Flu H1N1 Stocks! posted at BuyMyStockPicks.com.

Intelligent Speculator presents Will commodity ETF’s exist a year from now? posted at Intelligent Speculator.

D4L presents Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Dividend Stock Analysis posted at Dividends Value.

Mike Piper presents Where to Rollover My 401k posted at The Oblivious Investor.

#3 CD’s (Certificate of Deposits)

In French, those are called CPG. It means Certificat de Placement Garanti. However, we call them Certificat of Pauvreté (poverty) Garanti (Guaranteed) in the banking industry. While this provide the ultimate security, rates are so low that you will barely protect your investment from inflation once you have calculated applicable taxes. In other words, I don’t really like them

Matt_SF presents Traders Know it?s a Gold Bubble, Why Don?t You? posted at Steadfast Finances.

Jeff Rose presents What is a Penny Stock? posted at Jeff Rose.

Leslie Brown presents The Definitive Silver ETF Guide (Five Minute Edition) posted at ETF database.

Darwin presents 2009 Stock Market Returns YTD from Around the World – Shocking! posted at Darwin’s Finance.

#4 Dividend Stocks

I really like dividend paying stocks. Most of them are Blue Chips and offer a great stability in your portfolio while providing a constant income at the same time. The only thing to be careful with is to not consider dividend stocks like pure fixed income. As we have seen in 2008, even those shares can fluctuate a lot.

Mike presents Jumping On the Bandwagon posted at Minting Pennies – Personal Finance, Investing, and Microfinance.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents OptionsHouse Review: Low Commission Broker posted at The Digerati Life.

Super Saver presents A Bubble is Coming posted at My Wealth Builder.

#5 Bonds

If included in a bond ladder, municipal bonds and corporate bonds could be of great help in your investment portfolio. This will stabilize the volatility and can provide some good yield if you make your trades on the right timing (think about junk bonds in early 2009, this was the best performing asset class during the first 6 months!).

TIP Guy presents Stock Pre-Screening Process and Metrics | TIPBlog.in posted at TIPBlog.in.

TradingStocks.com presents Investing in Bonds posted at Trading Stocks.