1. The Financial Blogger talks about how a school shows you how to be poor. How? Read the post to find out!
2. Should you relocate to cut costs and living expenses is a question answered by the Fiscal Geek. This is a very interesting topic especially with a lot of people wanting to relocate to “save money”.
3. What are the things that you want to do or accomplish in your lifetime? Do you have a life list like J. Money of Budgets are Sexy?
4. One of the things at home that we use a lot of are detergents, and I find Money Crashers’ How to Save Money on Household Cleaners extremely helpful, and practical.
5. Technology changes so fast, sometimes it’s just so hard to keep up. Computers always have an upgraded hardware or software every so often, and it’s costly to keep replacing it as soon as a new one comes out. It’s great to be able to save money on your next computer, thanks to Money Under 30.
6. 20something finance presents the 7 HUGE benefits to downsizing to a tiny home. I bet saving money on mortgage is on top of the list.
7. Dreaming to be a financial planner? Well, stop dreaming and get to work because Wealth Pilgrim will share his knowledge on how to get great financial planner jobs.
8. Shopping, traveling, fancy cars. There are just so many things one can do, but the only things keeping a lot of us from doing is because of financial constraints. Enemy of Debt tells us to please stop saying: “I don’t make enough money to do that.”
9. Want to own a Schwab Credit Card but not able to do so because new applications are not being accepted? Good news! Replacing the 2% Schwab Credit Card is the Fidelity Retirement Rewards American Express card as posted by the Oblivious Investor.
10. Blogging isn’t as profitable as it used to be. Here, Studenomics shares how making money online has changed and the alternatives to earning money online.
11. Watching a movie from home is so much cheaper than watching in a theater. But the DVDs nowadays seem to be filled with pesky movie trailers. Len Penzo comes up with DVDs from Hell: How to Deal with Unskippable Trailers & Ads. Definitely worth trying!
12. Asking a question not only helps you get an answer, but sometimes, it can help save money too! Read on about the Canadian Finance blog post on The Power of Asking.
13. Craig of Money Help for Christians shares with us the 3 ways blogging teaches him to be a better missionary. This is surely an interesting read.
14. With the wonderful technology the world has today, it’s so easy to make money online. Generation X Finance posts the 10 ways to make money online from anywhere.
15. “I’m going to kick my own ass” is what the Financial Samurai is saying, now that his new site is already up and running. Feel free to visit!

The Carnival of Personal Finance #270, the Elvis is Dead Edition is now live!

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1. Green Panda Treehouse guest posts on Free from Broke with an article titled: A Plan for Beginning Investors.
2. So you have decided to be a CFP just like The Financial Blogger. Should you start as a salaried employee or on commission? Read on to find out more.
3. Money Under 30 writes about Freelance Work: Why You Should Be Freelancing Now and the Secret to Getting Started. Frankly, I don’t see the reason why you SHOULDN’T be freelancing. Who doesn’t want to be his own boss, right?
4. This is pretty interesting. Len Penzo conducts the 2nd Annual Brown Bag Survey: The 10 Most Economical Sandwiches. I’m only glad to see that my favorite tuna sandwich made it on the list.
5. We all have goals we want to accomplish, and most of the time, it’s actually just DOING IT that is required before we reach those goals. Here are 5 Tips on How to Accomplish a Financial Goal from Money Help for Christians.
6. College isn’t college without parties, dates and tons of other fun stuff. But most would require having cash on hand, or for the lucky ones, having a credit card handy. But do you really need a credit card while in college? Studenomics presents The Pros and Cons of Getting a Credit Card in College.
7. Financial Samurai posts about The Four Different Ways to Spend by Milton Friedman. I didn’t know there were “ways” of spending. And I found this post really interesting, and it certainly made me see “spending” in a different light.
8. Christian PF Blog reaches out to those who are in need. So if you are buried deep in debt, or for any Financial Crisis? Start Here!
9. Money Smart Life presents 8 Fabulous Money Innovations. A list of wonderful and useful money inventions in this wonderful world of technology.
10. Are you a writer? Are you working freelance? Well, here’s a nice list of five of the best websites for freelance writers.
11. One job is sometimes not enough for some of us. And it is quite common nowadays for people to have a side job. Here’s a guide onHow to Find and Manage a Second Job from Money Crashers.
12. The Oblivious Investor talks about Guaranteed Annuity Income: Is it Really Safe? I’m sure this is something a lot of us would life to find out more about.
13. I love Free Money, as long as there are no strings attached. Is there such a thing though? Brad Chaffee tells us why he hates free money in the Enemy of Debt Blog.
14. What’s The Kiddie Roth? Sounds new, right? Read the Joe Taxpayer blog to find out more about it.
15. Most Canadians can afford retirement, but can you afford retirement care? Most forget to plan for long-term care. The Canadian Finance blog tells us why we should not just plan for retirement, but for retirement care as well.

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So here are my favorite reads for the weekend:

1. Who says blogging is the only way to earn money online? Here are a few other ways to make money online without blogging presented by The Financial Blogger.
2. The Cost of Our Jobs by Kristina of DINKS Finance may make you want to rethink about what you should consider when applying for and accepting a new job.
3. Most of us need to a car to get to and from work. It is in fact already considered a necessity. But do you know what’s your car really costing you? This article by Money Under 30 tells us exactly what a car can cost us these days.
4. 20somethingfinance lists The Top Ten Cities for Young Professionals. I think location is one of the key things to consider when looking for a job. Read on!
5. What are the things you can’t live without? Studenomics has a list of College Dorm Room Essentials.
6. The Financial Samurai posts that Senior Workers Outnumber Teenage Workers for the First Time. And no, he isn’t kidding.
7.Budgets are Sexy presents: Introducing Strip Budgeting. Budgeting does not need to be boring!
8. Weddings: Spend or Splurge. Len Penzo says that A Big Fat Expensive Wedding is Stupid is as Stupid Does.
9. Christmas in July: How to Save More than $500 by Christmas is a very helpful post for us who would want to be spared from the hassles of Christmas shopping..and budgeting.
10. Building a strong financial foundation is very important to be able to maintain that momentum all throughout. Christian PF discusses how.
11. Want to buy a house? Before you do, check out the 5 Good Reasons buying a house requires planning by Money Smart Life.
12. The Wealth Pilgrim gives out the list of 19 Great Jobs Without A College Degree — And how to get them fast. So what are you waiting for?
13. Saving isn’t an easy thing to do. But every step towards your goal counts. Here, Smart on Money shares Three Steps You Can Take to Turn Your Financial Life Around.
14. “Should you overestimate your retirement needs?“, “How much should you save for retirement?”. These are a few questions running through our minds. pt Money will help clear your mind from these questions.
15. Do you spend more than you can afford? Do you justify these expenses by stating that these are necessities or investments? Read more about the Fallacy of OPM – Other People’s Money and see what the Fiscal Geek has to say.

Carnivals:
Green Panda Treehouse has been included in this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance #267 at Beating Broke
and also in Carnival of Money Stories #64 – No Debt Plan Edition.

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Each Friday, we list the best post of the weeks:

1. The Financial Blogger tackles a topic that most of us probably take for granted. How Do You Manage Your Email might sound a litte off-topic, but managing your email can help you increase your productivity, or your earnings.
2. Cutting down on food wasted is saving money in itself. 20something Finance shows us How to Navigate ‘Sell by’, ‘Use by’, & ‘Best Before’ Dates in Order to Cut Down on Food Waste.
3. Money Under 30 tells us to Refinance Now, If You Can. This entry answers the question “Should I refinance now?”, and the author says that it all depends on whether you’re eligible and just how much you’ll save.
4. I’m sure a lot of you will be interested to know How An Immediate Annuity Payout Really Works. Here are the pros of using an immediate annuity.
5. The closing costs for a home loan are something that won’t show up in in the results of a mortgage calculator. Money Smart Life tells you how much you need to plan on spending on home loan closing costs.
6. Using your mobile phone is essential in today’s lifestyle. Generation X Finance discusses 8 Ways to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.
7. Being broke isn’t something to be proud of, and it’s not something that’s easy to just blurt out. Studenomics reveals the 15 Cool Ways to Say I’m Broke.
8. I don’t think I remember learning about the U.S. Presidents and Their Net Worth in class. This sure is interesting!
9. Not everyone is a big fan of using plastic, and not everyone can or wants to own a credit card for different reasons. But for those who wants to go prepaid, such a debit or credit card, Christian PF lets us in on The Best Prepaid Cards & Who Should Use Them.
10. I know a lot of us look forward to summer. A lot of people travel and spend their vacation in resorts, tours, cruises, etc. Mark of Money Crashers lets us in on How to Save Money During The Hot Summer.
11. Keeping up with technology isn’t an easy task. Banking, shopping, business, etc. can now be done online. Here is a little help from PT Money — Internet Savings: What it Is and Why it Will Dominate the Future of Personal Savings.
12. We never know when there is a need to be admitted to a hospital or any health institution. Do you know that you can Save Money on Hefty Hospital Bills Simply by Requesting for a Discount?
13. Healthy eating doesn’t necessarily mean having to spend more for organic fruits and vegetables. Len Penzo tells us the 15 Organic Fruits & Veggies That Aren’t Worth Paying More For.
14. Time is Money — What are We Spending It On? is a very good question that we should ask ourselves.
15. Alan of Canadian Finance Blog is Calculating Fuel Economy. How much are you spending on gas?

Every Friday, I’ll pull out the 15 coolest personal finance article I found on the blogs I read weekly:

#1 Your Net Worth Is An Illusion @ Financial Samurai. Really? Well when I go see my bank, they like my illusion

#2 The Quest for Perfect Credit Score @ PT Money. Having a high credit score makes your financial life so much easier!

#3 How To Sell Junks For Cash @ The Digerati Life. I never take enough time getting rid of my stuff. I always end-up giving it!

#4 Money Lesson from Wal Mart @ Christian PF

#5 401k Ripoff @ Joe Taxpayer

#6 Q&A on Credit Cards @ Studenomics

#7 Capitalizing on Limitation @ Canadian Finance Blog

#8 Would You Lend Money To Family or Friends @ 20 Something Finance. I’ve borrowed money once and I would never do it again!

#9 10 ways to save money on wedding @ Money under 30.

#10 Morningstars Stars; Are Mutual Fund Ratings Any Use @ The Oblivious Investor. I believe that they are not of any use

#11 Best mortgage for first time home buyer : 15 vs 30 year term @ The Wealth Pilgrim.

#12 REITs: A TireRed Investment for Dyslexics @ Len Penzo

#13 Borrower is Slave to the Lender @ Money Help For Christians

#14 Should I Get Out Of The Market @ Gen X Finance

#15 Before You Agree To A Debt Settlement @ Amateur Asset Allocator.

Every Friday, I’ll pull out the 15 coolest personal finance article I found on the blogs I read weekly:

#1 Cool Millionaire Calculator @ Monevator

#2 How To Build a Bond ETF Portfolio @ Intelligent Speculator

#3 How to Reduce Student Debts @ The Digerati Life

#4 West Coast Living @ Finanical Samurai

#5 Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance @ The Wealth Pilgrim

#6 The Cold Hard Truth: Debt is Stupid and you Might Be too @ Enemy of Debt

#7 Are ETFs bad for Investors? @ Oblivious Investor

#8 How Does a Young Person Obtain a Mortgage? @ Studenomics

#9 Is it too Late for Retirement Planning? @ The Financial Blogger

#10 Guaranteed Investment Certificate Explained @ The Canadian Finance Blog

#11 The Changing Foundation of Marriage @ Money Smarts Blog

#12 It is Better to Buy or Rent? @ Moolanomy

#13 How To Create A Perfect Ebay Listing That Sells @ Being Frugal

#14 Which Retirement Account is right for me? @ Money under 30

#15 What is Peer to Peer Lending? @ PT Money

Welcome to this edition of the Carnival of Money Stories – Why Do I Like Personal Finance so Much?

In this Carnival, I outline 4 reasons why I like personal finance so much.

REASON #1: Keeping My Lifestyle

I just LOVE working 4 days a week at my day job and having my wife staying home to take care of my 2 children. If I wasn’t managing my personal finance properly, I could definitely not keep up with my lifestyle. So money make me realize one of my dream; spending a lot of time with my family.

Intelligent Speculator presents My Approach To Investing posted at Intelligent Speculator.

The Financial Blogger presents Sometimes, Not Asking For A Raise Is The Best Strategy To Get One posted at The Financial Blogger.

PT presents Stated Income Mortgage: No More Liar Loans Available posted at PT Money.

The Amateur Financier presents Confession Time: I Have Credit Card Debt | The Amateur Financier posted at The Amateur Financier.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Married To Money posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

James Madison presents Debt Collector Enemies posted at Debt Consolidation 2U.

Briana Ford presents I’m Not Poor, I’m On a Budget posted at GoBankingRates.

REASON #2: Personal Finance is Always Evolving

If you are looking for something that is always renewing, where you will always learn new stuff, try learning more about personal finance. There are a tons of ways to manage a budget, to structure your financing and to invest your money and I truly believe that the best is yet to come.

Money Beagle presents I Admit, I’m A Cheater (And I Don’t Feel Guilty) posted at Money Beagle.

Adam presents Best business to get into posted at BusinessBlog.

MoneyNing presents Is Our Drive for Higher Income Ruining Our Culture? posted at Money Ning.

BWL presents 7 Investment Lessons From Peter Lynch posted at Christian Personal Finance.

Jeff Rose, CFP presents Dave Ramsey’s FPU Week 7: Types of Life Insurance You Need posted at Jeff Rose.

Michael presents Understanding the Wall Street Stock Market Crash of 1929 posted at The Dough Roller.

REASON #3: There are no absolute answer

There are several fields in life where there is only 1 good answer. In the world of personal finance, nothing is completely black or white; there is always a gray area. This leads to a lot of great debates where brilliant minds are opposed. So is it better to pay of f your mortgage faster or to invest more money?

Cheapskate Sandy presents Real Life: Foreclosure Easier Than Loan Modification? posted at Yes, I Am Cheap.

Kristina presents What Your Personal Banker Can (and Cannot) Do posted at DINKS Finance.

J. Money presents Goodbye 10% of My Salary! posted at Budgets Are Sexy.

Madison DuPaix presents How Much Does a Funeral Cost? posted at My Dollar Plan.

FMF presents And Yet Another College Student Who Needs a Clue posted at Free Money Finance.

vh presents Death by 1000 tiny annoyances posted at Funny about Money.

Barb Friedberg presents HOW TRADING IN A CAR EVERY 2 YEARS MAKES GOOD FINANCIAL SENSE posted at Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance.

REASON #4: You Can’t Buy Happiness But You Can Certainly Buy Magic Moments

I just come back from the Cirque du Soleil last weekend with my wife and my 2 children. We had an amazing day looking at this show. During a few hours, our family was transported in a very special place where magic exists. Looking at the sparkles in the eyes of my older one, I knew he had a blast during this moment. This would have not been possible without money!

Donna Freedman presents Automatic frugality. posted at Surviving and Thriving.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Get Cheap Clothes Online or Elsewhere With These Tips posted at The Digerati Life.

BackTaxesHelp.com presents Borrowing Money from Family posted at Money Smart Life.

Bucksome presents I Broke Up with My Hairdresser posted at Buck$ome Boomer’s Journey to Retirement.

Nicole presents Runaway Spending: How I Lost My Grip on Our Finances posted at Rainy-Day Saver.

Mr. Credit Card presents Open Letter To Ryan Grimm, Huffington Post posted at Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog.

Miss Bankrupt presents Bankruptcy and Why I’m Smarter Than Dave Ramsey posted at Miss Bankrupt.

Next week, the carnival of money stories will be hosted at Sweating The Big Stuff.

image source: blatantnews, dannysullivan,