Mighty Bargain Hunter

Roundup for week of 1 July 2007: The Wiseguy Edition

July 7th, 2007 | by mbhunter |

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Ever get in one of those moods? Record high temperatures are going on in the West, and I’m off on travel for three weeks starting Sunday to — you guessed it — the West. Actually, one of the hottest places in the country.  It’s one hundred sixteen freakin’ degrees right now – and the local time is after 11 PM!  Thank goodness it only feels like one hundred seven.

So welcome to the Wiseguy Edition of the weekly roundup.  If the descriptions grate on you, just click on the links and enjoy the linked posts.  They’re all really good posts.

I’ll be better next week, really.  Probably about fifty pounds lighter from all of the water loss.

• Blueprint for Financial Prosperity outlines how to play the exciting game of eBay High Demand Gadget Quick Flipping To  People Who Can’t Wait Another Second To Get Their Hands On That Really Cool IPhone Omigosh Going Through IWithdrawal Must Get IFix Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Much Better.  (This game is especially exciting if you enjoy cooling your heels for hours in line and relish ridicule by passersby.)
• Consumerism Commentary dishes out ten inexpensive things you could do this summer if you happen to live around where he lives.  (If you don’t then they would be ten extremely expensive things you could do this summer, as you would have to burn lots of $3/gallon gas to get to them and pay approximately $457.65 in tolls.)
• Five Cent Nickel discloses eight carefully-chosen random things about himself.  (Normally he is above such pedestrian posting but he makes a rare exception because he felt an ever-so-small twinge of remorse for sending Clever Dude a box of bricks while all of the other winners of his second blogaversary got something useful.)
• Free Money Finance discusses whether it’s better to rent and invest than buy a house.  (Most people say you shouldn’t time a market but I see very little upside for real estate now.  No, actually, the market seems more like “it’s gonna drop like a rock.”  I’d sell my house and rent now if I could get away with it.)
• All Financial Matters outlines when one should start taking Social Security benefits.  (This may apply to some readers but for me it’s more going to be “Will Social Security still be around when I’m old enough to receive benefits?”  If they’re still there when I’m older and grayer, the question will be “Should I buy a pizza or a sub with my monthly check?”)
• Money, Matter, and More Musings makes it clear that a dollar amount cannot be an end goal.  (Though if that dollar amount is $1 billion and you make that goal, pretty much everything else should sort itself out.)
• The Digerati Life describes home renovations and what a big investment they can be.  (Ya know?  It’s not nice to stereotype people, but some Trekkies — uhhh, I mean Trekkers — earn that stereotype for the rest of them!)
• Generation X Finance serves up part four of the mid-year financial checkup with Christmas in July.  (Yeah, it’ll get down to ninety-five where I am.)
• Blogging Away Debt owes less than $20k.  (OK, no wise remarks about that one.  Great job!)
• Pro Bargain Hunter discusses why Ukrainians are poor.  (Because they don’t have a whole lot of disposable income?  Naaaah, that can’t be it.)
• The Sun’s Financial Diary makes the case for alternative investments in a portfolio.  (This is good advice.  I’m long on Forever Stamps myself.  I’m also accumulating California Raisin figurines.)
• Lazy Man and Money wants suggestions on how to augment his alternative income.  (Help me sell my California Raisin figurines.  And my Forever Stamps.)
• Money Smart Life asks, “When do undiscovered stocks become mainstream?“  (Answer:  When the CEO gets sent up the river.)

Peace!