Mighty Bargain Hunter

Carnival of Personal Finance: Unanswered Questions Edition

April 5th, 2010 | by mbhunter |

Welcome to this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance!  I’m your host this week.

This may come as a shock to everyone but my wife, but I’ll let you in on a secret:

I don’t know everything. Especially about money.

That’s part of the reason I started up Cash Commons — so I could possibly get some answers to my money questions (and help to provide the answers I did know to other people for their money questions).  There are a number of questions that the enthusiastic folks that contribute to Cash Commons haven’t answered yet, and I’ll highlight them throughout this week’s personal finance submissions.

The engine that runs Cash Commons allows privileges within the system based on earned “reputation” which is earned from other users by asking good questions and giving good answers.  For the questions I highlight here, I’ve sliced off a bit of my reputation as a “bounty” that will be awarded to the best answer.  So if you’ve been waiting on the sidelines to register and test out Cash Commons, here’s an opportunity to get some quick “reputation” and pull your user profile up to the front page.

In any case, enjoy this week’s submissions!

Editor’s Picks

• Bargaineering has six great ways to kill your credit score.
• Eventual Millionaire explains how she paid off  $70,000 in debt and quit her job.
• My Dollar Plan lists ten ways to rejuvenate your finances.
• FIRE Finance exposes the sad reality of looted 401(k)s.

What’s different about single-family homes and mobile homes that makes one appreciate and the other depreciate? Pulled this question out of Dr. Dean Burke’s new book, The Millionaire Nurse.

Budgeting, Credit, and Debt

• Nerd Wallet compares automotive credit cards.
• Consumer Boomer asks: “What’s the real cost of your credit card?”
• Narrow Bridge Adventures highlights the downside of otherwise good credit card rewards.
• Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance explains how television can save you money.
• The Smarter Wallet shows how to borrow money when credit is tight.
• Stumble Forward runs through five tactics to slash debt now.
• Money Relationship asks if you should use your credit card as your emergency fund.
• Debt Tips asks: “Can debt consolidation save your neck?”
• Independent Beginnings asks  a tough question: “Would you risk your baby’s life to avoid debt?”
• Free Money Finance discusses American debt.

Am I obligated to refinance my mortgage if the home is no longer my primary residence? Or is just continuing to pay my mortgage on the old house enough?

Career and Economy

• Technical Certifications argues for why it’s a good idea to get IT certifications.
• Studenomics discusses how to decide when going full-time with a side business is appropriate.
• Darwin’s Finance discusses raises.
• LifeTuner gives some ways that young people can deal with economic shifts.
• Penny Jobs has some choice words on current student loan reform.
• Cash Money Love also reports on student loan reform.

Frugality and Saving

• Len Penzo puts store-brand and name-brand cereals to the true taste test.
• Live Real, Now risks sleeping on the couch and gives five ways to force your spouse to be more frugal.
• Energy Saving Gadgets reports on green surge protectors.
• Eliminate The Muda! asks: “What sacrifices are you willing to make?”
• Well-Heeled Blog is setting up a joint savings account with a significant other to save up for a vacation.
• Bucksome Boomer asks if her generation can afford to retire.
• Good Financial Cents goes treasure hunting online.
• Free From Broke explains what a CD is.
• Budgets Are Sexy claims that $5 a day will let you become a millionaire.
• Magical Penny discusses the individual savings account.

What’s the “naked” part in naked short selling? Heard this term at dinner a couple of days ago.  I know what short selling is, but not the naked part.

Investing

• Invest in the Markets tells how to find solid stocks.
• Accumulating Money discusses a 401(k) rollover to an IRA.
• Money Help for Christians explains value averaging.
• Wealth Pilgrim suggests using caution when handling inherited IRAs.
• Dividend Growth Investor explains the 4% rule for dividend investing in retirement.
• Investing Thesis outlines their stock-picking criteria.
• Foreigner’s Finance gives insights on foreign savings accounts and CDs.
• Dividends Value sheds light on master limited partnerships.
• Oblivious Investor shares a quickie on why he doesn’t pick stocks.
• IRA Reviews reviews the Vanguard IRA.
• Amateur Asset Allocator describes how to determine mutual fund holdings with Morningstar.
• Gen Y Wealth has a post with a flowchart on determining where to locate assets.
• Bible Money Matters reveals his Lending Club investing strategy.
• Balance Junkie crunches numbers on the ultimate calculation.
• PT Money on Roth IRAs vs. 401(k)s: Which one tastes great, and which is less filling?
• Canadian Finance Blog reminds us that American investment advice might not apply elsewhere.
• The Trend Rida declares the smartphone war over for investors.
• Tough Money Love advises avoiding the bond fund trap.

What are your indispensable Quicken 2010 tips? I’m a new Quicken 2010 user.  What makes it rock your world?

Money Management

• The Wisdom Journal has 14 reasons you’re living on the edge financially.
• Green Panda Treehouse lists a who’s who (what’s what?) of personal finance e-books from bloggers.
• Hope To Prosper says that a fool and his money are soon parted.
• Christian Personal Finance has a guest post with four tips for broke college students.
• Smart Money Daily recounts the continual drama of men, women, and money.
• Rainy Day Saver runs over the basics of estate planning.
• Funny About Money is counting all her money.
• Digerati Life asks: “Should you get low-cost life insurance?”
• Go To Retirement gives five strategies for retiring on less.
• A Modern Gal asks: “Why does spending money make us feel good?”

Real Estate and Taxes

• The Financial Blogger lists six reasons why he will not use a real estate agent to sell his house.
• Frugal Dad reveals the secrets to falling in love with your house all over again.
• Alpha Consumer dispels the myth of the baby tax credit.
• Provident Planning runs some tests to help you decide whether you need to file a tax return or not.

Other

• More Than Finances lists five documents that should be in your estate plan.
• Car Negotiation Coach says to use free car quotes at your own risk.
• Military Finance Network explains what Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance is.
• Need Money Tips is starting off with the Shoemoney System.
• One Money Design gives nine ways for women to increase cash flow.
• The Financial Student has a discussion of rich vs. wealth (video has explicit language).

Have a great week!  And also stop by Cash Commons with your money questions and answers!

(Photos: Erik Charlton, Marco Bellucci, fontplaydotcom, konradfoerstner)