We’re in our new home (albeit with boxes and such).  Tonight I started tackling one of the toilets in an attempt to replace a shot flush valve.  It won for tonight until I can get a bigger wrench.

• Squawkfox explains how to make a budget in an “unboring” way.
• Wise Bread reveals the one question that might get you free money if you’re shown the door by your employer.
• Free Money Finance asks, “When should your net worth reach $1 million?” (How about: “ASAP?”)
• Generation X Finance lists a big twenty-eight ways to save money on car expenses.
• Consumerism Commentary gives some ideas on what to do when friends get involved in MLM.
• Digerati Life says to beware of refund anticipation loans.
• Quest for Four Pillars has a guest post on the risks of buying a foreclosed home.  (Our new home was a foreclosure.  I’ll agree that it’s definitely different than buying from the owner-occupier.)
• Money Ning says that investing in physical gold can cost you.  (Ahh, but will you be able to take delivery when you want it?)
• Frugal For Life is into fiscal fitness.
• Frugal Dad recommends doing something you love before you have to do something for money.
• Budgets Are Sexy wonders what would happen if the unemployed worked for their unemployment checks.  (Kind of like retiring from retirement?  Or maybe not.)
• The Frugal Lawyer discusses where vanity and brokeness compromise.

Have a great weekend!

Got money questions? Ask them at Cash Commons

Had to catch up a bit at work after running around Thursday to close on our new house.

So it’s Saturday morning Fiscals, but here are great links nonetheless

• A Gai Shan Life has an elaborate post on pets and preparedness.
• The Millionaire Nurse discusses life insurance needs.
• Sweating the Big Stuff talks about the best deal ever.
• The Frugal Lawyer tried out Credit Karma.
• Everybody Loves Your Money outlines someone’s big ol’ lost dream.
• Frugal Dad has 33 essentials for your bug-out bag.
• Frugal For Life is beating back the frugal fatigue.
• Money Crashers has 5 easy ways to make some extra cash.
• Mrs. Micah shows how to create a personal balance sheet.
• My Dollar Plan asks if you should use savings to pay off debt.

Special thanks to Wise Bread and The Simple Dollar for sending a whole boatload of traffic this week from the mentions in their roundups.  Also a shout-out to Get Rich Slowly for including my bank post in this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance.  Lastly, both this site and the Carnival of Debt Reduction site cracked a nice new compilation of financial resource links.

Enjoy the weekend!

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We’re in one of the areas that’s getting pummeled with snow this weekend.  Thankfully we still have power, and even Internet access.  Please be safe if you’re in the mess with us.

Here are some links of interest from the past week:

• The Frugal Lawyer scored a TV interview on spending addiction.  (I’ll be doing a post on this as well.)
• The Balanced Spreadsheet is another blogger that updates their net worth.
• The Millionaire Nurse, for something completely different, relates money and diseases.
• Wise Bread has a guest post by Joel Ohman explaining why he didn’t pay off his mortgage in fill.
• Couple Money has good things to say about TurboTax’s Live Community.
• Consumerism Commentary asks whether you should pay your credit cards or your mortgage first.  (Not “pay down,” but “pay.”)
• Generation X Finance alerts us to some red flags to avoid that could trigger a tax audit.
• All Financial Matters runs through proposed 401(k) changes.  (The annuities part scares me.)
• Blogging Away Debt is saving money with some elbow grease.
• Cash Money Life compares debt consolidation, debt management, and debt settlement.

Take care all!

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Today we followed a lead on Craigslist to buy a two-year-old clothes washer and dryer set for a new house.  The price was about half of what a new set would cost, so we’re pleased.  We didn’t have a whole lot of time to get a set so we’re glad we got this deal.

Here are some links of interest for you:

• Wise Bread writer Philip Brewer discusses ruthless frugality.
• Consumerism Commentary lists the five worst kinds of debt.
• Five Cent Nickel recommends cashing in your gift cards.
• Bargaineering explains how he tracks his net worth.
• Finance for a Freelance Life illustrates the time value of money.
• Bible Money Matters runs down IRA contribution limits and phaseouts.
• Grad Money Matters has a guest post on four simple ways to save money in college.

And a couple of new faces to Cash Commons this week, including Debt Maven and MBABriefs!

Have a great weekend!

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My daughter turned five Wednesday.  Like a snap of the fingers, it seems.  (She really needs to quit growing up so fast!)

Here are some links of interest from this past week:

• Sweating the Big Stuff debates how to use the second half of his signing bonus windfall.
• The Balanced Spreadsheet discusses how to update your own budget.
• Five Cent Nickel is now debt-free.  (Congratulations!)
• Free Money Finance earned over $800 in credit card rewards last year.
• Squawkfox lists ten ways to save on your fitness membership costs.
• Bargaineering says not to pay to file Form 1040-EZ.
• Generation X Finance reports on the new law that makes it harder for teens to get credit
• Wise Bread writer Philip Brewer talks about frugality, simplicity, and sustainability.

A couple of other things:

• Eliminate the Muda stopped by Cash Commons this week and gave some great answers!
• Speaking of Cash Commons, I’ve thrown some money into the $8,200+ kitty for the Money Crashers 2010 New Year’s Giveaway Bash!  Just follow Cash Commons on Twitter (@CashCommons) and follow the rules over at Money Crashers and you’ll get some extra entries for the whopping $34.56 cash I’ll be handing out, as well as other great prizes.

Have a great weekend!  And if you have kids, enjoy how young they are now.

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We’re down at a beach resort for a mini-retreat for my wife’s quilting guild.  Lots and lots of sewing for my wife, and lots of time with my daughter for me.

Here are some articles that caught my eye this week:

• No Credit Needed demonstrates that it’s never too early in the year to do some financial spring cleaning.
• Free Money Finance launches PF March Madness 2010.
• Five Cent Nickel staff writer Matt Jabs discusses saving, buying, and paying later, not necessarily in that order.
• Digerati Life has a guest post on investing basics.

Oh … and Budgets Are Sexy has a newsletter that you can sign up for … plus he’s giving away some Visa Gift Cards to bri … uhhh, encourage you all to sign up!

Happy weekend all!

Got tweet? I do!

We currently have snow up to our knees, with the prospect of another 18 hours or so of snowfall!  We’re hunkering down, making sure roofs don’t cave in, etc.

Here are some cold, hard posts of interest:

• Consumerism Commentary shares how his accountant saved him $15k.
• No Credit Needed is bossing himself around.
• Bargaineering says to be wary of expert wine ratings.
• Free Money Finance shares four things he likes about Quicken.
• Wise Bread lists three dozen green gift-wrapping ideas.
• The Balanced Spreadsheet sheds light on an 80% APR credit card!

Have a great weekend, and please be safe.

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The credit union had a bunch of two-dollar bills that someone had brought in.  No red seals, but they’re fun to spend anyway.  (Except at Best Buy.)

Here are links of interest from my reader this week:

• New Consumerism Commentary staff writer Kelly Whalen writes on how persistence pays off.
• Five Cent Nickel writer Matt Jabs tells how to ask for discounts.
• Get Rich Slowly guest poster Mike Piper wonders why people would invest in anything besides index funds.
• Free Money Finance talks about a rip-off.
• 2DogCasa goes through a Millionaire Nurse checkup.
• And Budgets Are Sexy officially got my jaw to drop as Liz Weston and Kathy Kristof did “the showdown” on his blog.

Have a great weekend!

Got tweet? I do!

Not me, by the way:  my wife has a very generous aunt who has offered to take the girls (my wife, my daughter, and my mother-in-law) on a cruise in warm waters.  So I get to hold down the fort and feed the pets.

Here are some money links of interest from my feed reader:

• Bargaineering kicks fearful financial situations in the face (and takes names).
• Wise Bread has nine ways to save on a move.
• Squawkfox serves up ten turkey leftover recipes.  (Tryptophan teriyaki isn’t one of them.)
• Frugal Upstate has sixteen more.
• The Simple Dollar spends on his passion.
• Eliminate The Muda questions whether compound interest is friend or foe.

And a special thank-you to bloggers who came over to Cash Commons for the first time this past week:

• Sweating the Big Stuff
• Funny About Money
• William Peiffer
• True Adventures in Money Hacking
• Debt-Tips
• Money Moments
• 2DogCasa

Have a great weekend, and travel safely!

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Can you feel the excitement??? All of that black ink just waiting to be put on the ledgers??

Nah, I can’t either.

Here are some interesting links from my feed reader:

• The Simple Dollar discusses the 40/30/30 rule (as opposed to the 80/20 rule, or the Rule of 72).
• Consumerism Commentary recommends putting some of your finance on cruise control.
• Five Cent Nickel asks: “Are coupons a waste?”
• Generation X Finance suggests embracing your inner secret shopper.
• Bargaineering lists a who’s who of career web sites.
• The Digerati Life reveals why lottery winners go broke.
• A Gai Shan Life has a number of ways you can support your public library.
• The Frugal Lawyer recounts some lessons about credit cards from her previous life as a card issuer.
• Studenomics warns that if you want to make money fast, you might just get what you ask for!

A special thanks to Living With Common Cents for participating in Cash Commons for the first time this week!

Enjoy the weekend!

Got tweet? I do!