Carnival Of Financial Camaraderie #19: The Super Edition

Today I’m hosting the 19th edition of the Carnival of Financial Camaraderie. A big thank you to My University Money for hosting last week. We had a lot of great submissions so let’s get started!

Editor’s SUPER Picks

Free Money Wisdom presents We Won What?! . This couple won a honeymoon to Puerto Vallarta through a sweepstakes. I guess I should start applying to sweepstakes if I want to go on that honeymoon of ours, huh?

Wayne presents Cheap Romantic Dates posted at Young Family Finance. Cheap romantic dates are great on the budget and relationship. Find creative ideas here.

Crystal presents January 2012 Blog Statistics and Income Update posted at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff. I love reading about Crystal’s success about going from a just-for-fun blogger to making more than $20,000 a month in blogging. It’s amazing!

Prairie Eco-Thrifter presented How to Shop for Furniture at Thrift Stores. If you are looking for ways to cut costs in your household, you should take the time to check out some of the thrift stores in your area. Eric and I are totally furnishing our new place with fantastic Craigslist finds, and I plan on refurbishing some of our furniture too!

Kevin presents Cheap Things That Make Life Easier posted at Thousandaire. Sometimes people get so caught up in the idea of saving money that they won’t use their hard earned cash to buy something that would improve their quality of life. What the heck are you working for if you can’t buy yourself something that will make you happier? This totally resonates with me. And you have to remember that yes, we need to pay off debt and save money, but you also need to budget in the fun.

Other Great Posts

Money Spruce presented a collection of the best tax tips posts that cover a wide range of tax topics, including deductions, tips for filing, and working with an accountant on 37 Must-Read Posts for Tax Season.

The Millionaire Nurse Blog presented a multitude of reasons to eat those fruits and veggies Five Per Day: Keeps the Doc Away? They are fuel your body needs to operate efficiently and ‘keep those expensive doctor visits away.’ Developing the habit requires effort and planning.

Money Infant posted his secret to get rich quick (enough) and said: “Getting rich quick is a nice dream and for almost everyone out there that is all it is…a dream. You can get rich quick enough though by following a conservative and consistent savings and investment strategy. Remember that only 2.5% of the U.S. population are millionaires so anyone who has reached that level of wealth has gotten rich quick enough (i.e. before they’ve died).”

One Cent at a Time presented The Complete Yodlee Money Center Review. Yodlee Money Center gives you more ways to manage your personal finances and track your net worth than its competitors. In its newest avatar Yodlee became more manageable and user friendly.

Watson Inc presented  Three Reasons to Focus on Household Cash Flow there is clearly a significant disconnect between our knowing the importance of cash flow and our actions. Here are three reasons for a renewed focus on cash flow.

Marissa presents Learning to Invest posted at Thirty Six Months. Here is a great break down of researching stocks the smart way.

AAAMP blog presented Emergency Money Fund: Building Savings in a Low Interest Rate Environment. Having adequate emergency money is the foundation of a solid financial plan. Here is one way to build an emergency savings fund.

Brian presents Saving on Energy Costs: Insulation posted at Wallet Watcher . If you aren’t up-to-date with insulation in your home, you might be wasting plenty of money on energy. Take some of the following tips in stride – there is a lot of information that simply can’t be covered presently.

Sabrina presents Money Saving Clubs: To Join or Not to Join? posted at Frugal Living. “To join, or not to join?” That certainly is the question when it comes to saving money.

Suba presents Stay at home or to work : What is the financial & professional price? posted at Wealth Informatics.

Emily presents Best Part-Time Jobs with Benefits posted at PT Money Personal Finance. A list of 16 businesses that offer some forms of benefits to their employees.

Lisa presents How to Save Money on Your Super Bowl Party posted at Thriftability. The average Super Bowl party host will spend between $50 and $100 on food for their party. 38% will spend under $50, 12% will spend over $100.

SavingMentor presents Calling Retentions Can Really Slash Your Bills posted at HowToSaveMoney.ca. The big secret here is that you don’t have to wait until you are unhappy with your service or you want to cancel before you call retentions! They are overcharging you now, so why wait?!

Linsey presents 3 Common Selling Strategies for Your Small Business (and Which One Actually Works) posted at 1099 Mom. Everyone knows that a thriving business needs customers; finding them, however, is usually much easier than getting them to buy.

Little House in the Valley presents Are We Betting Against Death with a Life Insurance Policy? e’re still paying on our life insurance policy, but because it is a term policy we don’t intend to have it forever since term policies don’t have a cash value applied to them. Actually, with a large enough emergency fund, we could budget for the items life insurance is meant to cover over a 10 year period.

Glen presents 5 Kids Expenses to Budget For – Apart from College posted at Parenting Family Money . There are other expenses for kids-not on the magnitude of college-that are also worthy of budgets all their own. Make sure you budget for these kids expenses!

Free From Broke presented What is a Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL) and is it Worth It? A refund anticipation loan (RAL) sounds like a great way to get your tax refund fast. But beware the fees that are tacked on. See what a refund anticipation loan is and some alternatives.

Family Money Values presented Tips for Traveling without your Spouse. If you are in a relationship and your partner doesn’t want to travel, are you doomed to stay-at-homeness? Not necessarily. Here are some tips to consider (based on personal experience only) for traveling without your spouse.

The MoneyTrail blog presented Books for Kids & Teens that are Great for Teaching about Money. I absolutely love using literature as a method for teaching kids and teens about money. Here are some of my favorites for young readers and teens.

Bucksome Boomer presented tips for Moving up that Corporate Ladder. Do you ever have dreams of rising up the ranks and becoming a Vice President someday? Maybe you have your sites set on the CEO. Whatever the case may be, if you’d like to rise to the top in a hurry, here’s some valuable tips that I have learned along the way.

Lazy Man and Money presented Goodbye Bank of America, Hello USAA So Bank of America, this isn’t really good bye like I said in the title. We can still be friends. I am just looking for more out of my banking relationship.

Sustainable Personal Finance posted The Real Reason Nobody Is Buying Electric Cars.  Thus far, the Volt has been a giant flop. There are all sorts of reasons why, all of which are different symptoms of the same root problem.

Mike presents PC MasterCard Review posted at Rewards Cards Canada. The PC MasterCard is a great credit card for anyone looking for no annual fee and a straight-forward rewards program. It was my go-to credit card.

Boomer presents How To Set Up A DRIP posted at Boomer & Echo. A DRIP, or dividend reinvestment plan, is a great way to build up your investment portfolio, especially when you are just starting out.

Control Your Cash posted The Sexy World of Dividend Yield Stocks. A rudimentary introduction to dividend yield stocks, because you can’t invest in them if you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.

Everything Finance posted Job Hunting? You May Be Able to Get a Tax Deduction. Whether you have been laid off or are simply looking for a new job, if you have job-search related expenses, you may be able to qualify for a tax deduction. (Just make sure you keep those receipts!) However, make sure you meet the requirements first.

Matt presents Creating Income From a Dying Profession, The Stay-At-Home-Mom posted at RamblingFever Money. “Stay-at-home-mom” has become an elusive title that more and more mothers can only dream of. See how my wife has been able to provide a steady income while staying home with our children.

Jeffrey presents Frugality as a Challenge posted at Saving Advice. Once I started turning frugality into a challenge, it became more fun and something that I really wanted to do. Beating my prior “scores” became fun.

Simply investing presented My Best Investment Yet. 275.97% return since I first purchased shares in TransCanada Corporation (TRP) in 2000.

PK presents Predicting the S&P 500 – January 2012 Edition posted at Don’t Quit Your Day Job…. This one is to all of the graduates (or future graduates!) in finance related fields – study your options math!

The Family Wallet presents Money Saving Tips for Buying Video Games. We simply can’t afford to buy our kids a new $50 or $60 video game every time a new one is released. Here are the money saving tips we use to reduce our costs.

The Frugal Toad presented How to Invest When You Have Little Money. There is an old saying that it takes money to make money. The assumption is you can’t build wealth investing small amounts of money. You can build wealth when you invest with small amounts of money, you just need a disciplined approach.

Liana presents George Lopez Prepaid Card Evaluation posted at CardHub. One of these things is not like the other: stand-up comedian, sitcom star, talk show host, prepaid card endorser.

Odysseas presents Should You Be Mad That Free Checking Accounts Are Becoming a Thing of the Past? posted at Wallet Blog. Hey, what’s the deal with rising checking account fees? Should we light the torches and grab the pitch forks? Before you do, you may want to be sure you’re headed toward the right victim…Which of the new rules should get your back up?

Evan presents Our Frivolous Guilty Pleasures posted at Smart Wealth. One thing we used to have a hard time giving up but have done so recently is Starbucks. Starbucks used to be a part of our vocabulary, in the morning, after a long day of work, on the way to the mall, at the mall, on the way back from the mall and so on.

Justin presents 9 Smart Things to Do with $100 posted at Money Is the Root. Here are 9 smart things you can do when you get said $100.

Jason presents Human Interaction posted at Live Real, Now. Life may be like a box of chocolates, but it is certainly not a game of Sorry, where one person wins at the expense of all others. It is entirely possible for everyone to win in most voluntary interactions.

Matt presents Can You Live Debt Free and Still Have Credit Cards? posted at Living in Financial Excellence. In my book (and my experience) it’s a lot easier to stay debt free by taking away the temptation and switching to cash. Which is what I did more than five years ago. Oh, did I mention that I’ve been successfully living without debt for years?

Financial Mentor presented The Ten Commandments Of Wealth Building. Learn the 10 key principles to building true wealth. You’ll be surprised to find out it’s about a lot more than just making money!

Corey presents Passive Income Done Right posted at 20s Finances. Do you often think about how you could create a passive income? Maybe you’re just itching to get out of your job and would love to create a real estate empire, or perhaps a franchise that is run completely by someone other than you. These dreams are all well and good, but you must first have your finances in order before you can pursue opportunities such as these…

Corey presents Fake Prosperity: U.S. National Debt Growth vs. GDP Growth posted at Steadfast Finances. If you’re a member of Gen X and Gen Y, this is probably the scariest chart you will see in the Econonmy, and possibly, right up to the time you’re old and gray.

Kevin presents These Three Jobs Are a Great Way for a Teen to Earn Money and Learn Something About Life at the Same Time posted at Invest It Wisely.

Evan presents How I Saved $80 with Sprint and Why You Should Read Personal Finance Blogs posted at My Journey to Millions. When your cellular provider materially changes its terms and conditions it provides an opportunity for you to leave your cellular provider without an early termination fee.

Sandy presents Get Out of Debt in 2012: How Much Do You Owe? posted at Yes, I am Cheap. The money that you earn must be greater than or equal to the money that you spend. Most of us tend to be okay with the left side of the equation; it’s the right side that’s the problem. I know that many of you will probably disagree with me and say that you’re just not making enough money, but trust me, that’s usually not the case.

Darwin presents Confidence is Great, Right? Nope, It’ll Wreck Your Life posted at Darwin’s Money. We’re all taught to be confident from childhood. You know, those confidence boosters like getting a trophy no matter where you placed, parents telling you that you can do anything in life and so on. On some level, having confidence in yourself and what you can achieve does allow you to think big, stretch your your limits and achieve great things.

Shaun presents Mistakes Young Families Make When Financing Their First Home posted at Smart Family Finance.

MR presents Why Taxing Dividend Income Hurts The Elderly posted at Money Reasons. Taxing dividends at a higher percentage hurts the elderly and the young.

LaTisha presents How You Can Build Wealth posted at Financial Success for Young Aduts. Building wealth takes time and knowledge. There is no get rich quick method. There are a few ways to begin building wealth. Passive income is the key.

Jeffrey presents 37 Must-Read Posts for Tax Savings posted at Money Spruce. A collection of the best tax tips posts that cover a wide range of tax topics, including deductions, tips for filing, and working with an accountant.

Jen presents My Biggest Financial Fear posted at Master the Art of Saving. Sometimes fear can motivate us and other times, it can paralyze us or dictate our decisions. I have plenty of fears, and I’m not afraid to admit it. Of all…..

Don presents What to Look for in Mutual Funds – Part 1 posted at MoneySmartGuides. This is my first part of a two part series on what to look for in Mutual Funds.

FG presents Is Canada Immune to a Financial Blowup? posted at Financial God. My Own Advisor recently wrote about the heavy austerity in Greece, and thanks his lucky stars that things are nowhere near this bad in Canada. I agree that those in Canada are very lucky that the country has weathered the financial storm in relatively good shape, and not only that but the Canadian government has wasted less of the people’s wealth on ‘stimulus’.

KT presents How to Host a Superbowl Party on the Cheap posted at Personal Finance Journey. The Super Bowl is just around the corner and if your house is about be invaded by party-goers, you might be worried about what hosting a huge party is going to cost you. Potlucks and BYOB are always a good way to host a party on the cheap!

Mich presents Investing in Canadian Well Completion & Drilling Companies posted at Beating The Index. The oilfield services industry provides investors with exposure to the oil and gas commodity sector minus the inherent risks associated with exploration and development drilling.

Andy presents 2012 IRA Contribution Limits posted at My Retirement Blog. Curious what the 2012 IRA Contributions Limits are?

Aloysa presents How ‘Do Not Need’ Lists Can Save You A Buck posted at My Broken Coin. I am on a three month no-buy resolution. I figured it is a good prelude to start implementing my next resolution \ de-cluttering. Where do you usually start? I, of course, started with my favorite place which happens to be you guessed it, right! my closet.

Krantcents presents Protecting your home when on holiday: top tips posted at KrantCents. Whatever kind of neighbourhood you live in, you will want to protect your home while you are away from it.

Free Small Business Resource posted Top Tips For Small Businesses To Survive The Recession. Here are some tips for small businesses to survive the recession …. courtesy of the everywoman network!

Frugal Confessions posted Double Tax Benefits for Mid to Low Income Households Who Contribute to Retirement Accounts. When you think about retirement, are you stuck in disillusionment somewhere between your dreams and the reality of an empty retirement account?

101 Centavos posted Redneck Dividends. As I was editing the notorious 101 Centavos Dividend Portfolio that is featured on this site, it occurred to me that some of the dividend picks shared …

Hank presents How To Raise The Next Millionaire Entrepreneur posted at Money Q&A. Giving them a solid foundation to launch their creative ideas will help them achieve a financial freedom. A true millionaire entrepreneur knows that they can’t wait for opportunities to find them.

Hank presents The Beginner’s Guide – How To Find A Mutual Fund posted at Money Q&A. There are tens of thousands of mutual funds out there for investors to choose from. It is very intimidating for new beginner investors to learn how to find a mutual fund.

Jester presents Unexpected Crisis posted at The Ultimate Juggle.Find out how I managed to take care of a lot of things in a short amount of time.

Suba presents Simple Home Maintenance Anyone Can Do posted at Broke Professionals.

Kyle presents How to Make Money Buying Virtual Real Estate posted at The Penny Hoarder. Real estate is such a valuable investment, you no longer need it to be real to make money. Learn how real-life virtual real estate entrepreneurs have made millions.

Eddie presents Airline’s Charge to Check Bags = One Big Cash Grab posted at Finance Fox. Despite a pretty smooth trip overall, I had the pleasure of paying $25 to check my bag. Three different airports, three different starting points and that’s $75 less I had in my wallet.

PITR presents Early Retirement posted at Passive Income To Retire. n preparation for early retirement, what are you doing? Find out what I am doing to prepare for early retirement.

YFS presents 10 Easy Tips for Saving Money on Car Insurance posted at Your Finances Simplified. Everyone has to have car insurance, but it can be a pain to find something that works for you and that you can afford. If you are tight on funds, or if you simply want to save some money, here are ten easy tips for saving money on your car insurance.

Young and Thrifty  presents Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel Book Review and Giveaway posted at Young and Thrifty. Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel is written by Phil Vallarreal. If you don’t know who he is, I have to be honest with you, you’ve been living under some sort of rock because he’s one of the writers/ contributors to the Consumerist. Basically, the book give 100 dirty little money-grubbing secrets that will help you save money.

Daniel presents Paypal Income Reporting Requirements for Bloggers posted at Sweating the Big Stuff. The IRS required PayPal to issue Form 1099-K to those making over $20,000 a year on PayPal. Since it was so confusing, the IRS did something smart.

Funancials presented Are You A Mental Accountant? Remember when Jeff Foxworthy came out with his unforgettable series, ‘You Might Be A Redneck?’ It was a huge hit that led to book deals, TV shows, and enough riches to fund every redneck’s retirement. Read my take on being a mental accountant with a Jeff Foxworthy spin.

John presents Frugal Living is All About Creating the Debt Free Magic in Your Life posted at Married with Debt. This site is about helping people, both financially and in all aspects of their lives. Because I want this site to be a community, you will see from time to time, guest posts from readers and fellow financial bloggers.

W presents Adjusting To Market Volatility posted at Off-Road Finance. This article looks at what market volatility is, how it’s measured, and how it impacts you as an investor or trader.

Glen presents How to Save on Groceries When You Have a Food Intolerance posted at Parenting Family Money . When you discover you have a food intolerance, your diet has to change. But you’ll find that groceries get expensive. Save with these tips.

Free from Broke presents TurboTax Online Tax Software 2011 Review. TurboTax has become the industry standard for online tax preparation. See the different tax software editions are available and which one is best for you in this review.

Lina presents Valentine’s Day DIY Projects for Kids posted at Baby Alerts. I have put together a post full of more than twenty ideas for Valentines for classmates, recipes, Valentine’s Day decor and more.

Canadian Personal Finance presents How to download and watch legal and free movies for Canadians.

Grocery Alerts presents Complete Guide to the Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum Program.

MMD presents A Strategy for Maxing Out Your Retirement Savings posted at MyMoneyDesign.