The Carnival of Retirement

This week I’m hosting the Carnival of Retirement.  I like hosting these carnivals because it gives all of my readers a chance to check out some other PF blogs and find new ones that they like.  I’ve included my favorites at the top but feel free to check out as many as you can handle!

If you’re interested in finding out more about The Carnival of Retirement please visit their website at www.carnivalofretirement.com.  If you’re a blogger interested in hosting the Carnival of Retirement, please sign up at Blogger Carnivals.

Editor’s Picks

Cat @ Budget Blonde writes Awesome Solopreneurs: Women’s Power Wednesdays – In commemoration of Women’s History Month, my friend Shannon from Financially Blonde was kind enough to suggest that we celebrate fellow female bloggers.

Monica @ Monica On Money writes 7 Better Ways To Spend Your Tax Refund – If you are getting a tax refund this year, it is time to make a plan on what to do with the extra money. Otherwise, without a plan, who knows where all that money will end up.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes Savings Goals: Prioritize and Grow Your Money with a Savings Account – Savings goals can help you get more value and enjoyment from your money. No matter what you’re saving for, it’s important to make sure you’re maximizing the growth of your money

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Finances are more like moon phases: Net Worth update Feb 2014 – Like moon phases, our finances including Net Worth is constantly changing and this month is no different. There will always be ebb and flow in everyone’s finances, sometimes purely by the choices we’ve made.

Jacob @ Cash Cow Couple writes Amazon Payments – Amazon Payments allows you to get more free travel rewards without any fees!

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Can I Get a Price Check? – While I’ve come to approach all services with a critical eye, I wonder what percentage of people accept pricing for what it is without hesitation. How many hundreds (or thousands) of dollars could you save over the course of your lifetime simply by questioning prices and charges that seem out of place?

Mark Ross @ Money Saving Dude writes 11 Ways You Can Do To Save Money While Traveling – Want to know how you can save money while traveling? Check this article right here, and know the different things you can do to save money while you enjoy your vacation.

The Best of the Rest

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Renewing Our AAA Membership – Read my views on AAA membership and why I renew ours each year!

Dominique Brown @ YourFinancesSimplified writes Oops, They Did it Again, Mortgage Servicing Companies Gone Wild! – Should we have seen this one coming all along? Perhaps, but even so the size of this growing problem is starting to look like scenes from the movie Wolf on Wall Street. What the…? Here is what’s going on.

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes IRS Issues: How to Deal With Being Audited – Each year, more find themselves facing an IRS audit for back tax returns. Just about everyone is subject to being audited at one point or another.

Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes Credit Score Curiousity – I monitor my credit score 3 times a year. You can access your free credit report from 3 bureaus once per year, so simply check one every 4 months.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes How You Can Budget With A Credit Card – My wife and I budget a little differently than most families. We budget with a credit card. We use a credit card for most of our purchases instead of cash and monitor our family’s monthly spending.

Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes How to Avoid Continuous Scrutiny from the IRS – One thing that can certainly spell hard times for any business is an audit from the IRS. Thankfully, with some hard work and due diligence, your business can comply with the law without any problems. Below are some ways you can allow your business to avoid continuous scrutiny from the IRS.

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Planning Ahead: My Financial Bucket List – If you don’t have a financial plan, now’s the time! There are important financial tasks to get done, and you won’t be getting younger. Read here for help.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Making Money for My Life: Ideas will Become Plans – Most personal finance is about spending less money; the fact is that sometimes people earn so little that the only way up is to start making money.

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Landlords Insurance and why it is the Smart Financial Move – How taking out the right insurance can be important as an investor in tenanted properties.

Don @ Money Reasons writes Why You Should Not Own Bitcoins And I Never Will – As a computer guy, there are the reasons why you should not own bitcoins and I never will.

Jacob @ AllPersonalFinance writes Tips for Keeping Track of Your Investment Earnings – There are a wide-range of investment opportunities out there. You can invest in cattle farms in Kansas, tech companies in China, a retail outlet in Germany, and a gold mine in Peru. Even with so many different investments, every investor is looking for a return on their investment.

Mrs. Accountability @ Out of Debt Again writes Do This One Thing First Before You Get Into Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) – This is a True Confessions post, one wherein I bare my soul and most embarrassing financial moments.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Is It Worth Going To Conferences? – When you work for a large corporation, you don’t have much of a choice about whether or not you go to the company conference.

IMB @ Investing Money writes Investing in Agriculture Stocks – Thinking of investing in agriculture? There are several basic reasons why investing in agriculture stocks is sound investment. Read here for information.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes I Do…the Budget: How to Save for a Wedding – Weddings can be very expensive. Here’s how you and your future spouse can budget the funds for a memorable wedding.

Lindy @ Minting Nickels writes Can LinkedIn Be Harming Your Job Search? Key Mistakes That LinkedIn Users Make – When you want to network in your field, where do you go? LinkedIn boasts over 200 million users with an impressive 35 percent of all users logging into the service. Read these mistakes that many make when using the LinkedIn service.

Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes What’s My Credit Score Calculator – If you want to know your credit score, but you don’t want to pay for it, you can use a credit score calculator or estimator.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Net Worth Update: March 2014 – A guide to my personal finance at the start of March 2014, listing my investments, savings, and debts, as well as notes on my personal situation.

JP @ My Family Finances writes Saving Money in the Kitchen – Here are a few homemade tips for saving money in the kitchen.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Class Trips: Fundraising Ideas for Your Child’s International Adventure – Class trips these days are to places like London and Costa Rica instead of the local beach. Here are a few fundraising suggestions to raise money for these one-in-a-lifetime adventures.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes 4 Basics to Consider When Investing in a Rental Property – Are you interested in investing in rental property? If you are just getting started with rental properties, then you need to know what to look for when

Mario @ Adventures in Frugal writes An open letter to every university Alumni Affairs fundraiser from a recent graduate, regarding strategy – A tongue-in-cheek letter to alumni affairs fundraisers questioning the strategy of asking poor, recent alumni to contribute

JC @ Passive-Income-Pursuit writes Valuation of PepsiCo Inc. – The Long Case Looks Strong – PepsiCo recently released their 4Q and full year 2013 earnings so what better time to update our valuation and come up with a price target?

Adam @ Stop Worrying About Money writes Day 6 – Do 1% Better Today (And Every Day) – Today’s topic is a special one, because today’s topic is really the heart of this entire month-long project. Today’s task: Do 1% Better.

Charles @ Getting A Rich Life writes Why Try If The American Dream Is Dead? – For many the American Dream is dead, however it does not have to be that way. Working hard and determination is not enough to get ahead.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Do You Put Your Ideals Ahead of Your Pocketbook? – There are times when adhering to your ideals is cost-efficient. Not everything is like that, however. There are times when your ideals can cost you money.

Jason @ The Money Makers writes Selena Gomez: Can Child Stars Make It As Adults? – Selena Gomez is no longer the innocent yet rebellious Alex from Disney’s hit show Wizards of Waverly Place.

Alexa @ Defeat Our Debt writes How to Get Rid of Debt on Your Own – There is no easy way to get rid of debt. You have several options, each come with their own set of pros and cons. Here is how to get rid of debt on your own.

Alexa @ Single Moms Income writes 6 Financial Tips for the Job Search – When you are looking for a job, you get into a financial vicious circle, as you look for a job to have a better financial situation, but you have to be on a budget until you find a perfect working place for you.

Natalie @ Debt and the Girl writes My Student Loan Debt Story – It is often discussed how much student loan debt a person has or carries. There are many tales of unfortunate circumstances where a hard working student is left with more debt than some people carry on their mortgage.

Larry @ KrantCents writes Do You Live to Work or Work to Live? – Do you live to work or work to live? This is an important question, but rarely taken seriously!

Aaron @ Aaron Hung writes Is it better to live Debt Free and pay the Mortgage with your 401(k)? – In the quest to become debt free people can sometimes make decisions that might negatively affect their future financial growth.

Justin @ Edward Antrobus writes Considering ETFs? Here’s How to Get a Good Deal – ETFs can be purchased practically anywhere you can buy a stock, either through a broker, or a brokerage account.

Marissa @ Thirty Six Months writes 8 Gift Ideas for Different Types of Him – Is it just me, or are boys harder to shop for than girls? Whatever the occasion, most people can use a little help with gift ideas.

Marissa @ Finance Triggers writes Quirky tips for conserving cash – Here are a few quirky tips for saving some cash. Read on to find out how you do not have to turn your life inside out to gain control of your finances.

Sam @ The New Business Blog writes Basics about the new Home Office Deduction for 2014 – There is a new, simpler home office deduction this year that could very well save you a lot of time but, in most cases, it will not save you as much as money as the long form that everyone despises.

Katie @ IRA Basics writes The Secret of Saving for Your First Deposit – Are you ready to become a homeowner and do not fancy a no-deposit home loan? Then the biggest obstacle standing in your way is the first deposit or down payment.

Bob @ Dwindling Debt writes Protect your Tax Refund from Identity Thieves – What could be worse than having to file your taxes this year? How about having an identity thief steal your tax return check?

Lily @ Paying Debt Down writes A Few Reasons that Investors like ETFs – In recent years, ETFs have become much more popular and are actually gaining against some other, more mature mutual funds. The reasons for that gain in popularity are explained below.

Andrea @ So Over This writes Getting the Most Out of Your Children at Tax Time! – When it comes to school, grades and sports, all parents hope that their children will be a credit to their name. At tax time however, this can literally be the case.

Hadley @ Epic Finances writes Why Dunkin’ Donuts is an investor’s breakfast of champions – With Wall Street expecting $.40 in earnings, Dunkin Brands, the purveyor of some of the most delicious doughnuts (and relatively good coffee) in the US surprised the market with fourth-quarter earnings of $.43.

Lenny @ Best Money Saving Blog writes How to Cope With Overspending – There are many reasons for overspending. Some people do it because they are insecure and use possessions as comfort objects. Others use acquiring new things as a quick pick-me-up if they are feeling a bit low.

Amy @ Money Mishaps writes Have a childhood savings bond? Here’s what you can do it – Although it was not always a welcome gift, many children got savings bonds for birthdays and other holidays. The goal behind them, in most cases, was to have something ready when it was time to pay for college.

Jack @ Money Saving Ethics writes Moving? Make sure you protect yourself, not just your furniture – Did you know that moving is consistently ranked as one of the top 5 biggest stressful events in a person’s adult life? It is true, but while moving is definitely bad enough, being scammed by your moving company is probably a bit worse.

Matt @ Budget Snob writes Should you consider refinancing a student loan? – One of the biggest debts that the average American has is their student loans from college. Recently there has been a lot of talk about refinancing a student loan. We look at a number of different factors that you should know about before making a decision on whether to do this.

Danielle @ Saving Without a Budget writes Most in US Have No Savings to Speak Of, Unfortunately – The average American continues to struggle when it comes to saving money due to problems like prolonged unemployment, underemployment and stagnant wages.

Jay @ Daily Fuel Economy Tip writes With Winter Comes Poor Gas Mileage – Have you been thinking that your car’s fuel economy has been lower over the last few weeks? If you have, it is not your imagination. It is just the fact that, in winter, your fuel economy usually does go down, at least a little bit and in some cases quite a lot.

Oscar @ Money is the Root writes What Do Americans Really do with Their Tax Refunds? – Surprisingly the IRS has already issued over 31 million refunds in 2014 and the average refund so far is $3200. Despite their best intentions however, the average American finds it quite difficult to save that money.

Daniel @ Make Money Make Cents writes Where exactly IS the Best Place to Retire? – If retirement is approaching for you and you are planning on making a move to spend your golden years in an area of the world where you can stretch your budget, a new report says that you should be taking a good look at Europe.

PFC @ PF Carny writes Does Couponing Really Save Money? – Depending on how you do it and how into it you get, it can be either bad or good. Does couponing really save you money? It can, but it can also cost you money at the same time.

Jen Perkins @ Master the Art of Saving writes 10 Ways to Save More Money (Even If You Don’t Want To Be A Couponer) – Couponing for the last 5 or 6 years has taught me many things. Things I never really paid attention to before I started using coupons. Since not everyone is interested in learning about coupons or even extreme couponing, I thought I would share some of my enlightenment with you all.

Jen @ Prepping is Sexy writes Food Insurance: Keeping Your Family Fed – I can’t be the only one noticing the skyrocketing prices everywhere. Products, both food and non-food items just keep getting more expensive. So what can you do? How can you ensure that your family will be able to eat if this continues?

Gretchen @ Retired by 40! writes Aldi vs. Sam’s – Is the Warehouse Club Worth It? – Warehouse clubs are hawked as a money-saver. But are they?

R.J. Weiss @ The Insurance Protection Blog writes 4 Home Insurance Trends in 2014 that Impact Homeowners – A few insurance companies are beginning to make these changes to their home insurance policies.

Steve @ 2009 Tax to 2014 Tax writes An Important Guide On Filing Taxes Online – An agreement between a group of private companies that produce tax filing software,the Free File Alliance, and the IRS has made it very easy to file your taxes.

Glen @ MCI123 writes Best Car Insurance Companies – Which car insurance company you choose can be just as important as finding cheap rates. Here is a guide ranking the best car insurance companies by pricing, policy offerings, customer service, and financial strength. It is a comprehensive look on how to find the top carriers in the industry.

Jon Haver @ Pay My Student Loans writes Financial Aid for Jewish Students – The Jewish community, like any community, strives to support its own members in order to ensure that beliefs and values are carried on. These communities tend to be more local than national.

Christopher @ This That and The MBA writes How To Start Preparing For Retirement In Your Twenties – However, the reform has been established to put more responsibility on the individual to make adequate preparations for later life by making only basic funds available on the state pension. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start thinking about what savings to make as early on as possible.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes 3 Creative Ways to Save at the Store – Save at the Store by taking advantage of price match guarantees, using coupons the right way and by Scheduling your shopping.

Justin @ Root of Good writes Smart Travel Through Geographic Arbitrage – Want to find out how to visit countries where everything is on sale? Check out foreign exchange rates for your top choices and visit the country with the weakest currency right now. Chile, for example, is 17% cheaper than one year ago. Everything is 17% cheaper!

Harry Campbell @ Your PF Pro writes A Review of the Big Short by Michael Lewis – Before I read The Big Short by Michael Lewis, I had no idea what credit default swaps and collateralalized debt obligations(CDO’s) were. But Lewis does a great job explaining what went on during the years leading up to the subprime mortgage crisis and where it all went wrong. I always knew that the economy got royally f’d by the housing market in 2007-2008 but I never really knew why until reading this book. I was in college during 2004-2009 and the economy was really the least of my worrie

Mr. 4HWD @ The Four Hour Work Day writes Work is More Fun When You Don’t Have to Work – For a while there, the thing I wanted more than anything else in this world was to retire early. Sippin’ pina coladas on the beach sounded pretty good compared to working 8 hours a day in a tiny cubical. But during the past few months, I’ve had a slight revelation. What fun is early retirement if you have no one to enjoy it with? If all your friends are still working then what the hell are you going to do every day for the 8-10 hours you’re alone? There are only so many activities you

Thomas @ Finance Inspired writes WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR PARTNER’S CREDIT WOES – Entering a new relationship can be wonderful and exciting. But it is one that comes with a huge responsibility as well, especially for two consenting adults. While it is easy to get blinded by love, it is oftentimes wise to first know more about your partner’s financial standing, especially if talks of marriage start floating in the air.

Thomas @ Finance Inspired writes DEBT CONSOLIDATION: THE BEST OPTION FOR CLEARING CREDIT CARD DEBTS – Debt Consolidation: The Best Option for Clearing Credit Card Debts There is no doubt that credit card debts are the most difficult ones to clear. This is because those plastic cards tend to charge the highest interest of all. The average annual rate of a credit card is pegged at 19.1%. And that can add as much as 48.6% to your original credit card balance if you’re not looking. There are several options currently available right now to clear out credit card debts. For one, there’s the 0% b

John @ Wild About Finance writes How much are you paying to cover your credit card’s interest rate? – How much are you paying to cover your credit card’s interest rate? Credit cards are almost a necessity for every British household. According to a recent survey, the average loan for a British home is £6,020, and that doesn’t include mortgages just yet. This amount mere pertain to the credit card debts or the personal debts of most adults living in the United Kingdom. Credit cards prove to be very essential when buying high ticket items or for emergency purchases. However, not many people

John @ firststepfinance writes Guidelines For Being A Smart Credit Card Holder – Part 2 – You should keep a low balance on your credit cards to improve your credit rating. Paying off your balances will have a perceptible positive impact on your credit score. The FICO system will make a note when the balances are at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 percent of the total credit available. It is difficult to just forget about negative reports, but writing a statement is useless. It may even draw more attention to the blemish. A terrible credit situation would be having many different debts you

Simon @ strengthenyourshot writes Keep It Simple! Repair Your Credit With These Tips – Part 1 – There are a lot of ways to damage your credit score, from falling for a credit card scam to just being unlucky with the recent economy. Thankfully, there are methods in the below article that can help you mend this problem. If your credit is such that you cannot get a new card to help repair it, apply for a secured one. Most likely, a secured credit card will be easy for you to get, but you have to fund the credit account before you purchase so the bank knows that you won’t miss any payments.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Do You Need a College Education to Make a Decent Salary? – Considering the high cost of college these days, I’m not a die-hard proponent of “all kids need to go to college.”

Gabe @ Taxes 101 writes Tax Preparation Help – Make sure to file your taxes properly and take all possible deductions to reduce your tax bill.