Personal Finance Blog Round-Up: Yakezie Carnival

This week I signed up to host the Yakezie Carnival.  The carnival is brought to you by the network of personal finance bloggers of the Yakezie.  You can submit your articles or sign up to host at Blogger Carnivals.  There are a lot of articles included but I’ve highlighted a few of my favorites and commented on each one.

Favorite Picks of the Week

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes How to Get a Better Return on Your Peer to Peer Loans – I like peer to peer investing and I’ve talked about my own experience with Lending Club so this article was interesting to read.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Why I Am Almost Always Bearish on Investing in Physical Gold and You Should Be Too – I think most people are a little over the top when it comes to why they are investing in gold.  I don’t think you should ever do something because everyone else is doing it, especially when it comes to investing.

DPF @ Digital Personal Finance writes Do You Track Expenses? – A lot of people talk about tracking their expenses but it’s way more important to actually sit down and do it once in a while.  I use Mint to track my daily expenses but there’s nothing wrong with the old fashioned pen and paper method.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes Is College Worth It? – A college degree used to mean something but now you can go and get a degree in some useless field and be in much worse shape than if you would have stayed at home.  A college degree can be very worthwhile if you choose the right major though.

The Rest

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Prepare Your Finances for Next Year – Know Your Net Worth – Now that the year is coming to a close and a new year is about to begin I always want to know how I’ve progressed over the last year and how much I’d like to progress over the next year. Financially, I use my net worth to measure how I’ve been doing.

Robert @ My Multiple Incomes writes 6 Financial Tips for the End of the Year – Wrapping up your year by reviewing how you did financially can be beneficial and also refreshing to see how you did.

Robert @ Entrepreneurship Life writes Does Your Business Need a Company Blog? – Learn the value of a blog to your business and reputation.

Michael @ Financial Ramblings writes Holiday Tipping: Yay or Nay? – I’ve never understood why we’re expected to tip everyone (and their uncle) around the holidays. Am I just being a Grinch?

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes ROLLOVER YOUR 401K INTO AN IRA – ROLLOVER YOUR 401k INTO AN IRA. Easy 401K rollover to IRA tips.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Mutual Funds Versus Stocks – Why I Choose Stocks – This is my take of mutual funds versus stocks and why for me owning stocks has been more financially rewarding.

Your Boss @ What Your Boss Really Thinks writes Ask Your Boss: I Don’t Want to Look Like a Know-It-All Jerk – I am a new employee and was hired because of my experience working with so many different companies. I have a lot of good ideas to improve productivity and quality.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes Have Stocks Become Old Fashioned? – I was reading an article the other day about how less and less companies are now offering share certificates to their stockholders. In fact, it is not even required that companies issue stock certificates anymore, and over 400 do not offer them at all. It makes me really wonder if stocks are just becoming old fashioned

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Extra Christmas Tipping – I tip this one super waitress over 60 percent during Christmas. But she totally deserves it, ready why!

TDB @ Tax Deduction Blog writes Can’t Pay Your Tax Bill?-5 Options for Relief – Have a bill tax bill but don’t have money to pay the tax? Here are 5 options you can consider to get you out of IRS wrath.

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes Would You Rather… – Would you rather have to whisper everything you say or always be screaming? Would you rather have a boss you love at a job you hate or a boss you hate at a job you love? Would you rather have your grandma’s hair cut or her first name? These are 3 of my favorite (would you rather) scenarios. Each combines a difficult decision with a bit of humor.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes The Death of Christmas Cards – Christmas cards are less prevalent in my mailbox this year than years past – is the USPS and stamp prices to blame?

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Unconventional Investment Series: Music Royalties – A look at music royalties, a unique new way to diversify your investment portfolio.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Are You Fully Prepared for Retirement? – While I always wanted to be an adult, never have I ever wished to myself to grow old. No one ever wants to grow old. At least, no one that I’ve talked to. The primary reason is that once you reach a certain age, your body starts to wear down and costs to maintain your health go up. This is the reason that I often dread talking to my grandparents.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Remembering What’s Important During the Holidays: Family – A lot of what I try to write about here on this blog is aiming to help young families like mine with their finances. I often relate some of the bad decisions that I or my friends make as young adults and share them with my readers so that none of you make the same poor choices. I imagine that it helps and that is what keeps me going.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes How To Pick A Credit Card – We often pull out our credit cards during this holiday season much like a Ninja warrior would unleash their Samurai sword from its sheath.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Why Are Americans Clueless About Canada? – I know you’re thinking that I’m being a little radical with today’s post by asking the question in the title – Why are Americans clueless about Canada?

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes 401k Rollover! Teach Yourself These 5 Tricks – Whether you are rolling your 401k due to an unanticipated dismissal or a voluntary move to another employer, you now have increased levels of stress at play in your life.

Ray @ Squirrelers writes Saving Money by Procrastinating – Procrastination can be problematic for many people, and can be a cause of lack of productivity. However, one can sometimes benefit from procrastination, especially in the world of shopping!

Bryan @ Gajizmo writes Highest Paying Jobs Without A College Degree – When the economy fell into a recession a few years ago, many individuals were forced to skip college and join the workforce. Despite the importance of an education, many can find high paying jobs without a college degree. Here is a list of the best paid jobs, in order of median wage, accompanied by their projected demand through 2020.

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes I Have BIG News – I have a little secret. It’s actually a big secret. A secret that only a handful of people know. And one that I may get a lot of flack for upon disclosure. But it’s too juicy to keep it in.

Jason @ Work Save Live writes How Do You View Your Money? – One of the best things you can do for yourself, financially, is figure out how you view money. It’s important to understand your relationship with money, and acknowledge what you want your money to do for you.

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Live Like a Rockefeller with Passive Income – Want to know what the financial giants do differently from the average working class family? The secret lies with utilizing passive income. Find out more.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes First Steps in January to Sorting Out Your Debt – January is a time of reflection. Use this time to look back on the past year and analyze your spending patterns. It’s amazing what one can learn!

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes How to Fight the Blues This Winter by Giving to the Causes That You Believe In – Happy Christmas, painted by Johansen Viggo. Source: Wikipedia Welcome to December, everyone! 🙂 As we draw nearer to Christmas, the days get shorter and the

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Monetizing the End of the World: Do You Buy It? – There have been many end-of-world predictions over the course of history sourced from both religious and non-religious beliefs.

TTMK @ Tie the Money Knot writes Separate Accounts for Holiday Spending? – When giving gifts for the holidays, many couples like the element of surprise. Along those lines, what about the concept of separate accounts for holiday spending?

Aloysa @ My Broken Coin writes Sleep on the Pavement, Piss in a Bottle – I am not going to talk about camping equipment. Or tents. Or camping trailers. I want to discuss people who camp out in front of businesses.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes Job Interview Tips – Searching and applying for jobs can be tiring and extremely difficult. Nerve-wracking is also another word that most likely comes to your mind.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes How to Have Fun on a Budget – I used to love going out all the time… Then I realized how much I was spending and I figured out how I could still have fun on a budget.

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Essence Magazine Bad Financial Advice or No? – I read the following article (The Credit Doctor Is In). I don’t claim to be a professional financial advisor but this article really pissed me off. Basically, the article started off really well. Discussing the concept of good credit and taking steps to clean up any credit issues that you may currently be dealing with. Then, it ended on a really sour note for me.

IMB @ Investing Money writes Carnival of Retirement – Welcome to another edition of the Carnival of Retirement. Thanks to all of you who participated. Without further ado, here are the submissions for this week. I did my best to include everyone, but eliminated some of those who tried to submit twice.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes Words of Caution: Things I Am Not. – Read the Things I Am Not To A Very Important Person.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Paying off Debt or Invest? – Reminder: I am running a Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive through Christmas. If you haven’t done so already, please donate. 100 Percent of the proceeds goes to The Salvation Army.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes How To Truly Earn Passive Income From Lending Club – Lending Club is a great way to earn a passive income that will supplement and diversify your investments. It is easy to earn passive income from Lending Club.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes What are Penny Auctions? Should You Participate in Them? – Chances are that you have seen ads around the Internet: Big Screen HD TV for $15! These ads usually point to penny auctions.

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Get Prepared Now… Before the Emergency – As I wrote about last week my husband has been sick for the last few weeks. Like really sick.

Deacon @ Well Kept Wallet writes Thirty Things I Learned Before 30 – Tomorrow I turn 30 and as I reflect back, I realize that there is so much that I have learned. If I would have known what I know now when I was 20, I probably would have made drastically different choices. But I will say, everything that I have done has lead me to where I am today. For that reason, I wouldn’t change how I got here. That being said, here are thirty things I learned before 30.

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes The Apple Price Premium: Are Mac Computers, Ipods and Iphones Worth the Extra Money? – From my seat on the couch I can look around and see my fiancee’s iPhone 5, my old iPhone 4, my Apple TV and oh yeah I’m typing on a MacBook Pro. Obivously, we’ve been using Apple products for quite some time now but I still remember our family’s first Macintosh computer in the early 90′s. Mac products have come a long way since then and the company has come to epitomize a top of the line electronics brand.

Cash Flow Mantra @ Cash Flow Mantra writes Are Entrepreneurs Made or Born? – My daughter started making jewelry for family members as a hobby this summer. Before I knew it, she had opened an Etsy store and started tracking her expenses and revenue on a spreadsheet. She made some changes to her store and tracked the resulting increase in views.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Would You Take Less Money to Get a Faster Rebate? – I was recently give the choice of taking less money in return for getting my rebate faster. Guess which options I took!

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Unifying investments – Bring an ISA and a SIPP together – This article discusses the benefits and ways to unify investments.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes 3 Ways to Save on Car Insurance That You Haven’t Thought Of – Most people get car insurance and then forget all about it. For years they may stick with the same company without any thought as to whether they are getting the best price for their coverage.

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes Boost Your Job Prospects for the New Year – According Money magazine, 2013 will offer the best chance for you to get a new job — or a raise — since 2007. That means that next year could be a good one for you, as long as you are poised to take advantage of the potential opportunities provided for the climate.

Kathleen @ Frugal Portland writes The Pros and Cons of Online Dating – arguments for and against online dating, mostly around the wearing of pants.

MMD @ My Money Design writes Why You Need to Get Your Full 401k Matching as Early as Possible – In this post, I’ll show you just how powerful taking advantage of your full 401k matching from your employer as early as possible can be for you.

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Should You Refinance – Opting to refinance is a big decision to make. Consumers may end up either saving a lot of money or getting all the hassles and spending more. It is important that they weigh all their options carefully before refinancing. Most importantly, they should know if it makes sense for them.

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Accepting Instability – Life itself is unstable. I can follow my own advice to grow, but I can only control my own reaction to things. Breakdown realizations…

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes 5 Tips To Finding Employment for New Graduates – Not too many people tend to graduate following the Fall Semester, at least when compared to the Spring semester.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes How Did the Commodities Market Begin? – If you are considering making an investment in the commodities market it makes sense to find out as much as you can about it first. This can lead you to make a better investment than you would otherwise.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes Is College Worth It? – Is college worth it? This is the time of year when high school seniors are applying to college. A lot of families are thinking about this question, whether you have a high school senior who wants to go to college or your child graduated recently.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Budgeting With Two Incomes – Find out how having two incomes affects your finances. Budgeting doesn’t have to be complicated because of two incomes. It’s easy enough to master.

Gary @ Gajizmo.com writes http://www.gajizmo.com/how-to-get-out-of-a-cell-phone-contract-without-paying-termination-fees/– Fees – they are the bane of our existence as consumers. Technically, we don’t get anything for the money we spend on fees, and they are just an additional tax companies use to increase earnings. Well, what if you want to get out of your phone contract due to bad service or loss of employment, but don’t want to pay early termination fees? We cover the many tactics you can use to try to get out of these fees, as well as some tips on finding the best cell service.

Beating Broke @ Beating Broke writes Are You Waiting on Your Finances to Change? – your finances aren’t going to change if you only wait on them to. If you want them to change, you’ve got to make a directed effort to change them.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes How to Organize a Project – Have you ever had a big project to do – whether it was at home, at work, for volunteer purposes, or for school – for which you had no idea what the first step should be? A few things have been successful get me going on a project and provide clarity. Here is how I’d recommend tackling them:

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Taking The Plunge is Not Just For Polar Bears – Part 1 – Taking the plunge into self-employment is not for everyone, nor is it a decision that should be made lightly. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, then running your own business just might be for you.

Jason @ Live Real Now writes How to Save Money on Anything – Want to save money on anything? I will share the secret that has been passed down from father to son since the Mesopotamians landed the Santa Maria at Plymouth Rock. Ready? The secret is to…ask.

Paul Vachon @ The Frugal Toad writes How to Avoid Going in Debt for the Holidays – Avoiding debt is a pretty simple concept, plan ahead and spend less than you earn. We’ve identified strategies to help avoid debt, the rest is up to you!

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes January Projects for the Home – Though winter keeps many of us inside more than we’d like this time of year, there are still plenty of indoor projects that can be accomplished. A few activities that I should do this winter myself include:

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes How Does the Bottom 5th of America Live? – Could you live on an average of less than $10,000 a year? ife happens. Maybe you are a retiree living on a fixed income and rapidly dwindling savings. Or, recently have become unemployed and again will get by, at least until your savings runs out.

Marvin @ Brick By Brick Investing writes How I Invest In Municipal Bonds – A brief description of how I invest in municipal bonds and earn a tax free 5% yield with very low risk.

Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes Up The Chimney Goes Your Cash – Sitting around the fireplace is a fun and romantic way to spend an evening, but it can costs you money! This article offers some tips to help minimize the costs

Philip @ PT Money Personal Finance writes The Secret to Becoming Your Own Financial Expert in 2013 – In this post, I share 3 secrets to becoming more proactive in making yourself your own financial expert in the coming year.