Carnival of Personal Finance #392 AND #393 – Merry Christmas Edition

There was a bit of a hiccup last week and I’m told the Carnival of Personal Finance didn’t go live as planned. I was asked to do a DOUBLE edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance so here we go! Two times the Personal Finance articles to hold you over the Christmas holiday so you don’t have to deal with blog withdrawal over the Christmas holiday!

Since there are 13 categories I figured we’d go with the 12 Day of Christmas as a theme with an extra special #13.

Budgeting – 12 Drummers Drumming

Danielle from Saving Without A Budget presents A Quick Guide to Budgeting, and says, “The main purpose of budgeting is getting organized.”

Eric from Narrow Bridge Finance presents 5 Best Mobile Apps to Save You Money, and says, “For most of us, our smart phones are only a money drain. We pay at least $40 per month, on a family plan, or up to hundreds per month for unlimited plans, to get our calls and internet wherever we are. We can use those phones, though, to save us money. Here are my favorite free money saving apps.”

Lance from Money Life and More presents Be Wary of Year End Charitable Contribution Calls, and says, “Right around this time of year the phones start ringing, real paper letters start showing up in your mail box and their virtual counterpart, emails, begin to fill your virtual inbox. No, I’m not talking about the sales circulars… I’m talking about organizations fishing for charitable contributions!”

Adam from Adam Hagerman – Financial Coach presents Review Your Income and Expenses With a Calendar, and says, “Do you have too many bills? Do you find yourself paying them at the same time and wondering if you have enough funds? Use a calendar to determine if your bills need a little rearrangement. ”

Bob from Dwindling Debt presents Why is Budgeting So Important?, and says, “Budgeting is a financial plan that can help you solve financial problems.”

Green Panda from Green Panda Treehouse presents Get through the holidays on a budget, and says, “Will you financially survive this holiday season?”

Edward Antrobus from Edward Antrobus presents When there isn’t enough money at the end of the month, and says, “Shortly after I got married, we were so broke that we couldn’t even afford to eat! Read how that happened and how we managed to get out of it.”

Career – 11 Pipers Piping

Drew from Objective Wealth presents Do You Deserve a Promotion Next Year?, and says, “Do you deserve a promotion? If so on what basis? Ayn Rand helps to show how important it is to find the right justification for rising through the ranks.”

Young from Young and Thrifty presents Who You Know Trumps What You Know In Today’s Economy, and says, “I’m sure that if you’re a young person in the job market today you’ve heard the cliché, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” about 1,001 times. I’m pretty sure it’s been that way since there were jobs and since people knew each other, but from what I can tell there is becoming even more and more truth behind the saying.”

Kevin from My University Money presents Why Choose Nursing as a Major?, and says, “We may think of nursing as a career calling; it might be one of those jobs that you’re either born to do, or not. But if you’re deciding on a major, or considering changing yours, nursing is a pretty solid career choice.”

Shaun from Money Cactus presents How To Calculate The ROI On Your College Degree, and says, “There are a lot of pros and cons to formal education and cost can be a major hurdle, here is how you can calculate the return on your investment and judge for yourself.”

Jefferson from See Debt Run presents How to Forge Yourself a Successful (and Lucrative) Career, and says, “When you enter the workforce, you can have a successful career by constantly progressing within your company, and by not being afraid to jump to another company when needed.”

Credit – 10 Lords-a-Leaping

Glen Craig from Free From Broke presents When are Credit Card Annual Fees Worth Paying?, and says, “Some say to never pay an annual fee for a credit card. But that’s short-sighted. Sometimes an annual fee gives you perks that are well exceed the fee.”

Debt – 9 Ladies Dancing

Pauline from Reach Financial Independence presents How I helped my handyman get into debt, and says, “I agreed to buy my handyman a motorcycle that is worth 1 year of his salary. Was it wise?”

PK from Don’t Quit Your Day Job… presents Got Debt? Intellect Trumps Emotion., and says, “Being in debt, in some small way, is like being at war. You’ve got to have the proper mind-frame before doing battle with the financial damage you’ve inflicted upon yourself.”

Bob from Dwindling Debt presents Reduce Debt Yourself, and says, “Anyone can pay off their debts with hard work and dedication.”

Mochi & Macarons from The Budgeting and Expense Tracking Tool presents Santa Claus is responsible for putting people into debt, and says, “A tongue-in-cheek post about Santa Claus being responsible for putting people into debt when companies go into the black, and people are whipped up into a frenzy of consumerism. Tips on how to avoid this are included.”

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey from My Personal Finance Journey presents Smallest Balance or Highest Rate – Which Credit Card Should You Pay Off First?, and says, “This post addresses the question of whether or not paying off the credit card with the smallest balance or the credit card with the highest interest rate is the correct way to pay off your debt. Which method you ultimately choose is really more a matter of personal comfort level and that the really important issue is that you set a plan to pay off your credit cards, get started and stick to it.”

Economy – 8 Maids-a-Milking

Apparently no maids are milking our economy this time of year. They must be scared of the fiscal cliff!

Finance – 7 Swans-a-Swimming

Rob from Dough Roller presents How to Give Financial Advice as a Gift at the Holidays, and says, “Give financial advice as a gift this Holiday season”

FMF from Free Money Finance presents A Simple Way to Calculate Your Retirement Number, and says, “In How Much Money Do I Need to Retire? (60 Minute Financial Solutions) the author provides a simple way to calculate your retirement number.”

Barbara Friedberg from Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance presents Universal Life Insurance-Really?, and says, “Explore the world of insurance sales. Are tee shirts and shorts really appropriate sales attire? Does a 28 year old single guy need universal life insurance? Find out here.”

Frugality – 6 Geese-a-Laying

Edward Antrobus from Edward Antrobus presents Cheap vs. Frugal: How Far is Too Far?, and says, “Are you frugal or are you just cheap? The TLC show Extreme Cheapskates got me thinking about the line between cheap vs frugal and how far is too far?”

Kyle James from Rather-Be-Shopping presents 5 Tips to Keep Christmas Frugal This Year, and says, “Save money this Christmas and still keep your holiday frugal, thoughtful, and memorable.”

Eric from Narrow Bridge Finance presents 4 Ways to Save by Doing Little Things, and says, “Most of us have heard of the “latte factor” and how we can save a lot in the long run by spending a little less in the short run. While some bloggers love the latte rule and others think it is stupid, here are some ways to find the latte in your life to save big in the long run.”

Daniel from Make Money Make Cents presents Bills You Never Thought to Negotiate, and says, “Sometimes all you have to do is ask.”

Justin from Young and Thrfity presents Five Ways to Save Money on Christmas Shopping, and says, “Christmas gift giving can turn into a real expense, and one that you’ll carry into the new year if you pay a lot by credit card. There are ways you can save money on Christmas shopping that can whittle your holiday bill down to size. Using more than one could save you several hundred dollars.”

eemusings from NZ Muse presents Then and now: frugality through the years, and says, “How my spending habits have changed over the years”

Wealth Guy from Wealth and Wise presents Save money on air travel this Christmas, and says, “Want to save money on air travel this Christmas season? Here are 5 tips.”

Amy from Money Mishaps presents Creative Energy Saving Tips for the Coming Winter, and says, “Ways to save energy this winter.”

Emily from PT Money Personal Finance presents Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft Doesn’t Have to Cost an Arm and a Leg, and says, “While there is no sure-fire way to protect your identity, there are measures you can take to protect yourself that don’t cost a ton of money.”

nicoleandmaggie from Grumpy Rumblings of the Half-Tenured presents Mr. Money Moustache vs. Laura Vanderkam, and says, “Nicole and Maggie discuss extreme personal finance blogging. What makes these bloggers so appealing and can the regular person pick and choose?”

Investing – 5 GOLDEN RINGS!!!

Dan from High Yield Edge presents 10 Stocks Paying Special Dividends in 2012 to Avoid Fiscal Cliff, and says, “In an attempt to beat the clock, here are 10 Stocks Paying Special Dividends in 2012 to Avoid Fiscal Cliff. Investors can capture many of these dividends before year-end based on this list.”

Adam from Adam Hagerman – Financial Coach presents Review Your Income and Expenses With a Calendar, and says, “Do you have too many bills? Do you find yourself paying them at the same time and wondering if you have enough funds? Use a calendar to determine if your bills need a little rearrangement. ”

Miss T. from Prairie Eco Thrifter presents Green Investing Tips: How to Place Your Dollar in Conscious Companies, and says, “There are many ways you can be both a shareholder and a citizen of this planet. While it’s rare to find any major corporate entities without some dirt on their records, some have much cleaner attitudes towards humanity and environment. Here are some of the categories of company in which one may feel safe in holding stake:”

Dividend Growth Investor from Dividend Growth Investor presents Why I am not worried about the Fiscal Cliff and Dividend Tax Increases, and says, “There has been a lot of talk lately about the Fiscal Cliff. To summarize, this is when Federal spending would automatically decrease and there would be automatic increases in tax rates. The combination of these two events is likely to cause some shockwaves to the US economy.”

Michael from Financial Ramblings presents Why Did My Mutual Fund Share Price Drop?, and says, “Ever wonder why your mutual find share prices dip in December? Here’s why.”

Money Management – 4 Colly Birds

Matt from Budget SNOB presents How Overspendingh can Destroy your Budget, and says, “Knowing what factors contribute to the habit of overspending will help you control it.”

Mike from The Financial Blogger presents Random Thoughts on How To Make More Money, and says, “My simple plan to increase income in 2013.”

Kacie from Sense to Save presents Our new roof, and what could have been a disaster, and says, “After a recent hailstorm, we were able to get a new roof paid mostly by our insurance company. I almost got taken by a scammer and I’m sharing my embarrassing story in the hopes others will avoid that mistake.”

Sean from One Smart Dollar presents Living off Income from Dividends, and says, “One way to achieve early retirement is buy being able to live off the income from dividends. While this might not be an option for everyone, it is something we should all strive for.”

Ray from Squirrelers presents 10 New Year’s Money Resolutions to Get Started on Now, and says, “New year’s resolutions are great, and often motivating. So why not get a head start? This post shares 10 tips, perhaps a few unexpected, about what we can do to succeed with money going forward.”

TTMK from Tie the Money Knot presents Spending Money on Stepchildren, and says, “This post shares a story about how money and relationships can often be an explosive mix, as there are many dynamics at play when it comes to money spent on kids in a blended family.”

Adam from Financial Coach Adam Hagerman presents What Is Financial Freedom?, and says, “What does financial freedom mean to you?”

Danielle from Saving Without A Budget presents Offshore Savings, Is There a Risk?, and says, “What are the benefits of an offshore account?”

Miss T. from Prairie Eco Thrifter presents The Best Place to Hide Valuables in Your Home, and says, “While there are tons of places you can use, and everyone has their own favorites, the best place to hide valuables in your home is the garage. They are often full of dusty junk and toxic products, so burglars will rarely spend any time in there looking around.”

John from Wallet Blog presents Will Coming Face to Face with Your Future Self Help You Plan for Retirement?, and says, “Snap a picture, take a peek into the future, and give some much-needed attention to your 401-k, IRA, and stock portfolio.”

Lily from Payng Debt Down presents Top 10 Reasons Why Leasing a Car May be Right For You, and says, “10 things to consider when deciding between leasing and buying.

D4L from Dividend Growth Stocks presents 9 High-Yielding Mega-Cap Stocks, and says, “There is perceived safety in size. Giant corporations aren’t randomly grown. Instead, they are carefully built through superior management and foresight. Often these are more mature companies that also offer stability and predictability, usually at the expense of dynamic growth. These are your mega-cap stocks…”

Peter from Bible Money Matters presents Details of the TradeKing and Zecco Merger and How It May Affect You, and says, “Today I thought I’d talk a bit more about the TradeKing Zecco merger, how it came about, and how things will be changing for existing customers of both companies.”

Div Guy from The Dividend Guy Blog presents Fortis FTS Dividend Stock Analysis, and says, “Should you invest your money here?”

Matt Bell from Sound Mind Investing presents Investing Math: Why the Numbers Don’t Always Add Up, and says, “Successful investing is tough enough. But some investors make the challenges even greater by misunderstanding some of the most important numbers used in making decisions and keeping score.”

Roger Wohlner from The Chicago Financial Planner presents Cutting Investment Losses and Lovie Smith, and says, “Investors are faced with the decision about where to best deploy their investment dollars on a regular basis. Sometimes this decision involves taking a loss on an investment and moving on.”

Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents presents Roth IRA Rules 2013, and says, “The IRS has revealed it current Roth IRA rules. This data was based on a variety of factors and figures including inflation statistics to come up with new limits for the contributions.”

D4L from Dividend Growth Stocks presents Best Stocks for 2013, and says, “I love this time of year! Family gatherings, Christmas music, holiday plays, decorations, and stock picks. Stock picks? Yes, ’tis the season for stock predictions! Virtually every financial writer will pen an article selecting his or her top stock picks for the upcoming year. Here are some picks for 2013…”

Sam from The New Business Blog presents The Joys of Entrepreneurship, and says, “Everyone is capable of starting a business, but learn some pointers first.”

Real Estate – 3 French Hens

Jack from Money Saving Ethics presents Taking Advantage of a Buyers Market, and says, “Reasoning on why there are still deals to be had.”

Sam from The New Business Blog presents The Benefits of a Conservatory, and says, “A personal conservatory could be the right choice if you are trying to increase your home’s value.”

Peter from Bible Money Matters presents The Emotional Roller Coaster of Building a New Home and Selling Your Old House at the Same Time, and says, “This year we started looking a bit more seriously for a new house since our son is getting bigger and we’ll likely be heading outdoors with him more often. So here’s our roller coaster ride, so far.”

Saving – 2 Turtle Doves

Mochi and Macarons from The Budgeting and Expense Tracking Tool presents How much should you have saved for retirement so far?, and says, “Fidelity released new statistics on how much you should have saved for retirement so far, by age with benchmarks (e.g. 1x your annual income by the age of 35).”

Amy from Money Mishaps presents The Best Apps for Saving Money on Holiday Shopping, and says, “Learn about the best apps to upload before shopping.”

Jay from Daily Fuel Economy Tip presents Save Time and Money with Fuel Efficiency, and says, “Saving and using your gas most efficiently are very simple to employ.”

DPF from Digital Personal Finance presents Showrooming When Buying, and says, “It’s easy to save money when buying things online, as we can compare prices very quickly. However, we can’t see the products in person. This is where showrooming comes in!”

Andy from Saving to Invest presents Which Type of IRA is Best for Me?, and says, “Choosing the right option depends on a variety of factors that include, how much you and/or your spouse make, filing status and age. It can all get a bit confusing.”

Taxes – And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

PK from Don’t Quit Your Day Job… presents Should We Cut Spending or Raise Taxes To Avoid Driving Off The Fiscal Cliff?, and says, “Reasonable People disagree on the best way to solve the looming fiscal cliff – so I present some unadulterated numbers and statistics on spending and taxation over the last few generations. Come for the pretty graphs, stay for the arguments!”

J.P. from Novel Investor presents Tax Day 2013: Tax Deadlines For The 2012 Tax Year, and says, “With tax time right around the corner, it’s always good to have the important tax deadlines marked on your calendar before you plan your 2012 tax return. ”

Michael from Financial Ramblings presents Maximize the Tax Benefit of Charitable Giving, Donate Appreciated Assets, and says, “If you’re looking for a way to get the most out of your charitable contributions, consider donating appreciated assets instead of cash.”
Madison from My Dollar Plan presents 2013 IRS Tax Refund Delay, and says, “Because of the delays in resolving the fiscal cliff and the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) the IRS is already warning about significant delays in tax refunds for 2012.”

Clint from Accumulating Money presents The Importance of Writing off Your Company Vehicle, and says, “It’s tax time, and that means it is also time to understand and add up all of your deductions. Maximizing your company vehicle write-off is so important, and it is in your best interest to understand why.”

Others – Oh yeah… Boxing Day (for my Canadian Friends)

Philip from PT Money Personal Finance presents Flexible Spending Account [FSA]: Use It or Lose It, and says, “Some reminders about FSAs at the end of the year–including both spending the remainder of it, as well as setting next year’s allotment.”

Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents presents Should You Buy No Exam Life Insurance?, and says, “This is by far one of the most expensive types of life insurance you can get. It doesn’t require a medical exam and also does not require to view your medical records.”

FMF from Free Money Finance presents Case Studies Of People Who Have Successfully Quit, and says, “In the following article, I will share with you five examples of people who have successfully quit their jobs.”

Adrienne from My Dollar Plan presents 10 Christmas Gifts for Toddlers, and says, “Gift giving season is upon us and chances are there are some kids in your life to shop for. If you have toddlers on your list, this is a must-read! ”

Clint from Accumulating Money presents Getting The Measure Of Your International Courier, and says, “Just as budget airlines have made overseas flights accessible to all, nowadays a wide range of international courier services are available at highly affordable prices.”