Many know the fundamentals to building a solid financial foundation are “spend less than you earn” and “save! save! save!” (I am sure there are a few more you could add :)).
It is with these fundamentals mixed with some killer content written by personal finance bloggers that can help to build a solid win-win financial future. Content anywhere from how to invest in the stock market to cutting our daily expenses.
Today we will look into some of the blog posts written by some keen personal finance writers discussing all sorts of great subjects; taxes, investing, negotiating, outsourcing… The list goes on.
Big Tax Refund or No Tax Refund. What’s your thought? Do you know someone actually put down a sizable down payment on their house (like 30%)? Can you duke it out reduce your bill? What about investing in CDs? What about quickly paying down the mortgage? Lots of great stuff to read. Please, do enjoy! 😀
Great Posts to Read
Since Financial Samurai has me thinking about using Certificates of Deposits as a route for investing, Personal Finance Student has a great article listing the The Advantages and Disadvantages of CDs. Nicely done.
Rainy Day Saver’s post, Do You Have to Give Up Convenience in Order to Save Money?, looks at making cut backs with convenient services or goods for a better financial future.
Stay at Home Mom CFO looks at how Getting a BIG Tax Refund was Keeping us in Debt. Interesting article. I have to say that I am starting to think I don’t want a refund check going forward. I think that money might sit better in my 401K.
Young and Thrifty is out to serve the rights for Canadians. See her pull out the big guns against Rogers in, Step-by-step Guide on How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Contract.
My Money Minute wants to know, Tax Refunds: Does Size Matter? In a not so ideal world, big tax refunds are not such a horrible thing after all.
151 Days Off looks at, How to Pay Your Mortgage off in Record Time. I enjoyed the closing statement, “Every time you go out and think about buying an item, multiply the item price to that number. If you are tempted to buy a $100 dress, think that you can either waste $100 or put that money into your mortgage and save $395 in interest! If this doesn’t put you off from spending, I don’t know what else could.”
Chasing Prosperity has a lyrical fun post looking at, Thriftygal’s Top Ten Money Tunes (Feb. 8th post). Gotta say, I love Donna Summer’s “I work hard for the money”.
How to Peacefully Split Bills in Your Relationship by Foreigner’s Finance spoke my tune as my husband and I decided separate the bank accounts.
Little House in the Valley, great post with, Should everyone buy a house?! I like your stance, “No one should buy a home unless they are financially prepared to do so, no matter how low interest rates are or how inexpensive homes may seem.” I agree with having a sizable down payment when buying a home (that will be sometime before I can do that, too!)
The Amateur Financier wants to know your thoughts about Taxing Financial Transactions: Good Idea or Not? As a passive investor he likes this plan. Do you agree?
Which Way are You Outsourcing? by Engineer Your Finances, is a great article! Since I want to outsource areas in my life, this will serve as an effective tool to determine if I am UPsourcing or DOWNsourcing. WHICH WAY you are outsourcing?
Couple Money has family financial meetings. I think that is a great idea! In Elle’s post called, Cash Flow: Managing and Improving Ours, she writes about Increasing your Income, Optimizing Your Expenses and Which Software Can Help. Great job!
Free From Broke helps you decide to get your credit cards under control in, Pay Off Highest Interest Or Highest Balance Credit Card – Analysis Paralysis
Frugal Zeitgeist did a great piece called, Save Money on Printing. I never new about Eco Font and that it uses about half the ink of conventional fonts. Very cool!
Deliver Away Debt learned that he should be claiming 8 in How to Adjust Tax Withholdings. What’s he going to do with that money Sam was holding interest free for him? Dump it into his snowball!
Monevator wants you to Get out of debt to unleash your inner money maker. I agree, I want my “month’s salary is going wherever I want it to go” and “not on paying for things bought and forgotten about years ago”.
Evolution of Wealth discusses the changes that have come about in the life insurance industry in, Whole Life Insurance is Stackable.
Easy Ways to Improve Your Memory is well written by MBA Briefs. I like that a better memory could greatly improve your income potential. Read on!
Eliminate the Muda offers some advice in Dealing with Debt Collection. As a former debt collector… yup, we like to bug you and try tactics, but as a consumer you still have rights not to be harrassed. Learn them here.
The “Secrets” to Landing Guest Posts is a great piece by Experiments in Passive Income. Especially for all you challengers looking to forge new connections in the blog-o-sphere!
I’m so glad i’m not part of tax season…. leave my blog out in the cold a little but I don’t want to write about US Taxes as I don’t know about them…. 🙂
LOL. But I did add you for the expanded version. 😉
Thank you very much, I just noticed that 🙂
Thanks for the link love! I don’t know anyone who’s even put 20% down on a house (besides us!).
You’re welcome. And that is very cool that 20% went down on the house. Great role model. 😀
That’s a LOT of reading 😉 Hope you’re having a good Friday.
Definitely a lot of reading. Hoping to keep everyone busy for the weekend. Hope you are getting a lot accomplished this weekend. 🙂
Thanks for the link love Money Funk! You’re awesome.
Hope you have an amazing weekend and I’m gonna start reading all your great articles right now =)
You duked them fists in the post. LOL. Great job. I hope you are having an amazing weekend, too. Me? I worked my Saturday but got SOOOOO much accomplished. I feel awesome about it!
PS I like your cartoon! =) I wish chocolate could be a business expense too.
Can’t we write that as an entertainment expense? LOL.
Thanks for the link, Money Funk.
Tax season is mid-year here and I just realised that we both have the tax season in winter. What’s up with that?
As for the size of tax refund, suffice to say that I want my money back from the government as much as I can. We don’t have vahttp://www.moneyfunk.net/finances/weekly-round-up-tax-season/rious payment options like you do there though.
Most of my friends (not that many to start with ;)) have sizable down payment to their house, but not because they’re avid savers. They’re “lucky” to have rich parents who throw in $100k-$200K to buy the house. The downside is they end up buying large house with big mortgage and will never have the parents off their backs. That’s a perfect example of money to freedom (or lack thereof) exchange.
You’re welcome!
I wish the government would give me more of my money back. LOL! They tend to like keeping to much. 😉
Oh! I wish I had parents who would throw down like that. But of course, I would be savvy to by me a place that fits my needs. All our friends bought bigger and many have unfortunately walk away from their homes. Long time to bring that credit history up to par.
What, I got to file an amended return now? I claimed the chocolate too!
Thanks so much for highlighting one of my posts. Coming from an expert in the field I especially appreciate it!
LOL. I did claim the chocolate, but took it back out. *guilty*
Expert, huh? LOL. Did I tell you that I just felt terrible debt collecting large hospital bills from people who clearly don’t have the money to pay the balance, that I got up one day, walked to the supervisor, told her, “I quit” and walked out never to look back?
Shame. Healthcare needs to be adequately available for everyone.
Didn’t know you were a debt collector C! Maybe I read it on Ryan’s site before but I forgot.
Love the cartoon. 🙂
The good thing about owing taxes, is that you can just put it off until the very end and not worry about it. Wheeee.
I have quite an eclectic array of jobs there, don’t I? LOL.
And I thought it was the perfect cartoon. Maybe I can have my doctor write me a prescription for chocolate. It does have antioxidants, right? 😉
Owing taxes? I am just about there, but the child tax credit saves me still. Just barely. 2010 might just tip that scale. *sigh*
Like Sam, I loved the cartoon. It’s new to me. My favorite post of the round-up was the Money Tunes at Chasing Prosperity. Several old oldies but goodies (like me!).
I thought it was funny. I had to put it on the post. Definitely great songs. LOL. I am sure that last statement is exaggerated. 🙂
Thanks for including my post! And cartoon is priceless….;)
You are welcome. Want some chocolate???