Welcome to the 193rd edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance. I, Broke Grad Student, am your host. If you’re new to Broke Grad Student, please take a look around and consider subscribing to my RSS feed or following me on Twitter.

With the Oscars given out last night, the Academy Awards would have been an obvious choice for this week’s theme, but I didn’t watch them. Why watch it live when you can go online later and just watch the good parts? Instead, I’ve decided to share some of the most entertaining videos I’ve found on YouTube, so I hope you enjoy the following Oscar-worthy YouTube videos.

Editor’s Picks

• Funny about Money presents Job Happiness: The Oxymoron of the Century. Are jobs supposed to make us happy?
• Pimp Your Finances presents What Would Bilbo Do? 14 money lessons from The Hobbit. This article is proof that you can find inspiration anywhere if you look hard enough.
• M is for Money presents Adjust your Tax Withholding. If you’re getting a large tax refund or owe a lot to Uncle Sam, this article is for you. Find out how to adjust your tax withholding to reduce your chances of it happening again.
• The Strump Financial Blog presents Millionaire Bag Lady. Never judge a book by its cover or a person by their bag.
• Good Financial Cents presents 6 Reasons Why High School Students Think They Should Invest. Did you ever think about investing in high school? Find out why high school students today think they should invest.

Taxes

• Your Money Relationship presents How Long to Keep Those Pesky Tax Documents.
• Fine Tuned Finances presents Get an $8,000 Tax Credit for Buying Your First Home in 2009.
• Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck answers some FAQs about the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit – 2009 Version.
• Free Money Finance presents My Thoughts on the Economic Stimulus.
• Money Under 30 presents The Stimulus: What It Means for You.
• DebtKid.com presents Finally Got An Accountant, Should Have Done This a Year Ago.
• The Digerati Life presents Taking Income Tax Deductions? Track Tax Receipts When You Itemize.
• Are You Going To Be This Way the Rest of the Time I Know You? presents The Accountant’s Daughter on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• My Dollar Plan presents The Ultimate Tax Resource Guide.

Saving and Frugality

• Suburban Dollar presents Comparing High Yield Interest Rates.
• Walletpop.com presents Frenzy for cheap stuff is the iconic image of this recession.
• Uncommon Cents presents Cutting Back Can Make Changes to Your Health.
• Pecuniarities presents Free e-Book, Audiobook, Video & Music Download and Online Resources From Your Local Library.
• Bad Money Advice presents IRAs: Roth and the Other Kind.
• Single Guy Money presents Quitting Smoking – One Month Later.
• Secrets For Money presents Best Tips For Taking A Fun And Frugal Staycation.

Career

• Stumble Forward presents Using A Niche Marketing Strategy To Pay Off Your Debt.
• Modern Gal presents Jumpstart Your Career in a Recession.
• Darwin’s Finance presents Layoffs: You May Be Next – Tips to Avoid, Prepare and React.
• The Smarter Wallet presents Job Hunting Tips: How To Deal With Losing Your Job.
• Money Smart Life presents Job Searching – Find A Job By Building Your Personal Brand.
• Smart Easy Money presents Taking the Week Off (Mostly) from Job Searching.

Economy

• Dawn’s Evolution presents The rude awakening.
• LivingAlmostLarge presents Salary Cap?.
• Sound Money Matters presents That Makes Me Stabby: The 2009 Housing Rescue Plan.
• American Consumer News presents The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• Harvesting Dollars presents Does the Future Hold Inflation or Deflation?.
• Amateur Asset Allocator presents Immigration Causes Unemployment And Other Economic Fallacies.
• The Red Stapler Chronicles presents Do you speak recession?
• Intelligent Speculator presents US..think your economy is sick? Look at Japan to see how bad it could be.
• The Sun’s Financial Diary presents Facts about Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.
• The Paycheck Chronicles presents Lessons from a Non-Paying Tenant.

Budgeting and Money Management

• My Two Dollars presents Don’t Bury Your Financial Head In The Sand..
• Personal Finance Blog by MoneyNing presents How I Look at My Money in Big Picture Fashion.
• Christian Financial Help presents Cost of living comparison by city.
• Moneymonk presents Thoughts of the Middle Class and Rich.
• Debt Free Destiny presents Understanding Wage Garnishments.
• Free From Broke presents Excuse Busters For Not Having A Budget.
• Destroy Debt presents Grocery Shopping: Before and After.
• Green Panda Treehouse presents Automate Your Finances.
• Matt from One Million and Beyond presents Lowering Expenses by Keeping Receipts.

Finance

• My Findependence Day presents 11 Money Saving Renovation Tips.
• Our Financial Planner presents The Power of Compound Interest.
• InsureBlog presents Asking the Wrong Questions.
• Savvy Frugality presents When to Cut Your Losses.
• Early Retirement the Middle Way presents Magic Numbers.

Credit and Debt

• Ready To Be Rich presents Should You Save Money If You Have Debts?
• Discover Debt Freedom presents Can a Debt Settlement Company Review Help Me Choose the Right Company?
• Sam Carterson from Personal Finance presents Clean Up Your Credit Score.
• Bargaineering presents How Accurate Are Credit Estimators?.
• The Happy Rock presents Removing Finance Charges From My Chase Freedom Credit Card.
• The Dough Roller presents 12 Month Balance Transfer Offer with No Balance Transfer Fee.
• Personal Finance Reviews presents Chase Adds Fees To Low Interest Rate Credit Cards: No More 0% Balance Transfer From Chase?.

Investing

• Stock Trading To Go presents Obama Stimulus Package Complete Breakdown
• Investing School presents The Present and Future Value of Money.
• ABCs of Investing presents Roth IRA Investment Account Basics.
• Dividends Value presents Ten Dividend Stocks With 50+ Years of Consecutive Increases.
• The Coin Jar presents What’s a wise mix of stocks and bonds? It’s no secret.
• Financial Highway presents Tax Free Savings Account-Ideas and Strategies.
• FIRE Finance presents What Should We Do If Our Mutual Fund Goes Belly Up?.
• The Financial Blogger presents The Perfect Timing For Leveraging The Market.
• Personal Finance Start-Up Blog presents 11 Reasons to be Lazy and Average When Investing.
• Counting My Pennies presents Looking at the Big Picture.

Reviews

• Personal Finance Software Reviews presents Quicken Online Review .
• Budgets are Sexy presents I’m not feelin’ the love from Upromise – How about you?.
• Consumer Boomer presents Identity Theft – Capital One saved Me!.
• Chief Family Officer presents Review: ING Direct.

Other

• Wide Open Wallet presents Help your schools without spending an extra dime.
• StretchyDollar.com presents Financial Advice – How Much is it Worth?.
• Finance for Physicians presents Life Insurance Information for Residents.
• PennyJobs.com presents Personal Finance Is About the Big Picture.
• Greener Pastures presents Are You a Multitasking Maniac? Is That a Good Thing or a Bad Thing?.

Welcome to the 164th edition of the Festival of Frugality! With Valentine’s Day only a few days away, it was pretty much a given that I would make this week’s edition Valentine’s themed. The only problem is that Valentine’s Day and frugality aren’t two things you’d expect to find in the same sentence. For many couples, Valentine’s Day is a time to splurge and indulge or, at the very least, to get gifts for each other. Want to know the truth? The most frugal way to spend Valentine’s Day is to be single.

This week’s festival of frugality is dedicated to Singles Awareness Day, because no matter how much you think it sucks to be single on Valentine’s Day, it does have its advantages.

Dinner for one is cheaper than dinner for two.

Photo by Rubyran

Editor’s Picks

• Abigail Perry has declared February 15th: The Frugalist’s Valentine’s Day at i pick up pennies. I definitely agree that you can save some time and money by celebrating Valentine’s Day on a different day, but isn’t part of the whole Valentine’s Day experience waiting forever at a restaurant and paying an obscene amount of money for your girlfriend’s favorite flowers?
• Peter is calling people out on A Commonly Believed Myth: The Little Guy Just Can’t Get Ahead at Bible Money Matters. Is the difference between being broke and being poor all in your head?
• LAL asks her readers an interesting question in Are you naturally frugal? at LivingAlmostLarge. I’ve always thought of myself as a frugal person, but I don’t know if it was natural or a byproduct of being raised by my parents. Be sure to check out the comments section to see what other people have to say about their frugality or lack of it.
• Kris shares some great money-saving advice while explaining What the Great Depression Can Teach Us About Food and Frugality at Cheap Healthy Good. Find out what we can learn from the past to help get through our current tough financial times.
• Silicon Valley Blogger shares a bunch of Free Ways To Watch Television Online, Catch Movies on the Internet at The Digerati Life. If you still adjust your schedule just to catch TV shows, then get with the times. You can watch practically any show whenever you want on the Internet.
• mbhunter answers the question on everybody’s mind in Why do frugality tips suck so badly? at Mighty Bargain Hunter. Do frugality tips actually suck or do we just suck at seeing the potential of following them?

Slim to zero chance of heartbreak on Valentine’s Day.

Photo by Sister72

• Dawn explains how breaking your foot can be good for your wallet in my accidental shopping strike at Dawn’s Evolution.
• Victoria illustrates scenarios when baby stores are cheaper than Walmart or Target at Turbo-Mom’s Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time.
• Tom Tessin shares three websites to help you in Finding The Cheapest Gas Prices at FGC Auto Blog.
• toolsie explains how drill bits can keep you thrifty at Drill Bits.
• MoneyNing presents a great guide to What Everyone Ought to Know When Applying for Free Stuff at Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning. If you’re looking into applying for free stuff, this article has a bunch of great tips that will reduce your chances of falling for scams.
• The Writer asks Is Saving Bad? The Paradox of Thrift Says Yes at The Writer’s Coin. In these tough financial times, people are saving more money instead of spending it, but is this hurting the economy?
• PFCreditCards provides step-by-step details on How to Beat Priceline and Get a Winning Bid at PF Credit Cards. I’m going to have to try this out myself for my next trip.
• Mara Rogers shares some great Tips To Negotiate a Lower Rent at Secrets for Money.
• Robert Hazlewood presents A Survival Guide For The Economic Times filled with advice to make it through these tough financial times at Ways to Survive Life.
• FMF asks Anyone Play the Grocery Game? at Free Money Finance. Is it worth it to pay for a service that will help you save money on groceries?
• julie shares A Tip for Planning Thrifty Shopping Trips at Thrifty Frugality.
• Trevor Watkinson spent January only eating Chef Boyardee and shares his results in 30 Days Of Chef Boyardee: Day 30 at SaveYourSweat.com Blog. Not only is Chef Boyardee frugal, it helped him lose weight.
• FIRE Finance tells a great story about running into an old friend and learning how Smart Refrigeration Lowers Electricity Bill at FIRE Finance.
• Jim shares some DirecTV Satellite Television Deals at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.
• ChristianPF tackles the issue of marriage finances: joint vs. separate checking accounts at Christian Personal Finance. Do you and your spouse have a joint account or separate accounts?

You have the freedom to do whatever you want.

Photo by KoAn La Scrivana

• Andy asks Is Obama’s $500,000 Pay Cap for Overpaid Executives Justified? at Saving to Invest.
• Jeff Rose shares an excellent list of 5 Simple Yet Often Overlooked Ways To Spend Less Money at Good Financial Cents. If you haven’t heard of the thirty day rule, then you should read this article.
• vh questions whether taking public transit to work around where she lives is worth the price in time and money compared to driving to work in Cost-effective ride? at Funny about Money.
• SD Guy explores what to do with extra cash after you get it in Nice! Extra Cash… Now What? at stretchyDollar.
• Mike G explains how to Save Electricity and Protect Your Equipment at Money TLD. You can save money on electricity by plugging your electronics into power strips or surge protectors and flipping the master switch off when you’re not using anything.
• Aryn recommends a frugal alternative to the expensive Le Creuset Dutch Oven in Frugal Product Recommendation: Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven at Sound Money Matters.
• Jason Patrick provides some tips on making it through the recession in Has the recession got you down? at MoneyTheory.
• debt kid explains Why Budgets Don’t Work For Everyone at Debt Kid.
• J. Money shares his opinion on “Americans Spending Less, Saving More” – This is bad? at Budgets are Sexy.. Final conclusion? Saving money is a great thing.
• Debt Free Destiny describes 3 Tips to Stablilize Your Finances at Debt Free Destiny.
• Chris explains some house-hunting expenses and how to minimize them at Home I Own.
• Stephanie shares a few great tips that will help you in cutting your food costs at Make It From Scratch.
• Stephanie presents a couple of Amazon Grocery Sale Codes at Stop the Ride!.
• Super Saver presents Lowering our Property Tax – Doing it myself at My Wealth Builder.
• Jenn Fowler @ Frugal Upstate shares some great Fun Frugal Valentines Day Crafts & Printables at Frugal Upstate.

There’s no need to look for stuff with hearts all over it.

Photo by mackz

• Studenomist explains How The Winter Can Save You Money at Studenomics. If you live somewhere cold, you should check out these tips.
• Patrick @ Cash Money Life is spreading the word about a $25 Sign-up Bonus from Lending Club, plus a Chance to Win $100.
• Patrick @ Military Money presents some simple Green Ways to Save Money.
• Patrick @ Money Saving Deals presents a list of money-saving GoDaddy Coupon Codes.
• Len Penzo explains how to Plan Dinner Menus In Advance to Save Big Money at Len Penzo . Com.
• The Smarter Wallet shares a few Cheap Meals You Can Cook At Home To Save Money! at The Smarter Wallet.
• The Investor explains the Time value of money: Why locking money away earns a better return at Monevator.
• Dana J. shares some advice to take with you on your next trip to the dollar store in Dollar Store: Best Items To Buy at Not Made Of Money.
• The Happy Rock tells us about some of his future plans in I’m going to Disney World! (In seven years) at The Happy Rock.
• Megan has taken another green step at Counting My Pennies by using handkerchiefs instead of tissues.
• Wenchypoo takes a look back in time in A Blast From the Past: “Luxury” Sacrifices at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.
• DJ shares advice on how You Can Shop For Frugal Food And Still Eat Healthy at The Family Wallet.

If you live near San Francisco, two words — PILLOW FIGHT!

Photo by Steve Rhodes

• Madison lists a few great Money Saving Tips for Kids on Valentine’s Day at Kids and Money.
• Ryan Suenaga presents A Great Deal on a Great Audiobook at Uncommon Cents.
• Sun gives the latest scoop on Free Business & Finance Courses Online at The Sun’s Financial Diary.
• Shaun Connell presents 5 Principles for Getting Out of Debt at Learn Financial Planning.
• kathryn talks about The Importance of Shopping Local at Out of Debt – Christian Finances and Debt Help.
• Kevin lays out some guidelines to determine whether or not you’re really getting a deal in It’s Only a Deal If… at No Debt Plan.
• Elizabeth G shares some ingredients to keep around for Frugal Emergency Pantry Meals at Modern Gal.
• David R. Lampsen presents Saving with a Sears Coupon at Personal Finance Analyst.
• Mr. ToughMoneyLove shares some tips for Saving Money on Legal Fees at Tough Money Love. He should know because he’s a patent attorney by day.
• Curt tackles 9 Budgeting Myths and exposes the truth about them at PennyJobs.com.
• Penelope Pince shares an extensive list of Frugal and Meaningful Valentine’s Day Gift & Date Ideas, Plus Budget Tips at Pecuniarities.
• Green Panda provides a step-by-step explanation on How to Make a Price Book at Green Panda Treehouse.
• RC shares some advice on Mastering Frugal Living – Living a Simpler Life and Avoiding Consumerism at Think Your Way to Wealth.
• KCLau asks Would you pay RM 1200 for a concert ticket? at KCLau’s Money Tips.
• Em. presents a novel way to reuse your wrapping paper in Welcome to Works-For-Me-Wednesday: Wrapping Paper Edition! at Gratitude. Simplicity. Frugality..
• The Shark Investor presents Strategies For Raising Funds: Saving at The Shark Investor.

Welcome to the December 1, 2008 edition of the Carnival of Twenty Something Finances. I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. In honor of stuffing our faces with food and drinks over the long weekend, I’d like to dedicate this edition to the dreaded Thanksgiving hangover. I think this picture sums it up pretty well.

Photo by centralsq

Editor’s Picks

The Investor explains Why blogging for money will not make you rich at Monevator.com Find out why he thinks blogging to pay off your debts and keep you out of the rat race is an unrealistic dream.

The Smarter Wallet presents Blu-Ray DVD Player Review: Pros and Cons posted at The Smarter Wallet. Twenty somethings love movies and video games, but is a PlayStation 3 or Blu-Ray player worth the expense? This in-depth analysis of the pros and cons could help you decide.

Dorian Wales presents Surprising (and Promising) Aspects of the Financial Crisis posted at The Personal Financier. Read about some interesting trends related to the financial health of our economy. Guess what happens to Playboy Playmates during a financial crisis?

Jim lists 100 Money Saving Tips for the Holiday Gifting Bonanza at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. This great list includes a ton of quick, money saving tips to help you save up some extra money this holiday season.

Allison explains Why you should Donate to your College at AfterGraduation. I donated to my graduate school this year and plan to continue doing so in the years to come. How about you?

Everything Else

Save Money presents How I Save Money At CVS: November 17 posted at How I Save Money.net. She paid ZERO dollars for $26.49 worth of items by using coupons.

Lazy Man and Money presents How $100 Could Save Your Child’s Life posted at Lazy Man and Money.

Shaun Connell presents How to Get an Online Savings Account posted at Financial Planning.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents High Yield Savings Account Interest Rates: Changes Ahead? posted at The Digerati Life.

nickel presents 2009 Federal Income Tax Brackets posted at fivecentnickel.com.

CreditAddict presents 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards posted at CreditAddict.

Mama Bear presents More On Frugality posted at I’ve Got a Little Space to Fill.

The Shark Investor presents How YOUR Saving Advice Caused The Financial Crisis posted at The Shark Investor.

Jeremy Zongker presents 76 Ways to Save Money While Saving the Environment posted at Destroy Debt.

Praveen presents Is Porsche the New Goldman Sachs? posted at My Simple Trading System.

Jeremy Zongker presents Save Money By Reducing Household Expenses posted at Money Blog.

Ben presents Building a Sustainable Economy posted at Grown Ass People.

KCLau presents Buy term and invest the difference posted at KCLau’s Money Tips.

Michael Haltman presents Would You Believe We Are In Recession? posted at The Political and Financial Markets Commentator.

Mac presents Top 10 Secrets of True Wealth posted at Actorlicious.

FIRE Getters presents Simple Strategies to Inflation Proof a Portfolio! posted at FIRE Finance.

Michael Bass presents Should you cosign for a friend or family member? posted at Debt Prison.

Qovax presents Read Financial Footnotes, Invest Safely posted at Value Investing and Entrepreneurship by Qovax, a Software Startup.

Stingy Student presents Live Cashback tips posted at Stingy Students.

The Writer presents Being a Better Employee Series: Do Something Before Work posted at The Writer’s Coin. Find out how doing an activity, like exercising, before work can help you become a better employee.

Debt Aim presents Erase Debt and Live With Less Stress posted at Erase Debt.

Martin Russell presents A Cautionary Story Of A Financial Adviser posted at Word of Mouth Marketing. What would you think of a financial adviser or stockbroker who had told you to get out of the stock market and into cash back in
June/July of this year?

Ray presents Credit Card Offers For People With Bad Credit posted at Money Blue Book Finance.

Bg Cajun Man presents Buying Lottery Tickets and Going to the Casino? posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog.

ChristianPF presents MagicJack review – long-distance for $20/year posted at Christian Personal Finance.

That’s it for the Thanksgiving Hangover Edition of the Carnival of Twenty Something Finances. Submit your blog article to the next edition of twenty something finances by using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the 20th edition of the Finance Fiesta! A couple weeks ago, I held a contest where I encouraged people to anonymously share their deepest, darkest financial secrets for a chance to win HP Notebook PC. I received over 100 entries, but I was only able to award prizes to 5 people. That meant a lot of great entries went unrewarded, so I thought I’d highlight a few of them here for your voyeuristic pleasure.

Editor’s Picks

• LivingAlmostLarge discusses some of the obstacles immigrants face after coming to the U.S. and living without a credit score.
• J. Money at Budgets are Sexy reminds us that we’re all in bed with the FDIC, and that, my friends, is sexy.
• Have you ever considered switching to freelance work? fwp at the financial wellness project is considering the switch and explains why.
• Ashley from Wide Open Wallet is walking from Phoenix to Boston to prove that small steps will take you great distances in achieving your goals.

• Six Times It’s Easy to Ask for a Discount at Free Money Finance
• Hillbilly Housewife – $45 Menu Revisited at Trifling Occasions
• Breakdown of mutual fund fees at Financial Values
• Top 5 Online Banks: Savings or Checking Accounts at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
• Falling Savings Means Keep Doing What You Are Doing at Save and Conquer

• How To Save Money As A Student at Software, Technology and More
• How To Shop For Back To School Supplies: Don’t Pay Twice! at The Smarter Wallet
• Lowes is Too Low at Learn The Stock Market And How to Trade
• Frugality as a Recession Fighter and Depression Killer (L-O-N-G) at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket
• $50 Sign Up Bonus When You Open A TradeKing Account at The Digerati Life.

• TradeKing $50 October Promotion at Cash Money Life
• Need Extra Income? Get Target Job Applications at Personal Finance Analyst
• Escape Your Mortgage Due to a Bank Failure? at fivecentnickel.com
• A Tough Love Treatment Plan for Money Envy at Tough Money Love
• 10 Smart State Income-Tax Saving Strategies at Fix My Personal Finance

With the 2008 Olympics Closing Ceremony playing on the TV while I’m putting this carnival together, I figured highlighting some of the best moments from the 2008 Beijing Games would be appropriate. For those of you who haven’t been watching, now you’ll understand what everyone else has been talking about the past two weeks.

Who is Broke Grad Student?

When I started this blog, I was a grad student with $22,000 in student loans to pay back. Now that I’ve finished my thesis and graduated, I’m a guy with a master’s degree and $22,000 in student loans to pay back. This blog documents the lessons I’ve learned, mistakes I’ve made, and everything in between as I pay back my student debt.

One of my ultimate goals is to pass on my knowledge to current and future college students, which is why I formed the College Money Network with a few other young and excellent PF bloggers. It’s also why we are throwing a huge Back To School Giveaway, encouraging college students to set a financial goal for the school year and others to share their financial advice for current college students.

Enough about me, now back to the carnival…

Gold Medals (Editor’s Picks)

Photo by M@rcopako

Michael Phelps holds the record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics after winning eight golds at the 2008 Olympic Games. However, it was no walk in the park as he somehow managed to win his 7th gold by a mere 0.01 seconds, the time it takes lightning to strike the ground.

• Student Scrooge covers what factors to consider when opening an online savings account in Is Interest Rate All That Matters?
• Consumerism Commentary shares some timely nuggets of wisdom that every college student, not just freshmen, should read in Financial Tips for Students Entering College.
• Alpha Consumer provides a snapshot of four different bloggers at different stages and answers the question, “How Much Do Bloggers Make?“
• The Financial Blogger covers some Famous and Not so Famous Songs and How They Relate to Finance. Bonus points for creativity, but only enough to offset points lost for questionable taste in music (i.e. Nickelback).
• My Dollar Plan has accomplished her goal of Leaving the Workforce at 29, but now she’s faced with another big question, “Where Do I Go From Here?”

College Finances

Colleges all over are starting up classes again, so I thought it’d be a good idea to create a section with articles that focus on college-related finances. Here you’ll find articles that cover important issues such as financial aid, medical benefits, and how to handle the cost of a college education.

• Introduction to Financial Aid
• Solutions to Educational Debt Slavery
• Pay attention to college kids’ medical benefit statements
• Saving Money for College – Education Savings Accounts and 529 Plans
• Best Credit Cards for College Students – Charge Wisely & Build Your Credit History
• 10 Reasons Not to Pay for Your Kids College

Frugality

Photo by thor_matt83

Usian Bolt struck three times at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Not only did he win gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and, with teammates, in the 4×100 meters relay, he set world records in every event and made it look easy. He’s also the first man to win all three events at a single Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984.

Much like the world’s fastest man could have trimmed some time from his record breaking run by not letting up in celebration near the end, you could trim some expenses from your budget by following a few of these frugal tips.

• Frugal but Regret It?
• Lowering power costs with smart meters
• The 13 Most Disgusting Ways to Save Money in 2008! (NSFW)
• How to Cut Back on Discretionary Spending
• How to save money on food when traveling
• How To Save Money On Prescriptions.
• Ah, for the love of laptop computers!

Saving

Saving money is always easier said than done, so it helps to have some encouragement. Read about how others are saving money to get inspired to start saving more of your own.

• Want To Be A Millionaire? Follow the YAWN Philosophy
• Started An Automatic Savings Plan With HSBC Direct
• The Silly Savings Game I Play
• How to Protect Your Money If Banks Being To Fail
• How To Reach Your Financial Dreams In A Flash
• Considering Retirement? Think How Much Then When

Budgeting

Are you having trouble staying within your budget? You aren’t the only one. Check out the following articles to find out how other people handle their budgeting.

• A healthy budget
• Why Don’t We Save More Than We Do?
• My Wife is Spending Too Much Money and She Knows It

Money Management

Photo by kk+

The Redeem Team lived up to its name by recapturing the gold in men’s basketball. The United States defeated Spain 118-107 in the gold medal game, but Spain put up a good fight, cutting the United States lead to 2 at one point during the last quarter.

The United States has always had the most talented basketball players, but in the past few years, other countries have shown that the sum is greater than its parts by defeating the United States with less talented teams. Similarly, someone with more money may not make the most of it because they manage it poorly. Avoid this by reading the following articles filled with tips, ideas, stories, and advice on how to manage your money.

• Feathering the Nest
• How One Man Turned in All Around
• What Are My Options For Retirement?
• We just became members of the Pay it Forward club! (holler)
• Using Your Health Savings Account as a “Super Roth” Investment Vehicle
• How Would You Grade Your Money Management Skills?
• The Truth About Passive Income
• Looking to Buy a Computer? Buying What You Need Rather Than What You Want
• Why Does The Checking System Suck?
• Car Buying For Your Teen
• Four Financial Moves to Prepare for a Recession
• Crumbs Count: Why It Is Important To Track Expenses
• Automated Tithing: A New Way To Give

Finance

Finance is one of those issues that everybody has to deal with, but nobody wants to talk about. Fortunately, there are plenty of the people who blog about finance almost everyday. Browse through the following articles to see what they have to say.

• What is a Financial Advisor?
• Caution: FDIC Misinformation is Rampant
• 10 Ways to Prepare for a Depression
• Stay Focused, Stay Balanced, Stay Healthy: Part One
• The A to Z of good personal finance (Part 2)
• What is Your Number?
• Goofy Retirement
• What to Do With My 401k After I Quit
• Riches do not equal Prosperity
• Galapagos Personal Finance Challenge Wrap-Up
• Having Money and Keeping It Are Two Different Things

Real Estate

Photo by matt.hintsa

Beijing National Stadium, or the Bird’s Nest, cost approximately $423 million to build, and 2 workers died during its construction. The stadium hosted the main track and field competitions for the 2008 Summer Olympics and the opening and closing ceremonies.

• New Jersey 2007 Homestead Rebate Deadline – August 15th Extended
• Mortgage Fees You Should Not Pay

Economy

Have you been worried about the housing meltdown, rising fuel prices, and declining consumer confidence? Then the articles in this section are for you.

• Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.
• Why Is The Dollar Falling?
• The Economics of Minimum Wage

Investing

Photo by Jonas in China

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won their second consecutive gold medal in beach volleyball at the 2008 Summer Olympics. They have won 108 matches in a row on international and domestic tours, which has some people calling them “the greatest beach volleyball team of all time”.

I think every investor’s dream is to invest in something as successful and reliable as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are on the sand. Whether you’re just a beginner or a seasoned veteran, every investor will find some useful information in these great articles.

• 5 Ways to Track Your Stocks
• My Top 5 Stocks
• Beginners Guide To Saving for Retirement
• Making intelligent 401(k) investment decisions
• Best Mutual Fund of 2008
• Extreme Risk Aversion Paradoxically Leads to Another Huge Risk
• A Rundown of Self Employed Retirement Options
• When Inflation Attacks, Gold is not the Defensive Weapon of Choice
• Asset LOCATION Is Key To Building Wealth
• Is $1,000,000 enough to retire on? Is $2,000,000 enough to retire on?

Credit

Credit cards can be a touchy subject. Some people swear by them while others refuse to touch them. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution. If you don’t like credit cards, you can just skip this section. If you do, then keep reading.

• Paying Bills with a Credit Card
• Credit Report Versus Credit Score
• 0% Balance Transfer Credit Card Offers
• FreeCreditReport.com is NOT free!
• Are Frequent Flyer Credit Cards a Good Deal?
• Best Gas Rewards Cards

Debt

Most of us have been in debt at one point or another, so we all share a common goal — getting out of it. Check out the following articles for stories, ideas, and insights about debt.

• Why I Bought A New Truck
• 10 Ways to Bury Yourself in Debt
• Tuesday Tirade: Store Cards
• ‘That’s So Raven’ teaches valuable credit card lesson
• Ways To Consolidate Your Debt

Career

Photo by bludgeoner86

Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson finished 1-2 in the women’s all-around gymnastics competition. Nastia’s gold marks the third time that an American woman has won the Olympic all-around title. It’s also the fourth time in Olympic history that two athletes from the same country have taken first and second place in the women’s all-around.

• Paris Hilton Works Harder Than You Do
• My Post-Military Employment History

Other

Sometimes things don’t fit into a particular category, so we just throw them into a section called “Other”. This is that category.

• Wallet – Neat or Messy?
• Money Isn’t Everything
• Would Being Rich Change Your Life?
• If Time is Money, Why is Customer Service so Horrible?
• How to Find a Good Auto Mechanic

Next week the Carnival of Personal Finance makes at stop at One Caveman’s Financial Journey, so be sure to submit your articles.