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Win Free Book – When Life Strikes: Weathering Financial Storms

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Life – and finances – can get pretty tumultuous through the course of 10 or 20 years. What do you do when the inevitable problems crop up? To that end, I am giving away a free copy of Cal Brown’s When Life Strikes: Weather Financial Storms.

From the publisher…

About the book: There are certain life events that are as stressful as they are unavoidable. All of these events may not happen to every individual, but nonetheless they each cause emotional heartache — and financial headache, and Cal Brown has seen them all. Thanks to his years of experience as a financial planner, coupled with various tumultuous events in his own life, Cal is able to give general guidance and specific financial tips to help ease the stress of these inevitabilities. When Life Strikes is an excellent resource for coping with unexpected tragedies, learning how to prepare for them, and looking ahead for the sake of your spouse, children, and personal future.

Author bio:Cal Brown, CFP, MST, has over twenty-five years of experience in the financial services field. He received his master of science in taxation (MST) from American University in Washington, DC, and his undergraduate BSBA degree from the University of Arkansas. Cal is currently an adjunct professor in the MST program at American University, teaching estate planning. Cal is vice president of planning for The Monitor Group in Virginia, a wealth management firm working with over 250 clients and managing approximately $500 million in assets.And if all that isn’t enough, Cal also plays guitar in a classic rock cover band in northern Virginia.

If you’d like a chance to win the book, please click on the permalink to this post and enter via Rafflecopter. Good luck!

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Zooey Deschanel: Responsible Celebrity Spender

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fame not debt Zooey Deschanel: Responsible Celebrity SpenderThe news is full of stories of famous people behaving badly, especially in financial matters. How else would you have actors and former sports players filing for bankruptcy and putting their homes into foreclosure? Well, Zooey Deschanel can teach all those financially-free-wheeling stars a thing or two! The actress in “New Girl” and “500 Days of Summer” apparently revealed her earnings and spending patterns in a divorce filling – showing the world that she’s a responsible spender and saver.

According to information leaked to TMZ, Zooey makes $95,000 a month (or close to $1.2million a year).  But her expenses only average $22,500 per month, less than 25% of her gross income. Some of the expenditures included in that figure are her clothing at $2,000 a month, eating out and groceries at $1,500 a month, and $600 in laundry and cleaning. Plus, Zooey also donates $1,500 a month to charity. Thanks to her earning prowess and living-below-her-means-habits, Zooey has accumulated $1.5 million in cash, plus another $2.3 million in stocks, bonds, real, and personal property. She is setting herself up very nicely for life, and it’s good  to see a star preparing for the future. The divorce filings also show that Zooey only has 3 credit cards (quite a bit fewer than me and some of my readers), and is debt free.

I’ve liked Zooey Deschanel ever since I saw her movie the 500 Days of Summer, but this filling confirmed it for me. She’s a personal finance blogger’s new celebrity crush! Given that Americans have a pretty fervent love affair with celebrities, I wonder if famous people can ever make “saving” and “investing” cool, like the way that a bag that they carry or cars that they drive are cool. I’m not going to be holding my breath… but you know never know!

Giveaway: Ghirardelli Gourmet Milk Chocolate Gift Packs

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Is there anything in the world that’s better than rich, indulgent chocolate? (OK, maybe, but not many…).

ghirardelli chocolate giveaway Giveaway: Ghirardelli Gourmet Milk Chocolate Gift Packs

That’s why I’m so excited to be working with Ghirardelli on a giveaway to promote their new Gourmet Milk line of “upgraded milk chocolate.” Two lucky winners will receive a gift pack includes 4 bars of each of the following flavors: Gourmet Milk Creamy Devotion with rich and creamy 32% cacao milk chocolate, Gourmet Milk Sea Salt Escape with sea salt and roasted almonds and Gourmet Milk Coconut Rendezvous which features toasted coconut flakes. That’s 12 bars in a gift pack!

One of my favorite things to do is to kick back at the end of the day with a good book, a cup of tea, and a bar of chocolate or a few pieces  of truffles – purchased with my chocolate budget, of course. It makes me feel positively indulgent when I do that, and it’s much cheaper than going out. Besides, life is just sweeter (pun intended!) when it includes chocolate. And you better gather ye chocolates while ye can – after all, our favorite cocoa treats be as expensive as caviar in 20 years.

Please see the Rafflecopter form below (click here to see the permalink) for ways to enter.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Big 2-7

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Today is my birthday. Which means that I have officially entered my “late-twenties.” To celebrate, we are going out to the local Cheesecake Factory where I will feast on one of my favorite desserts of all time (although that list is about 50 items long…): strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries.

When I was in middle school, I read the novel Tuck Everlasting and first learned of the concept of immortality via magical spring water, I thought that 27 would be the perfect age to live forever. See, to a 12-year-old, 27 seems older to be respectable, but still young enough to be… young. But of course now I know that the only way to avoid growing old is dying young. (Also, no such magical spring exists).

I just took another look at my 30 by 30 goals lists I started 2+ years ago and realized time is-a-wastin’! I haven’t quite accomplished too many of those items on my list, but I am in the process to accomplishing a few. I am looking forward to my 27th year – this is the year I am going to get married to CB and have a wonderful honeymoon in Buenos Aires, (hopefully) get into a great business school, study Chinese in an immersion program, max out my Roth IRA for the 6th year, and gain a few more ounces of wisdom. In my 27th year, I am going to make a real push to fulfill some of these life goals on my 30 before 30 list as well financial goals that all good personal finance bloggers have.

But for now… as birthday present, would you take a look at this article I wrote Allstate’s blog and tweet or FB it? icon smile The Big 2 7 Life insurance hasn’t been on top of my mind, and I imagine that’s the case for many folks in their 20s and 30s. But getting married that makes me realize that soon I (and my income-generating ability) are going to be important to more than just myself.

5 Reasons Why Young People Need Insurance

Giveaway: Start 2012 Off Right With A Free Palmer’s Planner

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Money planner 1 218x300 Giveaway: Start 2012 Off Right With A Free Palmers Planner2012 is almost upon us… so start the new year off on the right financial foot. Here’s a giveaway to help you do just that. Kim Palmer of Alpha Consumer and Generation Earn fame has graciously offered to send one winner a copy of one of her Palmer’s Planners: the 2012 Money Planner, the Money Planner, the Debt-Free Planner, and the Baby Planner (you can buy it for $4 to $24 on Etsy.com).

If you’d rather spend time on activities other than financial planning, then the Money Planner is for you. Based on Kim’s personal finance book, it is designed to help you meet your big financial goals by breaking them down into smaller steps and thinking creatively about how to accomplish them.

This PDF is a 44-page, color document; you can either print it out, hole punch it, and put it in your favorite binder, or read it on a mobile device such as an iPad or Kindle.

The winner of this giveaway will receive his or her choice of a Palmer’s Planner. You will receive the file within 24 hours of claiming the prize. 
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New Allstate Blogger Here!

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Recently, I became a guest blogger for Allstate Insurance’s GoodHands community. One of my post just came out in the last week or so – I’d surely appreciate it if you guys took a read and let me know what you think.

As the proud owner of a 1996 sedan that just tipped over the 250,000 mile mark, I know I may be in the market for a new car within the next couple of years. Having been spoiled by years of payment-less existence and fairly reasonable repair costs, I know that I want to find something similar in my new car. But the sticker price isn’t the only price I need to look at… or else I could in for a sticker shock down the road!

Consider 5 Concealed Costs When Shopping for a New Car

Taking a Breath

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Normally, I love blogging. But for the past week I just couldn’t even log on to the administration panel. The truth? I was frustrated by personal finance. By emails and blogging and lack of inspiration.

(1) Work has been challenging, and hence the prospects for bonus are dimmer than I had expected.
(2) I have been traveling almost nonstop for the past month, and that means lots of red-eyes, lots of running down terminals, lots of packing and unpacking, and lots of spending. $7 Martha Stewart wedding magazine at Washington Dulles airport? Why, SURE!
(3) The eating out has. not. stopped.
(4) I can’t really figure out what to write when my personal finances seem to be in such a mess. How can I talk about budgeting when, truthfully, I have not really kept track of my spending since 2008?
(5) My adult allowance system is a failure as well. I don’t know how much I’m spending, but I’m pretty sure it’s over $300.
(6) I just bought a pair of Coach peep-toe pumps for $90. Gone were the days when I agonized over a $30 pair of shoes. Hello lifestyle inflation.
(7) Instead of feeling inspired by how fantastically other bloggers are doing, I was getting down on myself for my inability to just rein in the spending / earn more freelance income / accelerate my saving. So I gave myself permission to just take a break from personal finance and the blogging world. Instead, I kicked up my heels and tangoed. I read all those books piled up on my nightstand. I worked on my business school essays.

And now, after taking a breath, I am ready to come back. During one of my business school visits I heard a female corporate executive speak about women, work, and personal life. Her talk really resonated with me. So many times women are raised from youth to be perfectionists, the “A” achievers. But sometimes a “B” will have to be good enough. Sometimes, it’s better to get a “B” or even, gasp, a “C” rather than quitting. There will be periods when I feel like an “A” blogger, and there are periods, like now, when I feel as if I am barely making a “B-”. But I am going to keep on trucking. Because it’s important to stay in the game. Because, despite all the busyness and frustration, I love my corner of the blogosphere.

Note: one of my favorite bloggers, Sense to Dollars, is celebrating her 5th blogging anniversary. What I love most about Sense is that she write for herself. Please head on over and wish her a happy blogoversary.

Do you ever feel just so frustrated by personal finance and blogging? How do you “take a breath” and regroup?

“I can’t believe they spend money on that…” – Expenses That Are Judged The Most

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This post has been Consumeristed!

 

“I can’t believe they spend money on that…”

How many times has that thought crossed your mind? I have to admit that it has certainly crossed mine! Yesterday, Andrea @ So Over Debt wrote about  our judgment of other people’s expenses (and vice versa). Inspired by her post, I’ve decided to focus on a list of expenses that always come under the glare of judgment, based on what I’ve read on personal finance blogs and websites.

1. Wedding expenses

If there is one thing sure to get people talking, it’s the cost of weddings. And with the cost of weddings, the cost of wedding dress seems to be fodder for criticism (Sallie’s Niece caught so much flack for her wedding dress). Before I got engaged, I admit that my eyes popped out whenever I heard costs in the $20,000+ ranges. But now that I am planning a wedding, I get it. A traditional wedding costs money, period. If you want a sit-down dinner, dancing, on a Saturday night in a metropolitan area and you have a guest list over 30 and no connections with wedding vendors, it will cost money. Even my small dance-free shindig is costing more than I had expected. Sarah at Paranoid Asteroid had a great post detailing the 10 frugal things she won’t be doing for her wedding.

2. New cars

Do most personal finance bloggers hate new cars or what? I get it, the depreciation hits the instant you drive a car off the lot, etc. etc. But I love well-constructed, reliable new cars that I can drive to death (example: see my hand-me-down-from-Dad 240K miles Honda). Remember when Krystal at Give Me Back My Five Bucks bought a car and the firestorm erupted in her comment section (the comments seem to have gotten lost when she transitioned the blog to WordPress)? If someone as responsible and as on-top of her finances as Krystal can’t escape criticism, who can?

Last July, I talked about considering a new car because one of my concerns is the lack of up-to-date safety features in my car, and a commenter told me to wear a helmet while driving instead and accused me of helmet-head vanity!

Lets say there is a safety component and that’s valid. How do you improve the safety of your car so it’s equal to that of a new honda? Research shows the greatest improvement that can be made to driver and passenger safety would be to make it compulsory for people to wear motorcyle helmets while driving, like seatbelts are now compulsory. That would cost you about $50. The helmet negates the need for airbags because it’s better than an air bag (ever seen a nascar or fomula 1 driver without a helmet and with airbags?) . Now we can go from making an emotional decision about safety to a rational decision about safety.

$50 helmet vs $15000 for a new car so I don’t mess up my hair? Where you just trying to rationalize the purchase of a new car?

3. Lattes

I blame personal finance expert and author David Bach  for coining the much-too-marketable phrase Latte Factor. Poor lattes got the blame in this case, but everything viewed in the context of annual expense, then compounded over 30 years at rate of 12% will look completely astronomical.

4. Technology / Entertainment

New iPhones, big-screen TVs, video games are all targets loaded in the “bad spending” column, it seems. But all those things make people happy. Gosh darn it. I get a lot of value out of my smartphone – although it’s definitely nice that right now my work covers my plan costs.

5. Clothes 

There is this pervasive image of the free-wheeling, irresponsible young lady who spend her entire paycheck on clothes and shoes. (I think it’s part of the stereotype of women as being less financially savvy, even if they look outwardly successful). The fact is that some people love clothes and some people love something else. A woman who is decked out in stylish garb might be deep in credit card debt, or she might just as well be a millionaire. Or maybe she just doesn’t spend as much money on her cars and TVs and value clothes instead.  Kelly at the petite fashion blog Alterations Needed said it best when she said in a comment to my post: ”I eat cheaply, and rarely go on  vacations, let alone exotic expensive ones. I sock all that extra money  away, and then splurge on what I really love in life…my closet!”

6. Graduate school

Another thing that I’ve realized is that education, specifically higher education, has a lot of criticism aimed at it among personal finance bloggers. I understand, after all, it’s a big decision to leave the workforce and take on significant debt (or both! what fun). I believe most people make a thoughtful choice on whether they want to go back to school. This is close to my heart because I am applying to an MBA program. A graduate degree can lead to a career switch or great job opportunities, plus, there’s what I call the “luxury” factor. Life isn’t just about return on financial investment. I fully recognize that purely financially speaking, it may not make sense for me to go get an MBA(or have kids, or travel the world, or get a dog, etc.). It will certainly take me longer to recoup my costs that it would if I have a lower income right now or am aiming for a higher income post-MBA. But the experience of being in school, furthering my education, increasing my network and making new friends are also worth something to me, as I imagine it’s worth to other folks who decide to go back to school.

The one expense that almost always escape judgment?

Travel! I love travel as much as the next gal (and I blog about it plenty), but come on. Travel can expand one’s horizons and add a valued cultural perspective. Yet honestly, a vacation to Paris or a trip to Turkey can be as much of an luxury item as a pair of Louboutin heels or a Prada purse.

I can’t say that I free from judgment – it’s human nature to judge and compare. Okay, fine, I do judge people who pay $300+ for Hermes flip flops. Just a little. icon wink I cant believe they spend money on that... Expenses That Are Judged The Most

What expense do you think personal finance bloggers judge the most (am I missing anything on this list?)? What expense do you judge the most?

 

Blogging About Personal Finance When You Are Married

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In 8 months, I’ll be tying the knot. Jumping the broom. Getting hitched. Taking the plunge.

Getting married changes many things. For example, once CB and I get married, I will be able to (1) file taxes jointly, (2) make healthcare decisions for him if he should become incapacitated, and (3) invoke my spousal privilege to prevent CB from testifying against me in court. Aside from these new rights and responsibilities, getting married may also change the way I blog about personal finance. I am debating how to continue talking about personal finances in a meaningful way while respecting my future husband’s privacy and his level of comfort with putting our financial information online.

I’ve been writing WellHeeledBlog.com since 2006 – wow, it HAS been five years already! I have been in a committed relationship all through that period, but as a single gal my money has always been mine. I was only responsible for my own income, expenses, debts, and financial goals. Apparently, now that I am getting married, I cannot think of just myself any longer. It’s going to be our money, our expenses, our debts, our financial goals. Even though we will likely keep our individual accounts, California is a community property state. Thus, everything earned, incurred, and saved during a marriage is divided 50/50, with a few exceptions, no matter what name’s on the account.

So, how will getting married affect my blogging? Here are a few ways I can go about it:

  • Stop blogging entirely. Now, CB actually thinks it’s pretty cool that I blog (and that I actually make a little bit of money – which then goes into our joint travel funds!). In fact, he has helped me run backups and troubleshoot when I needed it. But I imagine that there must have been spouses of personal finance bloggers -or really, any type of blogger- who are not comfortable with them putting information online. How to respond in this situation? Whose opinion take precedence? Does the person with the stronger opinion get his/her way?
  • I can go on blogging about only my income, expenses and goals, as I have been doing right now. CB and his finances will remain in the shadows. Pro: I get to keep on blogging as I always have been while respecting CB’s privacy. Con: all the blogging inspiration from our newly created household – wasted! This might be a fair compromise if CB isn’t comfortable with me sharing his finances, but…
  • Ideally, I’d like to blog about our money as a joint entity. Pro: I would be talking about the full picture of our household, while our individual incomes would remain private. Part of the reason why I blog is to keep myself accountable and keep track of progress towards financial goals, so it makes sense that it should reflect an accounting of our resources and goals. Con: CB becomes so interested in personal finance blogging that he builds a rival site, stops taking me out to eat, and forbids me from buying dresses can’t think of any.

Well, I guess you know what direction I’m leaning towards. icon smile Blogging About Personal Finance When You Are Married We are going to talk about this and hopefully he won’t object to the last and best option.

Other married or bloggers in committed relationships, how did you tackle this topic? Do you blog about your money or do you blog about your combined finances? And here’s the big question: would you stop blogging if your partner asked you to?

Fit Your Credit Card to Your Lifestyle

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Credit cards can be an incredible tool in managing one’s finances (if used responsibly). Ever since I’ve gotten my first credit card my senior year of college, I’ve appreciated these little slips of plastic. I get great rewards, fraud protection, and additional insurance / warranties on purchases and car rentals.

When I am in the market for a new credit card, I try to take the time to find the best credit cards for my lifestyle and spending patterns. A consultant who travels every week for business should get a frequent flier card that will provide the best perks and most upgrades. A big family may do best with a card that provides a high cash back ratio at grocery stores. Someone who keeps a balance on their card should look for one with low interest rates.

Right now, I have two credit cards that I use the most frequently – a Citi Visa that gives me great rewards (namely, Sephora gift cards), and a British Airways card that I got when a 100,000 miles sign-on bonus was promoted earlier this year. I get my year’s makeup with the Sephora gift cards, and I am looking for free airfare with the BA card.

What do you look for when getting a new credit card?

My Guest Post on Krystal’s Give Me Back My Five Bucks

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If you just came over via my guest post: “Don’t Let Other People Tell You How to Spend” on Give Me Back My Five Bucks, welcome! Krystal was one of the first bloggers I’ve started reading, so I am extra excited that I got the chance to guest post on her blog.

One of the biggest budget adjustments I’ve done for my wedding is to lower my photography budget. That was also the hardest adjustment, because it seems that “wedding photography” is in that sacrosanct category of spending that you cut at risk of great regret. Head on to Krystal’s blog to read more.

For new readers… here’s a little bit about me.

I am a 20-something business professionl who is planning to get her full-time MBA, after graduation I am planning a career in marketing management. My mother is my greatest personal finance hero, having shown me the effects of interest amortization when I was just in middle school. She also instilled in me a healthy fear of growing old and poor, a fear which I have parlayed into maxing out my Roth IRA every year since 2006, and maxing out my 401K for the first time this year!

In April, I got engaged to the man I’ve been dating since I was in high school (affectionately referred to as CB in this blog), and though it might not be politic to admit, the fact that we – clueless high school sweethearts - somehow grew up into two adults planning a life together is one of my greatest achievements and deepest joys. I love Argentine tango. I love travel. I love food (and fights a never-ending / frequently-losing battle with too much take-out). I believe that personal finance shouldn’t make you miserable.

I’d love it if you stuck around. You can subscribe to my feed and tweet me.

Giveaway Winners: Novica & Pearls of Joy

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UPDATE: … the new new winners of the Novica giveaway is Girl with the Red Balloon. The new winner for the Pearl Earrings Giveaway is Tooth Fairy. 48 hours ladies, please contact me! Or else I’m going to think no one wants free prizes! icon razz Giveaway Winners: Novica & Pearls of Joy

—-

Hello all! My apologies for the late announcement… I got called into Jury Duty earlier this week!

Without further ado – The winner of the $50 NOVICA.com gift certificate is Connie G. I’ve also selected a new winner for Pearls of Joy pearl earring contest because the previous winner never contacted me. The new winner for that contest is Lisa (twitter handle @china4evs ).

Ladies, please contact me within 48 hours with the subject “Giveaway Winner”. Congratulations!

Blog Swap: 5 Tricks to Saving in the City

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A big hello to all you Well Heeled Blog readers! It’s 20S Bloggers Blog Swap #9 and I’m visiting from Kristie Was Here. I know what it’s like to live on a budget and plan a wedding for $3,000. I’ve paid student loans and counted change for parking. Saving money is a priority for me and I value living well below our means. The husband and I live in a small a condo in Seattle and thought I could share how I saved a few pennies this summer. Enjoy!

DSC 2882 Blog Swap: 5 Tricks to Saving in the City

We have a few sayings in our family of husband, dog, and me. One: it’s 10:30am—get out of bed; two: it’s about experiences, not stuff. This summer, it was all about numero two. We made it about experiences, about being together, about finding time to do simple things and about creating stories instead of collecting things. Sometimes it’s cheaper, sometimes it’s not, but it is always worth it. Plus, it doesn’t add to the clutter in our condo.

We made the parks our yard and collected picnic memories with friends. We grabbed books and sunscreen and ran to the lake for our 78 minutes of summer. We went on walks and wandered through the neighborhood markets happening all around our city. Last Friday night? We watched Scott Pilgrim vs the World Blog Swap: 5 Tricks to Saving in the City on a huge outdoor screen at a free block party. In the shadow of the Space Needle we had an outdoor theater with kettle corn and boxed wine. Really, can it get any better than boxed wine? I think not.

Living in a city can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be if you look hard enough. Here’s what I know about living in Seattle.

1. Inspiration is free. Farmer’s markets, (some) outdoor concerts, parks and beaches don’t charge admission. Window shopping? Also free. I’m inspired by people who are creating and sharing, and I don’t have to pay oodles of money to appreciate their talent. Neither do you.

2. Stop for the music. Simply walking through the streets and opening my ears to the musicians on the corners is a treat. It’s as if my world has a soundtrack. Street musicians are one of the little luxurious of life.

3. Reading is worth it. I wanted to make more friends and I wanted to read more. Someone suggested I join a book club (genius!). I read in the warm moments of the day. I bought used books. I soaked up the worn corners, yellowed pages, and underlined passages that spoke to the person before me. Don’t want to pay for books? May I suggest a library card? They’re cool little suckers.

4. Dancing is key. In my city, there are places to dance that don’t charge covers or are free before a certain time of night. People who enjoy good music and the freedom to move are my kind of people. Don’t dance? Try karaoke. If nothing else, you can enjoy it as a spectator.

5. Wandering becomes me. Taking on any city with a camera or a notebook or just me can be the makings of a perfect day. The more I discover about myself and my city, the more I appreciate the simple things, the experience of being me in the middle of a changing and complicated world.

Collecting experiences can be affordable, fun and so rewarding. Plus, there are no knick-knacks to dust. And boxed wine? Yes, it totally rocks.

Giveaway Contest: $50 Gift Card to NOVICA

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Do you want to find unique gifts and products from all corners of the world? Do you want your purchase to go towards a sustainable, living wage? If so, you should check out NOVICA, an online retailer that has teamed up with National Geographic to offer consumers exactly that. According to the website:

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

One lucky reader will get a $50 Gift Card to novica.com. I also got a $50 gift card to review the site, and I’ve peeked around for a gift.. perhaps some cufflinks for CB? The site offers some cool mens accessories (walking sticks and alpaca scarves, anyone?). Because the gift card expires at the end of August, though, I wanted to give you guys as much time as possible to use the card. So I’ll just have to do my review of Novica when my items come in.

To enter:

+1 Visit NOVICA’s website and comment on this blog what you would buy with the $50 gift card.

+1 Follow @WellHeeledBlog and tweet this giveaway with this message: I want to win $50 gift card  @WellHeeledBlog See http://tinyurl.com/3b7bk7q to enter!

+1 blog about this giveaway, include in your post these 2 links: http://www.wellheeledblog.com/2011/08/08/giveaway-contest-50
-gift-card-to-novica/and http://novica.com/

+1 spread the word on Facebook by writing about this giveaway on your wall,  include these 2 links: http://www.wellheeledblog.com/2011/08/08/giveaway-contest-50
-gift-card-to-novica/ and http://novica.com/

+1  sign up for Well-Heeled Blog’s RSS   updates or email updates. If you are already a subscriber, just let me know and you will be counted.

**If you’ve done any of the above, please leave a comment and let me  know how you have entered so I can count your entries.

Deadline  is Monday August 15 at midnight PST. You will have until end of August to redeem your gift card. Good luck! icon smile Giveaway Contest: $50 Gift Card to NOVICA  Thank you  for entering this contest and thanks to novica.com for making this  possible!

 

 

Pearls of Joy Giveaway Winner Is…

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stacey dempsey!

Thanks to everyone who entered and for Pearls of Joy for sponsoring the giveaway contest. Stacey, please email me within 48 hours with the line “Pearls of Joy Winner” in the subject line. icon smile Pearls of Joy Giveaway Winner Is...

Everyone else, there is ANOTHER giveaway coming up later today. So keep an eye out!

Giveaway: Pearl Earrings from Pearls of Joy

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Updated Ways to Enter! (as of 7am PST)

  • Newsletter sign up: http://www.pearlsofjoy.com
  • visit the website and comment on which is your favorite product – please leave a link

I am a big, big fan of pearls – nothing can look so beautifully classic as a strand of pearl necklace or as elegant as a pair of pearl drop earrings.

That’s why I’m so excited to announce a giveaway sponsored by PearlsOfJoy.com, an online merchant that specializes in pearl jewelry for much cheaper than retail. The company also offers free Fedex shipping and 90-day return period! If you are in the mood for a pair of earrings (for yourself or for a special lady in your life), this contest is for you. icon smile Giveaway: Pearl Earrings from Pearls of Joy

pearl earrings 300x150 Giveaway: Pearl Earrings from Pearls of Joy

The Prize: 14K gold pearl earrings (choice of white, lavendar, or pink for the winner):

Mix the look of contemporary and classic with these stylish, freshwater pearl hoop earrings. The pearls are suspended from 14K gold endless hoops, and are nearly round and have little to no blemishing. Available in only AAA grade quality, and sizes ranging from 6-9mm. All of our pearls are paired by hand to assure the highest quality of matching for our earrings. Our earrings are securely mounted by hand to solid 14K white or yellow eyepins. Hoops measure 3/4″.

This pair of earrings cost $109 on the website and is valued at $400+.

Here are 4 ways to enter:

Please tell me exactly how you entered in the comments, so I make sure to count all of your entries.

The contest ends Friday August 5. The winner will be announced on Monday August 8 and must claim the prize by email within 48 hours. Good luck!

photo credit: PearlsofJoy.com

 

Staycation Ideas for the Summer

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Why go on vacation when you can have a nice, relaxing, budget-friendly, traffic-easy staycation?

Yeah, you tell me. Head on over to LendingTree Blog to check out four of my staycation ideas.

Can you have a vacation with all the fun and relaxation of getting away, minus the expenses and logistics of travel? By planning a staycation – a vacation where you stay close to home, you not only get to enjoy time off, but you can also save money and avoid the hassles of security lines, high gas prices, and car rentals. And if you only have a few days off, a staycation means you won’t waste any of your vacation days on the road.

I say, YES! In fact, I am planning a staycation of my own right now… it still counts even if it’s only for a night, right?

Carnival of Personal Finance: Summer Edition

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The days are getting longer and the sun is burning hotter – a sure sign that summer has arrived. Have you heard of the story of the grasshopper and the ant? The grasshopper plays during the lovely summertime while the ant judiciously saves for the lean winter months. Here, some personal finance bloggers show us how to be the ant and not the grasshopper.

Editor’s Picks:

Big Cajun Man from The Canadian Personal Finance Blog presents Why I am Not Rich (financially), and says, “I am not lamenting lost money, only opportunities that I have missed, but it is only money at the end of it all.”

ElizabethG (Modern Gal) from Modern Gal presents Coping with Chronic Underemployment

Annabelle Foster from The Year of Shopping Detox presents Day 154: The Glasses Thing, and says, “Ranking the relative frugality of glasses, contacts, laser eye surgery, or just squinting and getting headaches.”

Tom Drake from Canadian Finance Blog presents Caution: Lifestyle Inflation Ahead, and says, “Whether we admit it or not, lifestyle inflation starts to creep into most of our lives as we get older and our salaries increase.”

Bob from Christian Personal Finance presents Google Wallet: Is it in your pocket?, and says, “Once again, Google is changing the way people do business. Google recently announced its newest innovation called Google Wallet. It’s a way for shoppers to use their cell phones as a method of payment.”

Nicole from Nicole and Maggie: Grumpy Rumblings presents Wasting food is a sin*, and says, “Nicole and Maggie discuss how not to waste food and good uses for rescuing leftovers such as stale bread. Also a small rant on whether or not we should invoke morality when talking about food.”

Ants save for retirement and other goals

Ben from Money Smart Life presents Investment Asset Allocation 101, and says, “A basic look at how to keep asset allocation in mind when choosing your investments.”

Ramsay from Moneyedup presents Max out your 401k, and says, “One of the essentials of financial freedom is preparing for the future. One way you can do this is by opening a tax-advantaged retirement account.”

DSO from Dividend Stocks presents Mobile Dividend Stocks, and says, “This stock valuation model takes a look at divided growth and uses it to help you decide whether or not the investment is a good buy.”

Outlaw from Outlaw Finance: Investing Blog presents Online Stock Broker Comparison for Do-It-Yourself Investing, and says, “It doesn’t have to be expensive to get started in investing. You can do-it-yourself and invest with a discount online stock broker. This is my review of the top brokers available today.”

Sean Smarty from Grow Money presents Smart Investing Strategies Start With Financial Planning

IS from Intelligent Speculator presents One Major Benefit To A Passive Income Portfolio, and says, “Do you have a passive income portfolio?”

Div Guy from The Dividend Guy Blog presents Dividend Investing eBook ? How To build a Never Ending Cash Distributor, and says, “A very free and informative ebook.”

Mike from Experiglot presents Asset Allocation for Retirement, and says, “How’s your asset allocation for retirement working out?

Jim Yih from Retire Happy Blog presents What is your retirement sweet spot?, and says, “Creating tax efficient income in retirement is really important. It starts by understanding the marginal tax brackets and the retirement sweet spot.”

Ants have good credit!

Sun from The Sun’s Financial Diary presents Is Credit Sesame Safe?

Kim from CardHub.com presents Best Gas Credit Cards, and says, “Hey I hope all is well! I think your readers will enjoy my submission this week because I explain a few ways people can save on gas this summer and enjoy that big road trip they’ve been planning without having to worry so much about money.”

Jason from One Money Design presents Pros and Cons of Credit Monitoring, and says, “Consider these pros and cons of credit monitoring before signing up…”

Tim Chen from NerdWallet Credit Card Blog presents California Credit Cards: Searching Beyond The Megabanks, and says, “Californians have the luxury of choosing from many different types of credit cards. In addition to cards issued by large national banks with high name recognition, a large number of regional banks and local credit unions available only to California residents give highly favorable terms.”

Junior Boomer from Consumer Boomer presents Credit Reporting Rules, and says, “There are rules regarding our credit reports and how items are reported, how often you can check your report, and how to get wrongful items removed. Here is some important information you don’t want to miss.”

Janet from Credit, Eh presents 5 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score…While Naked!, and says, “Technology makes it possible for your to do any number of things while naked. We share 5 ways you can improve your credit score, in the privacy of your own home, wearing nothing but your skin.”

Jeri Ford from Help Me Travel Cheap presents The Best Way to Get A Free Credit Score – Credit Sesame, and says, “In order to get a general gauge of your credit score, use Credit Sesame.”

Andrew from CreditDonkey presents Credit Cards Giving Relief to Joplin Victims, and says, “Relief organizations say help is desperately needed in the Joplin area and are asking people across the country to use their credit cards and cell phones to assist the victims of the Joplin Tornado.”

Ants prepare for the winter (aka: not-so-good days)

Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents presents Afraid of Losing Your Job? Consider Mortgage Unemployment Insurance, and says, “With the uncertainty the job market has brought to many over the last several years, mortgage unemployment protection insurance has become more popular.”

Diva from Diva In Debt presents What Every Single Girl Needs: Disability Insurance, and says, “Diva in Debt shares why single women most of all need disability insurance.”

Personal Cents from Personal Cents presents The Current state of umemployment.

Len Penzo from Len Penzo dot Com presents The High Cost of Being Poor (and How to Vanquish It)

Craig Ford from Money Help for Christians presents How a High School Graduate Can Save $20,000, and says, “Most teens who graduated this year will go out and get stuff they can’t afford and borrow money to fund their impatience. ”

Ants spend consciously

Trent Green from Money for Regular People presents How Consumer Reports Saved me $130 on a GPS Unit, and says, “Recently I bought a GPS (for driving) that I’m happy with, that goes wherever I go, and that cost me $130 less than what I thought I was going to have to spend. As nice as that savings was, I realized that it went far beyond GPS units.”

Glen from Parenting Family Money presents Take Advantage of Free 2011 Reading Programs During the Summer, and says, “There are a good number of free summer reading programs you can take advantage of to keep your child occupied and ahead of the learning curve.”

Barbara Friedberg from Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance presents Don’t Fall for Money Mind Tricks (Part 3), and says, “I love behavioral finance. This article explores how choice impacts decision making. Find out how our money decisions are strongly influenced by psychology.”

Tushar from Everything Finance presents 4 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Daily Deals, and says, “By now, you’ve probably heard about daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social. There are a number of other daily deal sites out there that provide discounts on items, and offer you the chance to get coupons for a great price.”

Erica from SittingAround Blog presents Biggest Threat to Family Finances? It’s Childcare.

Clint from Accumulating Money presents Helpful Budgeting Tips For Young Adults, and says, “For most young adults, when the time comes to face the facts with finances they are not prepared. If they don’t learn how to manage their money now they may be faced with crippling financial crises in the future.”

Ants are smart about debt

Danielle Liss from Kitten a Go-Go presents Ten Ways that I Paid off $30,000 of Credit Card Debt in Two Years.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey from My Personal Finance Journey presents Find Out Your Credit Score For Free With CreditKarma And An Analysis of My Results, and says, “There’s quite a bit of “buzz” in the personal finance community about Credit Karma. This article dissects my experiences with this relatively new site in an effort to help readers determine if it would be beneficial to them.”

Teacher Man from My University Money presents Investing Series – Saving, and says, “We go over basic saving tips and options targeted for any Canadians weather they be young or old.”

Mike from Do Not Wait presents Debt Management Solutions: Debt Transfer Credit Card, Good or Bad?, and says, “Have you thought about this credit card idea?”

Justin from Money Is The Root presents 5 Reasons You Should Stop Paying Down Your Debt, and says, “5 reasons you should stop accelerating your debt payments.”

Echo from Boomer & Echo presents Is Debt Derailing Your Retirement Plans?, and says, “You should consider the long-term effects of debt. One of the surest ways to derail your retirement plans is to have debt.”

Money Thinker from Money Thinking presents Is There Really Such a Thing as “Good Debt”, and says, “Money Thinker speculates on the concept of “good debt” in our current economy.”

Tom from Stupid Cents presents Borrowing Against a 401k, and says, “I you are considering borrowing against your 401k plan, please be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of that choice.”

Eric from Narrow Bridge Finance presents Mint.com Alternative – Adaptu: The Showdown of Mint vs. Adaptu, and says, “An in depth review comparing popular finance site Mint.com to the newer Adaptu.”

Ants work hard

Ashley Sherer from Legacy Geeks presents Six Things To Ask Yourself Before Becoming A Full-Time Freelance Programmer, and says, “This is an article I wrote to help computer programmers make the decision on whether or not to undertake freelance programming as a career.”

Mike from The Financial Blogger presents Why I Will Not Quit My Day Job, and says, “Why I don’t plan on leaving my work.”

Mike from Green Panda Treehouse presents The Financial Milestones in Our Lives, and says, “A fun look at our milestones.”

Lahesha Williams from Career Help for Christians presents Using Social Media to Market your Small Business Effectively, and says, “Marketing is an essential element of every business and can be the key to the success or failure of the business.”

FMF from Free Money Finance presents Monetize Your Message: Turn Your Presentations into Additional Income, and says, “What if you could extend your income stream as a paid speaker? What if you could have a thriving business that reaches more people, offers more products and services, and provides you more income?”

Ken from Spruce Up Your Finances presents Home Business Start-up: Tax Payment Issues, and says, “As a business owner, you also need to be aware of the types of taxes that you have to pay. Discussed are the most common tax payments that you have to make depending on your form of business, if you have employees, and if you are selling a product.”

Ants learn about investment options

D4L from Dividend Growth Stocks presents 5 Dividend Stocks In Need Of A Market Correction, and says, “We have all heard that trees don’t grow to the sky, but that seems to be what is happening in this bull market that started back in early 2009. When investors see their portfolio dramatically increase in value, it leaves them with a sense of accomplishment. However, if you are an investor in dividend growth stocks, a higher portfolio may not be in your best interest. Consider the following…”

Adam from Rabbit Funds presents REVIEW: Money Magazine’s 7 Secrets to a Richer Retirement, and says, “The lead article in the October 2010 issue of Money magazine is titled 7 Secrets to a Richer Retirement. After reading through the article, I thought it would be worth reviewing and sharing some of the valuable points.”

Betty Kincaid from Control Your Cash presents LinkedIn chart is already a bell curve., and says, “The LinkedIn IPO runs counter to everything we preach in our obscenely cheap new ebook, The Unglamorous Secret To Riches. We tell you to look at a company’s financial statements to find value. LinkedIn, seeing as it’s a brand new public company, has no usable financial statements to speak of. ”

RJ Weiss from Gen Y Wealth presents Video: Personal Finance Advice for College Students and Recent Graduates, and says, “A 25 minute talk on “What I Wish I Knew About Personal Finance in College” that I have to students of Northwestern University. ”

Jason from Live Real, Now presents Unlicense Health Insurance, and says, “Health care “discounters” tend to be frauds capitalizing on the high costs of health insurance.”

Sustainable PF from Sustainable Personal Finance presents Sustainable Business? Is this a Practical Concept?, and says, “A look at whether sustainable business is a practical concept given rules about economics and a market driven economy.”

Financial Uproar from Financial Uproar presents Why Is A Car Payment An Acceptable Part Of Personal Finance, and says, “It seems everywhere I read, people are resigned to having a monthly car payment. Why don’t more people pay cash?”

Dividend Growth Investor from Dividend Growth Investor presents Dividend Investing in a Low Interest Rate Environment, and says, “Investors putting cash in any short-term fixed income instruments are not earning an adequate return on their investment and are also losing purchasing power of their savings because of inflation. As a result many savers have started taking on additional risk and getting into dividend paying stocks.”

Philip from PT Money: Personal Finance presents Donating Your Body to Science, and says, “Help the medical community and save money on funeral costs by donating your body to science.”