On a sunny morning in middle of May (Steve Zussino @ Grocery Alerts)
A mother goose (Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions) gathers her gooselings around
“Listen carefully to what I have to say,
Even better, here, write the keywords down” (Jon Rhodes @ Affiliate Tips)

“Education is important, but you can cut college costs (Dr. Dean @ The Millionaire Nurse Blog)
And for a higher income, a college is not a must (Sean @ One Smart Dollar)
The economy is sucky, but you can still find a job (Shilpan @ Street Smart Finance)
Listen to my career advice and trust (Jeremy @ Modest Money)

Every job teaches you something new (MMD @ MyMoneyDesign)
Here are 3 O’s of Success (KrantCents) for you to read
You can reach an income level you consider rich (Eddie @ Finance Fox)
As long as my advice you will heed

When you get a credit card (SB @ Finance Product Reviews) look for something good (Timothy @ Wealth Artisan)
Avoid consumer debt and pay cash instead (KT @ Personal Finance Journey)
You can reward yourself with some luxury (Jen @ Master the Art of Saving)
But don’t let lifestyle inflation go to your head! (Teacher Man @ My University Money)

When it comes to investing (J Wayne @ All Things Finance) you should know
There are risks in every go (SB @ One Cent at a Time)
Learn from the best like Warren Buffett (J.P. @ Novel Investor)
Establish a good allocation of asset (YFS @Your Finances Simplified)

Retiring early is hard to do (Ryan @ Early Retirement Investments)
future inflation rates can go up or down (Luke @ Learn Bonds)
S&P 500 Return Calculator (PK @ Don’t Quit Your Day Job)

Lay many nest eggs, mother goose continued
Have a few rental nest eggs (Lance @ Money Life & More) set as well
Don’t get caught up in investing fads (Teacher Man @ Young And Thrifty)
Dodge investment scams (Tushar @ Start Investing Money) from those with a scheme to sell

When you meet that one very special someone (Michelle @ See Debt Run)
And your heart suddenly go pitter patter
Spend spend some money but don’t let the pursestrings fall too loose (Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog)
Don’t serve your finances up on a wedding platter (Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff)

Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom, lived a Little Prince and his Wise Wizard. The King, who is very old, wanted to make sure his Little Prince is ready to take over the mantle of ruling the kingdom before he puts the Little Prince into the will [Sustainable Personal Finance] He is rightfully concerned about the generational differences when it comes to debt [Yes I Am Cheap], and so he asked the Wise Wizard to help the Little Prince get to the Land of Financial Enlightenment. “I don’t want him to grow up all silly nilly about money! What if he marries a princess who buys purses all the time [Diva in Debt] and go broke?! I need him to be a good leader and understand investments [Grow Money]“ said the King. ”HMPH. That’s playing into gender stereotypes [My Broken Coin],” the Wise Wizard said, “but I will help the Little Prince reach his destination and understand financial matters in relationships [Busy Executive Money Blog].”

And so the Wise Wizard and the Little Prince set out on their journey. Along the way, the Wise Wizard tried to impart words of, well, wisdom to the Little Prince.

“To reach your Findependence Day [Boomer & Echo], you must overcome obstacles and learn to figure out for yourself what truly matters in life,” the Wise Wizard said. ”But I already know the 10 Commandments to Growing Wealth [Wealth and Wise],” said the Little Prince, “This will be an easy journey.”

“It is not enough to simply know, you must also act,” The Wise Wizard explained, “let me tell you about all the obstacles you will encounter.”

“Having pride in yourself and work is a good thing, but never be too proud to shop at discount stores [See Debt Run]. Along the way to Land of Financial Enlightenment, you might see alluring images of fast cars and pretty women [Saving Advice], but driving an uncool car is actually awesome [Graduating with Surplus]. If you stick to the 20% rule [Your Life, Their Life], you can help you achieve your goals more quickly.”

“But I KNOW all these obstacles already,” the Little Prince said, for he was a very smart Little Prince. “I’ve read about them in books and on blogs. I’m a great student [Humble Savers].” The Wise Wizard shook his head. You can’t just understand the numbers (although that is very important) – you have to modify your behavior [Consumerism Commentary] to make lasting change. Sometimes, you have to experience things – losing money in the stock market [Million Ways to Save], fall victim to price anchoring? [Smart on Money], co-signing a loan [Christian Debt Coach], and marrying for money [Nicole & Maggie] before you learn what works and what doesn’t.”

“Getting to Financial Enlightenment doesn’t sound much fun,” said the Little Prince, “I like to look good and enjoy my life.” ”You can!,” insists the Wise Wizard, “you can make fashion affordable [Everything Finance], you will live longer! [Squirrelers], and if you make good choices, you will be able to become a stay at home dad [Tie the Money Knot] if you wish.” The Little Prince wrinkled his nose. “But I killed my last three goldfishes,” he said. “Er, well, don’t quit your day job yet [My Money Design]!” sighed the Wise Wizard.

As the two walked and walked and walked along the road to Financial Enlightenment, they talked and talked and talked.

The Little Prince asked, “the Land of Financial Enlightenment is when I finally get RICH, right?” The Wise Wizard chuckled. “Money isn’t the only measure of success [Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance], in fact, money is just a tool. Once you build your foundations [Free Money Finance], you will be able to use money to do what you really want to do in life – whether that’s to spend more time with your future Princess, create more buildings for the royal grounds, or contribute to charity [Mrs. Nespy's World]. There are tools to help you do this: automating bill payments [Budgeting in the Fun Stuff], taking advantage of payroll tax cuts [Novel Investor], selecting a good IRA company [Qwoter], and taking advantage of no balance transfer fee credit cards [Wallet Blog].”

Finally, after many days of study, the Little Prince was ready for his important interview [Adjunctorium] with the King. The King quizzed him on all he has learned, from tax reporting forms[Nerd's Eye View], to renters and laundry fees [Start Talking Cents], to tips for easier budgeting[Money Talks Coaching], to using Google Docs spreadsheet for investing [My Journey to Millions], to making extra money [Bible Money Matters], to chargeback policy report [CardHub]. The King asked about the general economy [Narrow Bridge Finance], the local economy[Debt Black Hole], evaluating intangibles [Pinch That Penny], and when DIY works and when DIY doesn’t [DollarVersity].

The Little Prince was able to answer the King’s questions flawlessly. He gave the King the low down on RESP plans [Young & Thrifty], discussed the rules of career reinvention [Afford Anything], explained the virtues of saving paper [Funny About Money], talked about the benefits of getting a 60 month auto loan [Familyancial Wealth, listed ways to save at the gas pump[Personal Finance Success], ran over reasons why a home inspector [Happy Homeowner] is necessary, and even explained how to find jobs using social media [One Cent At A Time]. The King knew nothing about social media or SEO keywords [Mike & Molly's House], so he was very impressed indeed!

“You seemed to have learned a lot,” said the King, “I want to reward your efforts [Money Cactus].” Then the King, confident that the Little Prince can handle his finances, gifted him real estate [Investor Junkie], bonds [Dividend Growth Stocks], bond funds [Control Your Cash], and even shares of Ford stock [Dividend Monk]!

“But wait!” The Little Prince interrupted, “I haven’t told you what I REALLY learned yet.” “You haven’t?” The King was confused. “But you talked to me about knowing when to adjust your budget [Evolving Personal Finance], learning a foreign language [Darwin's Money], evaluating Betterment [Dough Roller]. You showed me how you improve your credit score [Financial Highway], save [PT Money], buy travel insurance [One Frugal Girl], and use a rewards credit card [Rewards Cards USA]. You even have the discipline to hide money — from yourself [Frugal Cool]. It sounds to me that you have achieved Financial Enlightenment.”

“All that is important,” the Little Prince admitted, “I did learn about tax forms [Free From Broke], Social Security [My Dollar Plan], Bank of America Add It Up Rewards [Financial Product Reviews], and dividend investing [Dividend Growth Investor], I learned about what happens in Chapter 11 [Prairie Eco Thrifter], when to cancel my credit card [Help Me Travel Cheap], and how to save for the holidays [Net Worth Journey]. I even learned about unconventional investment moves [Invest It Wisely]. But I don’t want to get tunnel vision when it comes to my finances [Money Beagle]. Because what the Wise Wizard taught me was that financial enlightenment is about making decisions so you can live the best life you can, and have your spending and finances reflect your priorities.”

The King smiled! The Little Prince has passed his test. He knows that the Little Prince has a bright financial future [Watson Inc], and for that he is happy. The Wise Wizard is also happy. In fact, he thought, ”Maybe I should start my own financial firm [Good Financial Cents]!”

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.”

Ever since he was a little boy, Cupid loves L-O-V-E. Since then, the son of Mars and Venus has grown his penchant for shooting love arrows into the world’s leading matchmaking business. Every heart has a lock, but a Cupid’s arrow can pick that lock [Taking Charge]! Of course, Valentine’s Day is Cupid’s favorite holiday – lavish or frugal [Bargaineering] Cupid celebrates all aspects of this holiday.

As a true romantic at heart, Cupid was dismayed to see that many of the love matches he made crumbled under the pressure of every day life. “How sad it is that true love dies because of bad money decisions [Moolanomy] or misaligned financial priorities [Military Wallet], or lifestyle deflation [Nicole and Maggie].” Cupid lamented.

Cupid decided to talk to his parents, Venus and Mars, about the key success factors [Squirrelers] to financial health and love. “Couples need to fight fair about money disagreements [Matt About Money] and share broad financial goals – staying debt free [No Credit Needed] or saving for retirement [Retire Happy Blog],” Venus said. “Yes,” Mars agreed, “big issues such as a 15-year mortgage [Watson Inc] or a 30-year mortgage, how to save [Think Your Way To Wealth], deciding to invest or paying off credit card debt [Clear Choice Credit Card Blog], or figuring out car taxes [Debt Reduction Formula]. There might not be one right answer, but it’s important for both spouses to be on the same page.”

Cupid nodded. Whew, it sounds like love isn’t just about strawberries and chocolates and weddings [Blonde & Balanced]. Then, suddenly, he had an idea. “I shall teach personal finance to everyone [Credit Sesame] so they will be happy AND financially comfortable!”

For his first class, Cupid decided to focus on a few test couples to see if he can be a good financial advisor.

First up: Romeo & Juliet

Oh, Romeo and Juliet were in a bad strait. Their families thought they were dead, and no one will believe that they are actually alive. Instead, they were accused of identity theft [The Smarter Wallet] and with all the legal untangling that’s going on, all they can do is argue. “You don’t know how to work!” Juliet complained, “since this identity theft business [Credit, Eh] all you do is go out and play in sword fights. At least you can do something useful [Money Cactus], like paid surveys [Promo Code Center]. You don’t even cook so we can’t save on food costs [Cash Money Blog]!”

“But I serenade you with a guitar [EEMusings]!” Romeo retorted. “Besides, ow am I supposed to get a job when I can’t even get a checking account?” “Er, actually, you can!” Cupid interjected, “you can open a checking account when you are in ChexSystems [Yes, I Am Cheap]. And to better manage your money, you can check out the best money management software of 2011 [One Money Design].”

Romeo and Juliet looked at Cupid and in unison yelled, “We are from 14th century Verona. We don’t have software!” “Just wait for technology to change the way you buy [Personal Cents],” Cupid said confidently. “Just wait a few centuries.”

Second couple: Peter Pan and Wendy

This couple has a pretty good income – Peter Pan runs Neverland Tours and Wendy is a well-known children’s writer. But they just cannot stop fighting about how to invest their considerable savings [Do Not Wait]. Peter wants to time the market [Fire Finance] and can stand market volatility [Control Your Cash]. Wendy prefers to buy and hold dividend stocks [Dividends Value] and couldn’t care less about Jim Cramer [Growing Money].

Wendy wants to buy long-term care insurance [Funny About Money], but Peter says that they will never grow up, so why bother. Peter wants to get into  forex trading [PT Money] and invest in individual stocks such as AOL [Intelligent Speculator], but Wendy is gun-shy. She prefers to join a investment club [Buy Like Buffett], while Peter Pan is a go-it-alone guy. Peter Pan wanted to buy expensive iPhone apps [the Dough Roller], while Wendy thinks that’s a waste of money.

They even fight over the little stuff, like what to tip for bad service [Free Money Finance] or when to file for taxes [Gen Y Wealth], or even what type of tax return product to use [Digerati Life]. They even disagree about non-money issues, such as Groupon’s Super Bowl ads [Consumerism Commentary]. Ay carumba!

Peter Pan and Wendy both want to stash more cash [Compounding Returns], but Cupid couldn’t make heads or tails of their arguments. Cupid finally sent them home with some good investing books [The Personal Finance Playbook], some tax information [A Gai Shan Life] and a guide to taxable vs. nontaxable income [Net Worth journey].

Third couple: Snow White & Her Prince

Snow White and her Prince fight because of a difference in spending. Snow White has started her own beauty company (which is doing great because of supply and demand [Money Thinking]), while the Prince makes money online [Studenomics]. Everything is great, except Snow White’s penchant for buying very expensive red lipstick and Netflix [Money Beagle]. The Prince says Snow White spends too much and is giving them bad credit [CardHub.com], but she insists that she needs to beat the winter financial blahs [Modern Gal] and that a budget is worthless [Live Real, Now].

“Well I want to retire by 40 [Retire By Forty]. We need to save money if I can do that. And what if we have a baby and one of us wants to stay home?” said the Prince. “Snow White doesn’t even compare auto insurance quotes [Money Smart Life]. And she never cares about my 10 tips to save money [Budgeting In the Fun Stuff]! I am so afraid we will end up in bankruptcy [Personal Bankruptcy Blog].”

“Ah, so you are losing your second income? there are ways to prepare [Rabbit Funds],” Cupid interrupted. “You can also use prepaid cards [Prepaid Card 123] so you don’t run the risk of overspending. And you need to plan in case one of you gets laid off [Len Penzo].”

Prince said, “I work hard too. I go through a lot finding good freelancers on Odesk [Money Help for Christians]. I even adjust my schedule to save money [The Financial Student]. I try to find the best credit card from Chase [Free From Broke] and I make my own group coupon [Blogging for Change].”

Snow White paused, then said, “well, I use cash back credit card [Credit Donkey Tips] to buy my lipsticks! Red lipsticks represent the type of person I want to be [Little Miss Moneybags], and you can’t take that away!”

“Given Snow White’s history of getting into life-threatening situations,” Cupid said, “perhaps you should consider estate planning [Bucksome Boomer].” At this, both Snow White and the Prince left in a huff. Ay, teaching personal finance is harder than Cupid has thought!

Fourth Couple: Pongo & Peridita

Humans are too difficult to counsel. Cupid, thought, so may be canines are easier. So he decided to help Pongo and Perdita. Perdita wants to go back to school to become a show dog, but Pongo debates whether school is a good investment [Good Financial Cents]. “We have 99 puppies,” Pongo said, “if you go to school the debt collectors [Wallet Blog] will come after us! Besides, how about our travel plans [Help Me Travel Cheap]? We wanted to visit Canada, remember?”

Canada! Cupid snapped to attention. “I can talk to you about RRSP basics [Canadian Finance Blog]!” But Pongo and Perdita didn’t hear him. They were too busy discussing their next step: invest in Lending Club [My Dollar Plan], figure out arbitrage techniques [Darwin's Money], bring in non-taxable income [Spruce Up Your Finances], remodel their farmhouse [Mom Vesting], and then they will have enough money to travel to Canada!

The End

After an exhausting four days of trying to counsel these couples, Cupid realized that what he does best is to shoot those little arrows of passion into unsuspecting men, women, and dogs. “I guess I should leave being a financial planner [Consumer Boomer] to the experts!” Cupid decided.

May is the month of graduation for many students. In Duckburg, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck are graduating from Duckburg High School. Uncle Scrooge was undeniably proud. As a savvy money manager (with his whole vault of gold), Uncle Scrooge decided to share some money lessons with his grand-nephews.

“Now listen up boys, these are Scrooge McDuck’s money lessons (Saving Money Today). If you listen to them, they will be worth their weight in gold!” Scrooge quacked.

“First, avoid unsustainable debt. If you don’t get into debt, you won’t ever have to worry about getting out of debt (Smart on Money). But all of us will make mistakes along the way, and that’s okay. As you grow older, you may think, “what I would have liked to have known before I was 18” (Little House in the Valley). But what’s important is that you learn from your actions and then set out to make the best possible decisions for the future.

Only use credit cards responsibly for the rewards (Learn Save Invest) and pay above the minimum for credit card payments (Personal Finance by the Book). If your card increases the interest rate on you, negotiate (Rainy Day Saver).

As for duckmobiles, buy a used car (Invest It Wisely) if you can, and try to lower your car insurance costs (Find the Best Car Price). I, ahem, only drive a Duck Royce, but that’s because I have the financial means to do so.

It’s good to have a written budget (Deliver Away Debt), that way you can see where you need to save money. Don’t forget to look at both big and small ways of saving money: look up cheaper ways to grocery shop (Not Made of Money) and watch TV on the cheap (Money Help for Christians) for example, but also pay attention to your first time home buyer loans (Redeeming Riches).

Never stop learning – keep your eyes open for opportunities, they might be in community lending or the stock market (Narrow Bridge), or an area of the market that is as yet undiscovered.

And when it comes time that you will have little ducklings of your own, make sure you have adequate life insurance (Free From Broke).

But the final lesson is that money should be spent and enjoyed. My personal pleasure is to dive into a vault of gold coins and luxuriate in the fact that I am the richest duck in the world! But, er, if your passions are traveling to unusual destinations (Engineer Your Finance) or arts, that’s good too. Just remember to make time for what you love.”

Uncle Scrooge finished delivering his nuggets of wisdom, then realized that Huey, Dewey, and Louie have fallen asleep! Oops. Uncle Scrooge sighed… then decided to turn his three (not-so-little) ducks on the personal finance blogs so that they can learn the same lessons that ol’ Uncle Scrooge is trying to teach them.

image source: wikipedia.org & about.com

Welcome to the Carnival of Personal Finance, and thank you everyone for contributing and reading!

The spirit of Disney has permeated my life. So it is fitting that the 235th Carnival of Personal Finance (my first time hosting!) shall feature one of Disney’s most beloved characters, Cinderella.

Editor’s Picks will be bolded and highlighted in red.

Now, let’s head to the Most Magical Place On Earth, where this journey begins.

Magic Kingdom:

With Cinderella’s Castle as backdrop, Magic Kingdom is full of majesty and romance. Unfortunately, after years of an “I can afford it” (A Gai Shan Life) mentality and too much stuff (Free Money Finance), prompted by glorious offerings in glossy magazines (Oil and Garlic) and a real estate downturn, Cinderella’s Royal Kingdom is going through a Royal Recession.

And Cinderella’s wedding? Cost a pretty penny. Plus, the King has been through some medical bills (Chief Family Officer) that put a strain on the Royal Treasury. If they need more money, they might have to join the Lending Club (Debt Free Adventures).

The rude awakening was when Prince Charming had to get a home appraisal (Bad Credit Advisor) then take on a mortgage bond (Build Your Finances) for the beautiful castle. The financial stress has added tension to the previously happy marriage.

“Oh no!” Cinderella thought, “How to fix this mess that we have found themselves in? We need to start saving money (Single Guy Money). I want to be debt-free in one year! (Personal Finance By The Book)” Because even though Prince Charles and Princess Di made Royal Divorces OK, Cinderella and the Prince wanted to save their marriage and their finances.

Epcot

In search for answers, the pair ventured into Epcot, the park of the future. First step, the couple got a free FICO score (The Smarter Wallet), then planned for an annual financial checkup (If I Were A Wealthy Girl) for the upcoming year.

Next step is the budget – would YNAB or Quicken (Bargaineering) be a better budgeting tool for the Royal couple? Or maybe the couple just need a smarty piggy bank (The Digerati Life).

“We also need to set up an emergency fund (Budgets Are Sexy),” Cinderella decided. “Maybe high-yield accounts savings accounts? (Doughroller). And, should we have forced saving mechanisms (Modern Gal) for our own good?”

“What about our heirs,” asked Prince Charming, “The King is asking to hear the pitter-patter of little feet in the palace!” “Maybe in a few years. Babies are expensive (Live Real Now). We have to figure out how to straighten our financial situation so we don’t outlive our savings (My Wealth Builder).” Cinderella exclaimed, “besides, I want to graduate Royal College first.”

In terms of investing, the couple also decided to review their asset allocation (Tonka Beans) to ensure its appropriateness for their personal situation as royalty of indeterminate European country, and explore dividend investing (Dividend Value).

But even with a myriad of royal investment advisers around, it’s difficult to find truly skilled fund managers (The Oblivious Investor) who can help them accumulate steady passive income (Personal Finance Analyst).

“I suppose at the end of the day,” the Prince concluded, “we ultimately have to understand what’s in our portfolio (Narrow Bridge Adventures).” Oh it’s so sexy when he talks personal finance! Cinderella thought to herself. The sparks are coming back into the Royal marriage…

Aside from their personal situation, Prince Charming and Cinderella must prepare for their responsibilities as heads of state – time to organize the Royal Office! (Suburban Dollar). The Royal Kingdom isn’t doing so well, but might there be positive effects from the recession (Automatic Finances)? Cinderella and the Prince decide to look to other countries for lessons.

“The United States seem interesting. They have many ideas, such as a cash for caulkers program (Your Money Relationship).” Prince Charming said, “although the country is a decidedly less magical land.”

“Ah yes,” Cinderella added, “I’ve read about the U.S. They may pass a second stimulus bill in 2010 (Bible Money Matters), and they have published the 2010 FICA tax rates (Darwin’s Finance).”

Because Cinderella realizes that a princess must not only be beautiful, she must also be smart and well-informed in order to serve her people! Speaking of serving – in the spirit of the season, the Royal couple has decided to donate to 15 worthy charities (Foreigner’s Finance).

Animal Kingdom

In the animal kingdom, it’s typically the males who are more colorful and adorned to attract females of the species. But among Disney characters, do men make women spend more money? (Fabulously Broke) Cinderella has to look pretty for Charming – after all, she snagged a prince. Then again, she is naturally beautiful. So who knows!

Before Cinderella became a princess, her army of animal friends helped her with chores, dress, and even musical accompaniment. Cinderella wants to reward her friends with gifts they really want (Steadfast Finances), but now she needs to save money.

“Perhaps some creative gift ideas (My Dollar Plan) will help,” Cinderella mused, “although my animal friends might just prefer cash! (Mighty Bargain Hunter).”

“You could look for deals,” Prince Charming said, “but beware of suspicious terms and conditions (Realm of Prosperity).” And Cinderella fell in love with the Prince all over again.

While at Animal Kingdom, Cinderella attended a financial literacy workshop given by Nemo, a Fish Financier. There she learned about the money lessons found in Finding Nemo (Minting Pennies), how to simplify her finances (Gen Y Wealth), and how to deal with fraud (Hope to Prosper).

Fast forward a year.

Cinderella and Prince Charming have learned the value of a financially prudent lifestyle and avoid the “never enough” syndrome (The Personal Financier). Their days of excess (Man vs. Debt) is over, relatively speaking. For example, instead of spending thousands of dollars on new gilt hardcover books every month, Cinderella has taken to reading the millions of old gilt hardcover books in the Royal Library to save money (Millionaire Nurses).

With the money they’ve saved through the year, Cinderella and the Prince negotiated an early repayment of all their debts – because you can negotiate anything (Get Rich Slowly) - especially if you’re royalty!

The end of financial stress and fights about money has returned Cinderella and Prince Charming to the happy days of yore.

After graduating (with honor) from the Royal College, Cinderella and Prince Charming began a public education campaign to education citizens of the Royal Kingdom on financial literacy issues. Work shop topics include tax savings (Accumulating Money), credit savings (Ask Mr. Credit Card), balance transfers (Credit Card Offers IQ), year end tax strategies (Amateur Asset Allocator), how to decide between renting and buying (Studenomics), and preparing for the unexpected (Miss M).

In order to further engage the citizenry on financial issues, the Prince and Cinderella also plan on holding Citizen Forums.

There, people can share their or their family’s stories about money (Small Steps for Big Change), and discuss topics such as the link between obesity and debt (Big Spender), good faith estimates (Searchlight Crusade), why frugality works (Eliminate the Muda), how entrepreneurs can save for retirement (PT Money), work-life balance for the small business owner (Money Help For Christians), and what is one’s true hourly wage (Christian Finances).

As a celebration for their financial success and popularity with the people (because everyone loves talking about personal finance!), the King sent Cinderella and Prince Charming on a romantic excursion to…

Hollywood Studios

Where the glamour and glitz of old-time studio system still live.

The lights, the camera, the action! And 9 months later, Baby Prince was born. (woo heir!) The proud parents have already established a trust (Good Financial Cents) for him.

Cinderella and the Prince are determined to give Baby Prince a good financial education so that he can grow up to be a good money manager. As the Baby Prince grows older, Cinderella will be contacting royal tutors to teach Baby Prince on subjects such as ETFs (Dividend Investing and Mutual Network), mutual funds, fixed income (The Dividend Guy), annuity payments vs. lump sum (Stumble Forward), and the Royal Roth IRAs (Brain Dead Simple Financial Organizing).

But for now, the Royal Family is just enjoying being with one another…

(all image credit to Walt Disney Corporation)