One of the very best things about blogging is all the great people that I’ve gotten to know and have met (or hope to have the chance to meet in the future). Even though we started out as virtual strangers, it’s quite amazing how a real sense of community and then real friendship can rise from the internet. Some people find their spouses from online dating sites; I have met some of the smartest, nicest, and funniest people through these past few years of blogging.

1. A Gai Shan Life: I think my friendship with Revanche is one of the best gifts that blogging has given me (How embarrassing would it be if she came on and disagreed? I swear I didn’t make up this friendship in my mind!). Oh, her fiance is great too. CB and I have met with them for lunch and now we have a big couple’s crush on them. I want many more double dates in our future.

2. J. Money @ Budgets Are Sexy: We actually video-chatted once… and guess what, he’s NOT a George Washington-look-a-like with blue hair. Weird, no? In truth, he’s funny and nice and drinks beer, and I do believe we are going to meet for coffee when I am in D.C. in a few months.

3. Fabulously Broke: FB has been one of the blogs I’ve read the longest, and we seem to share a similar fascination with food. I love meeting new people who love to eat! Plus, she has helped me tried to troubleshoot several blog problems I’ve had, and that’s a testament to her patience and willingness to help.

4. The Asian Pear: Again, love of good food = great basis for friendship (not to mention I slightly distrust anyone who doesn’t have a deep and abiding interest in our most basic sustenance). If I meet with her, I want to do it over LUNCH. Preferably sushi. And, as someone who has spent several short stints in an international long-distance relationship, I have the utmost respect for her and her boyfriend, who has been in an international LDR for 9 years and counting.

5. Kathryn @ Kathryn’s Conversations: This is a new blog that I have recently discovered. Kathryn is one cool lady. Her posts are un-PC, laugh-out-loud funny and thought-provoking. Check out this post on why online dating sites should require men to post their incomes. You are in for a treat.

6. Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge: Mapgirl was someone I’ve started reading back in 2007. When I was laid off back in 2009, she spent an hour on the phone with me brainstorming, offering suggestions, giving me straight talk laced with encouragement. I don’t even know if she remembers that, but I will always be thankful for what she did. Now she’s busy with work and travel and her posting has dropped off quite a bit, but I hope that she will be back before too long!

7. SVB @ Digerati Life: I actually don’t know SVB well at all, but she seems so interesting from her blog. I think I would really enjoy meeting her and picking her brain on balancing the whole motherhood / freelancing / web entrepreneur scenario.

8. Laughing at Gilded Butterflies: Does anyone else remember her blog? GB was around for a bit during 2007 and 2008. We have traded several emails back in the day, and for some reason her writing really spoke to me. I’ve always thought that she is someone I would have liked to know. I don’t know if she will ever come back, but I hope she does. At least to let us know how she is doing. So… GB – if you are reading this, say hi!

9. Sense to Dollars: She’s the original California-to-New Zealand PF blogger, so I think she’s the first NZ blogger I’ve read. I’ve been a long-time reader and lurker on her blog, and I really should comment more often – because I read every single one of her posts.

10. Paragon2Pieces: I actually stayed with her when I was in Austin – she is so nice and down-to-earth, and she is somewhat of a genius with a JD and an MBA.

There are many more bloggers whom I’d love to meet, but I’ll save those for another post!

Last month my Yakezie member profile was featured and I received many kind remarks from other Yakezie bloggers, some I knew and some I didn’t. But, I am glad they commented because now I have a whole new segment of blogs to read and enjoy!

For this roundup, let me introduce you to a post that has caught my eye from these bloggers.

• It’s the season of giving, but pitfalls loom! Canajun Finances point out the gifts you shouldn’t give your kids. Me? I’m just glad I don’t have kids to worry about.. much less their gifts!
• Speaking of giving, Tim from Faith and Finance asked if churches should allow online tithing. Whatever makes it easier to give, I say.
• The holiday season is also the season of travel, so Barbara Friedberg gave us some quick tips for cheap traveling.
• Money Beagle is expecting a new baby due in June. Congratulations!
• Dr. Dean of The Millionaire Nurse has a great post on gratitude with an attitude. (I am a sucker for anything that rhymes).
• Jeff at Sustainable Life wonders about what debt to eliminate next, between his student loans and his truck loan. My vote is for the truck. He also talked about his car getting towed for $900! ><
• Tax deductions vs. Tax credits – they sound similar, but they are not the same at all. Redeeming Riches details the difference between the two.
• Homemade gifts always sound good in theory, but in practice? Frugal Confessions has a list of homemade gifts recipients will actually use and enjoy.
• Invest with Passion talks about the retirement plan options small business owners and entrepreneurs should take advantage of. Yes, keep saving for your retirement!
• Don at Money Reasons helped his son recycle aluminum cans, 16 lbs for $10+. This post brought a smile to my face because when I was his son’s age, my dad and I would go to the local recycling station and get our refund too.
• Given my propensity to buying what I want NOW, the Wealth Artisan‘s post on the benefits of waiting for a purchase really hit home.  I am hoping that self-discipline increases with age.
• Neal from The Wealth Pilgrim tells you what you need for your emergency fund.
• There are big news for Eric from Narrow Bridge. He recently got a new job and took his first trip to San Francisco… and he used 10 tips to get the most from his vacation.

Blog & personal updates

• First off, congratulations to the winner of the $60 CSN giveaway: Laura @ So alaurable! I will email you on how to redeem your prize.  Thank you to everyone who entered.
• In other news, I will be doing some writing for the LendingTree blog. So this Labor Day I am working on an article about the Great Recession and Gen Y’s response. Getting paid to think and write about personal finance and Generation Y issues?  How did I get so lucky.
• I have gotten a few emails from readers about an RSS error. My apologies. I have since fixed the link but here it is if you want to sign up for RSS: http://wellheeledblog.com/feed
• My retirement portfolio has gotten to the point that a few bps up or down can have real consequences for the value of my funds. I am in it to win it (over the long haul), but now I understand why it can be so difficult to tune out the noise, especially for people with serious money in the market.
• After more than 3 months away, I have recently gotten back into tango classes and milongas. My strength (and, I even venture to say, grace) is returning. Just another reminder to myself that 1. we should always make time for the things that bring us joy, and 2. it’s never too late to start (or to re-start) doing what we love.

Good reads from the blogosphere

• Martin King Jr. Had a Dream – Do You? @ Enemy of Debt
• My Wedding Vows to Myself @ The Asian Pear
• Real Life vs. Vacation @ Sense to Dollars
• The $100 Discussion @ Punch Debt in the Face
• Bundle Rolls Out My Money Feature @ Gen X Finance
• Undercover Engagement Ring @ Dog Ate My Finances
• 10 Tips to Save on Textbooks @ The Saved Quarter
• Less is More on the Road to Accumulating Wealth @ Money Reasons
• Unconventional Ways to Make Extra Cash @ BlogHer

Today, humans know of the piggy bank as a simple coin container. But did you know the true origin of the piggy bank is all about financial literacy [Suburban Dollar]? It all began in a magical land called Pigtopia, where pigs are just as (or, they would argue, even more intelligent than) humans, and walked upright and dressed in stylish garbs such as tophats and waistcoats. Pigtopia had interest rates [Canadian Finance Blog] and natural disasters [A Modern Gal], just like the human realm.  But it’s the place where Piggy Bank was born to become the most famous banking dynasty in Pigtopia.

It all began when a lady pig named Petunia Piggy married [The Financial Uproar] Pigster Piggtington, and gave birth to five little piglets. One day, Petunia took her piglets to a famous fortune-teller, who told their fortunes in a rhyme:

This little piggy went to market.

This little piggy stayed at home.

This little piggy has roast beef,

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy cried “Wee! Wee! Wee!” all the way home

Petunia decided to teach financial lessons to her kids [Budgeting in the Fun Stuff] so that they grow up to become financially responsible and productive pigitizens, whatever their fortunes might be. To do so, she began saving for her kids education in a 529 index funds [Science and Money]. “This way, if they want to become Pig Latin scholars, they can go to the best college education [Simple in France],” decided Petunia.

She also started planning a series of lessons in personal financial statements [Kommunications from Kim], stock investing [The Smarter Wallet], effects of foreclosure on credit [Credit Card Forum Blog], how to save on insurance [Balance Junkie], and mortgage vs. renting [Accumulating Money]. Petunia also wanted to groom her piglets to become giving individuals, so she incorporated tithing and giving [Provident Planning] in her lessons. As a result, most of the five little piggies grew up understanding the value of money [The Squirrelers].

The oldest piggy, Patricia, loved to go to the market – the stock market, that is. As the oldest, she feels compelled to be good at everything [The Financial Blogger], and that includes investing in stock market [Magical Penny] and maintaining an excellent credit score [Free From Broke]. Patricia got a job at a bank, won career awards [Free Money Finance], and successfully helped her company avoid tipping scams & ripoffs [Bargaineering].

The second oldest piggy, Patricio, is a homebody. Patricio figured out how to make money on ebay [Narrow Bridge] so that he can work from home. Sometimes, he even hid cash at home [Sean] and buy a car online [Digerati Life] so that he doesn’t have to leave the house. Eventually, Patricio decided to become an online investment adviser [The Oblivious Investor] so that he can help others with their money in the comfort of his home. When Patricio bought his dream home, he made sure to have a quality home inspection [Single Guy Money] and used tips to lower his property tax [Wisdom Journal]. Because Patricio loved home so much, he doesn’t mind that his rent to income ratio [Money Maus] is a little higher than other pigs’. Personal finance is personal!

The third little piggy, Pumpkin, loved to eat. His favorite treat [A Gai Shan Life] is roast beef. “Nom nom nom,” said Pumpkin, whenever he smelled roast beef at a backyard cookout [Not Made of Money]. Pumpkin’s fondest dream is to have $1,000 [Financially Poor] to spend on roast beef, whenever he wanted.

The fourth little piggy, Parma,was unfortunately not very good with money. He shopped with a credit card whenever he felt sad or happy [Budgets Are Sexy]. That’s how he sank into debt [Murder Your Debt]. Because he didn’t save when the times were good, after he was laid off he had no cushion to see him through that difficult time. Fortunately, Pigtopia provided health insurance for the unemployed [Consumer Boomer].

The other little piggies decided to stage an intervention, village-style [GRACEful retirement]. Slowly, as Parma listened to his other, more financially secure siblings, he began taking 4 easy steps to improve his money [Good Financial Cents] and started using credit card alternatives [Wealth Pilgrim]. “I will never again fall for financial lies that make me poor [Money Help for Christians],” he declared.

The youngest little piggy, Petals, loved to travel. But every time she’s away from home she missed home terribly. To save money to travel, Petals got a premium cash back card [Saving to Invest], shopped at consignment store [The Frugal Lawyer], and used Priceline for vacation [Couple Money]. Petals also carefully budgeted for summer vacations [One Money Design] so sh can have money for winter trips as well. Even after her trips were over and she ran wee wee wee all the way home, Petals was running on a budget [The Financial Student]!

After staging an intervention for the 4th little piggy, who had “none” because he couldn’t save money when the times were good, the five little piggies decided to get together and start an institution called The Piggy Bank that will teach generations of little piggies to save [Blogging Banks], invest, and reach financial freedom [Green Panda Treehouse]. “We have to make Piggy Bank the dominant bank in the land,” Patricia declared, “there is no place for mediocrity [Hundred Goals]. Let’s shoot for the stars, because what do we have to lose? [Hundred Goals].”

As a result of The Piggy Bank’s outreach, other piggies of Pigtopia learned about strategies [My Wealth Builder] for finances [Live Real, Now], big and small. From smart ways to invest tax refund [Money Smart Life], how to manage your estate [Investing Thesis], the benefits of a high interest account [Foreigner's Finances], fixed income for dividend investors [Dividend Growth Investor], flat tax [Know Money], the differences between CDs [The Dough Roller], buying a home [Millionaire Mommy Next Door], substitution effect and income [Don't Quit Your Day Job], and placebo effect beyond medicine [Pop Economics], to the best value of paper towel brand [Len Penzo] and unexpected expense of nice teeth [Miss Bankrupt]. The piggies also tackled issues such as identity theft, and taught classes on how to institute a security freeze [Fiscal Geek] and use virtual credit card numbers [PT Money].

Years later, when Piggy Bank became the preeminent bank in Pigtopia, a newspaper decided to interview the five little (now not-so-little) pigs for an Interview with a millionaire [Eventual Millionaire] series. The piggies wrote a best-seller titled The Millionaire (Pigs) Next Door [MORE than Finances], and dedicated the book to their mother, Petunia. The President of Pigtopia even issued a special commemorative dollar coin [Beating Broke] with the piggies’ likeness.

And that’s the story of the five little piggies and the origin of the Piggy Bank!

image source: (1) Marie Claire, (2) lifesafeast.blogspot.com, (3) theage.com.au, (4) www.retailhellunderground.com, (5) potbellypigusa.com

This week will be my first week of work – very exciting. I’m sure I have much to learn. I am also in the process of booking some interesting freelance work. The extra money will surely come into handy as I try to go to Galapagos before I turn 80.

Here are some notable posts from the personal finance blogosphere:

• Girl with the Red Balloon* is planning her wedding in… 30 days! I’m in awe.
• I Pick Up Pennies asks whether she should get AAA coverage. To this I say an emphatic YES! AAA roadside assistance has saved me (and my old car) more than once.
• No TV but still want to catch your favorite shows? You might be in luck. Forest of Frugal Zeitgeist* tells you where to watch TV on your computer. I don’t have a TV, so I watch everything via the internet.
• Derek from Christian Common Cents* had a… ah.. less than auspicious start to his honeymoon. His emergency fund, though, saved the day. After you read it, you’ll never want to go without an emergency fund again.
• If you’re job hunting, you will need to go on interviews. If you go on interviews, you’ll need to be amazing. Read Financial Samurai* for tips on how to master the art of the interview.
• Simple Life in France* shares her experience on how she realized a comfortable living situation is important (hint: it involves two neighbors who yell at each other… for silence).
• Budgets Are Sexy talks about all the reasons not to have a car payment. I thought I had an old car (1996 Honda), but J. Money drives a 1993 Caddy. Wow!
• The need for speed can cost you. Latika of Personal Finance Journey* discusses the costs of speeding.

* denotes Yakezie Challenge members.

So I haven’t done my Best of Blogs link roundup in a while… must get back on that train. I went to a final interview today (wearing a black suit, of course), where I met with the CEO. The process of job-hunting in a down economy has been a long journey, and I am hopeful that it will culminate in a happy new beginning for me. Please toss a prayer or some good thoughts my way, if you’re so inclined. I’d appreciate it.

Now that I’ve put in my “good vibes” request , let’s get on with the articles I’ve found interesting this week:

• Costco’s return policy rocks [Ultimate Money Blog*]: I rarely return things at Costco, but check out this post. Mrs. Money’s experience was pretty awesome.
• A long engagement [Girl with Red Balloon*]: Girl is getting married, and she shares her thoughts on marriage advice, weddings, and debt. But the most important thing? A big congratulations to her!
• Mini-gardens, or landscaping on the cheap [Little House in the Valley*]: Cool tips on how to grow your own oasis, er, mini-gardens. I think it’d be cool to grow fresh herbs for myself, but I haven’t taken the plunge yet. Maybe this post is just what I need to get started.
• (Town)home ownership? [My Pretty Pennies]: Townhouse vs. single-family home – where do you stand? For sake of privacy and space, single-family home wins hands down. But they are also more expensive and may have fewer amenities. Still, if I can, I’d purchase a SFH – many townhouses have expensive monthly association fees.
• I’m finally happy with my budget, are you? [Single Guy Money*]: Well, seeing how my budget right now has a very sad number in the income line, no (see, “good vibes request” above). But I will be. I have hope.
• The job hunt continues [Krystal at Work]: Krystal talks the myriad of feelings that comes with a job hunt. I know how she feels.

If you have articles you’d like to be included in future Best of Blogs, please email me. I look around for posts I like, but I definitely accept self-nominations too.

* blogs are part of the Yakezie Challenge.

You’ve probably heard the term Yakezie floating around the personal finance blogosphere. Don’t worry, it’s not a club where rites of initiation include a blood bonding test and “wolf pack” speech a la The Hangover. It’s just a group of bloggers who joined the Yakezie Challenge to help each other, improve our Alexa rankings, and have some fun.

But the real reason I joined? It’s because of the badge! I was never cool enough in high school to join a club with a badge. And look at me now. Who ever said personal finance is not cool?

For this link roundup, I’ve decided to highlight some Yakezie Challenge member personal finance blogs:

• Personal Finance Ninja talks about lifestyle inflation – with nifty graphs to match!
• Austin @ Foreigner’s Finances discusses his favorite 5 personal finance book.
• Little House in the Valley shares her feelings about some homeless young adults she saw. What would you do if you saw young people homeless? Would you try to help them? Or drive on by?
• What does being debt-free and going on vacation have in common? Don @ Money Reasons lays it down! By the way, Don recently paid off his mortgage (YEARS early), and so a big big congratulations to him and his family.
• Want to have a cheaper cell phone contract? Young and Thrifty gives you a step-by-step guide.
• FinEngr shares the money lessons he learned from engineering.
• Fiscal Geek has the secret to the most important step you can take: I’m giving you a clue.. it starts with an “s”!
• Where do you draw inspiration? Bytta from 151 Days Off asks. One hint: it’s not all about the benjamins.
• Amatuer Financier shares some thoughts on unemployment and motivation. This is a very thought-provoking read, and I might have a bit more to say on the subject once I get it down on paper.
• I’ve talked about how the high markups of wine at restaurants. But if you want to have a happy hour at home, My Money Minute has good recommendations for wine on a budget.
• When I’m headed to where money’s no good anymore, I’d want someone I love to get the money I earned & saved. Neal @ Wealth Pilgrim talks about the importance of having correct IRA beneficiary forms.

Giveaways

$100 Amazon Gift Card Mr. Rebates Giveaway Winner: Kathleen! Please email me at your earliest convenience with your full name and mailing address.

Don’t forget that I currently have 2 contests going on: One for $300 CASH and one for a free book: God Sleeps In Rwanda. Both giveaways end on March 19.

Personal Finance

Enemy of Debt is hosting a Money Challenge for the month of March. There will be prizes, but the greatest prize of all is gaining control over your finances, right? Right?

Eking Out a Living found a job! Congratulations to her, especially in this job environment.

Frugal Dad talks about the art of saying “no” – to yourself, to others, to the wrong opportunities, etc.

Money Honey in SF‘s friend of a friend (of a friend?) won a $2 million home in San Francisco. OR, he can take $1.6 million in cash. What would you do? If it were me, I’d be gone with my cash so fast…

Do you know Mike Aubrey? He’s the real estate agent host of Real Estate Interventions on HGTV. And, he left a comment on my post! According to him, the 3rd season of the Real Estate Interventions will incorporate Sabrina’s staging prowess to help homeowners sell quicker. They’d still need to lower their prices though. (It could be his personal assistant or a blog outreach spokesperson, but I prefer to think it was Mr. Aubrey himself, and my first online contact with a real estate celebrity.)

Debt Free U provides online education on money. Check out the Debt Free U – Financial Literacy Resources page.

Contests & Giveaways

Just a few more days left for the $100 Amazon Gift Card contest on this blog. Imagine what you can buy with $100 on Amazon. It ends March 3, so hurry and enter!

Also, tomorrow I will announce the biggest ever giveaway on Well-Heeled Blog. This is going to be a good great amazing one. Hint: $300. Cash.

Personal Finance

I DO care what people think [Me in Millions]: I do, too. I think most people do, despite what they may say.

Resistance is futile: Why buy-and-hold beats value investing [Pop Economics]: Value investing might be better, but Pop Economics argues that it’s not better for you.

Automation: Why you don’t have to feel bad about spending ever again [Personal Finance Ninja]: The title just about says it all. PF Ninja has great content, but really why I read his blog is for his adorable ninja characters.

Would Your Rather Have a BMW or Two Years of Your Life? [Planting Dollars]: I vote for life.

My article No More Free Checking? is included at the Carnival of Personal Finance, hosted by Len Penzo.

Giveaways

PearBudget and Business Cards [A Gai Shan Life]:  Win 1-year subscription to PearBudget and 500 free business cards.

Win $100 Amazon Gift Card! Contest ends March 3.

My Honey, My Money

Do you have a story to share about money & relationships? If so, please contribute to this new series by sending me an email with your stories! Budgets Are Sexy and Fabulously Broke are already participating, don’t you want to be as cool as them?

Personal Finance

2010 means tax benefits for the first-time homeowner. Free From Broke has information on how to claim the first-time home buyers tax credit. If you’re ready to buy, this tax benefit can sweeten the pot even more. But don’t buy a home just for the tax credit.

Networking is important, but many people find that making small talk with strangers can be, well, awkward. Investing Newbie has some tips on networking for the anti-socialite (hint, have a drink in your hand!).

Miss M is debating between two hotels for her honeymoon: a hotel that includes kitchens in the rooms, or a traditional hotel without. Making food will save money, but who wants to cook and clean on their honeymoon? Which hotel should Miss M pick?

Author & personal finance expert Manisha Thakor hosts a guest post by National Endowment for Financial Literacy on how to deal with the 3 most common credit card problems: missed credit card payment, inability to pay bills, and low credit score.

Join people, not firms, so says Financial Samurai. I have to agree – while a big-name firm can definitely open doors later on, the people you work with will be a big determinant of how happy and fulfilled you are at your job. A constructive work environment is important, period.

Giveaways

Want to file your taxes for free? Mapgirl is giving away free Turbo Tax state & federal filing. Hurry, the contest ends tomorrow, February 5. My Next Buck is also having a Turbo Tax giveaway that ends Monday, February 8.

Fabulously Broke is giving away a set of 3 Ninja Star hooks. Contest ends February 28.

Personal Finance

Bundle.com – this is one fun site to poke around in. Lots of visually appealing data on spending by demographics, location, income level, etc. You can drill down to individual zip codes and check what people around you are spending on clothes, food, car, insurance, etc.

Frugal Dreamer is spending less than $4,000 on her wedding ceremony and honeymoon. How does she do it? By having a small, intimate wedding and sticking with less expensive services. If you need inspiration for managing your wedding costs, take a look at Frugal Dreamer’s budget.

The Legal Dollar is a new blog (started at the end of 2009) that I have recently discovered. It’s a very insightful blog by a lawyer on finances, legal academia, and a legal career. If you are thinking of law school or are a law student, this is well worth a read.

Brad at Enemy of Debt has decided to become a stay-at-home dad and pursue his passion of financial coaching. Congratulations!!

SS4BC says dating is expensive! I agree… just the eating out expenses add up so quickly. I do find that I get a bigger “happiness return” eating out with CB than just by myself, so I try to be frugal during the week so we can go out more often on the weekends.

Interesting News / Articles

[New York Times] Would you sell your house and buy a smaller place, then donate 1/2 of your proceeds to charities? One family did.

[LA Times] Cheap cruises? They are available depending on where you look.

[Slate] Haiti’s earthquake was devastating to its people and infrastructure, but what does it mean for the environment?

Personal Finance

Formspring.me is a new feature that lets people ask questions anonymously. Single Ma and Jen @ Paying Myself have an account. So do Krystal At Work and MoneyMateKate. I don’t, but if you have questions you are always welcome to ask. If you are a personal finance blogger and you have a Formspring account, let me know and I’ll include it here.

Me, Debt Free? TeacHer Finance can pay off all her debt in 3.5 years if she put her money towards the debt and stops saving in the meantime. She is excited about the prospect of becoming debt free, but worried about stopping savings. What would you tell her?

Save Money on Your Heating Bills Single Guy Money has some good tips on how to lower your heating bills. Fortunately, all utilities are included in my rent.

Guide to Viva Las Vegas Want to save money in Vegas? Serendipity at Saver Not Spender lives in the Sin City and has plenty of tips on how to conserve your cash on lodging, food, and entertainment options. So you can use all the money you save at the roulette table and win back the cost of your trip have a fun trip that won’t break the bank.

Financial Foulups Brian at My Next Buck has a great series on the financial mistakes he or other bloggers have made. I just found his blog, so I’m really excited in reading more. Head on over and check it out!

How Much Is That Wine in the Restaurant post has been syndicated on BlogHer. Woo!

Interesting Articles / Links

DNA evidence can be fabricated [New York Times]: Shocking, but true. Scientists have able to create fake DNA blood evidence that has fooled crime labs, “undermining the credibility of what has been considered the gold standard of proof in criminal cases.”

Ledasha, legends, and race [Baby Name Wizard]: Have you heard the story about a baby named “L – a”, pronounced Ledasha? It’s an urban legend, and Laura Wattenberg of the Baby Name Wizard has a thought-provoking 3 part writeup on names, legends, and race. It’s a must-read.

Tango burns 200 calories an hour [LiveStrong] Need another reason to start hitting the dance floor? According to LiveStrong’s Daily Plate, ” Tango steps include deep lunges, side steps, small jumps and fast-paced walking that will keep your entire lower body engaged in a calorie-burning routine.” When I first thought about tango, I thought it was all dramatic poses and slow, gilding steps. No sweat, right? HA! Speaking from experience, tango is absolutely a cardio exercise.

Winner of The Constant Princess Giveaway

Vee! Congratulations. Please email me your name and mailing address so I can ship you the book.

Personal Finance

My article on super simple net worth calculation has been syndicated on BlogHer!

Everybody knows rebalancing is important, but before you rebalance you have to know what you have, first. Here’s how to check your net worth allocation if you only have 10 minutes (also at BlogHer).

Sunflowers at Chronicles of Debt is thinking about how she can earn side income. Anyone have advice?

Wonder what effect the CARD Act of 2009 (i.e., the big piece of credit card reform legislation signed in May 2009) has on credit card users? Here’s what Free From Broke says.

Carnival of Personal Finance is up at Darwin’s Finance. My post on Buying a Home Together Before Marriage is included.

Giveaways

Kim is giving away Le Creuset baking dish set at her lovely foodie blog (that never fails to make me hungry)! What home cook wouldn’t love that in his or her kitchen? To enter, you just have to leave a comment in the post.

Financial Samurai is giving away 2 copies of Get Financially Naked by Manisha Thakor & Sharon Kedar. If you need to “talk money with your honey”, it’s a great book to get started on a conversation about money & relationships. Please check out the awesome Question & Answers series I hosted with Manisha Thakor (still one part to come!).

Interesting News & Resources

Tango is fun, but it might also benefit Parkinson’s Disease patients. A 2008 study found that tango improved the participants’ balance. C’mon, one more reason to get started!

Triumph of the Size 12 Women (NY Times): Did you know that just as models are photoshopped to look thinner, plus-size models are sometimes airbrushed to look larger? It’s strange that there is no middle-ground in magazines.

doc2pdf.net is a great way to convert Word to PDF. You just upload your Word document to the site, press the button, and voila, a PDF in your hands. Best of all, you don’t have to download anything, and there are no limits on how often you can upload and convert in a certain period of time. I prefer to use PDF for resumes & cover letters, so I was very happy when I found this site.

News on Haiti

It’s devastating what has happened… I don’t know what to say. I’ve listed some  news coverage of the earthquake and its aftermath.

Washington Post: 150 UN staff members still trapped under rubble in Haiti. Most of the missing are expected dead.
LA Times: Getting reporters to Haiti is the hardest part of getting the story.
New York Times: U.S. promises aid for Haiti. Obama declares “unwavering support.”

Also, please head on over to Investing Newbie’s and keep her family in your thoughts & prayers. She has several family members who live in the hard-hit capital of Haiti.

As part of my goal to contribute more to the personal finance community, I’m going to make this a regular feature – once a week on Thursday I will be hosting a Run ‘Round the Blogosphere with links to cool posts and interesting news. If you have a post or link that you’d like to be featured here, feel free to email me.

Personal finance

A Gai Shan Life tells you how to buy furniture on Craigslist, and have the pictures and store price vs. Clist price to make her point! I can’t believe how cheap good condition, used furniture can be - in many cases it’s even cheaper than IKEA’s prices, but with more character. (My couch, a suede high-back loveseat with tuffed buttons, was acquired on Clist for $80, bargained down from $100. Woo!)

Moneyapolis found an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education ”Graduate School In the Humanities: Just Don’t Go“. Talk about a damning title. Moneyapolis says she wish she would’ve known about this before she took out $50K for an MFA, but she still would’ve went. Sometimes, things don’t make financial sense, but they can make life sense – so it’s a stretch to say that no one should go get a humanities graduate degree unless they are independently wealthy. But the article gives good food for thought before you make such a huge monetary and time investment.

Do you see a friend on the path to financial diaster? Shtinkykat does, but what do you say to a friend like that? I think this is one of life’s trickiest situations – when do you keep silent about something that a friend is doing (that you really don’t think is good for him/her), and when do you just live and let live and try to be supportive. After all, speaking up can ruin a friendship, but are you being a good friend if you don’t speak up?

My BlogHer column: Personal Finance from Scratch, where I make the connection between hollandaise sauce and personal finance. After all, they are both deliciously good for you? Yes? Yes?

Other things -

There is still time to join The 30-Day Shred Challenge. I think we have over 20 ladies now who are in the Challenge. It’s very exciting. (Gentlemen, you are more than welcome to join). I’m thinking of making a goodie bag stuffed with mini lip glosses, another of Jillian’s exercise DVD, perfume samples, etc. and giving it as a prize to one of the participants. Even though the REAL reward is a leaner, meaner, fitter body!

The Constant Princess Giveaway. One more day to enter the book contest. Your chances are good.

Groupon – if you don’t know about this site, you’re missing out. Every day they have a special deal for your specific city, where they offer classes, restaurants, opera, etc. for up 50%+ off. I recently purchased a pass to a climbing gym for 50% off the regular price.