When I got online today, one of the first things that caught my eye (after “Pringles can designer buried in his work”) on MSN.com was this headline: “Frugalists find bargains in trash,” and of course I couldn’t help but click on it. I thought at first it was just about people digging up some still usable knick knacks or gadgets, but it turns out there are people, called Extreme Consumerists, who actually dumpster dive to set their dinner tables. And these aren’t homeless and very poor people, but people that have full-time jobs, own their homes, and are quite well off.

One woman interviewed about her unique lifestyle says that despite her affluence, she still worries about not having enough money, and by eating out of the dumpster, she can use her money to splurge on things she really wants like a new laptop computer or a pair of nice sneakers. Everything she eats comes out of the dumpster except for milk and butter.

Now, I am all for frugality, but this to me just seems a little too extreme. Having done a brief stint in the food services industry, I am very wary about food safety and sanitation. On our first day at Togo’s (sandwich shop), we were taught that hot food had to be kept at over 170° F and cold foods under 40° F in order to prevent bacterial growth. Also, if you touch anything other than food or sanitized items, you must wash your hands with antibacterial soap in hot water in order to kill bacteria on your hands.

A dumpster filled with food contains more than just [clean] food. Who knows what it has held in the past even if it looks clean. These large metal containers sit in the sun all day incubating bacteria, and even if it has been recently emptied it is still a hotbed of germs.

Dumpster diving for food is something I hope to never have to do. If for some reason I ever ran out of money, I would find other ways to make money to buy food. In my opinion, it’s not worth it to risk getting food poisoning, E. coli or Salmonella (which can cost you a lot more unless you can also dumpster dive for a doctor and medication too) to save a couple of hundred dollars a month.

There’s a reason “Healthy” comes before “Wealthy” in the famous quote by a very wealthy (and wise) American. (Though maybe “Wise” should have come before “Healthy.”)

What do you think? Would you eat out of the dumpster for a new computer or pair of sneakers?

Links mentioned:

• Pringles can designer buried in his work
• Frugalists find bargains in trash

Related posts:

• June 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition
• No Year’s Resolution
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week

Originally posted 2008-06-03 14:04:33.

Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
(Re-Post: Original post date February 24, 2008)

In modern times where the spending of money is oftentimes equated with power and status, the word “frugal” or “frugality” seems to carry an almost negative connotation and be associated with stinginess or miserliness (if you look it up in a thesaurus). However, if we go back to the actual definition and etymology (origins) of the word, we see that frugality is really a positive trait and nothing to be at all ashamed of.

“Frugal” or “frugality” is defined as “characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources”, “prudence in avoiding waste”, and “prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful”.

The word frugal descends from the Latin frugalis, which has been associated with words such as “virtue” or “virtuous,” “honest,” “worthy,” “deserving,” “useful,” “thrifty,” “simple,” “profit” or “profitable,” “value” or “valuable,” “economical,” “temperate,” “sober,” and also “fruit” from frux or fructus, the root of the word “fruitful” which is defined as “yielding,” “profitable,” “productive” or “producing abundantly.”

The word “economy,” which is often associated with frugality, is defined as “management of expenses or resources”. It desecends from the Latin oeconomia and the Greek oikonomíā, which meant “household management”, derived from oikos “house,” nomos “managing”, which comes from nemein “manage” (and also I believe, the root of the Old English niman and the modern German “nehmen” which means “to take”).

Now that you’ve been so lucky as to have been subjected to this fascinating language lesson, in future if anyone makes fun of or criticizes your frugality, you may proudly and nicely, or not so nicely if they’ve been very rude as there is no excuse for rudeness, enlighten them as to the true and noble origins of your lifestyle.

Related Reading:
Language Lesson ~ Finance: A Fine Word by Penelope Pince

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Sources: Online Etymology Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Babylon Latin Dictionary, Germanic Etymology

Related posts:

• Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
• March 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Honestly Frugal: the Ethics of Saving Money
• Basics for the Young, Single and Frugal
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #20

Originally posted 2008-05-22 06:00:30.

My favorite frugal quote from this edition was:
“The best way to save money is not to lose it.” - Les Williams

One of the posts I found useful was How To Change Your Car’s Engine Oil by Clever Dude. This was something I had briefly contemplated doing ourselves in the past, but after reading this article, I am thinking twice about it. But it gives good step by step instructions as well as tells you what equipment you need in order to change your own oil. Note that you need to change your own oil about 12-15 times before the oil and equipment purchases start paying you back, so if this is something you don’t think you can stick with long term, save by not saving on your own oil changes!

Related posts:

• Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• Holiday Blog Carnivals
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week
• July 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals

I am also hosting the Money Hacks Carnival tomorrow, so be sure and check back for more great reads! If this is your first time here, please look around and consider subscribing to our RSS feed.

Now on with the carnival!

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Editor’s Picks

• Silicon Valley Blogger presents Lost Money: How Money Drains Add Up To $175,000 In 10 Years.
• MoneyNing presents Frugally and Happily Back to School 9 Different Ways.
• Kevin Brink presents “Sale” Can Sometimes be Just Another Four Letter Word.
• ISPF presents 10 Tips to Get Anyone into the Habit of Cooking at Home (Even if You Have Never Stepped into the Kitchen Before).
• Savingadvice presents Reached Financial Independence. Now What?

The Frugal Lifestyle

• David presents 25 Frugal Ways To Reuse Everyday Household Items.
• Kate presents Time Well Spent.
• HowToMe presents How To Make a Washing Stick to Pamper Ones’ Hands.
• RC presents Making the Conscious Choice to Get By With Less.
• Anna presents Not by Bread Alone.
• Kacie presents Frivolous or frugal to outsource tasks?

(AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

Frugal Family Activities

• Joanne presents Make Stuff Your Kids Can Play With.
• K presents Five Frugal Toys Using Food.
• Aryn presents 10 Frugal Anniversary Ideas (That Are Also Romantic).
• Ryan Suenaga presents Frugal, Fun, and Healthy: Five Outdoor Activities.
• DJ presents Camping on a Dime.
• Faron Benoit presents 10 Cheap Date Night Ideas.

Saving on Food: Groceries, Cooking & Dining

• Tiffanie presents 13 tips on how to maximize grocery shopping.
• FIRE Getters presents Top 5 Ways To Trim Our Grocery Bills!
• Jamie McIntosh presents Save Money With Organic Produce.
• Grey presents 5 Breakfast Ideas for Brown Rice.
• Todd presents Save 20% On Restaurant Meals.
• Adam Berry presents The Frugal Approach to Cooking.
• Megan presents Saving the Economy by Dieting?

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Shopping Tips: Sales and Coupons

• Karen presents Does a tax holiday really equal savings?
• Erin Gifford presents 5 Ways to Save Money While Shopping Online.
• Briana presents Surviving the Checkout Lane with your coupons is a breeze if you arm yourself with knowledge.
• Amy Hobbs presents Coupon Myths Debunked.
• Lisa Spinelli presents Six Money Saving Websites With Ongoing Big Fat Deals.

Spending and Budgeting

• Emily Starbuck Gerson presents Young British couple has ‘credit crunch wedding.’
• Rich Leverage presents How to Avoid Nickel and Diming Your Way to the Poorhouse.
• KCLau presents How a medium family can retire comfortably (Real Life Case Study).

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Back to School Saving Tips

• Kris presents If I Had Known Then: Food and Financial Advice for the College-Bound (Also, a Story).
• Tom Tessin presents Shopping Tips for College Students.
• Madison presents Back to School Savings Challenge.
• Ben presents College Dorm Room Decor Ideas – How to Decorate Your Dorm on a Budget.
• squawkfox presents Printable Dorm Room Essentials Checklist.

Saving on Transportation

• Jim presents 547 Ways to be Fuel Smart by Roger Albright.
• Steve Faber presents Top 12 Cars With the Best Gas Mileage That are Actually Fun to Drive.
• Steward presents Bike Commuting Is Tough on the Tush.
• Curt presents How to Minimize Your Automobile Total Cost of Ownership.
• Penny Nickel presents The true costs of driving– how much could you save on transportation?
• Pamela Grundy presents Unbelievable Car Rental Deal! Thanks Alamo!

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Personal Financial Journeys (Stories)

• Amanda Milne presents You Can Have Frugality and Quality of Life.
• NtJS presents What Is: The Smartest Advice You Ever Got – Mrs. NtJS’s Turn.
• The Happy Rock presents The little things…starting to trim the budget.
• APFB presents A Lifelong Money Lesson.

Miscellaneous Savings Tips

• J. Savings presents Avoid Overdraft Fees by Tying your Checking to your C/C.
• Chief Family Officer presents Money Saving Tip: Check the address for recurrent online payments.
• Amy presents 13 Uses for Vinegar.
• Shaula presents Finding Free WiFi.
• Livingalmostlarge presents Frugal Tip – Use CC to buy Gas.
• Randy presents 12 Free and Fantastic Windows Applications.
• Abby Freedman presents How to get something for nothing.
• Joseph presents Saving Money At Garage And Yard Sales.

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Other

• Michael Geoffrey presents What Do You Believe About Money?
• Dorian Wales presents How to Invest Wisely In a Bear Market?
• Sandy Naidu presents Emergency Fund Savings – Emergency Fund Tips.
• Nina Smith presents Five Things Not Worth Repairing.
• Kevin presents Should You Invest in Visa? A 5 Month Update.
• Michael Cintolo presents In sickness and health (insurance).
• VH presents Is the Layoff Boom about to Fall?

(AP Photo)

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Festival of Frugality using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Related posts:

• Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition
• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals

“Frugal” or “frugality” is defined as “characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources”, “prudence in avoiding waste”, and “prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful”.

The word frugal descends from the Latin frugalis, which has been associated with words such as “virtue” or “virtuous,” “honest,” “worthy,” “deserving,” “useful,” “thrifty,” “simple,” “profit” or “profitable,” “value” or “valuable,” “economical,” “temperate,” “sober,” and also “fruit” from frux or fructus, the root of the word “fruitful” which is defined as “yielding,” “profitable,” “productive” or “producing abundantly.”

The word “economy,” which is often associated with frugality, is defined as “management of expenses or resources”. It desecends from the Latin oeconomia and the Greek oikonomíā, which meant “household management”, derived from oikos “house,” nomos “managing”, which comes from nemein “manage” (and also I believe, the root of the Old English niman and the modern German “nehmen” which means “to take”).

Now that you’ve been so lucky as to have been subjected to this fascinating language lesson, in future if anyone makes fun of or criticizes your frugality, you may proudly and nicely, or not so nicely if they’ve been very rude as there is no excuse for rudeness, enlighten them as to the true and noble origins of your lifestyle.

Next thrilling language lesson (coming soon) — Finance: A Fine Word

Sources: Online Etymology Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Babylon Latin Dictionary, Germanic Etymology

Related posts:

• Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue (Re-Post)
• March 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Honestly Frugal: the Ethics of Saving Money
• Basics for the Young, Single and Frugal
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary

A good way to see this for yourself is to start a coin jar or piggy bank and put in every bit of loose change you find lying around the house: in your pockets, desk drawers, under couch cushions, in the car, etc. What starts out looking like a few unpromising handfuls of change can turn out to be $5, $10 or even $15. So it’s not going to pay next month’s rent, but it can pay for many other things that you may need (or want).

So, here are a few rudimentary suggestions for saving a little here and there:

• As with long distance phone rates, utility companies have peak and off-peak rates for residential accounts – usually 10am-6pm (when most people are at work) are the peak hours . If you happen to be home between those hours on a weekday, try to limit your use of electricity even more than usual. If you can, wait until after 6pm to do the laundry, use hot water if you have an electric water heater, and other electric appliances.
• Consolidate errands as much as possible. Try to schedule trips to the bank, post office, grocery store, dry cleaner’s, etc. in one outing, planning the most efficient route to save time and gas.
• When grocery shopping, try to buy enough to last at least a week so as not to have to return in a couple of days. Every trip to the store often results in more purchases than originally planned; thus, the fewer trips the better. In our household, we now shop once a month and have seen a significant decrease in our grocery bill.
• Eat before leaving the house and take a snack and water bottle with you. Hunger or thirst can cause you to shop less prudently or need to eat out.
• Before making any sort of purchase, seriously consider whether or not you really need it or just want it, and if you want it, if it will be of lasting value.
• Patience is a virtue when it comes to prudent economy. Wait a while and see if something you thought you “must have” was something that would have just been “nice to have”.
• Price or cost doesn’t always determine quality. Just because something (an item, an activity, etc.) costs less doesn’t mean it’s not just as valuable or fun.
• Find new and less expensive hobbies to substitute a few more costly recreational activities (suggestions for hobbies and activities coming soon).

These are just some very basic frugality tips. We will go into further detail for various matters on future posts.

Related posts:

• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)

Still a very active person, my Grandpa ‘putters’ quite a bit. He spends a lot of time on his computer, managing his finances, staying in touch with friends, and working on genealogy. A mainstay in his office has been his old computer – he’s had it for 8 years. It’s old, really old. I’ve fixed some things for him a couple of times, and it’s close to heading to the museum. It doesn’t even write to a CD, still has a 3.5″ disk drive. The monitor is about 13 inches big.

He knows that there are better, faster, easier to use computers out there, but as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” He’s content to use his old machine, even if it takes ten minutes to start, chugs along through some of the more difficult tasks it has, and needs the occasional upgrade or repair.

Be satisfied with what you have

I’ve written about this previously, but it’s very easy to become jealous of things that your friends or co-workers have. Sometimes it seems like everyone else has something you can’t afford, and it become easy to fall into the trap of wanting, which easily leads to the even bigger trap of spending beyond your means, or debt.

Learn Basic Repair Skills

My grandpa doesn’t do much of the repairs around the house anymore, but he does a very good job of finding people who do a very good job for a low price. While ideally it’s best to learn how to fix some basic things on your own, if there are some things you can’t do, finding a reliable local repairman can lengthen the life of your products.

Purchase Quality Products

Sometimes the cheapest option isn’t always the best. Quality is an important consideration to research when making any kind of a major purchase. Technology has advanced so rapidly that it’s possible for any one to start producing almost any different kind of product. The bargain brand of TV at Wal-Mart may perform the same task as a higher-end Sony or Samsung TV, but they length of time the product will work and the quality of the user-experience may differ greatly. It’s important, though, to save for these purchases.

The Point: Frugality isn’t all about buying the cheapest product or not spending money, but spending it wisely on products that will last a long time. Purchasing a high-quality product and learning to maintain it yourself can save you quite a bit of money in the long run.

* * *

This post is part of the “Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, or Do Without” Series

Part 1 – Bible Money Matters: “Use It Up”

Part 2 – The Dough Roller: “Wear It Out”

Part 3 – Pecuniarities: “Make It Do”

Part 4 – StretchyDollar: “or Do Without”

Thank you for reading!

Related posts:

• Pay Bills Online and Save
• Shipping via USPS? Mail Your Packages Before May 12th
• The Frugal Art
• Motivating Children to Practice Music (Part 3)
• Pecuniary Links ~ August 2009 #1

I’ve been working away this past week at creating a new blog carnival for the personal finance and frugality blog community. It’s called the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights and its purpose is to showcase quality blog posts from around the personal finance blogosphere.

What the Carnival is For

For Readers

The Carnival of Pecuniary Delights is for anyone looking for a variety of quality blog articles on the subject of personal finance and frugal living. Because blog carnivals feature content from bloggers around the web, readers can quickly find information, viewpoints and tips from a varied pool of sources.

Carnival Topics

• Personal Finance (general)
• Money Management (tips on saving, spending, budgeting, etc.)
• Frugal Living (anything related to frugal living)
• Frugal Home (frugal home and garden)
• Frugal Kitchen (frugal dining, cooking, recipes)
• Frugal Family (frugal parenting, family activities, etc.)
• Green Living (tips that save money and the environment)
• Personal Financial Journey (anecdotes)
• Debt & Credit (advice and tips – not credit card reviews)
• Investing (strategies and advice but not “hot stock picks”)
• Economy (observations and commentary)
• Other (relevant topics)

For Bloggers

Unlike some of the blog carnivals out there, there is no post age restriction, and the focus is content of lasting value, so no credit card offers, deals, promotions and content that has an expiration date.

You can submit posts that you wrote 1 or 2 years ago that is still relevant to today. One of the reasons to do this is to help revive traffic and discussion to good posts that may have been buried among the hundreds of posts in your archives or those written in your early days when your blog had fewer readers so didn’t get the attention they deserved, because some of your best work might come from the early days when you were fresh with ideas.

However, because some of the submitted content may have been seen before, hosts are asked to be very selective in only including content they personally feel are of lasting value, rather than including everything that isn’t SPAM.

Please visit About the Carnival of Peucuniary Delights: For Bloggers for more information.

Hosting and Submissions

This carnival will occur every Thursday with the first edition on April 2, 2009 here at Pecuniarities, and we are open for submissions as well as looking for volunteers to host. Both participating in and hosting a carnival are great ways to increase traffic and exposure to your site.

Please visit the following pages for info on:

• Submissions (for submitting your posts)
  
• Hosting

And please help spread the word about this new carnival. We have created some Carnival Buttons and Banners that you can use on your site.

I look forward to your submissions!

Related posts:

• Pecuniarities is Hosting the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights This Week!
• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late
• Carnival of Pecuniary Delights Giveaways: Cute Piggy Bank Magnet Prizes for Hosting and Submissions
• Pecuniary Links ~ July 2009 #2
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #19

We participated in one blog carnival last week (I keep forgetting to submit until the deadlines are past!) last week, Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition, which was hosted at Financial Wellness Project. My post Save on Groceries and Household Supplies with Amazon’s Subscribe & Save Program was included in the Specific Products/Services, Reviews, Deals category. Be sure to check out this edition for other tips on how to save money.

Related posts:

• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week

(This list will be updated to include future inclusions for the month of August 2008.)

Descending chronologically by inclusion date

• August 17, 2008
  The Carnival of Personal Finance #166: Around the World of Commodities!
  Article: The Financial Woes of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• August 14, 2008
  Finance Fiesta: The Olympic Edition
  Article: Does Thinking About Money Make You a Bad Person?
• August 12, 2008
  Festival of Frugality 138 – The First Principles
  Article: Is “Simple Living” Just Another Term for “Giving Up?”
• August 4, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance: City Slickers Edition
  Article: Our Family Financial History

Related posts:

• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #2
• Holiday Blog Carnivals

If you’re a blogger, be sure and submit your personal finance and frugal living articles. If you’re a blog reader, be sure and stop by for recommendations for great reads.

• Festival of Frugality 139th Edition
  

  Tuesday, August 19, 2008

  • Submission Guidelines
  • Submission Form
  • Submission Deadline: Aug 18, 2008 9:00 PM EST/EDT

• Money Hacks Carnival 26th Edition
  

  Wednesday, August 20, 2008

  • Submission Guidelines
  • Categories: Insurance, Frugality & Saving Money, Investing, Income, Career, Debt & Credit, Taxes, Economy, Other
  • Submission Form
  • Submission Deadline: Aug 19, 2008 2:00 PM EST/EDT

Bloggers, this is a great opportunity for doubled carnival traffic and exposure, so get your submissions in! If you have 2 articles, be sure to submit one to each of the carnivals.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Related posts:

• Holiday Blog Carnivals
• Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition
• July 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition

(This list will be updated to include future inclusions for the month of July 2008.)

Descending chronologically by inclusion date

• July 30, 2008
  Money Hacks Carnival #23 — It’s Gotta Be The Shoes!
  Article: How to Save Gas and Time With Google Maps
• July 28, 2008
  Carnival of Debt Reduction 150: College Tuition Bills
  Article: Resisting the urge to splurge
• July 28, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #163 – “Quotable Quotes”
  Article: How to Save Gas and Time with Google Maps
• July 21, 2008
  The 162nd Carnival of Personal Finance: Baseball edition
  Article: California Fires: Should We Have to Pay for the Choices of Others?
• July 15, 2008
  Festival of Frugality 134
  Article: Booking Flights Early Could End Up Costing More
• July 10, 2008
  Finance Fiesta: No Debt Plan Edition
  Article: Monopoly Game Expansion #4: Personal Credit Card Account
• July 7, 2008
  Festival of Frugality: Bare Necessities Edition
  Article: Economical Pet and Child Safe Ways to Repel and Kill Ants, Spiders and Other Insects
• July 2, 2008
  Money Hacks Carnival #19: The Independence Edition (Editor’s Pick – double thanks!)
  Article: Monopoly Game Expansion #3: Certificate of Deposit

Related posts:

• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week
• Pecuniary Links & Pecuniarities Update ~ July 2009 #1

(This list will be updated to include future inclusions for the month of June 2008.)

Descending chronologically by inclusion date

• June 25, 2008
  Finance Fiesta 4: Cerveza Edition
  Article: Monopoly Game Expansion #2: Personal Checking Account
• June 23, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #158 : Vampire Slaying Edition
  Article: Monopoly Game Expansion #1: Personal Savings Account (Editor’s Pick – double thanks!)
  
• June 16, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #157: Third Anniversary Edition
  Article: Frugal, Fun and Productive Summer Activities
• June 12, 2008
  Finance Fiesta: The Margarita Edition
  Article: Lottery Tickets: Worthy Investment or Waste of Money? (Editor’s Pick – double thanks!)
• June 10, 2008
  Festival of Frugality #129 – Try a Little Harder This Week Edition
  Article: Frugality to the Extreme: Would You Eat Out of the Dumpster?
• June 9, 2008
  Carnival of Debt Reduction #143 — The History of Debt (Editor’s Pick – double thanks!)
  Article: Simple Solutions to Staying Out of Debt
• June 5, 2008
  Welcome to the First Finance Fiesta! – Miles Gracias por la “Honorable Mention”!
  Article: Guide to Safe and Smart Traveling with Pets
• June 3, 2008
  Festival of Frugality #128: No Debt Plan Edition
  Article: Frugal Travel Begins Before the Trip: Vacation Preparation Checklis
• June 2, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #155 — Time With Family
  Article: My Favorite Money and Time Saving Websites (Editor’s Pick – double thanks!)
  

Related posts:

• Hosting the 3rd Edition of the Finance Fiesta Blog Carnival
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week

(This list will be updated to include future inclusions for the month of May 2008.)

Descending chronologically by inclusion date

• May 27, 2008
  And the Beat Goes On: 127th Festival of Frugality
  Article: Some of the Many Uses for Vinegar around the House
• May 26, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #154
  Article: Expensive Lessons: Knowing When to Call it Quits and Call in a Professional, and the Price of Spinelessness and Regret
• May 20, 2008
  #126 Festival Of Frugality – If I Had A Car Edition
  Article: Sharing Accounts to Maximize Cash Back and Interest Earnings
• May 19, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #153: the Q & A edition
  Article: 20 Minutes Can Save $180 & Tips for Receiving Better Customer Service

Related posts:

• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #2
• Holiday Blog Carnivals

(This list will be updated to include future inclusions for the month of April 2008.)

Descending chronologically by inclusion date

• April 16, 2008
  The 8th Edition of the Money Hacks Carnival
  Article: The Frugal Literates Guide to Affordable Reading (Double thanks for the editor’s pick!)
• April 15, 2008
  The Make It From Scratch Carnival!
  Article: Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes
• April 2008
  Festival of Frugality #121 – Tax Day Edition
  Article: 7 Cost-Cutting and Safer Alternative Household Tips
• April 13, 2008
  Carnival of Money, Growth and Happiness #40
  Article: Basics for the Young, Single and Frugal

• April 7, 2008
  Festival of Frugality #120
  Article: Homemade Coin Bank for Saving Wayward Coins
• April 7, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #147: Q1 Financial Advice Edition
  Article: Closing Your Credit Cards Can Hurt Your FICO Score
• April 7, 2008
  Tax Carnival #34: Big Tax Dance
  Article: Tax Form & Publication Guide for the Newly Self-Employed
  
• April 3, 2008
  Carnival of Ethics, Values, and Personal Finance
  Article: Honestly Frugal: the Ethics of Saving Money
• April 2, 2008
  Carnival of Living Cheaply – April
  Article: Pay Bills Online and Save
• April 2, 2008
  Carnival of Music Lessons–3rd Addition
  Article: Playing Slower for Faster Results (Motivating Children to Practice Music Part 3)
• April 1, 2008
  Festival of Frugality #119: The Quitting My Day Job to Blog Full Time Edition
  Article: Thinking inside the box: Some Uses for Cardboard Cartons

Related posts:

• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• Blog Carnivals
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Giveaways Ending Soon! And Hosting 2 Blog Carnivals Next Week
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals

(Descending chronologically by inclusion date)

• March 26, 2008
  Money Hacks Carnival #5 – Haute Couture Edition
  Article: Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
• March 24, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #145 – Baby Education Edition
  Article: The No-Budget System
• March 24, 2008
  Tax Carnival #33 – Deduction Tips, Rebates, and Tax Planning
  Article: Don’t Spend that Tax Rebate Just Yet
• March 22, 2008
  E-3 Carnival of How Money Works – March 22, 2008
  Article: Prune Your Spending and Watch the Savings Grow
• March 18, 2008
  Carnival of Everything Finance – #15
  Article: Prune Your Spending and Watch the Savings Grow
• March 17, 2008
  Tax Software Advice » All About Taxes Blog Carnival #2
  Article: Tax Form & Publication Guide for the Newly Self-Employed
• March 16, 2008
  Carnival of Money, Growth and Happiness #36
  Article: Home is Where the Money Is

Related posts:

• Blog Carnivals
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• Giveaways Ending Soon! And Hosting 2 Blog Carnivals Next Week
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals

So here are a few basic points and tips for the young and frugal. They may not help you climb the social ladder, but keeping them in mind and practicing them in whatever you do can keep you from falling off, and maybe help you to climb up, the financial ladder. And remember that basics are not just for beginners. They are taught first to beginners not because they are easy and therefore less important, but because they are the foundation upon which to build everything else.

Basics for the Young and Frugal

• Frugality is a Virtue
  This is not just another feel-good phrase to make you believe something that’s not true. The word frugal actually comes from the Latin word for “virtue” or “virtuous,” “valuable,” “worthy,” “deserving,” and many other good things. Check out my post and see for yourself. You should not be ashamed of being frugal; in fact, you should be proud that you are thinking ahead and planning and saving for the future – be it a down payment on a house or car, your retirement, a family, etc.
• Frugality entails sacrifice
  You will have to give up some luxuries if you truly want to save money. This doesn’t mean you have to give up every single joy in your life, but you will have to cut back.
• There is nothing wrong with staying home
  A little extra time to yourself at home is good. You’re paying rent or mortgage on your home, why not actually use it for something other than sleeping?
• It is never too late to take up a new hobby
  If you’ve always wished you could play a musical instrument, speak another language, sew or knit your own clothes, the sooner you start, the less time you’ll have for regrets and “if only’s” later. Invest in a useful hobby that will benefit you in later life as a professional or a parent, and stay home and practice it. For example, when you are a mother with a handful of children and not enough time in the day, you will be glad that you already know how to sew and mend clothing rather than having to learn to sew at that time.
• True friends will respect your choices
  If your friends put you down for your frugal lifestyle, then it’s time to find some new friends. Friends who really care about you will not repeatedly ask you to make sacrifices to feed their need to spend money. You don’t have to sever all ties with such friends, but there is nothing wrong with making new friends who share your values and can help you stay on track in your frugal lifestyle.
• It is never too early to think about your future
  Even if you are still 40 years from retirement age, you must start thinking about and take responsibility for your future. What if you’re lucky enough to live another 40 years after retirement? And this is assuming that all goes well and you do not need to take early retirement for any reason.
• A penny saved is a penny plus interest earned
  Check out my previous article and learn just how just a few dollars saved per day can turn into a small fortune over the course of 1-40 years.

Check back soon for suggestions for frugal activities and hobbies.

Related posts:

• April 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Blog Carnivals
• Make It Do: Frugal Forever
• Motivating Children to Practice Music (Part 2)
• Friday Fun: Meme Me! 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Me (Penelope Pince)

Originally posted 2008-03-25 16:36:19.

Welcome to the 1st Edition of the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights!

I am thrilled to have received such a response from the personal finance blogging community for this first edition of the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights. Thank you to each of the 68 participants for your submissions; it has been a pleasure to read and include each of your articles.

A little about the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights

For those of you who are just hearing about this new carnival, the purpose of the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights is to showcase content of lasting value from the personal finance and frugality blogosphere. There is no restriction as to the age of the posts submitted so bloggers are free to submit their best and favorites from any part of their archives.

As the priority is lasting value, you will not find items with an “expiration date.” This means, no temporary promotions for businesses, shopping deals or credit card offers. Even if you were to happen upon this carnival 6 months from now, the content would all still be relevant.

More information: About • Schedule • Hosting • Submissions

Giveaway Winners

For Article Submissions	For Hosting Applications
David from MoneyNing	Momma from Momma’s Blog

Pecuniary Art by Madoline Hatter

In our past year of financial blogging, my sister Madoline Hatter, our resident graphic designer and artist, has produced not a few financially-themed pieces for this blog and our CafePress shop. As we have just concluded 2 giveaways of piggy bank art magnets featuring Madoline’s work to kick-off the launch of this new carnival, I have decided to theme this first edition around more of her pecuniary art.

Shameless plug: All of the images you see below are available on numerous types of products at our shop. They make great gifts for those with an interest in finance or frugality, and most are available with and without captions. Click on an image to see more.

Now, without any further ado, allow me to present the first ever Carnival of Pecuniary Delights: The Madoline Hatter Pecuniary Art Edition.

Editor’s Picks

• FIRE Finance from FIRE Finance presents Early Retirement Case Study – Sandy Aldridge and Dale Lugenbehl.
• Kelly from Almost Frugal presents The ABCs of frugality.
• Frugal Dad from Frugal Dad presents Is Frugality The Anti-Stimulus Plan?.
• Linsey Knerl from Wise Bread presents Beware of pretty things: 4 reasons I’m keeping my old ugly stuff.

Feast On Your Savings

Frugality

• Miss Thrifty from Miss Thrifty presents Make Do And Mend: Vogue for the Credit Crunch Bunch.
• Abigail from I Pick Up Pennies presents Are Americans really learning?.
• Lulugal from How I Save Money presents Frugal Frauds Revealed.
• Mike from Four Pillars presents Changing your mind.

Frugal Home and Garden

• Momma from Momma’s Blog presents 9 No Spend Weekend Ideas.
• David from Personal Finance Blog by MoneyNing presents My Virgin DIY Haircut Experience.
• Kate Kashman from The Paycheck Chronicles presents Seven Reasons Why Clutter is Costing Me Money.
• Heather Levin from The Greenest Dollar presents How To Save Money On Laundry Day.
• Leslie from Spilling Buckets presents It’s that time of year again: Gardening Season.

Frugal Kitchen

• Green Panda from Green Panda Treehouse presents Brownbag Your Lunch and Save Money.
• Jenn from Frugal Upstate presents The Making of a Lunch for Princess-Lunchbox Philosophy and Execution.
• Jim L. from The Switch to Riches presents Saving Even MORE on Groceries.
• Smarty from Growing Money presents How I Cut Down On Food Expenses.

Incontinent spending?

Saving on Spending

• Kimberly Palmer from Alpha Consumer presents My Experiment: Asking for a Better Deal.
• RC from Think Your Way To Wealth presents Negotiating a Deal and Tips on Becoming a Better Negotiator.
• Christina from Northern Cheapskate presents Don’t Let Coupons Clip Into Your Free Time.
• J. Money from Budgets Are Sexy presents 3 Tips to Putting BLING on That Finger of Hers.
• Laura from No More Spending presents Cold Turkey on Magazines and Confessions.

Money Management

• Jim from Bargaineering presents Your Financial Network Map.
• PT Money from Prime Time Money presents Save More Money: Automate and Separate Your Savings.
• JT Locke from The Frugal Housewife presents How Much Is Too Much?.
• Cindy Morus, The Money Mender from Mend Your Money presents How to Have More Fun With Your Tax Refund in 2009.
• Karen from Living Well on Less presents Time for new tires — or why I’m glad we have an emergency fund.
• Kay Bell from Don’t Mess With Taxes presents When renting is the right choice.
• Money Progress from Money Progress presents How to Save Money and Feel Good About It.

A penny is the first part of a million.

Personal Finance

• Megan from Counting My Pennies presents Support Your Non-Profits.
• BSimple from Simplified Financial Lifestyle presents Financial Planning is EASY as Vacation Planning.
• Jason from My Money Minute presents What We Learn From Tragedy.
• Fred from Very Personal Finance presents Personal Finance Is Personal – Very Personal.
• Patrick from Cash Money Life presents Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
• Dave from Do You Dave Ramsey? presents Do You Dave Ramsey?

Green Living

• Prune Danish from Frugal Luxury presents More Beauty Products You Could Probably Do Without.
• Alunachic from The Frugal Musician presents The Frugal Musician Makes a Cardboard Mailer.

Debt and Credit

• Silicon Valley Blogger from The Digerati Life presents Get Rid Of Your Debt With These Debt Defying Strategies.
• Jeremy M. Simon from Taking Charge presents Phone line makes me popular with debt collectors.
• Greg Keene from Managing Money God’s Way presents Can you cosign this loan for me?.
• Trevor Shipp from Financial Nut presents You’ll Always Have a Car Payment.
• CPF from Christian Debt Help presents Negotiate with credit card companies and Win!
• Baker from Man Vs. Debt presents Declaring War: Cancelling Your Credit Cards.
• Marlon from Penny Scraper presents A fast way to improve the credit score of a family member.

Shining Credit vs. Infernal Credit

Taxes and Economic Stimulus

• Madison from My Dollar Plan presents $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.
• FFB from Free From Broke presents Paying Back The Economic Stimulus Payment – Lots of Tax Confusion!
• Miranda from Yielding Wealth presents Tax Time: Identity Thieves on the Prowl.
• Bruce from Taxguy presents A Little Straight Talk.
• Mr. ToughMoneyLove from Tough Money Love presents Consider this Likely Future Tax Benefit of Early Mortgage Payoff.

Economy

• Rocketc from Rocket Finance presents Financial Fairytale.
• Lisa Spinelli from Greener Pastures presents Is the Time Ripe for the Next Generation of Outliers?
• HIB from Happiness Is Better presents The TED Spread and What It Means to You .
• LAL from Living Almost Large presents Do I get paid too much?

Investing

• Zach Scheidt from Zach Stocks presents Double Your Investment Returns (Too Good to be True?).
• Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents presents 7 Things To Know About a Roth IRA For 2009.
• Clare Kierans from Money Energy presents Why You Should First Invest in Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs).
• Mike from Richer by the Day presents Forever Stamps, A Losing Investment.
• MFD from My Findependence Day presents How Important are the CESG Grants to an RESP?.
• Sun from The Sun’s Financial Diary presents Are Vanguard Mutual Funds Getting Expensive? .
• Mr. GoTo from Go To Retirement presents Why I like I-Bonds in My Retirement Portfolio.

Career and Income

• WC from Wisebread presents On Salaries: Knowing What Your Coworkers Make.
• Viviana from The Lean Times presents When the work dries up.
• Peter from Bible Money Matters presents To Succeed Diversify And Create Multiple Streams Of Income.
• The David from Pimp Your Finances presents 20 Questions with J.D. Roth, author of Get Rich Slowly.
• The Smarter Wallet from The Smarter Wallet presents Job Hunting Tips: How To Deal With Losing Your Job.

Practice Maintains Perfect

Miscellany

• Kyle from Suburban Dollar presents Quit Paying for What You Can Get for Free (Open Source software).
• Ishan from Save Few Bucks presents Does it really makes sense to buy a Hybrid Car?.
• Papa Boomer from Consumer Boomer presents Not All Credit Cards Companies are the Same.
  Note: While I usually prefer “positive” stories, I thought this psot could serve as a consumer review of a bank on which I myself have less than stellar opinions through personal experience.

Enchanted Pumpkin Fairy Ship

* * *

This concludes the First Edition of the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights. Next week’s edition will be hosted by Wise Bread, so be sure to get your submissions in by Wednesday April 8th, 6:00 PM PST.

Related posts:

• Pecuniarities is Hosting the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights This Week!
• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late
• Carnival of Pecuniary Delights Giveaways: Cute Piggy Bank Magnet Prizes for Hosting and Submissions
• Pecuniary Links ~ July 2009 #2
• Pecuniary Links ~ August 2009 #1

Posts That Caught My Eye This Week

From Get Rich Slowly — 25 Useful Financial Rules of Thumb
Lots of goodies here for all aspects of personal finance

From Mrs. Micah — How Has the Recession Changed Your Saving Habits
A Twitter poll with answers from 12 different people in 140 characters or fewer. It includes one from yours truly! There are lots of comments from readers, too (most over 140 characters.)

From My Money Blog — Summary of California’s Upcoming New Tax Hikes
Increasing sales tax by a whole percent, income tax, vehicle licensing fees, and decreasing dependent credit. Needless to say, being a California resident, this makes me very, very unhappy. So much for economic stimulus blah blah blah.

From The Passive Dad — Money Saving Tip: Have Kids Help With Grocery Coupons
Even though I don’t have kids with opposable thumbs with which to clip coupons, I really like the idea of “no coupon, no purchase,” which can apply to everyone.

Recent Blog Carnivals

Broke Grad Student hosted the Carnival of Personal Finance #193: YouTube Edition
Included my post: Free e-Book, Audiobook, Video & Music Download and Online Resources From Your Local Library

Free Money Finance hosted the Carnival of Personal Finance #194
Included my post: Consumer Safety Resources from the Government on SPAM, Scams, Fraud, Phishing and Identity Theft

Green Panda Treehouse hosted Festival of Frugality #167: Dr. House Edition
Included my post: Beware of Fake IRS (Internal Revenue Service) Phishing Email Scams

Have a nice week!

Related posts:

• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #12
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #2
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #3
• Early to Bed and Early to Rise Makes a Man [or Woman] Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

Welcome to the 188th Carnival of Personal Finance! Our theme for this week’s edition is Jane Austen, as I am a admirer of both her novels and the films based on her novels, which are graced throughout with witty commentary on society — and in particular, money and marriage.

If this is your first time here, please take a look around and consider subscribing to our feed to have new money saving tips delivered to your feed reader of choice or your email inbox. We are also currently holding our first ever giveaway for a free 6-month print subscription to the Wall Street Journal. Please be sure to stop by the contest page and see how you can enter to win.

Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor – which is one very strong argument in favour of matrimony.

Jane Austen, Letter to Fanny Knight, 13 March 1817 Photo: Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen, Becoming Jane (2007), Miramax

~ Editor’s Picks ~

• Coffee For One presents Paying the Bills
• FruGal presents Joining the gym? Read this first
• Sound Money Matters presents That Makes Me Stabby: Do We Have an Obligation to Spend?
• Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck presents Lessons from Flight 1549
• Free From Broke presents Just Enough Is Not Good Enough
• Pimp Your Finances presents 10 Financial Commandments for Your 20s
• Money Ning presents 50 Ways to Budget Travel and Save Money on Vacations

If the loss of what is most valued is so easily to be made up by something else, your resolution, your self-command, are, perhaps, a little less to be wondered at.

Marianne Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility Photo: Kate Winslet & Emma Thompson, Sense & Sensibility, Sony Pictures

~ New Year’s Resolutions ~

• The Passive Dad presents My Latte Factor In 2008. Automatic Millionaire Goals for 2009
• Destroy Debt presents Did You Give Up On Your New Year’s Resolution Already?
• My Money and My Life presents New year, new goals
• Think Your Way To Wealth presents Tips for Making Your Personal Finance Resolutions Stick- Turn Your Resolutions into Habits

Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in me.

Jane Bennet, Pride and Prejudice Photo: Rosamund Pike as Jane, Pride & Prejudice (2005), Working Title

~ Frugality ~

• Passive Family Income presents Live Frugal – But in moderation
• Living The Frugal Life presents What Would You Do If You Lost Your Job Today?
• The Paycheck Chronicles presents Space Heaters or Turn Up the Thermostat?
• Getting Rich in Grad School presents 5 reasons why the best financial advice is always free
• The Smarter Wallet presents Buying A Computer? Check Our Computer Shopping Tips First

People always live for ever when there is an annuity to be paid them…. An annuity is a very serious business; it comes over and over every year, and there is no getting rid of it.

Fanny Dashwood (in regards to Mrs Dashwood), Sense and Sensibility Photo: Janet McTeer as Mrs. Dashwood, Sense & Sensibility (2008), BBC Warner

~ Budgeting ~

• Monogamoney presents What’s in my pantry
• Yielding Wealth presents Do You Need a Gatekeeper for Your Personal Finances?
• InsureBlog presents Wallet Biopsy
• About Financial Software Blog presents 8 Tips for Choosing Budgeting Software

And we mean to treat you all, but you must lend us the money, for we have just spent ours at the shop out there.

Lydia Bennet, Pride and Prejudice Photo: Brenda Blethyn, Jena Malone & Carey Mulligan, Pride & Prejudice (2005), Working Title

~ Consumerism & Spending ~

• Not Made of Money presents How Has the Current Economy Changed Your Wants and Needs?
• Budgets are Sexy presents My tipping rule: Everyone gets 20%! Nice and easy…
• Second Child, Last Born presents What Type of Saver/Spender Am I?
• Making My Own Payday presents The Not So Perfect Gift (Card)

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

Pride and Prejudice Photo: Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice (1996), BBC/A&E

~ Money Management ~

• FIRE Finance presents Advantages of Online Banking
• Dawn’s Evolution presents 6 lessons in personal finance from my mother
• Prime Time Money presents How to Care {Not Worry} About Your Finances
• The Strump – Financial Blog presents How Detailed Should Your Financial Plan Be
• The Sun’s Financial Diary presents Where Did Our Money Go?
• Your Money Relationship presents Do You Still Balance Your Checkbook? I Sure Don’t!

A single woman, with a very narrow income, must be a ridiculous, disagreeable, old maid! the proper sport of boys and girls; but a single woman, of good fortune, is always respectable, and may be as sensbile and pleasant as anybody else….for a very narrow income has a tendency to contract the mind, and sour the temper.

Emma, Emma Photo: Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma, Emma (1996), Miramax

~ Debt ~

• Managing Money God’s Way presents Debt? What debt?
• Shrinkage is Good presents 5 Steps to Combat Holiday Debts and Ward Off Future Relapses
• Personal Finance Ology presents Understanding Good Debt Vs. Bad Debt
• American Consumer News presents Playing the Credit Card Balance Transfer Game
• Done To Zen presents Credit Cards Suck
• Secrets For Money presents How To Shop For A Legitimate Non Profit Credit Counseling Service

A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of. It certainly may secure all the myrtle and turkey part of it.

Mary Crawford, Mansfield Park Photo: Alessandro Nivola & Embeth Davidtz, Mansfield Park (1999), Miramax

~ Career ~

• Blueprint for Financial Prosperity presents Success Finds Hard Work, Talent & Passion
• Greener Pastures presents The Power of Positive Psychology
• Happiness Is Better presents 6 Reasons Why I Joined Toastmasters
• PennyJobs.com presents 6 Options for Students To Consider with Respect to the Economy

Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does.

John Knightley, Emma Photo: Jeremy Northem as George Knightley, Emma (1996), Miramax

~ Saving & Investing ~

• My Wealth Builder presents Get Higher Interest for Saving – Up to 6%
• Generation X Finance presents How to Roll Over Your 401(k) When You Leave or Lose Your Job
• Four Pillars presents Can You Invest Your House Down Payment In The Stock Market?
• Lazy Man and Money presents Greed or No Greed
• Cash Money Life presents Increased 401k Contribution Limits in 2009
• Dividends4Life presents Dividend Stocks Role In The Future Recovery
• Military Finance Network presents 2009 Thrift Savings Plan Contribution Limits
• The Personal Financier presents Is the Stock Market a Big Ponzi (Madoff) Scheme?
• Stock Trading To Go presents Beginner’s Guide to Currency ETFs

But there are not so many men of large fortune in the world as there are pretty women to deserve them.

Mansfield Park Photo: Bennet family, Pride & Prejudice (2005), Working Title

~ Economy ~

• The Digerati Life presents Studying Business Cycles: Economic Graphs of The Current Economic Cycle
• Amateur Asset Allocator presents Unemployment At Highest Level In 15 years: Or Is It Even Worse?
• The Happy Rock presents [Video]The Government’s Money Hole – Recession, Taxes, and Bailout Commentary
• Personal Finance Analyst presents Can You Really Opt Out of a Recession?
• BankAround presents List of Banks that Took TARP Money

Pray, my dear aunt, what is the difference in matrimonial affairs, between the mercenary and the prudent motive? Where does discretion end, and avarice begin?

Eizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice Photo: Jennifer Ehle as Lizzy, Pride and Prejudice (1996), BBC/A&E

~ Taxes ~

• The Financial Blogger presents How To Withdraw Money From Your Holding Without Paying Taxes – The Split Dollar Strategy
• Personal Finance Reviews presents 2009 Income Tax Brackets
• My Journey to Millions presents Did you Forget your RMD this Year? All may not be lost

After all that romancers may say, there is no doing without money.

Isabella Thorpe, Northanger Abbey Photo: Carey Mulligan as Isabella, Northanger Abbey (2007), WGBH Boston

~ Real Estate & Mortgages ~

• Mighty Bargain Hunter presents Running through payback time on a mortgage refinance
• Stumble Forward presents Mortgage Refinance Tips That Could Save You Thousands
• The Credit Toolbox presents Why Would You Choose A Variable Mortgage Rate?
• Funny About Money presents Can’t Sell the House? Try Swapping
• Debt Free Destiny presents How to Get Ready for Your First Home
• Growing Money presents Rental Property Update December 2008

Money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give it.

Marianne Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility Photo: Kate Winslet as Marianne, Sense & Sensibility (1995), Sony Pictures

~ Reviews ~

• My Dollar Plan presents Have You Checked out Lending Club?
• The Dough Roller presents How to Buy and Sell Loans on Lending Club’s New Trading Platform
• Christian Debt Help presents Sharebuilder promotion and review

And to marry for money I think the wickedest thing in existence.

Catherine Morland, Northanger Abbey Photo: Felicty Jones as Catherine, Northanger Abbey (2007), WGBH Boston

~ Other ~

• Money Beagle presents Wasting Money on Poorly Timed Traffic Lights
• LivingAlmostLarge presents A difference between rich and poor
• Centsability to Wealth presents Insurance- The Fortress the Protects Your Financial Army
• Steadfast Finances presents When the Expense of Plastic Surgery is Justifiable
• Free Money Finance presents Four More Uses for Gold Dollar Coins

He is rich, to be sure, and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane. But will they make you happy?

Mr. Bennet to Lizzy, Pride and Prejudice Photo: Keira Knightley as Lizzy, Pride & Prejudice (2005), Working Title

* * *

This wraps up the Jane Austen Edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance. I hope you enjoyed the pictures and quotes as much as I did putting them together. Again, be sure to enter our giveaway for a free 6-month print subscription to the Wall Street Journal which ends this Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 11:59PM EST! Thanks for stopping by!

A Parting Shot

Photo: Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma, Emma (1996), Miramax

Related posts:

• Friday Fun: Calvin and Hobbes Lemonade Stand Economics Lesson & WSJ Giveaway Reminder
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #15
• Hosting the 3rd Edition of the Finance Fiesta Blog Carnival
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late