It’s nearly the end of January, and there hasn’t been much snow so far, which is always an odd thing for Pennsylvania. \u00a0It makes me a bit, you know, paranoid. \u00a0The last winter the weather had been this nice this far into the season, it ended up being all the worse for the rest of the season. \u00a0It makes me a bit nervous, thinking that the next time I have to travel somewhere, I might have to dig my car out from five feet of snow to do so.<\/p>\n
Of course, there are advantages to the winter holiday; it’s much more acceptable to spend most of your day inside when the weather is so cold and there’s so much precipitation to worry about. \u00a0And when you’re inside, most of the day, you can spend more of your time online, catching up on all the great articles that have been written and posted. \u00a0Of course, a particularly good source of articles is the Yakezie network<\/a><\/span>. \u00a0Want some examples of just the sort of articles in the Yakezie network (as well as from those writers who want to join the group)? \u00a0Well, read on, and enjoy a TON of such articles:<\/p>\n Penge Snak!<\/strong> – Hybrid Cars: Are They Worth The Hype?<\/a><\/span> \u00a0“Think we’ll ever see a gallon of gas at $1.89 again? Probably not. The Frugal Toad<\/strong>\u00a0– How Frugal Living Can Build Wealth<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Frugal living does not mean shopping in thrift stores and having soup every night for dinner. Being frugal simply means being deliberate in how you spend money, not impulsive. There are many ways to be frugal but the key to making frugal lifestyle changes permanent is to find ways to save money that will work for you.<\/p>\n Money Cactus<\/strong> – Wealth Creation and the Secret to Happiness<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Money can buy a lot of things, some say it can even buy happiness. Here is my definition of the secret to happiness, how does it stack up to yours?<\/p>\n Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance<\/strong> – WHY YOU NEED FEEDBACK FOR SUCCESS<\/a><\/span> \u00a0THIS ONE DISCUSSES HOW THE PAINFUL COMMENT….”You may not like what I’m going to say,” is a blessing in disguise. Take feedback well and prosper.<\/p>\n TotallyMoney<\/strong> – The two savings accounts you must have<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Simple budgeting and saving tips for the new year.<\/p>\n Thad Thoughts<\/strong> – Scanning and Evernote<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Using Evernote as a destination point for scanning adds incredible value to your MFP and provides ready access to your scans. This article explains the values and the processes for getting scanned documents straight in to Evernote.<\/p>\n The Loonie Bin<\/strong> – Buying to impress<\/a><\/span> Most people let spending define who they are. One has to break free from this mindset and the key is to start small and improve slowly.<\/p>\n See Debt Run<\/strong> – The debit-only strategy<\/a><\/span> Reasons why it is better to avoid using cash entirely, and instead favor entirely electronic payments (debit).<\/p>\n My Journey to Millions<\/strong> – My American Express Spending: December to January<\/a><\/span> Last month I almost had a panic attack when I ran these numbers and found out I spent over $5,400 on my American Express Card. (Probably closer to $4,400 after being paid back and rebates receives). This month\u2019s $3,100 is still much too high for my tastes and it seems it comes from one main expenditure: FOOD.<\/p>\n Invest It Wisely<\/strong> – Problems with Askimet? Try These Great Free Alternatives<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Akismet was once the only game in town, but this is true no longer. Here is a list of plugins that can improve upon or even replace Akismet entirely.<\/p>\n Money Cone<\/strong> – How to Cancel DirecTV without Paying a Penalty<\/a><\/span> Yes I actually did cancel DirectTV before the end of my contract without paying a fee and without even asking (at least not directly)!<\/p>\n Living in Financial Excellence<\/strong> – My (Lame) Debt Free Story<\/a><\/span> Last week I was interviewed by Jon White on his Debt Free Living podcast about how my wife and I got out of debt and how we live without debt today. I\u2019m pretty modest and I don\u2019t think we have a sensational story, but it\u2019s still worth sharing since we don\u2019t talk about the specifics a whole lot on our show.<\/p>\n Live Real, Now<\/strong> – Insurance<\/a><\/span> Thankfully, I sock a bit of money away every month to cover things that break. It\u2019s my warranty fund. That, combined with a good(hopefully) find on eBay, means that losing my phone, while irritating, isn\u2019t going to break my budget. It won\u2019t actually touch my budget in any way.<\/p>\n Beating Broke<\/strong> – Are Personal Loans a Scam?<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Truthfully, there is very little different between a personal loan and a payday loan.<\/p>\n Newlyweds on a Budget<\/strong> – Taking control of our finances<\/a><\/span> How one young couple hopes to take control of their finances, pay off debt and save money in 2012.<\/p>\n Smart Family Finance<\/strong> – Get Your Family Out of Debt<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Being in debt can feel like you are being held captive by your finances. Many find that once they begin getting into debt, it begins to spiral out of control. There are ways to get out of debt if you put your mind to it, and focus on being debt free.<\/p>\n The Ultimate Juggle<\/strong> – Efficiency for your Business<\/a><\/span> If you are trying to be more efficient at work, you may be curious of ways to maximize your time and lower your costs. Jester and I certainly value the importance of multitasking, but sometimes this just isn’t an option.<\/p>\n MoneySmartGuides<\/strong> – Live A Life of Wealth<\/a><\/span> If I were to ask you to describe what being wealthy means to you, how would you answer? A young me (late teenager) would have answered that question as follows: Wealthy to me is a huge house with an outdoor pool, but now I see wealth differently.<\/p>\n Financial God<\/strong> – Immigrant Workers Are Coming to a Shore Near You to Steal Your Jobs!<\/a><\/span> Silicon Valley has been put on notice: A new startup, Blueseed, plans to set up ship just 12 miles off the coast. These ships will hold hundreds of bold and creative entrepreneurs from countries such as India and China. They will circumvent immigration laws and restrictions by placing their ships just outside of the territorial! admin@financialgod.com<\/p>\n Beating The Index<\/strong> – Hyperion Exploration Carries Strong Operational Momentum into 2012<\/a><\/span> \u00a0Hyperion Exploration exited 2011 with a bang; the company was able to exceed its exit guidance by spending less capital than anticipated. I believe this strong operational momentum will carry into 2012 with the upcoming operational update and the 2012 capex program due at any day before the end of this month. Find out why!<\/p>\n Money Spruce<\/strong> – Making Space For Roommates: Are the Savings Worth the Hassles?<\/a><\/span> Sharing an apartment with roommates can save money, but it often means making other sacrifices too. I weigh the pros and cons of roommates for my next move.<\/p>\n My Broken Coin<\/strong> – Stop Being Cheap and Invest In Yourself<\/a><\/span> The following post was featured in a blog swap in November 2011 at My Personal Finance Journey. Now, that I have many more readers and much better exposure, I decided to publish it on my blog. I am a spender. But even big spenders like me have their limits.<\/p>\n The Penny Hoarder<\/strong> – How People Buy Real Estate with “No Money Down”<\/span> <\/a>Some of my favorite infomercials include the ridiculous No Money Down real estate videos. If you haven’t already wasted your $360, allow me to spill the beans.<\/p>\n KrantCents<\/strong> – Term Life Insurance Is My Choice!<\/a><\/span> Term life insurance is my choice, should it be yours? We all know that life insurance is important, so it is a matter of choice which one is right for you. If you are young, healthy and expect to stay that way, term life insurance should be your choice.<\/p>\n Funancials<\/strong> – Are You A Mental Accountant?<\/a><\/span> I hope most of you have had a chance to read my previous article about The Legend of the Man in the Green Bathrobe. If you haven’t, go back and read it. It’s a prerequisite for continuing this post. I anticipated what the responses would be in the comments before they came rolling in.<\/p>\n Passive Income To Retire<\/strong> – My Blog Owning Strategy<\/a><\/span> Find out my blog owning strategy that I am using to approach building up my multiple blogs.<\/p>\n Finance Fox<\/strong> – 5 Rules to Teach Your Kids About Credit Cards<\/a><\/span> Some parents think that credit cards are evil and that keeping kids on the other side is the only way to keep them safe. My parents just never had the time or true knowledge to share anything with me about credit cards.<\/p>\n Darwin’s Money<\/strong> –\u00a0Mortgage Activity Gone Wild Due Record Low Rates – Are You Taking Advantage?<\/a><\/span> Last week, there was a 20% surge in mortgage activity driven primarily by refinancing activity from record low rates. The mortgage banker’s association said seasonally adjust refinances were up 26% while home purchase loan activity was up 10%. Something’s Working! What are you going?<\/p>\n Your Finances Simplified<\/strong> – Can I Survive At the Poverty Line?<\/a><\/span> I completed my interview with 107 WINA on Sunday December 18th concerning my article on “Can you survive the poverty line?”\u009d. I would like to thank Wendy Edwards for reaching out to me and giving me the opportunity to conduct the interview.<\/p>\n 101 Centavos<\/strong> –\u00a0Nickel-Plated Trailers: a Centavos Dividend Portfolio Update<\/a><\/span> With the last portfolio update back in November, we’re about due for another one. Some new additions to the lineup: United Mobile Homes (UMH), read more to find out my lineup!<\/p>\n Money Reasons<\/strong> – Are Famous Personal Finance Authors Too Rich To Understand You?<\/a><\/span> Do rich personal finance authors forget what it’s like to live in the middle? Do you think personal finance bloggers walk the walk and talk the talk better?<\/p>\n Sweating the Big Stuff<\/strong> – Should Tax Evaders Be Given A Safe Haven?<\/a><\/span> The IRS has given tax evaders who have hidden money in offshore accounts a chance to avoid jail time, netting the IRS at least $4.4 billion.<\/p>\n Broke Professionals<\/strong> – Need a $100,000 a year Job? Be a Butler and Earn Big Bucks<\/a><\/span> The job market has been bad for a very long time, but there are high paying careers out there. Apparently being a butler is one of them! Free room and board plus up to a hundred thousand dollars a year why not consider being a butler? You don’t even need a college degree, and Need a $100,000 a year Job? Be a Butler and Earn Big Bucks!<\/p>\n Financial Success for Young Adults<\/strong> – Some Unusual Savings Tips<\/a><\/span> If you find yourself short of cash when it comes time to add to your ISA, it may be time to consider a few money saving tips for individual savings accounts.<\/p>\n Thousandaire<\/strong> –\u00a0My Budget Spreadsheet is Too Much Work<\/a><\/span> My budget spreadsheet is too complicated. I’m making things easier on myself and switching to Mint.com<\/p>\n Money Q&A<\/strong> – How I Recently Invested In A Rock Band<\/a><\/span> There are tons of other great projects on Kickstarter that you can invest in like the new Crowfield album. Kickstarter is a great way to invest in a rock band and other awesome projects.<\/p>\n 20s Finances<\/strong> – Confessions of a Street Canvasser<\/a><\/span> Have you ever been walking down the street in New York City, Boston, DC, Chicago, or San Francisco and been stopped by a young person carrying a clipboard and wearing a charity t-shirt? This strange phenomenon has a name street canvassing.<\/p>\n My Retirement Blog<\/strong> – How Much Should You be Saving?<\/a><\/span> The following is a guest post. When you are young, retirement seems to be a lifetime away. Being told that you should save for that day is difficult to comprehend. But the fact of the matter is that even if we are young and healthy and fit, we have parents and grandparents who are older. So the question is how much should you be saving?<\/p>\n The College Investor<\/strong> –\u00a0Using a Brokerage as your Bank<\/a><\/span> Have you ever considered using your brokerage as your bank? Here are some reasons why you should!<\/p>\n My Multiple Incomes<\/strong> – Top Blogging Verticals<\/a><\/span> A look at some of the top blogging verticals.<\/p>\n Entrepreneurship Life<\/strong> – Are Office Politics Killing Your Business?<\/a><\/span> A look at how office politics can kill your business.<\/p>\n The Dividend Ninja<\/strong> – What Should I Invest In for 2012? Part-2<\/a><\/span> I originally set out to write a wrap-up of investing strategies for 2012. While I was writing this post, the thought occurred to me why not ask the other well known bloggers and financial writers what they think? Here’s what I asked them: “What do you think is the most important lesson investors need to remember going into 2012? Where do you think the best investment opportunities for investors will be?”<\/p>\n MoneyGreenLife<\/strong> – Read The Fine Print When Applying For Balance Transfer Credit Cards<\/a><\/span> Balance transfer cards can be godsend for those who have outstanding credit card debt, especially if the fee to transfer the balance is waived and the interest on the transferred balance is 0%. But read the fine print!<\/p>\n Bucksome Boomer<\/strong> – Recession Romance: Frugal Recipe to Show Your Love<\/a><\/span> There are plenty of frugal date ideas to make Valentine\u2019s Day special without tearing your wallet to shreds. But for me, the recipe that hits the heart every time has three simple ingredients \u2013 Appreciation, Care and Respect.<\/p>\n Money Beagle<\/strong> – Making One Good Decision Is The Key To Everything<\/a><\/span> One good decision leads to another and to another and so on…<\/p>\n Smart Wealth<\/strong> –\u00a0Can You Eliminate PMI?<\/a><\/span> Until recently, I always thought that you had to get to 80% loan to value by either paying down your mortgage, or hoping that your home\u2019s value rises and then refinance to eliminate PMI.<\/p>\n Money Is the Root<\/strong> – Blog Goals and Updates, 2012 – #3<\/a><\/span> Reach earnings of $30,000 from all blogging related activites in 2012. (This is $2,500 per month average, I\u2019m at $1,735 through so far, can I do it?)<\/p>\n Sustainable Life Blog<\/strong> – The Easy Workout<\/a><\/span> Want to start going to the gym but having a tough time getting motivated? Here’s how I handle that.<\/p>\n American Debt Project<\/strong> –\u00a0I Want to Invest in Real Estate #1: Here’s How I’m Getting Started<\/a><\/span> A beginner’s take on jumping into real estate. Tread slowly and out more money down!<\/p>\n Married (with Debt)<\/strong> – Talk About Money: How to Do It the Right Way<\/a><\/span> We all talk about money, but how we do it with the people we love can have a big impact on how our advice is taken. Let’s explore when it’s appropriate to talk about money, and to whom we should give advice.<\/p>\n Free Money Wisdom<\/strong> –\u00a0The Legend of the Three Magic Spells for an Inexpensive Date<\/a><\/span> Although the girl was by no means of high social status, tradition dictated that he demonstrate his fondness for her in a manner which in some fashion involved the spending of money in a substantial amount. Still, as a gentleman, chivalrous to a fault, he was unwilling to consider an solution which involved her having to surrender any of her earnings, even if it was small.<\/p>\n Thriftability<\/strong> – You Don’t Have to Live on Less – Ask for a Raise<\/a><\/span> When it comes time to ask for a raise, there are many details to consider. Here are several tips to follow.<\/p>\n Money Talks Coaching<\/strong> –\u00a05 Myths of Budgeting<\/a><\/span> Everyone can and should budget their money. The budget is the starting point of all things financial. You can\u2019t make informed decisions about your money until you are know (and ideally are controlling) where you spend your money<\/p>\n Cash Flow Mantra<\/strong> –\u00a0What Would I Do with $50,000<\/a><\/span> “Recently, Joe over at Retireby40.org discussed his options for a $50,000 emergency fund, and I must confess that I thought they were rather poor. Now Joe has certain requirements, and I am not trying to change his mind regarding them. But he did ask the question posed in the title and since my answer was going to be longer than could be held in a comment, I thought I would write a post about it.<\/p>\n Frugal Confessions<\/strong> –\u00a0How to Save Money on Dieting<\/a><\/span> Comparing diet program costs is one way to maximize the amount of money you have to spend on dieting (or to make you run the other way with your hard earned money), see how they stack up against one another!<\/p>\n Master the Art of Saving<\/strong> – Everybody Can Have an Emergency Fund!<\/a><\/span> If you don’t have an emergency fund at all, then why not start with a goal of $100? Sure it’s not going to be too helpful should a big financial emergency.<\/p>\n Young Family Finance<\/strong> – Cheap Movie Alternatives<\/a><\/span> It isn\u2019t uncommon for young families to be strapped for cash. When you are looking for creative ways to save money without making a huge sacrifice, it is time to get creative. With the popularity of motion picture, it is hard to give up movies. Yet, going to the movies is not getting cheaper.<\/p>\n Stock Trend Investing<\/strong> – Are You Missing the Rally with Your Stock Market Strategy?<\/a><\/span> How to avoid impulsive investment decisions when stock markets fluctuate as much as they have done recently? Here is a tip.<\/p>\n Squirrelers<\/strong> – Will Less Teens Driving Today = Fewer Expensive Car Purchases in the Future?<\/a><\/span> Becoming of age to drive a car was once a rite of passage. Is that changing, based on recent data? Also, will these trends lead to fewer expensive car purchases in the future?<\/p>\n CultOfMoney<\/strong> – Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) Portfolio<\/a><\/span> “My overall goal is to maximize my returns give a few conditions. I want \u201climited\u201d risk, I want low draw downs (aka low downside volatility), and I don\u2019t want to spend hours and hours every day managing my money. \u00a0The theory that I am using is based in relative strength or momentum. The academic research shows that there are lasting affects that I am trying to harness. Therefore, my model weights the top performing sectors more heavily than the poor performing sectors. As you can see above, Large Cap Domestic currently gets a 15% portfolio weighting, while Foreign Emerging Markets only get 5%”<\/p>\nYakezie Carnival Posts<\/h2>\n
\nSales of hybrid cars has gone through the roof in recent years and the popular notion is to save money … but do you actually save money buying a hybrid? Is it worth it compared to cheaper high-milage cars?<\/p>\n