Master Your Card

You may have noticed that I haven’t done a roundup in awhile and it isn’t because I haven’t loved everything out there to be read. Jonathan and I have made some changes on the schedule of posts and I won’t be doing the weekly roundups any more. But, we haven’t done one in awhile so I thought a little link love was in order.

But, before we get to that, I have a little news to share with you guys. First, the interview I gave Money magazine will be posted in the December issue – last page. My part isn’t really long and it’s about the post I had on laying off the panic button. You can also read the Money magazine article here. But, my name’s in print and the article was well-written and interesting even without my part. If you’re reading Anne, nice job!

The other bit of news is that I will also be writing for Wisebread in the near future. I am excited to say that I was contacted not too long ago and the opportunity worked out, so if you visit both places you’ll be seeing a little more of me. If there are any specific topics you guys would like to see me write about – in either place, really – drop me a line and let me know!

Ok, now on to the roundup portion of this post!

- A-Train Finance gives you ten ways to save and stay out of debt. The only one on this list I’m not fond of is to contribute less to retirement funds in favor of cash savings. I agree that we need an emergency fund, but we still need to be contributing to retirement. Do we really believe that after this financial mess the government can afford to keep the social security program going for very long? Not likely. We need to become self-reliant in this area of our financial lives. But, I did LOVE the tip to kick it old school! I enjoy playing cards and it costs very little money to enjoy a night with friends that way. BYOB and relax.

- J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly let’s us in on a conversation he had with his cousin Nick while scraping the moss off his mom’s roof shingles. This conversation really puts “wants” into perspective. As Nick says, “It’s not want that’s the problem, but the habit of constantly satisfying wants.” Want itself can be a good thing as it motivates us to achieve our goals. But, if we are constantly trying to fulfill every want that crosses our fancy, that’s where we can get into trouble. Very insightful piece.

- Ginger at Girls Just Wanna Have Funds gives readers 7 savvy ways to be a financial asset in a relationship. Now, the article is based on another article that she ran across, so the gender assumptions aren’t her own. But, in reality men and women tend to be very different in their financial matters – how they save, use their credit, spend, etc. Ginger simply points out that many women are perceived to be a financial risk because they shop too much or know too little about finances. The tips she gives readers are great whether you’re a man or a woman!

- No Debt Plan talked about the stress of living paycheck to paycheck. More than that, the article touches on the fact that it’s easy to get out of this dance where you shuffle your bills around as the money comes in to pay them. Quite simply, it’s called a budget. Something all of us personal finance bloggers strongly advocate.

- Retire at 40 has a great post on the envelope system. This system works wonders for those who prefer cash, or simply have a hard time sticking to a budget. Check out the article and give the system a try to see if it works for you.

- Trent at The Simple Dollar reminds us that a treat can become routine and then it’s just bleeding our wallets dry. We all have these vices. According to Trent’s article, mine would be the DVDs I get every Tuesday to add to my already extensive collection. In my defense, since I want to be a screenwriter, I see this more as an investment in my future. I study the films and I watch every one of them repeatedly. So, I don’t really consider these a treat, rather I think of them as advancing my career. Now, books…that’s a treat. To walk into Barnes and Noble and be able to buy books rather than check them out at the library would be my treat. But, occasionally I go hog-wild and spend way too much in the store. This is also the reason I haven’t purchased the membership as I don’t want to encourage myself to spend more. Check it out and see if you’re doing the same!

- Ashley from Wide Open Wallet shares a frugal tip that I think is a great money saver. Buy your spices in bulk!!!!!! I tend to forget to do this and I was going through my spice cabinet yesterday making sure I had everything for the Thanksgiving meal, only to discover I probably have over $50 worth of spices shoved in there. The thing is, if you buy spices like I do, you’ll realize $50 doesn’t necessarily mean variety. I have several that I stick to and occasionally I’ll try some new ones, but I tend to buy them in normal sizes rather than bulk. I agree with Ashley. I could definitely be saving money in this area.

And there you have it folks! There were lots of great articles out there over the last few weeks we’ve been off with the roundups. Also, thanks to everyone who linked back to us in their roundups and carnivals! Hope everyone is enjoying their day and getting ready to attack some major turkey (or ham…um, or tofu?) for the holidays! Speaking of which, keep your fingers crossed for me! I move Saturday, two days after Thanksgiving in which everyone is coming to my place…how did that work? Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving for the U.S. readers and enjoy your week for everyone else!