Carnival of Money Pros

I am super excited to host this week’s Carnival of Money Pros! This is our first time as a host of this carnival. Here are some of the finest posts that made the cut.

Ray @ Squirrelers writes Public or Private Schools – Sending kids to school is an investment that people pay for. This includes public schools, paid for in taxes and property values. If already paying, when does it make sense to pay for private schools? This post discusses paying for public or private schools.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards – The best travel rewards credit cards can maximize your spending, giving you benefits like free flights, hotel nights, and more. See the travel rewards card that best fits your needs.

Shilpan @ Street Smart Finance writes How to Identify A Money Fool – We live in a wicked world. Our quest for wealth largely depends on smart financial decisions we make throughout our lives.Our financial habits play the key role to shape our financial well-being.

PITR @ Passive Income To Retire writes Reasons Why People Don’t Follow Their Dreams – Find out why people fail to realize their dreams. Why do people fail? Why do people give up on their dreams?

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Should You Hide Money From Your Spouse? – A recent study showed that many partners or spouses hide money from their significant other. Is it okay to hide money from your spouse?

Theresa Torres @ Credit Donkey writes National Parks: More Fun for Less Money – National Parks offer a way for families to enjoy spectacular views, adventure, stimulating activities as well as solitude and relaxation without spending a lot of money. You can even save by using your credit card rewards on airfare, gas and restaurants.

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes Did You Buy Shares in Facebook? Should You? – On Friday (May 18, 2012) Facebook became a public company. Facebook shares began trading on the stock market, meaning anyone could now own a part of the company. But should you have bought shares in Faceboook? The answer is no. Facebook shares started trading at $38 each, which valued the company at $104 billion.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Harnessing The Power Of Compound Interest – There is a power of compound interest that both savers and investors need to understand and harness in order to grow their wealth.

Kevin @ Thousandaire writes Invest in Used Washers and Dryers, Get Rich – I bought a washer and dryer set for cheap and re-sold it four years later for a 75 percent profit.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes 35 Money Lies People Tell Regularly – Men supposedly lie six times more per day than women, and when someone tells you, be a man or a woman – “Nothing is wrong, I’m OKAY”, they’re really lying to your face.

Jeremy Waller @ Personal Finance Whiz writes Top Personal Finance Posts Of The Week – Facebook IPO Post Mortem Analysis Edition – So…Facebook’s IPO was on Friday…and it was one of the least exciting IPOs I’ve ever seen. The hype leading up to it was off the charts. This was supposed to be one of the biggest IPOs in years. It opened pretty stinkin’ close to my prediction.

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes Addictions Can Ruin Your Budget – Addictions can get expensive, not all of them, but some of them can. Addictions can ruin your budget and financial goals. Will addictions ruin everybody’s……

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes It’s Not Necessary To Pay For Your Kid’s College Education – ****** Disclaimer (Edit): This post is in no way meant to reduce the accomplishment of those who had their parents pay for college for them, nor is it meant to be a compare/contrast of people that pay for their own …Read more »

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes How to Make Money as a Part-Time Baseball Umpire – If you love the sport of baseball and have some free time, there’s no reason you can’t be an umpire for real and get paid to do it!

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Our House On The Market: Month Three – We’ve now had our house on the market for three long months, and I’m losing faith. We’re dropping the asking price, but I wonder whether it’s enough to get it sold.

John @ Married (with Debt) writes Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen and the Prosperity Gospel – Preachers like Creflo Dollar and Joel Osteen are leading figures in the prosperity gospel movement. What is it, and is it right?

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes What Are Your Options for Dealing with Debt – One of the biggest problems with debt is that being burdened by it makes you feel helpless. However, you always have options for dealing with debt, for tackling it yourself to using debt management services by Pay Plan.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Canadian Dividend Stocks: Brookfield Renewable – Many investors are looking to Canada as a source of investing opportunity that are a little more eco-friendly than their competitors like Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes 5 Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Without Breaking the Bank – Imagine your life without a mortgage; you’d have more money to spend, more money to save, more money to invest—more money for everything!

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes Understanding the Different Stock Indexes – Read more to understand the difference in the stock indexes. Information is power when it comes to the exchanges!

101 Centavos @ 101 Centavos writes How To Painfully Save Hundreds of Dollars a Year – While we’re off on vacation, I’m recycling/re-branding/editing some old posts. This one was originally posted on November 6th, 2010. Save hundreds…

Jason @ Work Save Live writes Things to Consider With Your Relationship and Money – This week I’m taking a part of a “Blog Swap.” So instead of posting on my site today, I’m trading places with one of my fellow bloggers! I hope you enjoy hearing from a new perspective! Your Relationship and Money A lot of couples fight about money.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Four conditions under which cash loans may not be such a bad idea after all – Before I go on and set out the four conditions under which, I believe, cash loans may not be a bad idea let me tell you a story.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes The 3R’s of Success – The 3 R’s of Success is the eighteenth in a series of articles to help you reach your goal.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Are You Underestimating Your Abilities and Potential? – Are we underestimating ourselves? Read my story of a brilliant neighborhood mom that could have made much more money in life.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes 20 Ways to Spend Money On and Off Board a Cruise – I am fresh off the ship of the first cruise I have ever taken.

Aloysa @ My Broken Coin writes Would You Pay More For a House With a View? – Do you think that houses with an excellent view is worth more? Would you pay more for one?

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Are You Entitled? Does Entitlement Lead to Debt? – Find out how the feeling of entitlement affects your spending habits and what you can do to stop it.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Debt Settlement vs. Debt Consolidation – Debt settlement and debt consolidation are among the top debt-reduction options for individuals who have more debt than they can handle. While both tracks can help you get out of debt, their approaches are very different.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Cost of Being in Someone Else’s Wedding – Do you have any close friends getting married soon? Have they asked you to be in their wedding? Do you know how much it will cost you to say yes? I was in a friend’s wedding in December and will be in another wedding in June. Between those two weddings and having 3 other weddings to attend in the next few months, I have weddings on the mind.

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes Simple Steps To Grow Your Business – As your business starts succeeding, you should look at what the next level is. This can encompass a whole range of things, from moving out of the house and into a real shop, or even just making your existing business look more professional and function more streamlined.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Reevaluating Your Wireless Service – Do you spent too much on your wireless service? These people are perfect examples of why you should reevaluate your plan today!

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes Is Getting Pet Insurance Worth It? – For some people, the issue of getting pet insurance is simply ridiculous.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes Insurance: Pros and Cons – In all walks of life, it pays to be safe. Doing your best to ensure that you don’t succumb to any illness, injury or any other form of harm is important,

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Getting Excited about FINCON12 But Nervous Too… – The Financial Blogger Conference 2012 is going to be awesome, but I am already nervous about speaking. This will make FINCON12 a bit more stressful for me.

YFS @ Your Finances Simplified writes Rental Property #3 Numbers Analysis – As I told you guys in the last post, I’m going to give you the actual break down of my current and future rental property purchases.

JP @ My Family Finances writes Are Bank CDs a Waste of Time and Money for Families? – These days it’s hard to see bank CDs as anything but a waste of time and money for your family’s finances.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes What Is a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust and What Does It Have to Do with Facebook? – I am a little late to the story, but I was shocked to learn that a few of the Facebook founders used an estate planning technique known as a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) to help their future heirs save on estate taxes.

Beating Broke @ Beating Broke writes How Higher Education Is Ruining the Economy – The last thing you probably expected, today, was a post about how higher education is ruining the economy. After all, aren’t personal-finance bloggers supposed to be all about advancing yourself, spending wisely, and earning all that you can? Perhaps, but I’m of the personal belief that one can still advance yourself, spend wisely, and earn all that your worth without having to go to college.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes Living to 100 and Beyond: The Changes Ahead – This is the second in a series of articles on living to 100 and beyond. This post was originally published on May 26, 2010. Living to 100 and beyond…

Laura @ NerdWallet writes NerdWallet’s Best Cash Back Credit Cards, Spring 2012 Edition – Rewards hunters often lean toward cash back credit cards. Sure, gift cards are nice, and airfare is lovely, but cold hard cash provides the versatility and flexibility to put rewards toward any goal or purpose that tickles your fancy.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Largest Lotto Winnings in an Infographic – Who doesn’t daydream about winning the lotto, inheriting a fortune, or coming into a windfall? Of course, most of us don’t rely on this happenstance to fund our future and we make financial plans accordingly (ie. we save for a rainy day and fund out retirement accounts.) But it’s fun to think about what a person might do with all that money

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Are Investors in the PIMCO Total Return Fund Missing Out? – The PIMCO Total Return Fund is Underperforming PIMCO’s new BOND ETF. Are PIMCO Total Return Fund Investors missing out?

Grand Per Month @ Grand Per Month writes What’s Your Motivation? – What is your motivation to make an extra grand per month? What would you do with an extra $1000 each and every month? The amount of desire and need that you have for the money could very well determine your ability to succeed.

Dave @ 6400 Personal Finance writes Ask Someone Else About Credit Card Debt – There are times when we focus too much on stories about people trying to correct a mistake as opposed to avoiding that mistake in the first place. I show how easy it can be to do the latter when it applies to using credit cards.

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Get a Free $25 to Lend on Kiva – Maybe I’m behind the times on this but I recently learned about Kiva. I’d heard of it before but I didn’t know what it was.

Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Making Financial Discipline Manageable – One of the best ways to help yourself stick to your budget is to allow yourself small pleasures. Below is a list of several things in my life that I have allowed to stay in my budget as a tradeoff for more expensive things. All of the list below are things that exist in my real life and things that I have found will save me money in the long run.

Steve @ Brip Blap writes 10 Quotes on Careers – Here are what some famous people have said about careers and my take on them.

Jeff Rose @ Good Financial Cents writes Dave Ramsey Might Think I’m Crazy. Here’s Why. – I believe that people need to have more of a hands-on approach with their investments. By having to open a Roth IRA it requires you to go out and do research in where the best place is to open a Roth IRA. You’ll then have to figure out a way to get the money into it, and forced to learn how to choose the investments you place inside it. At worst, you’ll have to sit down with a financial planner to help you make sense of it all.

Jeff Rose @ Life Insurance by Jeff writes Protection For Your Home – Is Mortgage Life Insurance Worth It? – While your house is most likely your biggest asset, does that justify paying the extra premiums to have a mortgage life policy? Does the added cost really give you the protection you need?

Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Shifting Risk in Your Investments – To invest in real estate on an individual level requires using your income, assets, and personal balance sheet to make a deal. The banks care about your data – you’re the risk. And your balance sheet is the collateral. Real estate investment trusts (REITs), however, allow you access to the same kind of leverage (borrowing inexpensively to purchase higher-yielding investments) without risk to your personal balance sheet.

Steven Zussino @ Canadian Personal Finance writes Is Buying a Condo the Right Decision for You? – The decision to purchase a home, any home, is a big one. It means more responsibility, less flexibility when it comes time to move, and a mortgage. However, financially speaking, purchasing is a better investment more times than not.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Small Money Mistakes that Have Big Consequences – It is often the little things you do, the small actions you take, that have the biggest impact on your financial security, both in the present and in the future. Of course, this concept is true whether the little things are positive or negative.

Robert @ My Multiple Incomes writes My Monthly Income Stream – May 2012 – May was an awesome month online. It seems things in the digital world are settling down and getting back to normal, especially after all the major updates. That is a huge relief.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes Overcoming Unemployment Challenges – As many of you know I’ve been unemployed the whole time I’ve been running this blog. Now find out about the struggles I’ve had to overcome to rejoin the world of the employed.

Paul Vachon @ The Frugal Toad writes Frugal Living Made Easy – Frugal living is all about making informed and deliberate choices in how to spend money. In other words, frugality allows me to get more value for my hard earned dollar and who wouldn’t want that?

Robert @ The College Investor writes Things Not to Spend Money on in College – At a young age your money is worth a lot more than when you’re old because of how long it can work for you; invest it wisely and it will grow rapidly, squander it on frivolous things and you’ll end up barely scraping by your whole life. Spending money on stupid things only leads to trouble…here are five things you should never spend money on while in college if you want a financially lucrative life.

Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes Timing the Market with a Small Amount of My Portfolio – I’m a big believer in regressing to the norm, and I feel that guessing that markets at lows will go up and the those at highs will go down seems right. Perhaps this will help me make a little money if the market trades sideways as it has for quite a long time.

Kraig @ Young, Cheap Living writes How I’m Achieving My Goals by Attending FinCon12 – After having started my blog just 6 months ago, I booked my trip this week for the 2012 Financial Blogger Conference in Denver. This is quite exciting for me and my career as I plan to use it to achieve my personal and professional goals. In this post, I talk about those goals and how the conference fits in with them.

Jason @ Live Real, Now writes How to Live Happily without a Budget – Three years ago, we sat down and built our budget. We spent 9 months adding the non-monthly bills that we forgot about when we created the budget. Setbacks and shortfalls almost killed the budgeting plan completely. It took almost an entire year to get our budget right. Now? I refer to the budget once per month. No more.

Peter @ Bible Money Matters writes 3 Ways Stewardship Can Revolutionize Your Finances – Looking at your finances through the paradigm of stewardship profoundly affect how you manage your personal economy, operate your businesses, capitalize on marketplace opportunities, and respond to perceived risks. Stewardship, acting on the behalf of others, can markedly change your financial world. Here are 3 ways stewardship can revolutionize your finances!

Melissa @ Bargaineering writes How to Cure the “Gimmes” in Your Children – Most parents hear their kids whine for something daily. If you are tired of suffering, there is a simple way to cure the “gimmes”—put your child in charge of his own finances (relatively speaking).

Echo @ Boomer & Echo writes Best Credit Cards For Travel Rewards – I looked into the best credit cards for travel rewards in Canada based on spending an average of $2,500 a month. Here’s how they stack up:

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Book Review – How to Land Your Dream Job – A review of the book How to Land Your Dream Job, which focuses on providing advice to get your job hunting in order and maximize your chances of getting the job you really want.

Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes Money For Nothin’ – Nothing is worse than money that you have to spend without getting a return. Discussed are interest payments, insurance, and bank fees.

Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes Laying a Path from Here to There – We all have at least vague visions for what we want our life to be like. But how can we make those visions into reality? I outline three steps and give specific examples.

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