Vanessa @ Vanessa’s Money writes How much does it cost to look fake? – Ever wonder how much women spend to look “good”? I did the math

Michael @ Financial Ramblings writes Identity Theft: What to Do if Your Data is Compromised – My personal data (including name, address, and SSN) was compromised by hackers who accessed my employer’s HR database. Scary, huh? Here’s what to do if something similar happens to you.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes 10 Things That Make You Poorer – CNNMoney recently posted an article about 10 Things That Make You Poorer. The list includes: Smartphones Cars Credit Cards Rent-To-Own Anything Money Market Funds Lottery Tickets Cigarettes TV Collectibles House I think this is an interesting list.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Tricks and Scams to Avoid When Buying a Diamond or Engagement Ring – So you’re ready to start shopping for a diamond engagement ring? Congratulations! But how can you be sure that you’re dealing with a reputable diamond

JP @ My Family Finances writes Women Lie More than Men When It Comes to How Much They Work – If you’ll lower your defenses for a moment, I’ll explain why women lie more than men when it comes to how much they work.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes How Much Cash Do You Carry? – Is there a right answer? Not exact, so let’s discuss how much cash you carry. I’ll reveal how much cash I carry around!

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes What Are You Teaching Your Kids About Money? – We teach our kids almost everything they know… whether we like it or not. Sometimes I wish my kids wouldn’t learn what I’m teaching.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Changing my position on credit cards: a sign of weakness or growth – Is changing our minds a sign of weakness or growth? I illustrate my point using my opinion on credit cards as an example; and it is growth!

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Christmas on a Budget – Planning a great Christmas on a Budget is simply about thinking ahead and following our great advice on squeezing the most out of your dollar.

Shawanda @ You Have More Than You Think writes Menu Plan Monday: “Back At It” Edition – In recent weeks, I’ve eaten most meals away from home. Even though I buy a lot of grub from budget friendly Peruvian grills, the costs add up.

Rich @ Growing Money Smart writes Dollar Cost Averaging In Practice – In my last post, I wrote about what Dollar-Cost Averaging is about and gave some example of how it works. Today, I’m going to talk about how I personally use Dollar-Cost Averaging in my “real life” and why I think overall it’s the way to go.

TDB @ Tax Deduction Blog writes How to Do A 401K Rollover – A step by step guide – A 401K retirement plan follows employees all through their careers and it is a noteworthy benefit of this plan. But when an employee has to change jobs, there comes an important decision to be made – what is to be done with his/her 401K? Since a decision in this regard is imperative, it requires one…

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes (Inexpensive) Personalized Gifts – We all have that person on our shopping list: the person who has, literally, everything. For me, this impossible-to-buy-for person is my youngest brother-in-law. The guy really does have everything.

ETZ25 @ Entertainment Timez writes Staying The Weekend At The House Of A Friend – This is one of my more frugal activities, but when money is tight, nothing beats staying at a close friend's house for the weekend!

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes RESP Explained – Learn about the Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)

krantcents @ KrantCents writes Get Paid to Stay Healthy – Paid to stay healthy? Can you imagine insurance companies paying you to stay healthy? I can’t! Health insurance companies are routinely vilified for their practices. Now they are not only encouraging healthy behaviors, but actually paying you for it. It is a 180 degree change, but I will gladly take it.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes What Happens When You Don’t Pay Taxes – Perhaps you haven’t given it much thought, but there are very different implications and penalties for not paying your taxes.

Ray @ Squirrelers writes Crazy Money Quote: Things People Actually Said – Sometimes people say the craziest things. This post shares 6 money-related quotes that stuck with me.

PITR @ Passive Income To Retire writes My Passive Income Challenge – Find out which passive investment is generating the best return.

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes Build Credit for Someone by Adding Them as an Authorized User – When I first purchased my condo three years ago, I was not offered the lowest rate due to my insufficient credit history. Even though I had a credit score in the high 700′s, the bank considered me a slight risk because my credit history was so limited(I was only 22). I thought my mom was doing me a favor during college by opening a credit card for me in her name but once I canceled it and opened my own card, all that history was gone.

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes Saving For Kids College Education – Today we will talk about saving for Kids College Education. If you have kids then you will know how important it is to start saving for the college education.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes Finances and Going Back to School – Going back to school isn’t cheap. You need to find out how you can afford it before making the leap.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Why Layaway Is Bad For Your Family’s Finances – Layaway is great for stores, but it is typically a losing proposition for us consumers. Here’s why layaway is bad.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes SHOULD I TRADE IN MY CAR? – You can trade in a car and still build wealth. Save and spend on what you value.

Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents writes Improving your Alexa Rank and Weekly Roundup – Earlier this month I made a post on increasing your Google Page Rank. Now I would like to help you all decrease your Alexa! A lot of you have been e-mailing me about how to decrease your Alexa.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes Tips for Building a Solid Mutual Fund – This Post was Originally published at Tips for Building a Solid Mutual Fund on Start Investing MoneyIf you’re thinking about building a mutual fund, it is well worth finding out as much as you can about it before you get started. One thing you should know is there are lots of options out there for building a mutual fund.

John @ Married (with Debt) writes The BEST Emergency Fund Setup Ever – Read here to learn how to setup the BEST emergency fund ever. It's diversified, tiered and easily accessible.

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes Getting The Most “Bang” For Your Halloween Bucks – A lot of people always complain that Halloween costumes are such a waste of money.

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes I Know Where CD rates will be in 2015! Why Doesn’t Nobel Laureate Thomas Sargent – Thomas Sargent says he doesn't know where CD rates will be in a couple of years. Here's why we know what he doesn't.

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Staying Out of Debt with Insurance – While many people perceive financial despair and bankruptcy as a result of bad decisions, the truth of the matter is that many similar situations arise because people are not adequately covered in case of extreme situations.

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Five Methods to Create Passive Income – Have you heard the hyped up ways to generate passive income? Find real ways to create passive income. No gimmicks. No Hype. Real life experience.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes How to Get Kids Interested in Money and Investing – One of the best ways to get kids interested in money is to start when they are young. Children still want to hear everything you have to say.

Jason @ Work Save Live writes 5 Ways to Save Money on College Textbooks – 5 Simple Ways to Save Money on College Textbooks It’s no secret that college tuition costs are going up each year.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Seasonal Expenses – Find out why my family spends more money in particular seasons and how we are able to save more money in others.

Your Boss @ What Your Boss Really Thinks writes Ask Your Boss: Why Does A Boss Care if I am Late Ten Minutes – Why does a boss care about someone being 10 mins late to work but doesn’t notice when that person works through her lunch to meet a deadline? Just from the way you formulated this question, I can see that you are frustrated with your boss.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes How To Make Extra Money with Forex – Forex trading is one of the most popular ways to invest outside of the stock market. In fact, Forex trading is actually the largest market in the world, with trillions of dollars being traded everyday around the world.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes I’m A Bonafied Professional: Finding Financial Independence – Financial independence snuck up on me – after working freelance for two years, I finally managed to find a gig that makes me a professional writer!

MR @ Money Reasons writes Financial Benefits of Having a Fuel-Efficient Car – I'm buying a new car, and unlike when I was younger, I'm now going to buy a fuel-efficient car to get the best overall value with my purchase.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes What Would You Do with Extra Money? – If you have ever received a bonus, raise, or a little extra cash, you have likely had to ask yourself what to do with your extra money.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Budgeting for Vacations – Find out how you can scrounge a few extra pennies to go on an exotic trip.

Ryan @ The Art of Simple Trading Blog writes Who Am I #1 – The first in an underdog series.

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Spending Priorities for Your Family – Juggling the many expenses of raising a family is difficult. There are lots of things that demand money and even more things that you would like to purchase with whatever money that you have left over.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Change is Good – Glad I Switched to an iPhone – After spending an hour in the Telus store, talking, comparing and crunching numbers, I walked out with a new iPhone.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Could Free Returns Be The Policy Of The Future? – The only time that shopping in a store is cheaper is when you have to return a product. But what is all stores offered free return shipping?

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Our House is a Money Thief – Moving is expensive and new homes come with a lot of expenses. Here are the ones we expected and a few we didn’t.

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes One Payday A Month-kind of sucks… – I get paid once a month. The last business day of the month. It kind of sucks. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful and blessed that I have a job and that I even get paid. But, it almost feels like each month I’m waiting to see if I’ve won the lottery.

Young @ Young And Thrifty writes Using Groupon, Living Social and Other Sites Like Them To Check Out a New City – One of our most popular articles on this blog is the one Young wrote concerning sites like Groupon and Living Social, as well as lesser-known sites that offer similar discounts. We expand on it.

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes My Love-Hate Relationship With The Campus Bookstore – As a book nerd, I’m all about bookstores. I love the atmosphere, the celebration of literature, and the quiet library-esque respect that generally pervades the area. Campus bookstores are pretty cool places if you are into book culture.

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes Can the Government Save the Economy? – 1. CAN the government save the economy? and if yes, 2. SHOULD the government save the economy? We can answer the first question rather simply. Any ECON 101 course will teach you that, through monetary and fiscal policy, the government CAN impact the economy.

TRL @ The Retired Landlord writes Is it Better to Leverage Your Money? – Find out the advantages and disadvantages of leveraging your money. This may not be the best route to take for those who are afraid of risk.

IMB @ Investing Money writes How to Evaluate a Stock – Find out how you can evaluate a stock and what you need to know to make a wise investment.

Joe @ Midlife Finance writes Saving For Retirement: More… or Less? – There’s a new trend out there, arguing against the long-held advice put out by practically every financial guru, from Money magazine to Suze Orman: You don’t really need as much for retirement as they’ve said all these years.

Steve @ Ready To Quit My Job! writes Calculating the Monthly Nut and How Your Savings Affects Your Decision to Quit – You need a plan and since you also need a roof over your head and food in your belly (among other things) the first thing you want to figure out is how much you need to cover your expenses on a monthly basis.

Infinite Banker @ Becoming Your Own Bank writes The Ugly Truth about Suze Orman – Learn the ugly truth about Suze Orman and how her own personal finances are opposing to her advice.

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes Is Entrepreneurship Dying? – Once upon a time, men and women across America had aspirations that amounted to great entrepreneurial feats. Millions wanted to develop businesses, and sought nothing more than a company or organization to call their own.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes 6 Ways to Cut Your Halloween Costs – A list of methods to cut down the expense of your Halloween party and other activities, from your costume to your candy to give out and your pumpkin for carving

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Liquidating Our Electronic Graveyard: How did We do? – I opened up our closet in Paul’s office the other day and realized that our graveyard of electronic carcasses had grown big enough in size for me to attempt…

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes How to Place Real Estate in an IRA – Have you ever wondered how you can place real estate in an IRA account? It is something most Americans don't know about and it's easier than you think!

Jessica Moorhouse @ Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses writes Saving Up to Buy a Place in an Expensive City – It’s not easy to buy a place in a city where houses go for upwards of 1 million dollars, but I sure as hell ain’t renting forever!

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Using a Midwife – One Year Later – The Experience – Details of our midwife and home birth experience a year after we welcomed our son into our lives

Chris @ The rplan blog writes Greatest investments over the last 15 years – A personal finance blogger digs deep in his investment/start-up interests and finds out which investments made in the last 15 years were the most lucrative. He also comes up with a little extra – the greatest investment in history by Pres. Thomas Jefferson.

Cash Flow Mantra @ Cash Flow Mantra writes Refinancing Rental Property Mortgages – I met with a banker yesterday to look at doing a refinance on 4 of my rental houses. I have anywhere from 20-29% equity in the properties with 20 years 10 months to 22 years 11 months left on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. The interest rates range from 6.375% to 7%.

Jeff Rose @ Good Financial Cents writes 65 Home Business Ideas You Can Do From Your Kitchen Table – Before you get excited about starting your home based business idea, you first have to make sure you have the right tools in place. The main tool is a speedy Internet connection. Most home based businesses will require some sort of Internet connection. With a good Internet connection, you can also take care of a phone and fax. Isn’t technology great? On top of the right tools, you should also have a dedicated office or work space that’s free from distractions. No TV’s! When’s it’s t

J.P. @ Novel Investor writes Best Online Savings Accounts – A great financial strategy begins with a solid and secure base. That base starts with a high yield savings account providing you with a safe, reliable cushion of steady returns.

Jason @ Live Real Now writes Working My Life Away – There are a couple of interesting things about my work history. Job #1 started when I was 6. Job #9 started when I was 21. I’m 33 now.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes A Healthy Environment Should Be Our Number One Priority – When over 99 percent of climate scientists believe that humans are causing climate change and that the effects we are feeling from it today is only the beginning, one would think it would behoove our elected officials to aim at least a small amount of their rhetoric towards the well-being of the environment.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Comparing Mortgage Rates a Generation Later – I don’t think many people actually understand how low the mortgage rates really are today and how those low rates work with an amortization payment schedule to make real property purchases an amazing opportunity. I recently had a conversation that reminded me that we are in uncharted territory historically speaking.

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes 3 Helpful Tips for Choosing a 529 College Savings Plan – As you consider your 529 plan options, here are three things to keep in mind:

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes How to Save Money on Meat – Meat is one of the most expensive portion of any meals and knowing how to put together a frugal meal will make meal planning easier. Here are 10 great tips to help save money on meat.

Jason @ Modest Money writes 10 Tips to Get Your Finances In Order Before the New Year – While most families wait until the New Year – presumably after setting goals for the upcoming year – to get their finances in order, there is no reason to waste precious months when you can get tackle them now!

FMF @ Free Money Finance writes Fun and Easy Ways to Network and Get Educated – In More Thoughts on Making Millions More I clarified my thoughts from an earlier post. One thing that came through in both the piece as well as the comments was that growing your career doesn’t have to take that much time and the steps you take don’t have to be painful. In particular this is true when it comes to two keys to growing your career: networking and furthering your education. So I thought I would list some of the “easy” and “fun” ways you can grow your career in these areas.

Robert @ The College Investor writes Buying a Home? Tips that Can Save You Thousands – The result of following these simple suggestions is you can live in your home, not for your home. You have not locked yourself into a high mortgage payment. You are in control. If you can pay more, do it. Make sense?

Beating Broke @ Beating Broke writes Ready to Buy a Home–Really? – Most of us reach a point in our lives when we think we are ready to buy our own home. If you’ve been thinking that yourself lately … pause for a minute and examine your reasons carefully. After all, home ownership is possibly the largest single investment of your lifetime and such a momentous decision deserves careful consideration.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Are Rich People Really That Different From the Rest of us? – You can be rich in many things, but in order to be rich with cash it takes being passionate and living within your means. Being frugal alone will not bring you riches, but along with increased income can be a powerful combination.

Robert @ My Multiple Incomes writes My Monthly Income Stream Report – October 2012 – The biggest thing that continues to amaze me is the power of multiple income streams. I love how, even if one income source dips a bit, another seems to take its place. After being penalized by Google, it is important to not just rely on one single source of revenue, because you never know when that is going to change.

Emily @ PT Money Personal Finance writes My IncomeatHome.com Experience: Solid Plan or Total Scam? – IncomeatHome.com is endorsed by a few celebrities, but is it all it claims to be or simply a multi-level marketing scheme?

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Post and Beam Houses – Open floor plans are perfect for most families because they bring family members together by keeping the main action of the house in the central room. Families nowadays spend a majority of their time in the kitchen, so combining the kitchen and living room helps families spend more time together as they go about their daily tasks.

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes 8 Easy Ways to Make Money for the Holidays – Since you don’t want to spend all your free time working, consider the following easy ways to score some extra cash by Christmas.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey @ My Personal Finance Journey writes The Third Weekend – An Odd Budgeting Phenomenon – This post describes the odd phenomenon of “the third weekend” that many people with bi-monthly pay cycles experience. How does this “third weekend” throw off one’s budgeting system, and how does one avoid major pitfalls when this time comes? This post answers these questions and more.

Michelle @ See Debt Run writes Time; Holding On Won’t Slow It Down – Do you have a hard time letting go of your children’s outgrown baby clothes? How I learned how to let go of the clutter while still holding onto the memories.

A lot of people do not have a will thinking they don’t need it because they are not wealthy. Others don’t think about death because they are young or just don’t think of it at all. Some think it morbid to plan about their death. There are also those who do not think about the aftermath in case something happens to them.

A tragedy recently occurred in my family. A niece and her family were struck by a moving truck at full speed from behind while their car was stopped in traffic. My niece and her husband did not survive the accident. They were a young couple. Their kids, a 6-month old baby and an eight year old miraculously survived.

Unfortunately, they did not have a will. The custody of the kids became a question and an issue between the grandparents. At this point, it is being worked on amicably. The agreement is not the most ideal since the kids are not together full-time but it works for both parties involved. It could have gone worse in a different situation.

I learned a few things from this experience.

1. Have a will. Designate a guardian of your choice for your minor children. Include any wishes or instructions on their upbringing. This helps eliminate any questions about legal guardianship and hopefully reduces friction with surviving family members. It is also ideal to express your wishes openly with the grandparents while you’re still alive. That way, they are aware ahead of time and will not question your decision after your death.

2. Assign an executor to your estate that you trust. This is important even if you have minimal assets. Select an individual or firm that knows how to manage and invest money responsibly.

3. Obtain a higher life insurance coverage if your kids are young. They will need financial support until at least 18 years old. Plan on how much they need to live on annually along with their college education. Your life insurance coverage along with any other assets should cover your kids’ needs.

4. Include burial instructions in your will. This helps your surviving family arrange accordingly and ensures you are laid to rest according to your wishes.

Drafting a will is very simple. It is recommended that each individual must have their own will, even married couples. In California where I live, a will can be handwritten or typed by an individual. Handwritten wills do not need to be signed by witnesses. If you use a form or have anything typewritten in your will, it must be signed by two witnesses who are not beneficiaries to your will. It is also a good idea to include a health care directive. This document states your wishes should you become incapacitated.

Below are links to resources for a simple will in the state of California. For non-California residents, refer to your own state’s legal guidelines.

Simple Will

Health Care Directive Form

For my co-worker, her primary motivation is to make her parents proud. Even as a kid, she wanted her parents not to have to worry about her financially. While still in school, she used her sewing skills to make handbags and sell them for extra money. She would stay up late after her studies to sew. After college, she worked hard in her career. When she bought a condo, she rented the extra rooms to save money. She never relied on her parents to support her financially even though her parents were willing and able. Her motivation is very admirable.

I also want to make my parents proud. Even as a kid, I never wanted them to ever worry about me. However, that is not my primary motivation. My motivation is fear of being poor. I don’t want to be poor again. I don’t want to be saddled with debt. I don’t want to have to worry that I can’t pay my bills or that I can’t afford basic necessities. I don’t want to have to lose my house. I want to be able to retire at a reasonable age and not have to work well into my golden years because I couldn’t afford to.

Back in college days, my husband (then boyfriend) and I made meager wages working part time. Our checking account never saw a balance over $100 past payday. We lived on cup-o-noodles. Our car broke down constantly. Every time we drove the car, we were always afraid that it would leave us stranded. One time, my husband saw $2 on a side walk while walking home. We thought we hit a jackpot and went back to see if we might find more. That’s how bad our financial situation was. I don’t want to be in that place anymore.

As a result, I am driven to earn and save. I want my family to have a comfortable life free of financial worries. I manage our money wisely and make each penny count. My goal is to continually increase our net worth. Each time our net worth goes up, it takes us closer to financial freedom and farther away from the poor house. Having money saved up is empowering. It provides a great sense of freedom and peace of mind.

What about you? What is your motivation to save money?

This is the story of how my husband lost his wedding ring in the Death Valley National Park sand dunes and found it one week later. If you haven’t been to Death Valley, the picture on the left is what part of the dune looks like.

Several years ago, my husband and I went to Death Valley National Park for a weekend camping trip with friends. Our first stop after five hours of driving was the famous Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. The dunes cover a vast area with peaks as high as 100 feet. We ran inwards into the dunes with excitement. We frolicked around like kids doing jumps and karate kicks. Midway in the air as he jumped twirling around, my husband gasped as he realized that his wedding ring had slipped off his finger. Since he was turning, the ring could have gone in any direction. It was a heavy ring. It could have been thrown far in the process and would sink easily in the soft desert sand.

Our playful mood immediately diminished. Everyone in our party started looking for the ring but it was an impossible task. We were surrounded by a sea of sand. It could be anywhere. We looked for about 30 minutes with no luck. Not wanting to ruin the trip, I told everyone not to worry about it. Things happen. I told my husband that we can just go back armed with a metal detector. We could do a day trip the following weekend and try our luck then.

Despite the initial setback, the trip turned out to be the best camping trip we’ve ever had. Death Valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen- the eerie silence, it’s history, it’s vastness and scenery. It’s a place like no other. We saw a lonesome fox while we strolled in the moonlight. We explored as much of the area as we could during the trip. We visited parts of the park that most people do not get to see. We had a bit of a scare when we took a dirt road by a cliff (not recommended). It was a tough maneuver but my husband handled it great. The entire trip was full of memorable and fun adventures.

The following weekend, we headed 300 miles back to Death Valley with my husband’s best friend who was with us on the prior trip. We purchased a metal detector from Radio Shack to use. It was late morning when we arrived at the park. We had made a mental note the weekend before on where we were. However, it was difficult to know which part of the dune exactly. Much harder is figuring out where the ring would have landed. We did our best to guess and set out to look for the ring.

The metal detector proved itself to be useless. It was making false alarms. It was beeping even when there was no metal object in the area. After more than one hour of searching, I was ready to give up. It was futile. Finding a needle in a haystack would be easier. With the noontime heat beating on us, I told my husband that we should just give up. My husband agreed but wanted to try for a few more minutes. He and his friend decided to ditch the metal detector. They were going to comb the sand with their hands. On their knees, they would work side by side digging their hands into the sand. They would scour the sand upwards into the peak of the dune and downwards to the bottom and back again until they cover a given area.

Already given up, I retreated under an umbrella to shelter myself from the heat and to rest. Moments later, I heard my husband and his best friend shout in excitement. After only a few tries, my husband had found the ring! Miraculously, the ring slipped right back into my husband’s ring finger when he dug his hand into the sand. What are the chances of that happening? It was unbelievable! It was an awesome and joyous moment. We couldn’t believe our luck.

The drive back was full of jokes about how it was a sign that we are stuck with each other. It is the most unbelievable experience we have ever had and we were all smiles. To this day, I still can’t believe our luck.

Do you have something similarly unbelievable happen to you?

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (“ChicagoFed”) in partnership with the American Library Association is sponsoring the “Money Smart Week® (MSW) from April 21-28, 2012. The event offers a series of free classes and activities designed to help consumers become money smart. ChicagoFed has been sponsoring these events, along with other organizations, for ten years. For their 10th anniversary, they expanded the event to multiple states.

The event is also hosting the 2012 MSW Kid Contests. Students from grades 5-8 can enter an essay to win scholarship money. The 2012 essay question is “Give an example of when it is wise to borrow money and when it is not. What factors do you need to consider to help you make a reasonable choice?” The prizes vary for each participating city. For Chicago, the winner will receive $5,000 scholarship and be designated as Chicago’s financial literacy ambassador.

Money Smart Week® classes and events are available in 30 different States (highlighted in green on the map) and are primarily held in libraries. Visit ChicagoFed.org to learn more about the event and to find classes in your area. Below is a sampling of the classes being offered.

Personal Finance 101: Budgeting
Taxes
Credit and Financing: the Road to Owning Your Own Business
Credit and Debt Management
Healthy Habits of Saving
Housing/ Mortgages/ Foreclosures
Unemployment and Job Transitioning
Planning for Financial Emergencies
Smart Money Savings Tips
Money Management for Women
There’s No Place Like Home: Affordable Help
Estate Planning for Seniors
Aging Gracefully
Financial Security and Retirement Planning
Identity Theft for Mid Age Adults to Seniors

Our Jeep is the very first car we bought brand new. It was the most painless and easy transaction. It only took a few emails, a phone call to verify the transaction, and 30 minutes at the dealership to pick up the car. Half the time was spent watching them clean it. The best thing was that we got a great deal. We bought it at only $500 above invoice cost.

If you’ve ever bought a car before, you know that the whole transaction can be a full day event at the dealership. You negotiate on the car price, the car loan and run through various add-on sales pitches they throw in. The first time I bought a car was full of theatrics from the sales folks. The salesman would pretend to be on our side in getting a great deal and would walk over to the manager who would flare his arms up in disbelief with our offer and send the salesman back with a counteroffer. This was repeated several times until a deal was agreed. Afterwards it was several more hours for paperwork and by the time we are done, it was night time. It was lots of wasted hours and not the best deal for us. The good news is that we got smarter since then.

When we bought our Jeep, we knew exactly which model to buy. We are Jeep folks. We love the outdoors so replacing our old one with the same model was an easy decision. I read the suggestions on Edmunds.com on how to get the best deal and employed what I learned to snag the deal we got.

Since we were buying a Jeep model, I reviewed all the options and add-ons for the model we want on their website. I also applied on their website for financing in advance and was pre-approved for the best rate they were offering. I read the reviews on Edmunds.com to ensure the ratings and user feedback were satisfactory. I printed the invoice cost and true market value (TMV) in my area for reference.

Once I had that completed, I checked the websites of the local dealerships for their inventory. I emailed the Internet manager of each dealership with my offer. Armed with all the information from Edmunds.com, I had a ballpark range for the best price I can possibly get. I low balled all of them to see what their best counteroffer was. I was essentially offering at invoice cost. Most responded off the bat that my offer was $4-5k below their lowest price. However, two dealerships were willing to work at my price range. I played them against each other and settled with the lower priced dealership. The dealership also had the exact model and color due for delivery the following day. I gave the Internet Manager a call to confirm delivery and to negotiate the price down more. He agreed to give it to me at $500 above the invoice cost published on Edmunds.com. I contacted the other dealerships again to see if they would try to beat the price. I knew I was getting a great deal when the other dealerships told me that the price was impossible for them. Prior to heading down to the chosen dealership the next day, I called them again to confirm the transaction. We were told that everything was ready. They also confirmed that the financing and approved rate was in order.

When we got to the dealership, the car was waiting for us. We took it for a test drive around the area. After the test drive, we paid our down payment and the Internet Manager finished the paperwork. As he was doing that, we watched them clean the car. Once both preparations were done, they handed the keys to us and sent us off with smiles. I can’t recall the exact mileage when we got the car but it was less than 20 miles. The car came directly from the factory. No one else have driven it besides their QA team. The other miles were from our test drive. It was such a good feeling knowing it was completely new.

I’m not sure how the dealership was able to offer the car at the low price when others couldn’t. They are, however, the biggest dealership in the tri-county area so that might have given them an advantage over pricing. Whatever the reason, we were impressed with the whole transaction and with the deal we got.

If you are shopping for a car, here are five tips in getting the best deal on a new car. These are the steps I used.

1. Decide which car to buy – narrow down your choice to the exact car you want to purchase. Compare the five year cost of ownership among your choices to help you decide. Read reviews and ratings. User feedbacks are a great resource to anticipate common complaints and problems with the model.

2. Get financing ahead of time – obtaining a pre-approved loan ensures that you can afford the car you want. Shop around for the best rates available to you. If you choose to obtain financing from the car manufacturer, apply directly at their website ahead of time. This helps reduce the amount of time you have to spend at the dealership. It also eliminates haggling over the terms of the car loan. Dealerships make money on your loan when negotiated through them since they often raise up the rates.

3. Check the TMV and invoice price on Edmunds.com- knowing the true market value (TMV) of the car gives you leverage during the buying process. Ideally, you don’t want to pay more than the TMV. Dealerships pay less than the invoice cost due to various discounts and terms they have with the manufacturer. So, even when I paid only $500 above invoice cost, I know they didn’t simply make $500 in profit. That would be too low for them. Make sure that your offer is reasonable. Dealerships need to make profit to stay in business. Feel free to low ball initially to get a feeling of their ballpark, then adjust your offer accordingly but stay within the TMV.

4. Contact the Internet Manager from several dealerships and let them compete – this method saves you time and allows you to control the negotiation process. Dealerships typically have the advantage when you are at their location.

5. Pick up your car or have it delivered – once you have agreed on a price, confirm your purchase by phone or through email. I recommend getting on the phone to confirm everything prior to delivery or pick-up. Talking to a real person on the line adds a layer of security and authenticity to the transaction.

Do you have other tips? Share them by leaving a comment. How and where did you buy your car? Did you get a great deal?

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TransUnion has an offer for their service that comes with a 7-day trial period with Zendough. Curious about my FICO score and the other features of the service, I signed up to try it out. Once signed up, I have the option to see FICO scores from other agencies if I end my trial period immediately and start the $14.95 monthly fee for the service. I didn’t think the fee was worth the service they provide so I decided immediately to cancel. However, I couldn’t find an option anywhere on the site to cancel my service. I googled how to cancel the service and came across an article in Consumerism.com stating that lots of people have been scammed by the service. The only way to cancel is to call their customer service line which is outsourced to another country. Some people complained that their credit card were continually charged even after they received confirmation that their membership had been cancelled. Another person reported that zendough would issue a credit back to his credit card after he called them that his membership is cancelled but they would do the same thing the following month. He ended up cancelling the credit card.

I called the Zendough.com customer service line immediately and cancelled my service. The person on the other line inquired why I wanted to cancel. I simply said I wasn’t interested in their service after all and she provided me with a confirmation of the cancellation. I also called my credit card company to attempt to stop any charges from Zendough.com. However, I was told that they can’t stop transactions but they can dispute the charges if it is posted. I will check my credit card statement in a month to ensure that Zendough did cancel my service.

Lessons learned from this experience is that next time I sign up for anything free, I will research the service first even if it’s from a seemingly reputable company to see if there are any consumer complaints. Always find out first how to cancel should you ever want to discontinue the service. So, is Zendough.com a scam? In my view, any service that makes it difficult to cancel is not a good service and possibly a scam. If a company provides a good service or product, they will not resort to trickery in their members’ ability to cancel. A good product will hold it’s own and the company will believe its members will also see its value that even if the option to cancel is available, it will not be used.

We have wood floors all over the house. The first time I ran the Roomba, I followed it around to see where it would go. It was fun to watch the first time specially when it goes back to the docking station. It seems to run in random directions until it runs out of battery. However, the tech specs says that it calculates the size of the room and cleans accordingly. The noise level is tolerable, but I normally let it run in an empty room. Since owning the Roomba, the bottom of our beds have never been dusty anymore. It was always difficult for us to clean the area and tend to be neglected. With two big dogs (lab and a golden retriever) the house tends to get dusty and filled with doggy hair. The Roomba comes very handy in this area. It does not get tangled in wires which is a great feature. It does need the bin emptied after each run but it’s a 2 minute task.

With a toddler around, the Roomba is certainly handy. It frees me up to do other things. It helps me get more things done. I highly recommend this product for parents or non-parents. Check out Amazon for other reviews on the Roomba. It’s quite a popular product. Happy cleaning!

He is also quite a talker at this stage. He repeats the last word in people’s sentences. He knows words and things we don’t remember teaching him. He has good memory. Three weeks ago, he picked up the Steve Jobs biography book to play with it. I told him it’s not a toy and pointed at the picture saying “That’s Steve Jobs. He invented the iPad”. I didn’t think he paid attention. The other day, he saw the book and said “Jobs, you doing” (Jobs, how are you doing?). I was surprised and amused. It’s amazing how fast kids learn at this stage. They absorb everything in their surroundings.

Here are a few lessons from A:

1. Determination – if you want something, go for it! Don’t let deterrences hold you down. My son will try every trick to bypass barricades or child proof measures to satisfy his curiosity. A lot of times he is successful and he gleams with pride in the achievement itself that sometimes he momentarily forgets what his original intent was. Be resourceful, if a 19-month old kid can figure out 5 ways over a hurdle, don’t give up at one.

2. Have a good laugh regularly – kids are easy to entertain. The mere gesture of a funny face sends my son into a laughing fit. Adults take a little bit more effort, or do they? Try making funny faces at someone and see what happens. Laughter is contagious. Surround yourself with people who makes you laugh.

3. If you fall, brush yourself off and get back on your feet. Have a good cry if you need it but move on- I can’t remember how many times A has hurt himself at this point but it never deters him from having fun. I doubt he forgets the episode or pain because he recounts it with such animation if you ask him. As adults, we often let minor setbacks control our mood for the day. Don’t let it! Move on and enjoy the rest of your day.

4. Be kind and affectionate- kids are great at this. My son will give kisses or hugs at random. It catches me off guard sometimes and always makes me happy. Perform random acts of kindness. Give somebody you love a good hug. Help brighten someone else’s day. I gave a homeless woman $5 one time. I don’t know if people were ignoring her all day but she was extremely happy and grateful. It was a small gesture on my part but was a big deal to her. Evoke positive energy. Even small doses sends a ripple effect.

5. View things with enthusiasm- “Tuck! Tuck! ” my son would excitedly say when he hears the garbage truck and rush to the window to watch it pass by. He’s equally fascinated with a lot of other things like the grass, moon, airplane, etc… The point is, don’t take things for granted. For instance, if you are getting weary of your job. Go to work envisioning it’s your first day. Remember how you felt that day. Approach the day with the same enthusiasm. I actually did this recently and it did wonders for my day.

This is part of a series to track A’s progress. As adults, we mostly know these things but sometimes need a reminder. What are you learning from kids?