Queercents

Happy Saturday everyone. The summer solstice has come and gone and still it feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get things done. Ok, ok, the summer solstice on means more daylight hours but daylight is key. I’ll be spending much of my weekend scurrying about frantically and I hope your weekend proves fun and exciting  as well (or relaxing and low-key, whichever you prefer). Now, the round up.

• This list offers a number of things I’m sure none of our readers do, but nonetheless it’s an interesting read to read about 47 Simple Ways to Waste Money. (Read it at Wise Bread)
• Sometimes personal finance advice can get routine so every now and then nice reminds of why you’re saving are nice. Here, Trent reminds us that avoiding spending is not the same as saving money. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• Several authors distilled psychology into a readable collection of 50 ways to be more persuasive. If you can see through the sneakiness of advertising, it’s harder for advertising to work on you so give this a look. (Read it at Alex.Moskalyuk via Consumerist)
• Ramit has a great article about the perils of mental accounting and some of it’s pitfalls. (Read it at I Will Teach You To Be Rich)
• Sometimes just saving isn’t enough to cut it. In his Personal Finance Hour series, JD and Jim offer their own experiences trying to supplement their incomes. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)

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Happy Saturday everyone! The weekend is here. I hope you all have fun and exciting plans for the weekend- or equally nice and relaxing plans. I will be enjoying my Saturday by getting the brakes on my bike fixed. Oh how I’ve missed them…Before that, the roundup.

• Tomorrow is Father’s Day, and DIY Life has some suggestions for 7 romantic ways to spoil him this Father’s Day, but don’t be fooled, these are some pretty good all-purpose ideas. And double the fun if you have two dads you’re celebrating.  (Read it at DIY Life)
• Consumerist has an interesting tidbit on how the FDIC is funded. (Read it at Consumerist)
• Looking for other ways to get your financial information fix? Automatic Finances lists 5 personal finance podcasts worth downloading. (Read it at Automatic Finances)
• Do you procrastinate before writing? Here are a few tips on how to stop digital fiddling and start writing. (Read it at Write to Done)
• Find A Better Bank allows you to evaluate your banking priorities and then offers you a suggestion for, you guessed it, a better bank. (Find a Better Bank via Lifehacker)
• Trent at The Simple Dollar reminds readers that buying something to force yourself into a new behavior doesn’t work. Buying exercise equipment won’t necessarily get you fit and buying new pots won’t necessarily make you a better cook (though they will most likely increase feelings of guilt and stress). Instead, he offers new rules for a new routine. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)

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After about three weeks straight of rain, during which I began to suspect that I had somehow been transported to a rain forest in the middle of the night, it has finally cleared up and there is sun! At last, I have a respite from biking in the rain and can stop worrying about my garden drowning. I hope you find the weather equally nice where you are, and for now, the round up.

• DeVry is offering 500 scholarships to ” qualified, new students who have lost their jobs in the last 12 months.” (Read more here. Thanks, Nina!)
• More consumer psychology: if you take currency symbols off the menu, customers pay more. (Read it at Consumerist)
• If you’re like me, you’re loving the fact that berries are in season right now. Kris, over at Get Rich Slowly, has three delicious ways to preserve your berries. If you have any left, that is. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• The Unique Personal Finance Blog writes about obtaining your credit score for free. (Read it at PF Blog)
• Trent, who has written a fair bit about the debt snowball method, has a new post on debt snowflaking. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• Lifehacker has fresh, homemade bread in five minutes. (Read it at Lifehacker)

Queercents Flashback: In honor of Chaz Bono coming out, here’s a flashback from Serena about a transgender job bank offers transgender employment resources.

Photo Credit: Stock Xchng

I’m fairly certain I have seen the sun twice in the past two weeks and as a result that song, sung atonally by my coworkers, has become a fixture in my life. With any luck, I will be reminded of what the sun looks like this weekend. Hopefully better weather finds you. If the weather is just as rainy as it is here, here’s the roundup to provide some entertainment.

• Savings.com links 30 Deal Hunters to follow on Twitter. (Read it at Savings.com)
• Just like dieting can feel depriving yourself, being frugal can make you feel like your missing out. J.D. asks what makes you feel rich while being frugal? (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• If podcasting is more your thing, The Simple Dollar is branching out. Read more about the podcast here.
• Doing some spring cleaning and wondering what to do with what you’ve uncovered? Wise Bread has suggestions for recycling clothes, shoes, electronics and more. (Read it at Wise Bread)
• Gretchen offers thirteen tips for actually getting some writing done. (Read it at The Happiness Project)

Queercents Flashback: For all the graduates who are setting about the business of writing thank you cards, Nina’s post about DIY Love Notes works just as well for DIY thank you cards.

Photo Credit: Stock Xchng

It seems to be garage sale weekend and several people I know are selling a range of items at garage sales (fortunately the weather turned around just in time). Are you joining the ranks in doing some end of spring cleaning?

• If you’re participating in the sale–buying or selling–Wise Bread has some tips on thrift store shopping that works for garage sales too. (Read it at Wise Bread)
• Wesabe has a great article about when an investment isn’t really an investment and how to avoid being enticed by shiny new tows. (Read it at Wesabe)
• Eating local is a great way to save money. The Daily Green has 16 tips for eating more local food. (Read it at The Daily Green)
• I’ve been hearing a number of questions recently about credit scores and how they’re formed. Consumerist recently posted an easy to understand breakdown of how your credit score is formulated. (Read it at Consumerist)
• A while back J.D.’s posted a cautionary story about how fees are brutal and can really add up in his story about his $1,500 frisbee. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• On a similar note, setting aside a short period of time is important to staying on top of things (and helpful for avoiding overdraft feeds). Check out Trent’s personal finance routine to see how yours compares or create your own. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)

Queercents flashback: Speaking of garage sales, Dawn wrote about the six myths of garage sale shopping.

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Happy Saturday everybody! By now most college seniors are graduating so to all of the graduates and soon to be graduates, congratulations! And now, without any further ado, the roundup.

• I recently recommended this site to a friend who’s looking to lower her cell phone bill. You simply enter your current plan and usage levels and it offers suggestions for cheaper plans and waves to save. It also works for credit cards and gas. (Read it here)
• There’s a new credit card bill that just passed the Senate. If it gets signed into law, here’s what it could mean. (Read it at Lifehacker)
• Speaking of credit, your credit score is important. Wise Bread offers 7 free and low cost ways to protect it. (Read it at Wise Bread)
• Like the proverbial carrot on a stick, saving is easier with a specific goal in mind. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• Identity theft is a scary prospect. Here are 33 things that go a long way in preventing identity theft. (Read it at Man Vs. Debt)

Queercents Flashback: Ok, this one’s not so much like a flashback and more like a promo: Clint has a Vlog series about credit cards and if you’ve seen too many of those films on debt in high-school econ class here’s Clint’s primer on credit cards.

Photo Credit: Stock Xchng

It’s adventure season here in Maine, and even with the bugs the weather’s beautiful (it’s finally warm!). I’m off to go canoeing and I hope your weekend is equally relaxing and enjoyable. To help, here’s the roundup.

• Between the 28th and the 30th,  Seattle and The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will host a conference entitled “Out for Business!” (Read it here)
• How To Clean Stuff offers user generated tips for cleaning just about everything. The offer tips from “How to Remove Tape residue from Carpet” to “How to Clean a Keyboard” to”Doggie Manicures Made Easy”. For every cleaning tip submitted, the site donates twenty-five cents to Clean Water Fund. (Read it here)
• Jennifer Finney Boylan asks “Is My Marriage Gay?”, calling into attention the inconsistant definition of marriage for trans individuals. (Read it at The New York Times)
• In light of graduation, Gen-Yers, listen up. Trent lists ten things he wishes he had done when he was a twenty-something. (Read it at the Simple Dollar)
• Consumerist recently asked their readers to submit all their ways of saving money. Here’s the abbreviated list of 112 suggestions. Some of them are pretty clever.(Read it at Consumerist)
• Looking for deals online? WiseBread has a thorough roundup of online resources for finding the best deal for what you’re looking for. (Read it at WiseBread)

Queercents Flashback: Nina interviews Gina Trapini of oft-linked Lifehacker.

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At 1 o’clock, my phone began to vibrate with a flurry of text messages:  LD 1020 has passed in Maine! Though a small group is expected to protest, marriage will be legal in Maine in mid-September. It was pretty inspiring to see the dedication of Equality Maine and those they recruited to help support equal marriage for all.

Sunday is also Mother’s Day, so be sure to celebrate your mother or maternal figure in your life. Now, the roundup.

• Want to read more about the bill? Check out this recent coverage by The Advocate.
• Trent has released an awesome PDF called “Everything You Ever Really Needed to Know About Personal Finance On Just One Page” AND you can download it for free. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• Saving money can sometimes feel like the diet from hell. Dumb Little Man has some advice on How to Be Frugal Without Being Miserable. (Read it at Dumb Little Man)
• Serena recently wrote about stocking your pantry, and in a similar theme, Slate examines whether it is worth it to make some of your pantry staples. (Read it at Slate)
• Speaking of food storage, the New York Times reminds the readers of the benefits of using your freezer to make cheaper meals. (Read it at New York Times)
• A lot of people across the country are in the process of graduating or have done so recently. Consumerist has a list of five money lessons for new grads that everyone should follow. (Read it at Consumerist)
• Wise Bread details how odd job income can help you buy shiny new things without the guilt. (Of course, buying shiny used things is good too.) (Read it at Wise Bread)

Queercents Flashback: Speaking of graduation, Adam has some personal finance recommendations for new grads.

Photo Credit: Stock Xchng

I’m leading my nerdiness show and admitting it: I’m a huge comic book geek. I read comic books and watch all the superhero movies (even the lousy Fantastic Four ones). Which means that free comic book day is one of the best days of the year, especially since I haven’t bought a comic book since my age hit double digits. For now, Happy May and here’s this week’s roundup.

• In case you were wondering about Free Comic Book Day, you can learn more about it here.
• Food.com is a website that aggregates the major online recipe sites into one easy to use site. It’s still in Beta but I’ve been test driving it for a while and it’s pretty nifty. Enter what you want into the search bar and then use filters to limit your results. It’s a great way to efficiently find new recipes. (Food.com via Lifehacker)
• There’s been an increased number of skimmers around lately. Consumerist offers a powerpoint on how to spot a skimmer on an ATM. (Read it at Consumerist)
• Lucky enough to be going for a job interview? Here are some things you can ask the interviewer. (Read it at Biospace)
• I’m always fascinated by frugal success stories. Here’s the story of a guy in Sweden who collected and redeemed cans, and at the time of his death was a wealthy man. For a similar story, here’s a Get Rich Slowly account of an 84-year-old social worker who accumulated 1.4 million. (Read it at BoingBoing)
• Sarah Winfrey’s breakdown of when you should spend a little more upfront. This is like the cost per use formula plus. (Read it at WiseBread)

Queercents Flashback: What is a paper napkin worth to you?

Photo Credit: Free Comic Book Day

Happy Saturday everyone! I’m celebrating the passing of another year by submitting my thesis and going camping. One thing about living in Maine is that you certainly appreciate the sun a lot more. Hopefully your weekend plans involve lots of fun playing outside in the sun. And now, the roundup.

• I’ve actually noticed among my Gen-Y friends a movement towards traditional skills (of course most of my friends are hippies of the camping, hiking, sustainable organic gardening, beer brewing, bread baking, woodworking, blacksmithing, glassblowing variety) but for those interested in learning frugal skills, Get Rich Slowly has a solid round-up of starting points. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• Want more links about self-sufficiency? Here are some magazines and websites. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• And from The Simple Dollar, here’s Trent’s reflections on Emerson. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• Have some random items lying about that you want to get rid of but don’t want to trash? Check out How Can I Recycle This? Check for your item in question, or suggest an item. (Read it here)
• An online site for creating mix-tapes to share with friends is just downright cool, especially since I love creating special playlists for people. I may or may not be making a playlist about Zombies. Oh the perils of having a teenage brother. (MixTape.me via Lifehacker)

Queercents Flashback: Speaking of self-sufficiency, even if you live in a city you can still grow some food. Learn here how to start a container garden.

Photo Credit: Matt Byrne