Benjamin: Carnival of Personal Finance #200 - Edition of Mini Accomplishments

This is the 200th edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance and all I can say is “Wow”. It’s truly amazing that week after week, so many of you are able to spend some time to write quality articles in the personal finance space to help people achieve financial independence. Take some time to reflect your own accomplishments and imagine what you can still do in the future. The personal finance blogsphere and all readers are grateful for all your contributions!

Editor’s Choice

Jim from Bargaineering.com presents Augment Yourself, Not Your Résumé. Resumes may be the pen but your knowledge is the real ink inside. Enrich yourself, not just keywords on a piece of paper.
Pinyo from Moolanomy presents I Am Just A Blogger, Damn It!. Whether you are a blogger or someone who enjoys blogging, this piece is for you.

Investing

RC from Think Your Way To Wealth presents Things to Consider if Your Company Cuts the 401k Match.
ElizabethG (Modern Gal) from Modern Gal presents Inflation Investing: the Money Illusion.
SVB from The Smarter Wallet presents Technical Trading Indicators Predict That The Stock Market Rally Won’t Last.
Madison from My Dollar Plan presents How Does Zecco Stack Up?.
Dividend Growth Investor from Dividend Growth Investor presents A merger arbitrage lesson to learn .
Dorian Wales from The Personal Financier presents Stock Surges Are Usually Unexpected and How To Make Sure You Won’t Miss Out, and says, “Historical market data explains why many investors, including myself, missed on the recent surge in stock prices”.
Mike Power from Buy My Stock Picks presents Best Performing Stocks for Q1 2009 on S&P 500.
D4L from Dividends Value presents Dividend Stocks: Confident and Secure, and says, “Are you confident and secure in your investing process? It appears many people are not. From the famed Canadian dividend investor Derek Foster who sold all his dividend investments in February to co-workers who have moved to the sidelines waiting on the bottom, many investors are abandoning their process.”
Dan from Darwin’s Finance presents Hedge Fund ETF - Will the Performance Live up to the Hype?, and says, “This article reviews a first of a kind Hedge Fund ETF and considers the impressive historical tracking returns and low correlation with US equities with the pros/cons prospective investors should consider.”
Frank Curmudgeon from Bad Money Advice presents Why Market Timing is Hard.
thomas from Paying For Retirement presents Where to Invest Your Cash Savings, and says, “These parking lots are the ideal place to keep your cash safe during these economic hard times.”
William Fouse from Best Noload Fund presents 7 Ways to Pick the Best Noload Mutual Funds and ETFs, and says, “The vast body of investment research studies show that there really are better approaches to buying and owning mutual funds and ETFs. You do not need to frantically chase fund performance. Performance chasing simply does not work.”
Investing School takes a look at capital gains and losses as it relates to IRS taxes.

Economy

Carson Brackney from Personal Finance Analyst presents US Economic Recession History - This Isn’t Anything New.
pfincome from Passive Family Income presents Recession in America - Building Your Savings, and says, “The recession has pushed people to save more than they have in recent years.”
vh from Funny about Money presents Economy Is All about Politics.
Money Beagle from Money Beagle presents Farewell County General - How Much Has Changed In 15 Years.
Chris Holdheide from Stumble Forward presents 3 Ways To Protect Yourself In A Turbulent Economy.
Ray from Financial Highway presents Diversifying Your Income-Lessons from Recession, and says, “The Recession has taught us a harsh lesson, never depend on just one income. We have unemployment numbers hitting record levels and those with “stable” jobs are fearing layoffs. Diversifying your income is important!”
Francois Viljoen from Liberta - Freedom presents AIG bonusses and bailouts. Load of bollocks., and says, “Giving some perspective to the fuss the media has been making about the $165 million AIG paid out in bonusses after receiving a government bailout.”
JS from Smart Money Daily presents Learning from the Recession, and says, “The recession beyond CNN’s version. Real stories from people about what they have learned about the economic downturn.”

Housing

Lisa Spinelli from Greener Pastures presents Should I refinance? Obama Says Yes., and says, “The US Government is giving the real estate market a kick-start. Here’s how you might benefit.”
Miss M from M is for Money presents The First Time Home Buyer - Closing Time.
Kyle from Suburban Dollar presents Refinancing Now Could Save You Thousands, and says, “A look at how much you can save my refinancing at the historically low rates that are currently available.”
Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck from Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck presents Friday Q & A: First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, and says, “Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck answers questions about the first time home buyer tax credit including the implications of a spouse or fiance’s previous home ownership on a couple’s ability to take the credit. Tax planning opportunity.

Debt and Credit

Canadian Finance from The Canadian Finance Blog presents Debt Service Ratio - GDS and TDS.
Debt Freedom Fighter from Discover Debt Freedom presents How to Recognize Credit Counseling Scams.
TCT from The Credit Toolbox presents 6 Easy Steps to Make money from Cash Reward Credit Cards or Point Rewards Credit Cards, and says, “Find out how to really make money from your cash reward credit card in 6 easy steps.”
Mr. CC from Ask Mr. Credit Card’s Blog presents A Reade’s Question.
Chief Family Officer from Chief Family Officer presents The keys to paying off debt: persistence, consistency & growing your debt snowball.
Anna Bleker from Taking Charge presents I’m scared of credit cards.
B.B. from Beating Broke presents Using 0% Interest Rate Credit Cards, and says, “Can you be anti-debt and still take advantage of the 0% introductory rate cards? Or is no debt, no debt?
Harrison from Finandom Dot Com presents How to Have the Motivation to Get of of Debt, and says, “Discover why people cannot get out of debt even they have read 100 ways to do so.”

Money Management

Jason Unger from Automatic Finances presents The Once-in-a-While Fund: How it Works.
Broke Grad from Broke Grad Student presents How Friends Influence Your Spending Habits.
Kevin from Red Stapler Chronicles presents Subliminal Money Messages in Disney Movies.
Savings Toolbox from Savings Toolbox presents Savings or Debt Reduction What’s the Priority?
Green Panda from Green Panda Treehouse presents College Life: Managing Your Financial Aid, and says, “College is getting more and more expensive and borrowing has become easier and easier. Here are some tips on maximizing your financial aid to minimize your student loans.”
J. Money from Budgets are Sexy presents Warren Buffett = The Man…or possibly 100 of them..
Aryn from Sound Money Matters presents How We Save 25% of Our Income.
Andy from saving to invest presents Church, Religion and Questionable Financial Advice , and says, “Religion can be your moral compass and faith has a lot of power, but it will not be your financial salvation. I don’t see any religious texts mentioning the evils of financial derivatives, hedge fund managers or credit default swaps. To effectively deal with financial hardship, see a qualified professional or contact one of many state assistance agencies.”
FMF from Free Money Finance presents Social Security 4: File, Repay and Refile to Get an Interest-Free Loan, and says, “Using Social Security to get an interest-free loan.”
Millionaire Mommy Next Door from Millionaire Mommy Next Door presents Will your parents’ financial decisions leave you holding the bag?.
Matt from My Financial Recovery presents My Biggest Financial Mistake - Student Loan Default , and says, “An article about the biggest financial mistake I have made so far as well as a few other top contenders”.
MLR from My Life ROI presents Graduate Without Debt, and says, “Details savings vehicles, financial aid, and methods to reduce the cost of college.”

Taxes

Smarty from Growing Money presents Tax Time April 15, 2009.
George from Fat Pitch Financials presents Tax Reminder for Arbitrage Investors: Deduct Reorganization Fees, and says, “Don’t forget to include tender offer fees when calculating the cost basis of stocks you tendered in 2008 when doing your income taxes.”
Sun from The Sun’s Financial Diary presents Can You Pay Federal Taxes with Credit Cards?

Saving & Frugality

Curt from PennyJobs.com presents The Economic News Is Too Depressing, Lie to Me.
Charlie from Pay Less For Food presents The Little Secret Supermarkets Use to Get You to Spend More.
DR from Doughroller presents 13 Energy Money Saving Gadgets, and says, “The technology that is available today is quite remarkable, and many green gadgets can not only lessen our impact on the environment, but also save money.”
Jeff from StretchyDollar presents You Get What You Pay For, and says, “Even though the basic rule of frugality is that the cheapest way to do something is the best, there are certain instances when it’s worth it to spend a bit more money to save on repairs and upgrades in the future.”
TStrump from The Strump - Financial Blog presents How to Dress Well for Less, and says, “Dressing well doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are a few tips to get that designer look for less.”
Money Blogger from Another Money Blogger presents Save $100 a Year With CFL Bulbs.
Bob from Christian Personal Finance presents What to do with old cell phones?, and says, “This program pays you for your old cell phones and iPods. I got a free phone from Verizon a few years ago and sent it to them in exchange for $20.25.”
FFB from Free From Broke presents 9 Ways To SAve On Baby Costs, and says, “A baby can be real expensive but there are ways you can save on the items you’ll need!”
Penelope Pince from Pecuniarities presents Slowing Down Makes Sense: Drive Safely, Save More Than Money, and says, “Reasons slowing down is the smart thing to do, including but not limited to saving money on gas but also insurance, speeding tickets, auto repair/maintenance, decreased risk of accidents, as well as health and moral considerations.”
Peter from Bible Money Matters presents When Renting A Car Save Money By Not Paying For The Extras, and says, “Save money on your car rental by not paying for things you don’t need.”

Other

Bret Frohlich from BretFrohlich.com presents The Effect of Luck on Finances, and says, “Just for fun, consider the role that luck plays in your finances. If you are feeling unlucky or you don’t believe in luck, you will definitely want to read this post.”
Silicon Valley Blogger from The Digerati Life presents Netflix Review: Why Sign Up For An Online Movie Rental Service?
Debbie Dragon from American Consumer News presents The Benefits of a Health Savings Account.
The Financial Blogger from The Financial Blogger presents What You Need To Do Before You Go, and says, “What needs to be thought about or done with your relatives before you die. It?s like going away for vacation, someone has to take care of your dog and water your plants.
Nate Hans from Money Young presents What Sex Ed and Debt Have In Common.
Super Saver from My Wealth Builder presents Why Do Small Businesses Fail?
Todd from Harvesting Dollars presents Ways to Protect Your Job.
Wojciech Kulicki from Fiscal Fizzle presents 4 Unexpected Expenses You Can Count On, and says, “The irony of these unexpected expenses is that they occur rather regularly when taking a broader look at your budget. Plan ahead for best success is the motto of this post.”
Debt Ninja from Punch Debt In The Face presents I want to give money to this homeless dude!
Chance from Personal Finance Software Reviews presents Microsoft Money Plus Review.
mfd from My Findependence Day presents I’m 30: Has The Game Changed?, and says, “I turn 30 and I just realized I have huge gaps in my financial plan and the retirement clock is ticking.”
David Nofsinger from Spiffy Links Personal Finance presents Find A Mentor For Your Career.
Olivia from Independent Beginnings presents 12 Ways to Make Money Online.
Kelly from The ¢entsible Life presents Budegting Bi-Weekly Pay, and says, “This is an issue we struggled with for a long time, and I hope that my post will help other people figure out something we should have started doing YEARS ago.”
Matthew Paulson from Fine Tuned Finances presents Need a Part Time Job? Be a Census Taker.”
Kelly from Almost Frugal from Almost Frugal presents How Do You Earn Extra Money?