Money Hacks Carnival: Thanksgiving Dinner Edition

Mmmmm.  Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I’m cooking all day today in preparation.  Because I have Thanksgiving dinner on the brain, we’re going to do the Money Hacks Carnival Thanksgiving-style!  Enjoy!

Editor’s Picks

What’s Thanksgiving without the turkey?  The centerpiece of the meal.  The traditional favorite.  These posts are the main attraction at this Thanksgiving carnival.

How does your budget compare to the recommendation of experts.  J. Money shows us what his budget looks like at Budgets are Sexy.

April Dykman asks (and answers) the question, “How much house do you need?” at Get Rich Slowly.

Head over to Studenomics to find out the downside of getting rich too quickly.

Can you read this? “Sccusesufl Peosrnal Finnace Deos Not Riqueire Perftceion.”  Neither could I.  But the article is great, and it’s much easier to read than the title.  Head over to The Dough Roller to see what I mean.

If you’re traveling during the holidays, you need to read Travel Hacking for Noobs at Man vs. Debt.  It’s a great resource for saving money while traveling.

Frugality & Saving Money

Mashed potatoes…my favorite side dish.  Frugal, filling, and with a bit of cream cheese, sour cream, and onion powder, they’re not your ordinary mashed potatoes.  Much the same, frugality is a subject after my own heart.  Enjoy these posts on saving money.

Read a great commentary on radical savings at 20s Money.

If you’re bad at price negotiation, like I am, you need to read Simon’s post on practicing the fundamentals of price negotiation at Realm of Prosperity.

Contentment sure makes being frugal easier.  Paul Williams shows you how to find contentment at Provident Planning.

With the cost of gas going up, everyone wants to know how to save fuel and money.  Todd Methany shows you an easy way to save both at The Personal Finance Playbook.

Darwin takes a look at energy saving tips from the Department of Energy at Darwin’s Finance.

What’s your food plan level? Billeater will show you, and then he will tell you how knowing your food plan level can help you save money.

David R. Lampsen tells you why cutting corners on cutting coupons can be costly at Personal Finance Analyst.

Biking to work is not only good for your health, but it’s good for your wallet.  Find out why at Energy Saving Gadgets.

Credit & Debt

Sweet potatoes.  It seems you love them or you hate them.  There’s really no in between.  In much the same way, personal finance bloggers are often at opposite ends of the credit card debate.  Good or bad?  Read what these bloggers have to say.

In this economy, it’s difficult to know whether to rent vs. buy.  MLR shows you how to evaluate the rent vs. buy decision at My Life ROI, Getting the Best Return on Life.

Have you seen Amazon’s new “Pay Phrase” service?  Should you use it?  Bucksome lets you know what she thinks at Bucksome Boomer’s Journey.

Ray at the Financial Highway shows you how to find the best credit cards.

Brett celebrates the new rules for overdraft “protection” at Hope to Prosper.

Money Ning asks the question, “Are 0% balance transfer credit cards for life possible?”  Don’t worry.  He gives you the answer, too.

Investing

The Side Salad.  Every Thanksgiving Dinner needs a good side salad.  Something light and healthy, amongst the often fatty, filling, and incredibly bad-for-you traditional Thanksgiving fare.  Making sure you eat your salad is like an investment in your health.  OK, that was the best I could come up with.  Regardless, enjoy these great posts on investing.

Worried about the weakening dollar?  David shows you how you can profit from it at MBA Briefs.

Learn how to treat your online investing as a business from the Online Investing Guru.

D4L gives you 7 dividend stocks to slay the Wall Street giants at Dividends Value.

Miss M is having some trouble with her Lending Club investments at M is for Money.

Insurance, Career, & Taxes

Rolls. Green Bean Casserole.  Black eyed peas.  There are a multitude of side dishes you could serve with Thanksgiving dinner.  But just because they’re side dishes, doesn’t make them any less important.  Each of them serves a purpose and adds something to the meal.  And each of the following posts will be sure to help you navigate different aspects of your financial life.

PT helps you navigate the long road to getting health insurance at PT Money.

Chris Holheide shows you why you should buy annuities at Stumble Forward.com.

FMF shows you how to graduate from Harvard for $40K or less at Free Money Finance.

Looking for a job?  Jim tells you how to properly use headhunters at Bargaineering.

David Packer encourages you to look into adjusting your withholding at Sweating the Big Stuff.

Buying a new house?  Find out if the $6500 Taxcredit for Current Homeowners is retroactive at Bible Money Matters.

This is some important reading for tax season:  6 Tips to Avoid IRS Penalties, Interest, and Filing Fees This Tax Season at Free From Broke.

The Nebulous “Other” Category

Dessert.  The traditional Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin pie, of course.  But when we have big family get togethers, all the other desserts come out.  Apple pie, sweet potato pie, chocolate silk pie…the list is endless.  Even though this is the end of the carnival, these posts aren’t to be ignored.  They may not fit neatly into one category, but they’re a great way to end a delicious meal, er, carnival.  Enjoy!

Super Saver shows you how tracking net worth can be misleading at My Wealth Builder.

A great account management tool for Canadians is Budget Pulse, and you can find out more about it at Canadian Finance Blog.  Budget Pulse also works for United States based accounts, too, so don’t let your U.S. location stop you from checking out the article!

Looking for stocking stuffers?  Paul Michael found a website with extreme deals.  He tells you about it at Wisebread.

If you and your spouse disagree about money, find out how to prosper by celebrating your marital differences at Personal Finance by the Book.

Looking for a great Christmas gift for a child? Look no further.  The Financial Blogger will point you in the right direction.

Barry shows you how to manage your money as you approach retirement at Associate Money.

Going shopping on Black Friday?  Take a look at Madison’s list of free stuff you can score on Black Friday 2009 at My Dollar Plan.

I hope you have enjoyed the Money Hacks Carnival – Thanksgiving Dinner Edition, and I hope you’re not too hungry!  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Photos by laurgasm, arnold | inuyaki, foooooey, zoha_n, rpongsaj, and cardamom.