Free Money Finance March Madness, Round 1, Posts 33-48

Here we go with the first round of Free Money Finance March Madness (if you wonder what's going on in these posts, see my article announcing March Madness and/or click on my March Madness category link and scroll down to read all the posts involved in this subject.) I've listed each "game" (one post versus another) in segments along with the wording provided by the author when the post was submitted. Be sure to comment which one you like the best out of each set of two as commenters have the chance to win a free book. Here we go:

GAME 17

• How To Keep Track Of Your Spending - Learn to keep track of all your spending by using a handy Excel spreadsheet.

VERSUS

• Avoid 10 Common Debt Reduction Mistakes - If you've decided to get out of debt, that is awesome!  But, be careful.  Read this post so that you can avoid some common mistakes.

GAME 18

• 12 Simple Ways to Save Money on Utilities (and the Planet) - I like this one for the simplicity of the suggestions -- minor, one-time changes can pay big dividends over time.

VERSUS

• Stop Comparing Your Finances With Others - Five Financial Ratios to Keep You on Track . Learn how to analyze your personal finances like a Wall Street analyst. Track your financial situation against your own progress, not against the Joneses.

GAME 19

• How To Identify Bad Financial Advice - Let's face it, a lot of financial advice that you see out there shouldn't be followed by anyone! Learn the vital questions you need to ask to see if you're being given bad financial advice.

VERSUS

• Bye

GAME 20

• How To Make Money From 0% APR Balance Transfers - Inspired by curious readers, I wrote a detailed and step-by-step rundown of the controversial process of making money from low-interest credit card offers.  I started with some warnings, and then moved into a lesson in deciphering the offer fine print, application tips, how to obtain the money itself, and finally the ongoing management of the offer for maximum efficiency.

VERSUS

• Thinking of Emergency Funds as Insurance - Thinking of Emergency Funds as Insurance is about the importance of changing the way we look at certain financial obligations.  By thinking of an emergency fund as "rainy day insurance" and then thinking of the monthly contribution as an "insurance bill" it is easier to justify to oneself the necessity of an emergency fund.

GAME 21

• Generation Y Not? - Could this be more uplifting? It's a short, but sweet article on how much power Generation X &Y really have. We have the ability to change the future even when the future seems dark. We have the power. We are Generation X & Y! Cheers.

VERSUS

• Why Aren't We All Wealthy (Yet)? - If PF bloggers are so knowledgeable, why aren't we all wealthy?   After all, most of the principles are simple, timeless, and can be done by the majority of people.  Here's my take on the age-old question.  Only one group will likely make it.  The other three groups will try valiantly ... and likely fail.

GAME 22

• How to Set Up a Savings Snowball - Setting up a savings snowball is a great way to get motivated about saving money.  This post explains how to go about reaching your monetary goals with a savings snowball.

VERSUS

• What's it Worth to You? Liquor, Lotteries, and Cast Iron Pans - What's it Worth to You addresses the issue of different personal tastes and preferences and what it means to our spending habits.  Elizabeth suggests that by asking ourselves the question, "what's it worth to me?" before making a purchase we can cut down on buying things that we don't actually value.   

GAME 23

• Starbucks vs. McDonalds - Everyone says to look at the long-term when investing. We take a 10 year outlook and make a range of estimates to determine whether you get what you pay for when buying Starbucks. (The stock, not the coffee. We love the coffee.)

VERSUS

• Liberal arts to law school? - How I, a liberal arts major, pushed through parental pressure and twentysomething angst to decide against law school. Thank goodness I got a job, or else Mom would never let me live it down.

GAME 24

• How To Invest With Only $100 - I was turning up the creativity bone on this particular post where I recommend ways someone with $100 could increase that to over a $1000 by taking advantage of referral bonuses from banks like ING and Bank of America and signup bonuses from Sharebuilder and the like. It was picked up by Lifehacker and quite popular with readers.

VERSUS

• Buying Legos on the Cheap - Legos are great, but they're also incredibly overpriced. Why not buy them by the pound on eBay?

Comments

[LivingAlmostLarge]

17. Track your spending
18. Stop comparing finances with others
19. bye
20. 0% APR Balance Trasfer
21. why aren't we wealthy yet?
22. Saving Snowball
23. liberal arts to law school
24. how to invest with $100

[NCN]

Game 17... Avoid 10 Common Mistakes Debt
Game 18... 12 Simple Ways Utilities
Game 19... Bye
Game 20... 0%
Game 21...
Game 22... Savings Snowball
Game 23...
Game 24... Invest $100

[Nick]

17. Avoid 10 Common Debt Reduction Mistakes
18. 12 Simple Ways to Save Money on Utilities (and the Planet)
19. How To Identify Bad Financial Advice
20. How To Make Money From 0% APR Balance Transfers
21. Why Aren't We All Wealthy (Yet)?
22. How to Set Up a Savings Snowball (the other 404'd, so this one gets mine by default)
23. Liberal arts to law school?
24. How To Invest With Only $100 (this post is going to the Final 4, where it will lose to me!!! :)

[Dan Melson]

17: Avoid 10 Common Debt Reduction Mistakes
21: Why Aren't We All Wealthy (Yet)?
23: Liberal arts to law school?

and my vote for 22 is on hold because What's it Worth to You? Liquor, Lotteries, and Cast Iron Pans, gives a 404 error. The others were byes and no preference contests.

[Jeremy]

17. Avoid 10 Common Debt Reduction Mistakes
18. 12 Simple Ways to Save Money on Utilities
19. How To Identify Bad Financial Advice
20. Think of Emergency Funds as Insurance
21. Why Aren't We All Wealthy (Yet)?
22. How to Set Up a Savings Snowball
23. Liberal arts to law school?
24. How To Invest With Only $100

[FMF]

The link works now.

[FMF]

To those of you who have already voted, please re-look at game 22 to make sure you truly like one post over the other (now that both links are live.)

[Dan Melson]

For #22, I have to go with "What's it Worth to You? Liquor, Lotteries, and Cast Iron Pans"

[Jo]

17) Avoid 10 Common Mistakes
18) 12 Simple Ways
19) Bye
20) Emergency Funds
21) Generation Y Not
22) Savings Snowball
23) Liberal Arts to Law School
24) How to invest only $100

[Super Saver]

My votes:

17. 10 Common Mistakes
18. Stop Comparing
20. Emergency Funds
21. Why Aren't We Wealthy
22. Lotteries
23. No vote - couldn't get Starbucks post.

[raising4boys.com]

Game 17 Avoid 10 Common Debt Reduction Mistakes

Game 18 12 Simple Ways to Save Money on Utilities (and the Planet)

Game 19 -bye-

Game 20 Thinking of Emergency Funds as Insurance

Game 21 Why Aren't We All Wealthy (Yet)?

Game 22 What's it Worth to You? Liquor, Lotteries, and Cast Iron Pans

Game 23 Liberal arts to law school?

Game 24 How To Invest With Only $100 (voting against myself here!)

[Super Saver]

My additional previously uncast votes:

23. law school
24. Invest $100

[bluntmoney]

17. Avoid 10 Common Debt Reduction Mistakes
18. 12 Simple Ways to Save Money on Utilities (and the Planet)
19. How To Identify Bad Financial Advice
20. Think of Emergency Funds as Insurance
21. Why Aren't We All Wealthy (Yet)?
22. abstaining
23. Starbucks vs. McDonalds
24. How To Invest With Only $100