We're now down to the Sweet 16 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. I've also listed a keyword(s) after each post title to make it easy to vote (as a made-up example, you can just comment: Game 1 - Saving; Game 2 - Investing, etc.) Be sure to comment which one you like the best out of each set of two -- you will help determine the winner! Criteria for the best article is somewhat subjective, but you can use these factors as a guide: 1) practicality of the post 2) how interesting/provocative/unique it is, 3) the "personal-ness" of it and 4) its impact on net worth.
Here are today's games:
GAME 7
- A Story About Banks; They Are Not In The Real Estate Business (Banks) - This is the story of two men who had their dreams: one wanted to make money from his own farm and the other wanted to make money from the others through lending. By reading this story, you will understand how banks got into so much troubles.
VERSUS
- What the Volitile Market Tells Us About Ourselves (Market) - I think this is a great blog - even I have to say so myself. I like it because it provides a realistic assessment of the economic situation at the time which is not pie in the sky or chicken little and it hopefully helped readers get their feet on the ground and realize that their emotions were the greatest financial obstacle they face.
GAME 8
- Tips for College Graduate (Graduate) - So many college graduates are unaware of how important it is to begin a financial life with the right foundation. I offer ten key, finance, tips for the recent college grad.
VERSUS
- The College Student Debt Machine: A National Disgrace (Disgrace) - This post exposes the shameful and often ignored failure of colleges and universities to control their own budgets. Concurrently, these same colleges freely encourage their students to use student loans to finance the ever increasing costs to attend. With no one held accountable, young adults graduate with crushing debt that takes years to repay.
Banks
Disgrace
Posted by: Josee | March 23, 2009 at 06:41 AM
banks
Posted by: Reader | March 23, 2009 at 06:48 AM
banks
graduate
Posted by: Four Pillars | March 23, 2009 at 06:57 AM
Banks
Graduate
Posted by: V | March 23, 2009 at 07:05 AM
I'm a sucker for any story about my industry (banks) and good headlines...
banks
disgrace
Posted by: the weakonomist | March 23, 2009 at 07:15 AM
banks
Posted by: cm | March 23, 2009 at 07:23 AM
Game 7:Banks
Game 8:Disgrace
Posted by: Green Panda | March 23, 2009 at 07:27 AM
game 7: banks
game 8: disgrace
Posted by: Zachary Scheidt | March 23, 2009 at 07:39 AM
Game 7: banks
Game 8: disgrace
Posted by: IS | March 23, 2009 at 08:12 AM
Find below my votes:
Banks
Graduate
Posted by: Cathie | March 23, 2009 at 08:56 AM
7: Banks
8: Graduate
Posted by: OneDay | March 23, 2009 at 08:59 AM
banks
Posted by: jessica | March 23, 2009 at 09:01 AM
Banks!
Posted by: David Leonhardt | March 23, 2009 at 09:09 AM
Banks
Graduate
Posted by: Eric | March 23, 2009 at 09:53 AM
market
graduate
Posted by: Neal Frankle | March 23, 2009 at 10:06 AM
banks
disgrace
Posted by: Praveen Puri | March 23, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Banks
Posted by: VC | March 23, 2009 at 11:19 AM
banks
graduate
Posted by: MoneyNing | March 23, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Banks
Disgrace
Posted by: Matt SF | March 23, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Game 7:Banks (by default)
Game 8:Disgrace
The Market link is broken.
Posted by: Marc | March 23, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Disgrace
Posted by: Jen | March 23, 2009 at 12:53 PM
FMF - the "market" link is borked. I think you may want to re-run this one.
For the second game I vote Graduate.
Posted by: guinness416 | March 23, 2009 at 01:03 PM
Game 8: Disgrace
Posted by: Kate | March 23, 2009 at 01:18 PM
Game 7: Banks
Game 8: Disgrace
Posted by: CVR | March 23, 2009 at 02:43 PM
Banks
Posted by: H | March 23, 2009 at 02:51 PM
Game 7: Banks
Game 8: Disgrace
Posted by: Brian | March 23, 2009 at 02:56 PM
Disgrace
Posted by: MKM | March 23, 2009 at 03:14 PM
Banks
Disgrace
Posted by: Aron | March 23, 2009 at 03:47 PM
disgrace
Posted by: Rene Zeh | March 23, 2009 at 04:10 PM
banks
Posted by: Gestionnaire Borg | March 23, 2009 at 04:24 PM
disgrace
Posted by: teri | March 23, 2009 at 04:45 PM
banks
Posted by: Rob | March 23, 2009 at 05:11 PM
Disgrace
Posted by: Irina I | March 23, 2009 at 05:16 PM
banks
Posted by: Joel | March 23, 2009 at 06:30 PM
Game 7: Market
Game 8: Disgrace
Posted by: Lee | March 23, 2009 at 06:58 PM
Game 7: Market
Game 8: Disgrace
Posted by: mike | March 23, 2009 at 07:33 PM
Disgrace
Posted by: Dennis | March 23, 2009 at 08:26 PM
Market
Disgrace
Posted by: Jeffrey | March 23, 2009 at 08:44 PM
banks
disgrace
Posted by: The Wild Investor | March 23, 2009 at 09:08 PM
Market
Disgrace
Posted by: FV | March 23, 2009 at 09:29 PM
Disgrace
Posted by: Richard Kellman | March 23, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Market
Disgrace
Posted by: Bible Money Matters | March 24, 2009 at 09:05 AM
Disgrace
Posted by: Charles Vickery | March 24, 2009 at 09:31 AM
market
graduate
Posted by: Joe | March 24, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Market
&
Graduate
Posted by: BetterFinances | March 24, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Graduate of course!
Posted by: Harry Harris | March 24, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Graduate of course!!
Posted by: Elizabeth | March 24, 2009 at 11:25 AM
graduate
Posted by: justine | March 24, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Disgrace
Posted by: twilight | March 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Game 7: banks
Game 8: disgrace
Posted by: Corporate Barbarian | March 24, 2009 at 12:40 PM