Free Money Finance

Reminder to Bloggers: Space is Filling Up Fast

If you're a money blogger and want to participate in my March Madness tournament this year, you need to submit your entries quickly. Inclusion is on a first-come first-served basis and spots are filling up. If you're one to wait awhile to enter (or if you put things off too long), you'll probably be left out in the cold on this one.

Just a friendly reminder. ;-)

Attention Financial Bloggers: Free Promotion for Your Top Posts and $500 Given to the Charity of Your Choice

Yes, it's that time of year again -- Free Money Finance March Madness is upon us!

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's our annual "tournament" of the best personal finance articles of the past year. They face each other in an NCAA-style bracket system, FMF readers vote for the winner, and at the end of it all, the best post is left standing. And like last year, it's all for several good causes. Here are some details from last year:

• My announcement post

• An example of a "round"

• The Champion is Named

This year I'm getting a head start on it. In the past, we've had so many posts in the early rounds that it's been hard for readers to keep up. So this year I'll be starting the tournament early (still ending near the end of March) and letting everyone have plenty of time to read all the posts.

64 posts in total will be allowed in the 2009 competition. Each one will be assigned randomly in a bracket set of "games" similar to the one used for the Men's NCAA basketball tournament. (If you want to see what one looks like, go to the end of this post and download last year's bracket.) Here are more details:

• If you're a blogger and have money-related posts you want to include you can email the following to me: 1. The name of the post you're submitting, 2. the URL of the post you're submitting, 3. two to five sentences on what makes this post so great (I'll be using this wording in the competition, though I reserve the right to edit it, so really "sell" your posts), and the charity you're playing for (see below for details on what this means.) I need to receive all this by Friday, January 30. Note: if you do not submit your posts in this format, they could be rejected. Also, the posts submitted need to be from the calendar year 2008.

• You can submit up to two posts, but if you do, be sure to list them in order of your preference. I'll start by allowing only one post per site, but if all the slots don't fill up, I'll start adding extra posts by sites already in the tournament. If I don't receive 64 submissions, I'll fill in the brackets with my own posts.

• Participation will be on a first come-first served basis. So if you're the 65th blogger to submit a post, you're not going to get a spot.

• The posts will "play" each other with the winner advancing and the loser being bumped. They'll "play" in this manner: 1) I'll post the competing posts, listing who's playing who, 2) readers can leave comments on which they like better, 3) the post with the most votes wins -- I'll break any ties, and 4) the winner will advance in the bracket to "play" again. Ultimately, there will be only one post left -- the "champion" for this season.

• Criteria for great articles is as follows: 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.

Like last year, I'll make contributions to the charities of the top four winners' choices as follows:

• First Place donation -- $500
• Second Place donation -- $300
• Third Place donation -- $100
• Fourth Place donation -- $100

The charity has to be a registered charity to receive a tax deduction under U.S. law. In other words, I won't be giving $500 to a "charity" you and your brother came up with on the spur of the moment. In addition I reserve the right to ask you to select an alternative charity in case I don't feel it's appropriate for me to give to the cause you've listed. This wasn't a problem last year and I don't suspect it will be this year, but I'm putting this stipulation in up front just in case I need a bit of flexibility.

As readers, you get the chance to read some great pieces and help decide who wins this year's championship. It should be great fun and full of the best personal finance posts of the past year. Good stuff all the way around!

March Madness Winner, $50 Gift Card Winner, and Donations to Charity

Well, it was a close battle, but Snowflaking:  A Primer (Snowflaking) beat How I Taught My Preschooler the Value of a Dollar (Dollar) for the championship in my March Madness tournament. Congrats to you both -- your posts were wonderful!

In addition, I named the winner of the $50 gift card courtesy of SmartyPig. Click the link and scroll to the bottom to see if you won.

Finally, I promised to make contributions to the charities of those whose posts were in the final four of my tournament. Therefore, later this week I'll be contributing the following amounts to the following charities:

• Make A Wish Foundation - $500
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - $250
• American Cancer Society - $100
• Russian Children's Welfare Society - $100

Congrats to all the participants -- the posters and the voters! You made it a great event!!

30 Minutes Left

30 minutes left in my March Madness finals. (And your chance to win a prize.) Vote now if you haven't yet!!!

Free Money Finance March Madness, Championship; Your Chance to Win a $50 Gift Card Too

We're down to the last two posts 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 the "game" below -- simply comment on which post you like better. Here we go:

• Snowflaking:  A Primer (Snowflaking) - Snowflaking is a concept that many people actually employ but few people can name. It involves systematically and purposely saving and earning small amounts of "extra" money to reduce debt or increase savings. Doing this in a purposeful manner can make a huge difference in your financial health.  This post outlines what snowflaking is and how to get started implementing it in your own life.  It has worked wonders for me!

VERSUS

• How I Taught My Preschooler the Value of a Dollar (Dollar) - It's important to teach young children about hard work, saving, and spending.  In a quite accidental way, I used a chart system to teach my son the value of money and hard work.  If you teach your children about delayed gratification early, it will have a positive effect on their money management skills throughout life.

In addition, I still have a $50 gift card courtesy of SmartyPig for one commenter dwarn at random. Here's how you can win it:

1. Leave a comment/vote below for your favorite post of the two above.

2. Sometime on Tuesday, I'll stop by the post, stop the submissions, and name the winner.

3. It will be that person's responsibility to check back to see if they are a winner and then email me their contact information.

4. Once I'm contacted, I'll mail out the card.

A few rules for these giveaways:

1. I will be the complete and final judge.

2. Legal disclaimer: I can not guarantee safe delivery of the items. The prize will be sent via mail and since it comes from SmartyPig, it should be fine, but since I can't control the mail I won't be held accountable if there's a mess up.

3. If you win and do not contact me within a week of winning, I reserve the right to give your prize away to another winner. Note again: I won't track down the winners -- it's your responsibility to come back and see if you won.

4. Local laws, rules, and regulations apply.

Good luck! Post a comment below for your chance to win!

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final Four; Your Chance to Win a Prize Too

We're down to the final four 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 better out of each set of two. Here we go:

GAME 1

• Snowflaking:  A Primer (Snowflaking) - Snowflaking is a concept that many people actually employ but few people can name. It involves systematically and purposely saving and earning small amounts of "extra" money to reduce debt or increase savings. Doing this in a purposeful manner can make a huge difference in your financial health.  This post outlines what snowflaking is and how to get started implementing it in your own life.  It has worked wonders for me!

VERSUS

• A little-too-late advice on building wealth (Late) - Well, we're all stupid.  Some of us stupider than others, but mama always told me stupid is as stupid does.  If you can read this list and you haven't messed up all of these points already, you may find a way to destupidify.

GAME 2

• 8 Lessons I Learned From The Cheapest Family In The Nation (Lessons) - This post was the single most popular post I wrote last year.  It garnered a huge response on the net and a lot of discussion to boot. I think it's a great and inspiring look at a real-life family's frugality.  The Economides family proves that with teamwork, strategy and determination, we can all live below our means and live well with less.

VERSUS

• How I Taught My Preschooler the Value of a Dollar (Dollar) - It's important to teach young children about hard work, saving, and spending.  In a quite accidental way, I used a chart system to teach my son the value of money and hard work.  If you teach your children about delayed gratification early, it will have a positive effect on their money management skills throughout life.

In addition, I still have one 1GB USB drive available to give away (see details on it here.) All the rules, exceptions, etc. detailed on the linked post apply, but the basics are -- leave your votes for the best posts above and one commenter will be selected at random to receive the drive FREE!!!! Good luck!!!

Final Four Decided Today

Just a note to let you all know that voting is winding down for the following games:

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Elite Eight, Posts 1-4

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Elite Eight, Posts 5-8

I'll be naming the winners this afternoon, so if you want your vote to be counted, add it now.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Elite Eight, Posts 5-8

Here's the fourth 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. 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 better out of each set of two. Here we go:

GAME 3

• 8 Lessons I Learned From The Cheapest Family In The Nation (Lessons) - This post was the single most popular post I wrote last year.  It garnered a huge response on the net and a lot of discussion to boot. I think it's a great and inspiring look at a real-life family's frugality.  The Economides family proves that with teamwork, strategy and determination, we can all live below our means and live well with less.

VERSUS

• Think before you buy!  A wallet-sized reminder of your priorities (Think) - Being a thoughtful shopper is vital if you're trying to buy less and/or buy in ways that fit your values and priorities.  This post links to a ready-made credit/debit card sleeve printed with some great questions to ask yourself before you buy anything-- and is also full of suggestions and inspiration for designing your own list of questions if the existing one isn't right for you.  It's an exercise that's all about developing a mental checklist (with a physical reminder) that makes you more intentional and thoughtful about your consumption.

GAME 4

• Lessons Learned from Diet Books: How to Think Like a Rich Person (Lessons) - Some people are rich, and some people are thin: what are they doing right? Using a best-selling diet book as inspiration, this post lays out 8 personality traits that can make it difficult for you to manage your finances, and suggests ways to combat these self-defeating traits. There are many ways in which dieting and saving money are analogous but I think these 8 points really get at the heart of why many people have trouble succeeding in each area.

VERSUS

• How I Taught My Preschooler the Value of a Dollar (Dollar) - It's important to teach young children about hard work, saving, and spending.  In a quite accidental way, I used a chart system to teach my son the value of money and hard work.  If you teach your children about delayed gratification early, it will have a positive effect on their money management skills throughout life.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Elite Eight, Posts 1-4

Here's the fourth 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. 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 better out of each set of two. Here we go:

GAME 1

• Snowflaking:  A Primer (Snowflaking) - Snowflaking is a concept that many people actually employ but few people can name.  It involves systematically and purposely saving and earning small amounts of "extra" money to reduce debt or increase savings. Doing this in a purposeful manner can make a huge difference in your financial health.  This post outlines what snowflaking is and how to get started implementing it in your own life.  It has worked wonders for me!

VERSUS

• I want to be rich like you (Rich) - My teenage cousin thought that because of the things I had – house, car, electronic gadgets – that I had to be rich. I had to explain to him what debt was and how appearances from the outside can be deceiving.

GAME 2

• A little-too-late advice on building wealth (Late) - Well, we're all stupid.  Some of us stupider than others, but mama always told me stupid is as stupid does.  If you can read this list and you haven't messed up all of these points already, you may find a way to destupidify.

VERSUS

• Shopping at Costco the frugal way (Costco) - Here's how to become an extremely disciplined Costco shopper and save significant amounts of money, even for small families.

Your Votes and Opinions Needed

I need votes for the following March Madness Rounds:

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Sweet 16, Posts 5-8

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Sweet 16, Posts 9-12

Please help select the best personal finance post this year by voting in these -- it only takes a few seconds!

BTW, it appears to me that most FMF regular readers don't really like the March Madness tournament (at least based on the reaction to it.) If you have any comments, I'd love to hear them.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Sweet 16, Posts 13-16

Here's the third 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 7

• Lessons Learned from Diet Books: How to Think Like a Rich Person (Lessons) - Some people are rich, and some people are thin: what are they doing right? Using a best-selling diet book as inspiration, this post lays out 8 personality traits that can make it difficult for you to manage your finances, and suggests ways to combat these self-defeating traits. There are many ways in which dieting and saving money are analogous but I think these 8 points really get at the heart of why many people have trouble succeeding in each area.

VERSUS

• A Penny Saved is Worth More Than a Penny Earned (Penny) - One of the most important financial concepts that people can learn is that a dollar saved is more valuable than a dollar earned. This is because money saved has already been earned, taxed, and has the potential to grow through compound interest. New earnings are at a disadvantage because they must be worked for again, are taxed, and because the time value of money and inflation work against future earnings.

GAME 8

• How I Taught My Preschooler the Value of a Dollar (Dollar) - It's important to teach young children about hard work, saving, and spending.  In a quite accidental way, I used a chart system to teach my son the value of money and hard work.  If you teach your children about delayed gratification early, it will have a positive effect on their money management skills throughout life.

VERSUS

• Financial Strategies for Infants and Young Children (Children) - An informative list of all the financial topics to explore with a new baby in the house from opening a 529 to tax strategies and everything in between.

FMF March Madness Sweet 16 Announced and More Money to be Given Away

The Sweet 16 is finally completed for the Free Money Finance March Madness tournament (if you want to see who made the final 16 as well as how they got there, you can download a copy of the spreadsheet at the end of this post.) If you haven't voted in the past, you need to start now. YOUR VOTE COULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE!!!

As you may know, I promised to give $500 to the winner's charity of choice. I'm going to make the whole competition a bit sweeter for everyone (and their charities) and change the awards structure as follows:

• Champion -- $500 donated to charity of choice
• 2nd Place -- $250 donated to charity of choice
• 3rd/4th Place -- $100 donated to charity of choice each

Good luck to all!

Download fmf_march_madness_2008.xls

Free Money Finance March Madness, Sweet 16, Posts 9-12

Here's the third 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 5

• 8 Lessons I Learned From The Cheapest Family In The Nation (Lessons) - This post was the single most popular post I wrote last year.  It garnered a huge response on the net and a lot of discussion to boot. I think it's a great and inspiring look at a real-life family's frugality.  The Economides family proves that with teamwork, strategy and determination, we can all live below our means and live well with less.

VERSUS

• Travel the World Cheaply, Without Dying - A Complete Guide (Travel) - Death. It's not the goal of most vacations, but it was a fate I barely escaped while abroad. To save you from the same, I compiled a (hopefully) witty and comprehensive guide to traveling frugally. Without dying.

GAME 6

• Use the Rule of 72 to Understand Compound Interest (Compound) - Most people generally understand the concept of compound interest, knowing that over time, interest earned will begin to snowball and accumulate more rapidly. Even though it is a relatively simple concept, visualizing how it works can be more difficult. I think Albert Einstein said it best, "Compound interest is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time."

VERSUS

• Think before you buy!  A wallet-sized reminder of your priorities (Think) - Being a thoughtful shopper is vital if you're trying to buy less and/or buy in ways that fit your values and priorities.  This post links to a ready-made credit/debit card sleeve printed with some great questions to ask yourself before you buy anything-- and is also full of suggestions and inspiration for designing your own list of questions if the existing one isn't right for you.  It's an exercise that's all about developing a mental checklist (with a physical reminder) that makes you more intentional and thoughtful about your consumption.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Sweet 16, Posts 5-8

Here's the third 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 3

• Discipline and personal finance (Discipline) - Being successful with your personal finances doesn't happen by accident.  It requires lots of planning and discipline.  Which areas of your finances could you work on?

VERSUS

• A little-too-late advice on building wealth (Late) - Well, we're all stupid.  Some of us stupider than others, but mama always told me stupid is as stupid does.  If you can read this list and you haven't messed up all of these points already, you may find a way to destupidify.

GAME 4

• Lucky moves or smart choices? (Lucky) - How do you know if luck or wisdom played a role in your finances?  Did you make the right financial decisions or were you just in the right place at the right time?  Did you weigh ever decision or roll the dice?  Are there ways to change things in your favor?

VERSUS

• Shopping at Costco the frugal way (Costco) - Here's how to become an extremely disciplined Costco shopper and save significant amounts of money, even for small families.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Sweet 16, Posts 1-4

Here's the third 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 1

• Snowflaking:  A Primer (Snowflaking) - Snowflaking is a concept that many people actually employ but few people can name. It involves systematically and purposely saving and earning small amounts of "extra" money to reduce debt or increase savings. Doing this in a purposeful manner can make a huge difference in your financial health.  This post outlines what snowflaking is and how to get started implementing it in your own life.  It has worked wonders for me!

VERSUS

• Little Steps: 100 Great Tips For Saving Money For Those Just Getting Started (100) - It's just good advice - and a lot of it.  There's something on this list that anyone can apply in their own life to save a little extra money - and sometimes that can make all the difference.

GAME 2

• I want to be rich like you (Rich) - My teenage cousin thought that because of the things I had – house, car, electronic gadgets – that I had to be rich. I had to explain to him what debt was and how appearances from the outside can be deceiving.

VERSUS

• It hit me like a ton of bricks (Bricks) - I've always been a spender by nature.  One sentence I read on The Simple Dollar hit me over the head with reality, though.  By picking apart that one sentence, I realized that keeping my long-term goals in mind while making short-term spending decisions would make for a more secure future.  Increasing your net worth begins with your attitude about spending.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 29-32

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 15

• How I Taught My Preschooler the Value of a Dollar (Dollar) - It's important to teach young children about hard work, saving, and spending.  In a quite accidental way, I used a chart system to teach my son the value of money and hard work.  If you teach your children about delayed gratification early, it will have a positive effect on their money management skills throughout life.

VERSUS

• Invest in yourself by learning things of value (Value) - How do you spend your time?  Do you spend it learning things that will enrich your life and your bank account, or do you waste it?

GAME 16

• My best financial move this year: The Infrequent Bills Account (Move) - Converting an existing account to "park" money to pay annual and other non-monthly bills was my best money move in 2007. If I'd made this move when I first heard of this type of account, I'd be many thousands richer.

VERSUS

• Financial Strategies for Infants and Young Children (Children) - An informative list of all the financial topics to explore with a new baby in the house from opening a 529 to tax strategies and everything in between.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 25-28

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 13

• Go Open a Roth IRA Right Now! (IRA) - 115 comments can't be wrong! This article explains how opening a Roth IRA really only takes fifteen minutes and walks the reader through the extremely simple process. The hardest part is actually getting started!

VERSUS

• Lessons Learned from Diet Books: How to Think Like a Rich Person (Lessons) - Some people are rich, and some people are thin: what are they doing right? Using a best-selling diet book as inspiration, this post lays out 8 personality traits that can make it difficult for you to manage your finances, and suggests ways to combat these self-defeating traits. There are many ways in which dieting and saving money are analogous but I think these 8 points really get at the heart of why many people have trouble succeeding in each area.

GAME 14

• A Penny Saved is Worth More Than a Penny Earned (Penny) - One of the most important financial concepts that people can learn is that a dollar saved is more valuable than a dollar earned. This is because money saved has already been earned, taxed, and has the potential to grow through compound interest. New earnings are at a disadvantage because they must be worked for again, are taxed, and because the time value of money and inflation work against future earnings.

VERSUS

• 10 Things That Bring Success in Personal Finance - #7 Automatic Savings and Bill Payment (Things) - Are you looking for an easy and efficient way of SAVING MORE MONEY?  How about PAYING BILLS?  This post details how you can simplify your finances by making your savings and bill payment transfers automatic.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 21-24

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 11

• Use the Rule of 72 to Understand Compound Interest (Compound) - Most people generally understand the concept of compound interest, knowing that over time, interest earned will begin to snowball and accumulate more rapidly. Even though it is a relatively simple concept, visualizing how it works can be more difficult. I think Albert Einstein said it best, "Compound interest is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time."

VERSUS

• The US Health Care Crisis (Health) - US Health Care is a mess.  If you look at it from your college economics text book though, it's not a big surprise.  Let's remind ourselves of those basics and use those same tools to think about how we can fix health care in the country.  You'll also see why our presidential candidates are barking up the wrong tree and, economically speaking, will probably only make things worse.

GAME 12

• 30 Days to Millionaire Money Habits (Habits) - The personal finance habits you have can accelerate or impede your ability to accumulate wealth. This is a short guide on how to create those wealthy money habits and train your mind to unconsciously and automatically accumulate more wealth.

VERSUS

• Think before you buy!  A wallet-sized reminder of your priorities (Think) - Being a thoughtful shopper is vital if you're trying to buy less and/or buy in ways that fit your values and priorities.  This post links to a ready-made credit/debit card sleeve printed with some great questions to ask yourself before you buy anything-- and is also full of suggestions and inspiration for designing your own list of questions if the existing one isn't right for you.  It's an exercise that's all about developing a mental checklist (with a physical reminder) that makes you more intentional and thoughtful about your consumption.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 17-20

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 9

• Achieving Financial Freedom - I've Retired In My Forties (Forties) - The holy grail of personal finance is retiring in one's forties or earlier. Getting here was a combination of preparation, planning, lots of hard work, perseverance, some sacrifice and a little luck.

VERSUS

• 8 Lessons I Learned From The Cheapest Family In The Nation (Lessons) - This post was the single most popular post I wrote last year.  It garnered a huge response on the net and a lot of discussion to boot. I think it's a great and inspiring look at a real-life family's frugality.  The Economides family proves that with teamwork, strategy and determination, we can all live below our means and live well with less.

GAME 10

• Travel the World Cheaply, Without Dying - A Complete Guide (Travel) - Death. It's not the goal of most vacations, but it was a fate I barely escaped while abroad. To save you from the same, I compiled a (hopefully) witty and comprehensive guide to traveling frugally. Without dying.

VERSUS

• In Defense of Personal Finance Bloggers (Defense) - I got riled up by a couple of readers who seemed to think that personal finance bloggers pinch every penny, constantly worry about money, and never have any fun.  I wrote this article barely a month after I started blogging, but it seemed to have strike a chord with several bloggers.  For the record, PF bloggers write about retirement and savings because they enjoy writing, they enjoy the subject, they want to help people, and people want to read about those subjects!

Where the Voting Stands

I have several "games" currently being played in my Money March Madness tournament. Thought I'd give you all an update as to when the voting will end. In general, I give at least 48 hours for voting to occur, but oftentimes I try to do more -- especially if the post was put up on a weekend. Here's where we stand now:

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 1-4 - Voting will end today (Monday) at noon Eastern.

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 5-8 - Voting will end today (Monday) at 2 pm Eastern.

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 9-12 - Voting will end tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1 pm Eastern.

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 13-16 - Voting will end Wednesday at 7 am Eastern.

Of course there will be additional posts come up throughout the week so we get through all 32 posts. Most of these will end voting 48 hours after they are first posted. Your best bet for keeping up with them is to check the site and/or your blog reader at least once daily.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 13-16

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 7

• How Would I Live on a Minimum Wage Income? (Minimum) - A hypothetical budget for a single minimum wage earner that includes health insurance and retirement savings. The budget amounts used are pulled from personal experience and are doable. Some people claim that you just can't make it on minimum wage.  Read this and see how one person tries to make it work.

VERSUS

• Lucky moves or smart choices? (Lucky) - How do you know if luck or wisdom played a role in your finances?  Did you make the right financial decisions or were you just in the right place at the right time?  Did you weigh ever decision or roll the dice?  Are there ways to change things in your favor?

GAME 8

• Shopping at Costco the frugal way (Costco) - Here's how to become an extremely disciplined Costco shopper and save significant amounts of money, even for small families.

VERSUS

• Saving Money by NOT Changing your Own Oil (Oil) - Many people believe they are saving money by changing their automobile's oil themselves. Are they really? Others believe they can only be sure the job's done right if they do it themselves. What's the truth? Let's find out...

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 9-12

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 5

• Discipline and personal finance (Discipline) - Being successful with your personal finances doesn't happen by accident.  It requires lots of planning and discipline.  Which areas of your finances could you work on?

VERSUS

• Your First Million Dollars (Million) - To plan to be rich, it takes just that . . . planning. Becoming rich is hard work that requires a great deal of self discipline, basic money management skills, goal setting, focus and diligence. This post breaks down in very simple terms how to build wealth in an easy to follow step-by-step process.

GAME 6

• Dollars Before Cents (Dollars) - In personal finance, we sometimes focus on all the itty bitty, small details. When focusing on changing your life, on getting out of debt it is best to get the dollars right before the cents. Sure, the cents add up to a dollar. Cut down on the dollars first and you'll find yourself ahead a lot faster. It may even save you some effort!

VERSUS

• A little-too-late advice on building wealth (Late) - Well, we're all stupid.  Some of us stupider than others, but mama always told me stupid is as stupid does.  If you can read this list and you haven't messed up all of these points already, you may find a way to destupidify.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 5-8

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 3

• Earn An Extra Few Hundred This Year By Saving For And Paying Your Own Property Taxes (Taxes) - Surprisingly, most people either don't know or don't bother with this easy money saving method!  This post details how you can make more than $100 this year by saving for and paying your own property taxes.

VERSUS

• I want to be rich like you (Rich) - My teenage cousin thought that because of the things I had – house, car, electronic gadgets – that I had to be rich. I had to explain to him what debt was and how appearances from the outside can be deceiving.

GAME 4

• You CAN Get Out of Debt! (Debt) - I've been described as "insistent" that not only will I get out of debt, but that anyone can get out of debt also.  This is the battle cry to rally anyone and everyone: You CAN get out of debt!  Get mad at the debt, get motivated to get out of the debt, and leave your comment declaring to the world (or at least the blogosphere) that you also WILL get out of debt.

VERSUS

• It hit me like a ton of bricks (Bricks) - I've always been a spender by nature.  One sentence I read on The Simple Dollar hit me over the head with reality, though.  By picking apart that one sentence, I realized that keeping my long-term goals in mind while making short-term spending decisions would make for a more secure future.  Increasing your net worth begins with your attitude about spending.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Final 32, Posts 1-4

Here's the second 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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 1

• Snowflaking:  A Primer (Snowflaking) - Snowflaking is a concept that many people actually employ but few people can name.  It involves systematically and purposely saving and earning small amounts of "extra" money to reduce debt or increase savings. Doing this in a purposeful manner can make a huge difference in your financial health.  This post outlines what snowflaking is and how to get started implementing it in your own life.  It has worked wonders for me!

VERSUS

• Illustrated Debt Snowball (Snowball) - Are you ready to get out of debt?  Consider using a 'debt snowball'. Checkout this easy-to-understand illustration of the snowball method.

GAME 2

• Little Steps: 100 Great Tips For Saving Money For Those Just Getting Started (100) - It's just good advice - and a lot of it.  There's something on this list that anyone can apply in their own life to save a little extra money - and sometimes that can make all the difference.

VERSUS

• Personal Finance Lessons from George Washington (George) - Our nation's first President had quite a few memorable quotes and many of them were applicable to money, finances, and the importance of a frugal lifestyle. This post picks out nine of them and explains how they apply to personal finance, even today.

Round 1 of Money March Madness is Over

Round 1 of the Free Money Finance March Madness tournament is over. We started with 64 posts and are already down to 32. By the end of next week, we'll have the Sweet Sixteen.

If you'd like to see who has advanced in the tournament, you can download the attached spreadsheet.

Download march_madness_2008.xls

Vote Today

Just a note that the March Madness competition for posts 57-64 will end tomorrow (Friday) morning at 7 am Eastern time. If you haven't voted but want to, you need to do so soon.

Click here to vote.

FYI, this is the last set for round #1. After this, we'll be down to 32 posts competing to be the best post of the last year!!!!!

Time Running Out

Just a note that the March Madness competition for posts 49-56 will end tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 7 am Eastern time. If you haven't voted but want to, you need to do so soon.

Click here to vote.

Vote Quickly

Two more rounds will be decided at noon Eastern time today in the Free Money Finance March Madness tournament. If you haven't voted yet, be sure to do so in these two competitions:

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Round 1, Posts 33-40

• Free Money Finance March Madness, Round 1, Posts 41-48

Free Money Finance March Madness, Round 1, Posts 57-64

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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 29

• Seven Things You Must Do to Prepare for An Emergency (Emergency) - If an emergency comes are you prepared?  Almost everyone in the United States is subject to one of more the following:  floods, wildfires, earthquakes, blizzards, and hurricanes.  I've compiled a list of things that will help you survive a natural disaster until the worst is over.  Like any good insurance, let's hope you never need it.

VERSUS

• How I Taught My Preschooler the Value of a Dollar (Dollar) - It's important to teach young children about hard work, saving, and spending.  In a quite accidental way, I used a chart system to teach my son the value of money and hard work.  If you teach your children about delayed gratification early, it will have a positive effect on their money management skills throughout life.

GAME 30

• How Do You Pick a Winning Mutual Fund? (Winning) - While the odds of beating the market over time is are pretty low, there are a few characteristics funds that achieve this feat tend to have in common.
  Furthermore, there are a few portfolio strategies you can use to mitigate down-side risk and slightly raise your odds of beating the market over the long term. This post attempts to expose a few of these characteristics of winning mutual funds and how to recognize them.

VERSUS

• Invest in yourself by learning things of value (Value) - How do you spend your time?  Do you spend it learning things that will enrich your life and your bank account, or do you waste it?

GAME 31

• My best financial move this year: The Infrequent Bills Account (Move) - Converting an existing account to "park" money to pay annual and other non-monthly bills was my best money move in 2007. If I'd made this move when I first heard of this type of account, I'd be many thousands richer.

VERSUS

• An Easy Way to Save for College (College) - When our first child was born in August 2007, we started to think about how we were going to pay for her college.  Neither of us had any college funds to speak of when we graduated high school, and after two bachelors and two masters degrees (not mention attending expensive private universities), we are trying to dig out from under a mountain of student loan debt.  We found a credit card that gives us money into our daughter's 529 plan, and at a good rate.

GAME 32

• Financial Strategies for Infants and Young Children (Children) - An informative list of all the financial topics to explore with a new baby in the house from opening a 529 to tax strategies and everything in between.

VERSUS

• Poor Versus Broke (Poor) - If you look in the dictionary, there doesn't seem to be much difference between the definitions of poor and broke.  When you dig into the connotations behind the words, there actually is a world of difference.  I've been broke most of my life, and I've been poor most of my life.  Now I'm only broke, but it only took a trip to the grocery store to make me feel the old fear of being poor again!

Free Money Finance March Madness, Round 1, Posts 49-56

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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 25

• Go Open a Roth IRA Right Now! (IRA) - 115 comments can't be wrong! This article explains how opening a Roth IRA really only takes fifteen minutes and walks the reader through the extremely simple process. The hardest part is actually getting started!

VERSUS

• Why I Collect Pennies: 6 Reasons for Loving Petty Cash (Pennies) - Even my children laugh when I make a big deal about finding a penny on the rug or under a cushion. But my petty cash pursuit is driven by high-finance dreams and lofty personal goals.

GAME 26

• Lessons Learned from Diet Books: How to Think Like a Rich Person (Lessons) - Some people are rich, and some people are thin: what are they doing right? Using a best-selling diet book as inspiration, this post lays out 8 personality traits that can make it difficult for you to manage your finances, and suggests ways to combat these self-defeating traits. There are many ways in which dieting and saving money are analogous but I think these 8 points really get at the heart of why many people have trouble succeeding in each area.

VERSUS

• Ready to be Rewarded for your Good Credit? (Credit) - The way your credit score is calculated is about to undergo some serious changes. How will these modifications help or hurt your FICO score?

GAME 27

• Rule #16: Who Do You Think You Are? (Rule) - This was one of my most popular "rules" (it even got me a marriage proposal from one of the commenters!) The post offers practical and philosophical advice about how our spending habits are influenced by our shifting sense of identity and community. It even comes with special bonus Venn diagrams starring me as the black dot in the middle.

VERSUS

• A Penny Saved is Worth More Than a Penny Earned (Penny) - One of the most important financial concepts that people can learn is that a dollar saved is more valuable than a dollar earned. This is because money saved has already been earned, taxed, and has the potential to grow through compound interest. New earnings are at a disadvantage because they must be worked for again, are taxed, and because the time value of money and inflation work against future earnings.

GAME 28

• 10 Things That Bring Success in Personal Finance - #7 Automatic Savings and Bill Payment (Things) - Are you looking for an easy and efficient way of SAVING MORE MONEY?  How about PAYING BILLS?  This post details how you can simplify your finances by making your savings and bill payment transfers automatic.

VERSUS

• Exactly How To Pay Off Debt, Mortgages, Or Credit Cards Early (Debt) - Breaking down this somewhat 'complex' topic into 5 "do's" and 3 "dont's".  An easy-to-follow debt reduction plan.

Free Money Finance March Madness, Round 1, Posts 41-48

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. 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. Here we go:

GAME 21

• Use the Rule of 72 to Understand Compound Interest (Compound) - Most people generally understand the concept of compound interest, knowing that over time, interest earned will begin to snowball and accumulate more rapidly. Even though it is a relatively simple concept, visualizing how it works can be more difficult. I think Albert Einstein said it best, "Compound interest is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time."

VERSUS

• Your House is a Home, Not an Investment 2 (House) - Many people are in the difficult financial situation today because they purchased their primary residence as an investment and not as a home.  Don't make this same mistake.

GAME 22

• Rain Barrels - Recycling and Saving Money (Rain) - Rain barrels are an easy way to conserve water, but many people are unaware that their locality may offer them for purchase.  Even if the readers are from somewhere other than the Raleigh, NC area, this article may spark their interest in learning what resources are available in their community.  This year, if we are able to save the minimum of $10 off our water bill from March-November (yes, the growing season is really that long here--we already have plants in the ground),  we will have saved an additional $16 after recouping the cost of the barrels.  In the following years, we'll save at least $90 per year.

VERSUS

• The US Health Care Crisis (Health) - US Health Care is a mess.  If you look at it from your college economics text book though, it's not a big surprise.  Let's remind ourselves of those basics and use those same tools to think about how we can fix health care in the country.  You'll also see why our presidential candidates are barking up the wrong tree and, economically speaking, will probably only make things worse.

GAME 23

• Easy Way to Convert Hourly Wage to Salary (Salary) - This is my most popular post of all time! As part of my Quick Tips category, this post is all about short, easy, and quick tips to improve your finances! Read on to find out a quick way to convert your hourly wage to salary and vice versa!

VERSUS

• 30 Days to Millionaire Money Habits (Habits) - The personal finance habits you have can accelerate or impede your ability to accumulate wealth. This is a short guide on how to create those wealthy money habits and train your mind to unconsciously and automatically accumulate more wealth.

GAME 24

• 5 Easy Ways to Save Money While in College (College) - This post is packed with resources to help the reader save money. From books and food to saving money, this post has the advice that will help all those poor college students out there.

VERSUS

• Think before you buy!  A wallet-sized reminder of your priorities (Think) - Being a thoughtful shopper is vital if you're trying to buy less and/or buy in ways that fit your values and priorities.  This post links to a ready-made credit/debit card sleeve printed with some great questions to ask yourself before you buy anything-- and is also full of suggestions and inspiration for designing your own list of questions if the existing one isn't right for you.  It's an exercise that's all about developing a mental checklist (with a physical reminder) that makes you more intentional and thoughtful about your consumption.

Make Your Vote Count

Free Money Finance March Madness -- our quest to find the best personal finance post of the year -- is underway. I know there are a ton of posts to see/review, but if you stick with it, things will get easier as only the winners will proceed to the next round. It certainly gets interesting then as well since by the third round or so, only very, very good posts are left.

In case you haven't been able to fight through all the posts, here's a list of the rounds I've published so far:

• Posts 1-8

• Posts 9-16

• Posts 17-24

• Posts 25-32

• Posts 33-40

I'll be naming winners of the Saturday posts sometime tomorrow, so don't wait to vote or you may miss all the fun!

Free Money Finance March Madness, Round 1, Posts 33-40

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