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.
Lessons
Think
Posted by: CBaker | March 17, 2008 at 07:52 AM
Game 5 - Lesson (real tough choice!)
Game 6 - Compound
Posted by: Beth | March 17, 2008 at 08:13 AM
5. Lessons
6. Think
Posted by: CyanSquirrel | March 17, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Lessons
Compound
Posted by: paidtwice | March 17, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Travel
Compound
Posted by: Jason | March 17, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Travel
Compound
Posted by: Dan | March 17, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Game 5 Lessons
Game 6 Think
Posted by: Madame X | March 17, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Lessons
Compound
Posted by: Ken | March 17, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Game 5: Lessons
Game 6: Think
Posted by: Jeffrey | March 17, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Lessons
Compound
Posted by: Super Saver | March 17, 2008 at 01:48 PM
Travel
Think
Posted by: kentuckyliz | March 17, 2008 at 06:00 PM
Lessons
Think
Posted by: Penny Nickel | March 17, 2008 at 11:11 PM
Lessons
Think
Posted by: Noni | March 18, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Travel
Compound
Posted by: Lily | March 18, 2008 at 05:20 PM
Lessons
Think
Posted by: bluntmoney | March 18, 2008 at 06:38 PM
Travel
Think
Posted by: Julie | March 19, 2008 at 05:02 AM
Lessons
Think
Posted by: Diane Eats the Elephant | March 19, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Voting for this round is over. The winners are:
5 - Lessons
6 - Think
Posted by: FMF | March 19, 2008 at 10:49 AM