Money Mag recently came out with their list of best money websites, so I thought I'd share 'em around and see what you all think. Along with my own two pennies, of course.

You would have thought that after 2 months of heavy research they'd have at least mentioned the all-time BEST site in it though (BudgetsAreSexy - duh!) but I suppose they must have overlooked it ;) Whatever, I'll continue reading your silly little financial mag...you've already got me hooked!

The 20 Best Money Websites:

1. Basic.esplanner.com - If you're wondering if you need to save more for retirement. (?)
2. Morningstar.com - If you're wondering if you have the right mix of investments. (popular one)
3. Portfoliomonkey.com - If you're wondering if your portfolio is too risky. Love the name :)
4. Finance.Google.com - If you're looking to find your next stock pick. Google is everywhere!
5. Nerdwallet.com - If you're wondering if it's time to dump your rewards card. What a site name! I'd visit just based on that...who isn't a nerd reading this right now?
6. Mint.com - If you're wondering how to cut spending and save more. Mad respect for the Mint team! They have one of the best budgeting platforms around...and noticed I said "platforms" here. We all know who has the best budgeting spreadsheets ;))
7. Credit.com - If you're wondering how good your credit is. They're also one of my sponsors :)
8. Billshrink.com - If you're looking for a better-paying savings account. Another place I've partnered up with before! Those guys are rrazy funny too - check out their blog --> Shrinkage Is Good
9. Neighborhoodscout.com - If you're wondering which neighborhood you should live in. (Sounds kinda creepy to me... like someone's peeking through your windows or someting! haha...)
10. Trulia.com - If you're looking for sellers ready to deal. Have heard great things about this site.
11. Diyornot.com - If you're wondering if you should hire a contractor or not. If your name is J. Money, then YES. Always.
12. Vitals.com - If you're looking for the best doctors in your network (I think I'm too lazy for this)
13. Healthgrades.com - If you're wondering which hospital you should go to. Or if you're a guy - the closest one ;)
14. Linkedin.com - If you're looking to find your next job. Also: Twitter, Facebook, Craigslist, blogs.
15. iTunes U - If you're wondering how to keep your skills sharp. As in, iTunes, iTunes.
16. Truecar.com - If you're wondering what the best price you can get on a car. (What about KBB?)
17. Pricegrabber.com - If you're looking for the best price on electronics. And I agree. Definitely NOT Best Buy, although it still doesn't stop me from walking in there ;)
18. Coupons.com - If you're wondering how to pay less for everyday stuff. (It seems that the best places also have the best (and most generic) site names too, eh?)
    
19. Kayak.com - If you're wondering how you can save on your flight. Which is funny considering what would happen if you actually tried to fly in one!
20. Charitynavigator.org - If you're wondering if you should give to a specific charity. I agree with this one 100%! GREAT site that I'm glad is around to ward off all those hacks.

They also listed their 4 favorite iPhone apps:

1. ATM HUNTER - For finding the nearest ATM that won't cost an arm and a leg.
2. REALTOR.COM - For finding out how much houses go for. (I use this every other day!)
   
3. REDLASER - If you're wondering if that price you're looking at in the store is a good deal. (Just downloaded after reading! Haven't tried it out yet, but I'm excited to.)
4. IXPENSEIT - If you need to hold on to your receipts but you always lose them.

What do you guys think? They leave any great sites or apps out? It'll be interesting to see what pops up on their list next time. So many awesome and creative sites show up every year - it's so cool we're a part of this online information age!

Labels: link lovin, money management, one of my lists, tools and resources

1 year, 3 months, and 500 posts later, this little blog is still around baby! Never in my life have I continued a hobby for so long ;)

I must give you all MAD LOVE for coming out and supporting this site each and every day, you guys are so wonderfull! Without you I'd just be another mumbling fool on the internet - so THANK YOU.

While this blog has transformed into an umbrella of finance-related topics, it was my good friend the budget who got the party started. So it's only fitting that I drop some knowledge about them to commemorate this most beautiful day ;) An excerpt from my feature in The Art Of Manliness blog:

"Maintaining a budget is key in becoming financially studly. If you know where your money is coming and going, you'll know your strengths & limitations. And if you know your strengths & limitations, you can outwit your opponent at any time! Plus, you'll be able to make quick decisions on the spot which girls love. And you know what else girls love? Confidence. And this,my friend, is what the budget gives you."

Yup, I still owe it all to the budget ;) That booger's gotten me to stay on track and allowed me to keep doing my financial thing! And so has a lot of other bloggers around town - their advice and point of views have created a wonderful learning environment for all, and I'm proud to serve on the same internets w/ them (you can find my favorites in the blogroll).

So with that, I leave you with some nifty little stats from these 500 posts, along with this week's financial round up & carnivals. God bless you all!

Current subscribers: 812
Twitter subscribers: 1,562
Total EVER page views: 234,145
Total EVER visitors: 137,460
Number of times I check these stats on a daily basis: 15 (down from 792)

I also gotta give due credit to all those bloggers who continue to send over some great traffic! Here are the TOP 10 all-time refferers (minus google, stumbleupon, etc) along w/ previous rankings:

1. My Money Blog (1)
2. Give Me Back My Five Bucks (2)
3. Bargain Briana (6)
4. Fabulous Financials (-)
5. MSN Smart Spending (3)
6. Clever Dude (4)
7. Chicky Finance (5) *no longer blogging :(
8. Single Guy Money (8)
9. Dinks Finance (7)
10. Always The Planner (-)

And Now, My Favorite Reads O' The Week:

1. Un-Broke: What You Need To Know About Money - Don't forget, the ABC "Money 101" special airs TONIGHT from 9-10pm! Check the link above for awesome-a$$ sneak peaks - Christian Slater, Will Smith, Seth Green, and more. Can't wait.
2. How To Spend Like A Frugal Millionaire - This piece from Yahoo Finance is all over the pf blogosphere, and for good reason. The author interviews 70 millionaires for the inside scoop.
3. Are You Doing Bad Things With Your Money? - Haha...that title says it all, brilliant.
4. 10 Revealing Q&A's By John Chow & Shoemoney - 2 online money-making masters share their answers side by side. Pretty interesting stuff.
5. "Amazing Grace" video - A heartwarming 32 sec. commercial from Salvation Army :)

And lastly, the Carnivals O' The Week:

1. Carnival of Personal Finance #206 - "Memorial Day Stars & Stripes" by Greener Pastures.
2. Festival of Frugality #179 - "Memorial Day" ed. hosted by Suburban Dollar.
3. Carnival of Debt Reduction #139 - "New Credit Card Rules" ed. hosted by PT Money.
4. Carnival of Money Stories - "A Road Map to Money Health" hosted by WalletPop.
5. Money Hacks Carnival #66 - "Family Summer Vacation" ed. by Passive Family Income.
6. Carnival of Pecuniary Delights #9 - "Organic Gardening" ed. by Passive Family Income.
7. Carnival of 20 Something Finances - "May 25th" ed. hosted by How I Save Money.

Thanks again to each and every one of you!!! May we have another 500 posts to look forward to! But for now, it's time to go celebrate Mrs. Budgetsaresexy and I's 1 year anniversary together ;) For anyone still around from those days, here was my wedding day post. haha....

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some babies to make relaxing to do.

Labels: awesomely awesome, blogging, budgets, link lovin, thank you, updates

I, J. Money - the host of this blog, would like to cordially thank you for your patronage, and give you this nifty present in return. You might not know this yet, but legend has it that if you hang this on your wall, you will intercept all forms of financial luck! And for all others visiting, you can check out the link (& crazy amt. of comments) here - and you know i have mad love for you too :) Many thanks to all for visiting my site, and please to enjoy:

Labels: blogging, in the media, link lovin

The whole wedding pic. fiasco was picked up by MSN Money's Smart Spending Blog last night! How hot is that??? I've never been featured on a big site like that before, so i'm totally sexcited about it all :) And it makes going through the whole ordeal that much sweeter too! So mad thanks go out to Karen Datko who blogged about it, and my man Clever Dude who gave her the heads up - you guys are great scholars, and fine Americans!

Labels: awesomely awesome, in the media, link lovin, wedding

...if he knew what people were doing to him! Oh man, you have to read this.

My girl PJ over at Broke in The Suburb posted about her days as a bank teller, and let me tell you, it puts a whole 'nother perspective on things! I won't give it away, but let's just say some bodily fluids are discussed. *shiver*....check it out, if you dare ;)

Labels: banking, cockamamy indeed, link lovin

Despite the fact that today is a Woot-Off (my fav!) , they just sent out a mass email telling their members NOT to buy anything!

In fact, their latest newsletter tells us to save all the money we can so we can watch out for our own in this crazy economy! Sincere? Possibly. Creative/borderline genius? Without a doubt ;) Anyone with a sarcasm sensor can read between the lines here...but does that really even matter?

They actually get people to READ their newsletters! haha...And why wouldn't you? They're funny, insightful (to the degree that John Stewart and Colbert are), and they regularly feature items that are discounted by 60-75%! I won't tell you to refresh the site every 30 mins like i'll be doing today, BUT if you're looking for a particular present to buy (esp. an electronic), you might wanna check it out.

But back to the main point here: Woot's marketing team is freakin' good. Take a look at the email they sent out yesterday and decide for yourselves:

Subject: BREAKING: Economists declare water at least 50 percent wet!

Attention, member name:

Welcome to Woot's first official recession-era newsletter! For the next 12 to 24 months, all citizens are expected to fret over, worry about, or even directly experience the nadir of a consumerist society - OMG! What will we do when we stop buying stuff? Economists now agree that we're headed through a prolonged period of decreased consumer spending (you really need an advanced degree to come up with insights like that). Beyond that, it's anybody guess. Will the only growth sectors in the economy be shoe repair, pipe salvage, and roadside apple sales? Or will we bring on a quick recovery by doing patriotic things like buying stuff we can't afford and spending more money than we make?

As a retailer, it'd make sense for us to fall in with the BUY STUFF, AMERICA conga line. But by now, you know that we at Woot never do things the "normal", "sensible", "rational", "intelligent" way. We're not about to follow the herd over a cliff. When we go over a cliff, it's because of our own poor judgment, not someone else's. That's been our credo since about five minutes ago, when we first thought of it. And we've stayed true to it ever since.

That's why we're encouraging you and your fellow wooters to save this holiday season. Save your money! Save until you pull a saving muscle. Horde your money until you are literally choking on it. Save until maybe, like, mid-February or so, when the market will be a-glut with great deals for the taking every day. You'll avoid the crowds, take advantage of desperate retailers, and not have to hear "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time" even once.

Sure, maybe you'll disappoint some of your loved ones. But if they really love you, they can wait a couple of months, especially if your finances are at stake. Besides, if your so-called loved ones wanted you to set yourself on fire, would you? Of course you wouldn't. And that's the kind of independent thinking that will one day break the mindless conformity of our consumerist holiday ways.

But be warned: you'll want to stay far away from Woot.com this week. The breadth and scope of bargains we'll be offering - especially starting Tuesday morning at midnight - will be powerfully tempting. They could even lead you back down the spend-spend-spend path with the rest of the sheep. And that would make us sad enough to cry while we're taking your money.

See you in February!

Woot.com

Clever as hell, right? My favorite is the whole "Sure, maybe you'll disappoint some of your loved ones." deal...haha....oh man, good times. good times.

Labels: awesomely awesome, bargains, link lovin

You HAVE to check this out over on mymoneyblog.com - How cool is this? $20 bucks (plus shipping) to get brilliant artwork? Ca-ching! I might have to buy my whole family one for Xmas...you all know i love mixing art and currency ;)

Labels: art, awesomely awesome, link lovin

That's right kiddies, there's a new site in town just begging for your attention! I picked it up from Almost Frugal on a tweet this morning (see, twitter is awesome!), and i've already spent 20+ mins of my employer's time on it ;) It's called financialconfessions.net and it's freakin' awesome. People anonymously leave confessions and then you let them know how you feel about it by either slappin' them or huggin' them! haha...you gotta love them internets.

Labels: awesomely awesome, link lovin, twitter

And boy can you learn a lot from it! I've only been a twitterer (tweeter?) for a few months now, but i gotta say that i sometimes learn more in those quick little words than i do reading an entire blog post!

I think it has something to do w/ the conciseness of it all, and the fact you can read/skim them much faster, thus allowing more information into my little brain factory :)

And the best part is that once you get excited about a certain topic or headline there, you can usually click on the tinyurl provided for a more in-depth look! Of course, some say this all just perpetuates laziness and evil vocabulary (think lol, omg, lmfao), but i prefer to think of it as pretty tech savvy and another way of injecting some "cool" in ya. Those who don't adapt, fail right?

So yeah, twitter can be pretty helpful in finding some great personal finance advice and/or current news going on in our economy these days. Or even getting to know your favorite bloggers better! There's a billion other things happening over there too, but i tend to only stick w/ the pf gang...you know, to "fit in" and all ;) Check out some of the stuff going on there just in the past 24 hour or so:

• sincitysavings Does anyone know someone selling a soul?
• FrugalDad Frugal Dad Giveaway! Win a $100 Home Depot Gift Card http://tinyurl.com/5t8rgm
• thatonegirl Will just said, "Judging from the smell in the bathroom - there are some very unhealthy people in the building..."... It wasn't me.
• doctor_s I wish I was a teacher, so much more of a real impact than working in the business world.
• ThatFilipinoGuy My kids just saw Budgetsaresexy.com logo and said that's gross. Now they're covering their eyes. Grossed out by the word sexy. (me: wait, what?! haha...)

Okay, so maybe there's a bit more going on than just LEARNING all the time, but i promise you that does happen on there :) In fact, some people like to post a preview to every post they're about to have, or even coupons they just found out about. Def. not my style (i like to tweet about random nonsense), but it sure can be helpful. Here's a few examples of the more "helpful" ones so you'll believe me:

• BrunetteOnABudg Excess is *so* three seasons ago. Don't believe me? Just ask these rich people who want to fit in by acting broke http://tinyurl.com/66hcnb
• MoneySavingGuid Legitimate ways to make money working from home -- from MarketWatch. http://is.gd/7Row
• bargainbriana Cheap Batteries this week at CVS! Stock up for the holidays! http://tinyurl.com/43k8cq

So as you can see, there's a whole mess of finance activity going on up in thurrr. I won't tell you it's the greatest thing on earth or anything, but it's def. worth a peek if you haven't ventured out there already. And if you do, be sure to holler and "follow me" so you can stalk my every move and see what i'm up to...or not, that sounds kinda creepy ;)

Labels: blogging, link lovin, randomness 3000, twitter

Can you believe it?! How Sexy! To be honest, I'm just amazed that i'm a) still going with it! and b) just as excited, if not more so, than the day i first launched this!

My A.D.H.D. usually kicks in and pushes me off track, but i guess i have finally found my niche :) And it doesn't hurt that i always have something to say.

Soooooo much has happened since the launch on Feb. 12th, and i really do feel like i'm growing and learning each month that passes. And wanna know who i have to thank for that? All of you crazy mother f'ers :) I do it all for you baby! (and for myself, i won't lie, but mostly for the sport of it all)

And just like i did back in April, it is my complete honor to award each one of you frugal ba$tards the beloved "Sexy Saver" Certificate! Thaaaaaaaaat's right, you've earned it friends. Print it, post it, staple it, frame it, upload it, eat it, it's yours to do as you please!


I was thinking of posting the all-time "top posts" of mine here, but they're already on the sidebar to the right :) Soooooo, I thought it would be cool to see how my writing style/presentation has adapted over time. I pretty much just talk straight from the brain here, but you'll notice some differences. I remember writing each of these so vividly!:

• Operation HELOC: The Good :) (one of my first posts)
• Pray tell, is this possible? (one of my first "challenges")
• Gas at 33 cents - Can your conscience handle it?
• Check this - a Funeral Home is now serving Coffee!
• Dear Psycho Stock "Investors"...

Throughout this time, my stats have also changed IMMENSELY! By no means am i taking over the world or even close to becoming a full-time blogger, but it's def. nice knowing all this hard work is paying off. Here's a few statistical nuggets for you:

• Current subscribers: 324
• Total EVER page views: 51,933
• Total EVER unique visitors: 33,067
• Avg monthly unique visits (last 3 months): 6,858
• Avg monthly page views (last 3 months): 8,445
• Number of times i've said "bad boy" since blogging: 25
• Number of times i've written about wanting to punch someone in the face: 3
• Number of times i've drivin the wifey crazy w/ all my blog talk: 1,000,000,005

I'd also like to thank EVERY SINGLE ONE of you sexy beasts for reading, commenting, linking, and anything else you've done to help this blog become a success! Here are the top ALL-TIME referrers to this site:

1. krystalatwork.blogspot.com
2. mymoneyblog.com
3. cleverdude.com
4. chickyfinance.com
5. dinksfinance.com
6. singleguymoney.com
7. fivecentnickel.com
8. changecanbeagoodthing.blogspot.com
9. frugalupstate.blogspot.com
10. alwaystheplanner.blogspot.com
11. bargainbriana.com
12. financialramblings.com

And now for the top search terms put into the internets ;) I've taken out "budgets are sexy" or anything having to do with "sexy" which funnily enough knocks out numbers 1-4!:

1. "average net worth"
2. "starbucks"
3. "million dollar club finance blog"
4. "grow a pair" (hah!)
5. "my salary"

And these are the funniest/awesomest/and just plain weirdest ones:

• "ninja"
• "things that go up"
• "candy monroe" (this came in like 15 billion forms and i had no idea who this was...so i googled her...and then had to avert my eyes)
• "non matching bridesmaid"
• "cool characters" (why thank you!)
• "bankruptcy law sexy"
• "decicively" (i always misspell that!)
• "sexy sexy sexy.com"
• "you had potential" (sad)

And now unto the top 6 countries/territories hittin' up the site:

1. United States
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. India
5. Australia
6. Saudi Arabia (rad!)

And Lastly, here are the top 6 countries/territories of which i cannot point out on a map - not something to be proud of btw:

• Tunisia
• Romania
• Cyprus
• Bahrain
• Malta
• Slovenia

I think that's about it! Was it fun to read? It took a while to compile it all, but it really does feel great still being in the thick of things. And for once I feel like i'm actually contributing something to this world of ours! Hooray :)

So Happy Birthday dearest Budgets are Sexy, and thanks to each and everyone of you for reading!

Labels: awesomely awesome, blogging, holidays, link lovin

Is there a best place to pick up your college books from? That's what the Mrs. set out to discover just yesterday.

As many of you know, Mrs. Budgetsaresexy is starting grad school this month, and is thus trying to find the best bargains out there for her reading material. And I gotta tell you, a LOT has changed since my days at the old university!

One of my favorite things to do was to visit the bookstore and see the hundreds of students mingling around, all excited to be back in school and ready to party ;) In fact, i liked it so much that i even worked there! I tell you one thing, it's a helluva way to meet girls people. he he. Ahhh the good ol' days...*tear*

But anyways, back in the day we only had one real way of getting these books - the college bookstore. It was the #1 cash drainer for our pockets, or should I say some of our parent's pockets (i love you Mom! not that you know this site exists). But these days? Not anymore. There are a plethora of ways to get our hands on them now, and sometimes for much cheaper.

Mrs. Budgetsaresexy literally JUST emailed me a spreadsheet she put together to calculate the best bargains out there for her newest list of books needed. It was intended for MEO (My eyes only), but i got her to share it with us :) There's nothing graphic in there, so why not right? haha...

So, here's the email she sent me word for word which summarizes her findings, minus a few identifying details: (the spreadsheet can be found here, for all you visual people)

"Dear sexiest man alive (editor's note: i put that in...he he)

i compiled a spreadsheet of all the books i need, and their respective costs in 4 places: amazon, half.com, overstock, and the college bookstore.

if the edition or translation of the book was questionable in terms of what the professor wants, and/or if the cost difference wasn't significant enough to matter much (a few cents to a dollar or so), i went with the default college bookstore to make things easier. for all other books that were pretty much standard editions everywhere, OR where the price differentiation was HUGE (was for at least 3 books), i went with any of the other 3 online dealers.

to make a long story short, if i went ONLY with the college bookstore, my total spent on books thus far (not counting whatever i have to spend on my 3rd class), would have been : $254.50. my grand total for what i spent using the methods above? $145.99. i SAVED a total of $108.51!!!!

now, let's just hope that all the books i ordered online arrive on time, AND are the right version of what i need and all. but if they all are? well hot diggidy, i think i am a hefty little save-a-roo!!! :) "

As you can see, going with JUST the college bookstore in this case fails miserably. It seems the best route to take is to pick and choose from a combination of Half.com, Amazon, Overstock, AND the college bookstore. It's a little time consuming, but the $100+ we'll be saving is well worth it!

The Winner: Combination of all 4 places! (Anyone wanna guess what her major is?)

Labels: bargains, education, grad school, link lovin, mrs. budgetsaresexy

Today is a bit "blah" for me as one of our neighbors has unfort. passed away :( She was one of those people who always smiled and loved helping others.

So instead of being all mopey and sad this morning, I'd like to be positive and share a few helpful links with you today - something she would have been pleased with :)

One of the cool parts about running a blog is that you get asked a whooooole bunch of questions from your readers and fellow bloggers - I love it! But since i'm no expert in everything (or even some things. haha...), I tend to forward them to my favorite places out there. Hopefully you can find some goodies here!

19 FREE Personal Budgeting Spreadsheets
- Financial Ramblings

Woah, talk about hitting the jackpot! 19 sexy budgets? Total HOTNESS for sure. Everyone knows I think budgeting is one of the four best ways to get financially fit, so I give this link 4 thumbs up! (feet have thumbs, right?)

The trick about budgeting is finding what works for YOU, so having a large variety of methods own in one place def. helps finding one faster. Financial Ramblings even compares them in a simple chart to give you the broad picture of everything. Maybe you like one half of a particular budget, and bits and pieces of others? That works! Whatever style gets you going, and staying on top of it - the hardest part - is key. (You'll also notice my own personal spreadsheet was included in the mix - woohoo!)

Blog Consulting, Web Design, and More
- Mrs. Micah, Clever Dude, Blueprint for Prosperity

When it comes to Blog design/set up (esp. with Wordpress), I always recommend Mrs. Micah. Not only is she great at analyzing your site and giving recommendations, but she's FRIENDLY! And I don't know about you, but that goes a loooooooong way for me, especially when asking for help. The last thing you want is some D-head trying to push their nonsense your way. And if Mrs. Micah doesn't know exactly how to do something you're asking, that great part about her is that she'll research it and figure it out!

If direct contact isn't your style, check out one of these 2 articles. Just following a FEW of the tips listed here can make a huge difference. I recommend them to every blogger out there, even if you've been around for a bit. (I review them every cple months to make sure i'm on track):

Two favorite "blogging" articles:
- 50 tips for new personal finance bloggers - Clever Dude
- 25 steps to a wildly successful personal finance blog - Blueprint for Financial Prosperity

Labels: blogging, budgets, link lovin, tools and resources

There's a lot on my brain this morning, but i can't seem to formulate paragraphs very well at the moment...so hopefully you don't mind the random listing of all my thoughts (I haven't had my beautiful coffee yet).

From my brain, to yours - here's what we got:

My man Baily, over at Thoughts from the Change Race, mentioned he has a few $5 Best Buy certificates he might be willing to part with! Not sure if you need to convince him or not, but if you're interested go ahead and leave him a comment on his latest blog posting. Tell him J from BAS sent you, and that he better treat you right ;)

It's another WOOT OFF baby! Not familiar? It's when Woot.com offers up a new product (usually electronic) at a REALLY cheap price until it sells out, and it then throws up another! It basically goes on for a good 24 hours, so if there's anything in particular you're looking for - like a stereo, memory card, watch, etc - keep hitting refresh throughout the day and more often than not you'll get lucky. Check out my Woot Post for more info.

Sometimes it's cool to track all the financial spam you get in the mail. And by "cool", i mean kinda "dorky", which really means "kinda cool". haha...Anyways, i've been keeping a list of this junk mail for a month or two, and some of it is actually pretty damn GOOD stuff. Here's everything i kept track of/remembered to keep track of, plus links to the companies:

• Chase Visa Platinum card (#1) - 0% on all purchases and xfers until August 1st, 2009. No annual fee, and no xfer fee! 6.99% thereafter.
• Chase Visa Platinum card (#2) - 0% on all purchases and xfers until September 1st, 2009. No annual fee, and no xfer fee! 7.49% thereafter. haha... it went up! Mrs. Budgetsaresexy actually gets these allllllllllll the time. Like once every 2 weeks!
• Chase Pre-Approved Home Equity Loan - Zero closing costs, and offers up to PRIME - %0.76 APR when you pay off $50k from another HELOC.
• Commerce Bank Pre-Approved Home Equity Loan - 4.24% + $100 bonus!!! No closing costs, nor annual fee. Sexy time for sure! (the
• PETCO P.A.L.S. Coupon - 10% off our entire purchase. geared towards my fishy fish too, they are sneaky little marketers ;)

I was featured as an "editor's pick" again during this week's carnival season! I think that's my second or third time for me in a month - i'm on fire baby, someone put me out! Here are all those I participated in:

• Money Hacks Carnival #17 - "Music of the 80's" edition - hosted by Mrs. Nespy's Frugal World *My editor's pick one.
• Festival of Frugality #130 - "The Eight Little Pigs" edition - hosted by OutofDebtAgain.com
• Carnival of Debt Reduction: "Advice from Dad" edition - hosted by BluntMoney.com (and not that kind of "blunt" money!)
• Carnival of 20-Something Finances - "The June 2, 2008" edition - hosted by Dollar Frugal (kinda old...forgot to post earlier!)

I thought i had something else to share, but i guess it slipped my mind...I think it had something to do w/ oranges? Oh well, probably best to get my coffee now ;)

Labels: carnivals, credit cards, link lovin, mail bag, randomness 3000, weekly roundup, woot

Here are some carnivals i participated in before slipping out of the country last week. Some are pretty damn creative too! Check it, check it out ya'all:

• Money Hacks Carnival #15 (French Open Edition) - Hosted by Broke Grad Student, who graciously put my post at the very top as a favorite! Can anyone say "Sexy Time!"? That site may just be my new favorite ;)
• Festival of Frugality #128 (No Debt Plan Edition) - Hosted by No Debt Plan. Ca-ching! At the very top again...am i getting better at writing, or is someone paying you all off? haha.. BIG THANKS!
• Carnival of Personal Finance #155 (Time with Family) - Hosted by Moolanomy. Didn't make it close to the top, but 2 out of 3 sure ain't bad. I'll take it all the way baby!

Also, MUCH LOVE to all those guest posters while I was away!

• Breaking Even with "The magic of life: 14 things I (almost) never have to buy"
  
• Clever Dude with "Save money, save gas, save your car's engine while idling"
  
• Fantastic Sarcastic with "The value of patience in today's crazy society"
• My Money Adventure with "Drawing the line between work and personal time"

Labels: carnivals, link lovin, weekly roundup

I really don't like calling them "carnivals", but i guess it's just the term that is used around town. Oh well, it's not doing any harm i suppose ;) Here are this week's carnivals that I participated in, with the first one awarding me with my very first "editor's pick"! Weeeee.

1. Carnival of Personal Finance #154 - hosted by Canadian Dream: Free at 45
2. Festival of Frugality #127 - hosted by Funny About Money
3. Carnival of Debt Reduction #141 (Enemies of the Doctor Edition) - hosted by Consumerism Commentary
4. Money Hacks Carnival #14 (Weird Golf Facts Edition) - hosted by PT Money

And here are my recent top 5 referrers!

• Dink's Finance
• Frugal Babe
• Chicky Finance
• Clever Dude
• Give Me Back My Five Bucks

I got mad love and respect for all of you. Keep the blogging alive!

Labels: carnivals, link lovin, weekly roundup

Awww yeah, just how i like it! It's always so thrilling seeing my name linked around the blogosphere - you know, get's me all warm and fuzzy inside. haha... THANKS everyone, and keep up the sexy work!

Budgetsaresexy.com in the news:

• Festival of Frugality 124 - The Alphabet Edition - Frugal for Life
• My mind on my money and my money on my mind - Fantastic Sarcastic
• Ethics and money making - Jaylin from You are Not Your Wallet
• Doing Your Own Taxes - MapGirl

Labels: carnivals, link lovin, weekly roundup

I almost forgot to share the most blog-related news from them this month! Jeepers. It was a review of the "BEST Personal Finance Blogs" out there. Do you think I made it?

1) Most Sensible: AllFinancialMatters.com - A great site, run by JLP!. Also might be worth subscribing over there considering he's an actual financial planner :) Someone who enjoys doing something w/ their college major I'd imagine. haha.. Money Mag picked this site as he "avoids the hype" and is a pretty conservative investor, sticking mainly to index funds.
2) Most inspiring: GetRichSlowly.com - I've been to the site a number of times, but what i DIDN'T know was that creator (J.D.) came back from $35k in debt! CONGRATS my man, that's quite an accomplishment. The blurb also mentioned that he used to be a cardboard-box saleman! i love it.
3) Most Voyeuristic: MyMoneyBlog.com - Truer words couldn't have been said! The IT guy behind it, Jonathan, spills all is finances out for the world to see - i absolutely love it. His blog was actually the first one i ever bookmarked, and one I continue to read to this day. It even turns out he's on a similar "million dollar mission" like myself - striving to be a millionaire by 45. He's a smart man, that guy!

4) Most entertaining: BudgetsAreSexy.com - Awww yeahhhh! Created, and directed by yours truly - the remarkable double agent J. Money, who's trying to reach millionaire status by 44 (take that). haha... i keed, i keed! I was not in the issue. But one day i shall....you bet your bottom dollar.

Labels: blogging, link lovin

Have you ever gotten one of these before? I've had a few over the years, but was always too lazy to look them. That changed today though.

And i have to tell you, it's a pretty damn good way to blow through some time :)

While the site itself was kinda all over the place, the actual content was killer! I say this for two reasons:

1) You get to see where YOUR bill came from! It takes a few seconds to enter in all the info on it (denomination, serial #, and series), but once you're done you get to see where it's been! and if you're REALLY lucky, there will be a whole bunch of comments on it.
2) You get to see where others have been. Not as exciting as #1 since that one is your own baby, but still - a great way to kill some time.

Here's what pulled up for my dollar at www.wheresgeorge.com:

• This bill has travelled 369 Miles in 1 Yr, 30 Days, 23 Hrs, 38 Mins at an average of 0.93 Miles per day! (click here to see the map)
• It is now 369 Miles from its starting location.
• Note from the one other person who had it (or at least went online to track it): "I got it from Michael at St Anne's Credit Union, N Dartmouth Fair condition."
• Note i put on it :) "got it from Fuddruckers when i broke a $20. it's in so-so condition. George looks hot as always though."

Cool, right? Next time you find one of these bad boys in your pockets, log on and see where yours have been. And who knows, maybe you'll find mine! (actually, i take that back...that won't be possible unless you get your hands on my current art project. awww yeahhh)

Labels: currency, link lovin, randomness 3000

I got to meet some of the high rollers in Blogville last night! Mapgirl over at Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge was kind enough to invite me out to their latest Happy Hour :) MUCHO thankness MG! I have to say that i was pretty nervous meeting everyone face to face, since many of us are anonymous, but as soon as i walked in everyone was SUPER friendly. Plus, it was a breath of fresh air to talk about things in "real life" with people!

There were 9 of us total, ranging from newer bloggers (like myself), on up to veteran PF'ers like Mapgirl and Clever Dude. Seriously, it was so fun! We drank some beer, had some food, and just talked about whatever...even personal finance if you can believe that. haha...

I hadn't been to all of their blogs before, but you know i'll be perusing them going forward - gotta give love to my DC bloggers! Here are the blogs that represented last night, check 'em out:

• MapGirl's Fiscal Challenge - mad thanks for hooking me up with everyone, and sharing some good pf stories!
  
• Clever Dude - it was a true pleasure meeting you good sir. big thanks for all the tips and words of wisdom, you are both a gentleman and a scholar.
  
• Mrs. Micah - the infamous Mrs. Micah! haha...it was nice to put a face with the super-duper commenter :) looking forward to reading your blog more.
  
• You Are Not Your Wallet - a la Fight Club! i shall now re-watch to catch that part of it :) i'm glad you're living up life! you're awesome.
  
• The Weight of Money - it was great meeting you! another blog to start checking out :)
  
• Debt Hater - i want to start calling you FABULOUS, is that okay? haha...congrats on almost wiping out your credit card debt!
  
• DINK's Finance - thanks for bringing up advertising stuff and being so friendly! and i love the word "dink", now i gotta start reading your posts.
  
• One Big Mortar Board - first off, i'm glad your wallet was found and all is right in the world now :) it was a pleasure meeting you and looking forward to future run ins!

Wow, i used wayyyyyyyy too many exclamation pts and smiley faces! Dang, just did it again :) F.

At any rate, I highly recommend reaching out to local bloggers where you live and hookin' up. You get mad pointers and takes on the latest trends and all Plus, what better way of making new friends w/ same interests?

So thank you again, Mapgirl, and all others who were so open and helpful. You guys rock.

Labels: link lovin, randomness 3000

Dear online family,

It has been almost 3 4 full months since i've launched this blog, and you guys are still reading it!

Can you believe we're now at 21 39 108 current subscribers?! ROCK ON. And that's just the subscribers, there are a good 40+ 150 200 people each and every day checking it out. THANK YOU all so very much! You all sure do know how to have a sexy time ;)

It has been a pleasure reading all of your comments, bouncing around all of your blogs, and just posting when the thoughts hit me. Not to mention the motivation it gives me to keep being Mr. Frugal!

If you would allow me to do so, it would be a great honor to give you back a little somethin' somethin' in return. I hope it will give you long lasting fortune, and remind you to pat yourself on the back every now and then for being so financially savvy. You could even hang on your wall, and cherish it forever! haha... So, from me to you, please to enjoy:


Now remember, you *must* hang it on your wall to intercept all forms of financial luck. haha...actually, that's a lie. you have to hang TWO of these on your wall for good luck ;)

Before I go, I'd also like to give a shout out to my pf bloggers who continue to send traffic my way. You guys are freakin' awesome and i continue to learn from ya! Here are my consistent top referrals:
*Krystal at work, *Chicky Finance, *DINK'S Finance *Change can be a Good Thing, *Saving 4 Later, *Always the Planner, *My Crazy Debt

Thank you - Thank you - THANK YOU! I love each and every one of you (even those reading this for the first time. yup, i love you too). You are one VERY $exy group of people!

God bless, and come again.

Labels: link lovin, thank you

I came across the Change Race the other night and i just HAD to give it due credit. Although the word "Entertaining" defines it entirely, let me tell you a bit more about the genius behind it....or perhaps what the site's about since i don' t actually know the person behind it :)

The concept is simple:

We will being collecting any money that we find on the ground. It must be found, and must be change. First one to $100 wins. The trophy you ask? It is a parmesan cheese shaker that we stole from the pizza place where we hatched the idea. It will be filled with 100 pennies and will be a symbol of our victory.

The blogger, Baily, sends in a post every time he finds change, and talks about exactly what he's come across (quarters, nickels, etc), along with an interesting story or two behind it. They've since made it past their $100 mark, but are still going at it! and why not? it's a helluva unique blog idea, as well as a great way to get you to think twice about pickin' them up next time. on top of it all, it's freeeeeee money.

It's now been 3+ years, and although he doesn't post daily, it's still updated every now and then & continuously cracks people up....well, at least me! I think the random pix he throws in from traveling and such (see Grover in Paris), is what seals the deal. GENIUS! I might have to put up a "change counter" myself one day...hum...

One thing's for sure, that classic saying definitely holds true: Change Adds up!
---------------
For similar reading, check out their inspiration: Change Quest .This guy's a little more hardcore, posting every day. awesome.

Labels: link lovin, saving

Hot Dogs, this site's been up and running for over 1 month now! And so far i'm lovin' it :) Not only is it fun unloading all this info onto the finance world, but you guys are helping me learn a lot at the same time. I think that's the best part....that, and i can actually talk turkey w/ people who WANT to listen ;)

So, THANK YOU all commenters & fellow pf bloggers, it feels great to be alive and bloggin'! Here's my shout out to a few of you below. I've seen this around on a few blogs, and thought it was a pretty cool way to acknowledge people.

The top 5 referrals to this site (in order):
1) Krystal at Work
2) Chicky Finance
3) A Dollar a Day
4) The Simple Dollar
5) No Spend Zone

And, just cuz i'm feeling extra spicy today, here's a quick update on all the challenges i'm up to:

- No buying random crap (for Lent): not a thing since my initial mess up! i gotta say, it's been a lot easier lately as i'm now used to it. although, i won't complain once Easter has passed ;) This time next week i'm allowed to buy anything i damn well please! not that i will. i am getting frugal'er as the days pass. haha...

- A Dollar a Day: the George Washington's are still piling up in there! i have now amassed...drum roll please... $21.00! that sounds about right. i'm too lazy today to verify the total ratio of days worked vs. non-workdays this time around. but since i am still going strong here, i say we're doing alright.

- No spending $ on work days: a. big. fat. failure. i lost on day one as i happily conceded in a past post. turns out this isn't my forte. BUT, i've only eaten out 2 times in the past 6 work days....so that should count for something.

- *Days in a row NOT eating McDonalds: 1225 That's like what, over 3 years! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? not that there's any real point to this to be honest, but it's still an unbelievable feat for me. keep in mind this was my favorite place in the world, and has since been replaced w/ Wendy's. But even these days i've been skimping on the fast food. to this my body adds, "THANK YOU"... i think it's pretty happy on that one.

See you happy campers tomorrow!

*random.

Labels: link lovin, updates