Homemade Pumpkin Pie - courtesy of Mr. LH
Have a wonderful, safe, enjoyable Thanksgiving Day! I’ll keep this post short and sweet; My thanks go out to….
- Mr. LH. He’s been neglected lately with all the school work I’ve been having to do on my “off time.” That will soon change come mid-December. He’s looking forward to the end with anticipation.
- My cohort peers. They’ve been so supportive through this crash-credential semester. Thankfully, we’ve been able to lean on each other and act as cheerleaders for one another.
- The Yakezie members. For their continued support through guest posts (thank you, thank you for providing them in a time of need!), their comments, visits, and promotion. Oh, and Sam who spearheaded this whole network.
- My family. I’m thankful I got to visit my family in New York this year and even see my brother for an afternoon (he lives in Dubai which is half way around the globe!)
- My cats. Their cuddles are always so sweet.
Now some special thanks to my guest posters over the past few months (sorry if I forgot anyone!):
Many thanks and have a wonderful weekend!
And now a silly Thankgiving poem from my professor:
May your stuffing be tasty
may your turkey be plump,
may you potatoes and gravy
have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
and your pies take the prize,
and my your Thanksgiving dinner
stay off your thighs!
The thighs stanza made me think I’ll be sure to bike ride a little more this weekend. 
The Yakezie.com
Now that it’s June, I realize I’m mid-way through the year and need to reevaluate my goals. Initially, my Boost My Savings goal was to save $4,500 by the end of this month. Frankly, I don’t think I’m going to make that goal. However, instead of throwing in the towel, I’m going to set a minimum goal to save at least $3,600 by the end of this month. I’m almost there, just a few hundred short.
I still look forward to summer as a time of play, yet I’ve learned to work through that feeling and still manage to take some time off to enjoy the warmer weather (like camping in the Sequoia’s this August – whoo, hoo!).
Now for some Saturday reads, enjoy:
- Live Real Now with 5 Reasons Your Wealth Isn’t Growing. 5 excellent points of why most people aren’t wealthy, such as spending more than you earn. Becoming wealthy isn’t brain surgery, it’s common sense.
- My Personal Finance Journey with When Splurging was the CORRECT Thing to Do. Just because we write about personal finance doesn’t mean we’re misers!
- Yes I am Cheap with June 1 Debt Check In. Sandy shares her status with us as she works her way through paying off $86,212 worth of debt. *GULP*
- Canadian Finance Blog with Focus on the Big Things. Stop fretting over the little expenses and focus on the larger ones.
- The Saved Quarter with June Build Your Blog Month. Penny’s timing is amazing. I was just complaining about how my blog has plateaued, but Penny has a solution! Join us as we build our blogs!
- Wealth Pilgrim with How to Pay Off Your Mortgage in 7 Years. Just because you signed on for a 30-year mortgage doesn’t mean you have to drag it out for 30-years. Make a plan to pay it off sooner!
Have a wonderful June weekend!
The Yakezie.com
For my birthday (last week) I wanted my bike tuned-up and to finally open that investment account that I had been researching for months. Well, I got both. My bike is now shifting smoothly and I finally opened up a mutual fund through USAA. It’s a very conservative, low-cost fund that I can manage myself. After months of research, opening up a slow-moving, long-term wealth building fund seemed appropriate. I already dabble in stocks (which are doing quite well) and adding the mutual fund was a good balance. It will earn a higher APR than my savings account even after factoring in the .01% of fees and taxes. I’ll begin adding that amount into my Boost My Savings bar shortly.
Now for some links around the Yakezie Blogosphere for Easter, Sunday:
Saving Money
Investing
Housing
Money News, Tips, and General Stuff
Thanks to everyone who submitted their articles. This was a terrific turnout!
The Yakezie.com
A few weeks ago, I practically missed my carnival date and didn’t have a chance to catch up on all of the Yakezie member’s posts. So, today I’m making up for the ones I missed. For some lazy Sunday afternoon reading, here is a copious supply of reading material:
- Financial Samurai with What the Tax Cut Extension Means to You. Thanks to Sam, I’m able to decipher and digest all this tax lingo smoothly.
- Budgeting in the Fun Stuff with Fit in a Fun Friday – Zip Lining. This activity is something I’d definitely want to do. I’ve heard it’s popular in Central and South America, but didn’t know there were places in the U.S. where I could zip across a forest.
- Consumerism Commentary with When Doing the Right Thing Hurts Your Credit. Flexo makes a good point that if you paid off your cards in full, like a responsible credit card holder should, it may hurt your credit score if the company reports your balance as the amount you spent, not the total amount that they’ve extended to you.
- Frugal Zeitgeist with Holiday Organizing Tricks. Basically, don’t be lazy and get others to help pitch in!
- Free from Broke with PerkStreet Free Online Checking. A comprehensive review of this online bank.
- KNS Financial with NJ City Collects Over $1 Million in 3 Months from Red Light Cameras. Let me just say that the Phoenix area did something similar to this a few years ago and now every time I drive there, I’m constantly “flashed”. I just hate those cameras! Of course, part of the trickery is that the speed limit changes every few feet from 75 to 55 to 60 and I’m never sure what the speed limit is!
- Buy Like Buffett with Why Index Investing Will Not Work for the Next Decade. Predicting a slower period of growth on the horizon, Mark makes a few good points about the drawbacks of Index Funds.
- Early Retirement Extreme with How to get Wealthy on Minimum Wage. The definition of “wealthy” differs from “rich” in this article making it possible for just about everyone if you’re determined.
- Canadian Finance Blog with 4 Reasons Your Resolutions Fail and How to Overcome Them. This is such a timely topic with the New Year right around the corner. Find out why most of us struggle to meet our resolutions.
- Bucksome Boomer with Time to Make FSA Elections. I honestly haven’t taken advantage of my employer’s FSA, but perhaps I should.
- Punch Debt in the Face with Lovin’ 2010. Ninja has made excellent progress this year on his savings and debt goals. I’ll be using this as inspiration for my 2011 financial goals.
- Not Made of Money with Last Minute Gift Ideas – A Few Simple Tips. Good ideas for those of us scrambling to wrap up our shopping!
- My Journey to Millions with Why Did I Create a 529? Why Did I Choose New York’s Program? I don’t have kids yet, but for those that do and want to start saving for their college, this article is informational.
- Invest it Wisely with Importance of Financial Literacy Education. I couldn’t agree more, now I just have to find time to check out this book.
- Sweating the Big Stuff with Should We Use Gift Cards on Everyday Items? My answer is YES.
- Saving Money Today with What To Do When You Hate Your Job. I’d say, well then QUIT. But maybe I’m just over-reacting.
- Len Penzo with his weekly Black Coffee roundup. Always an amusing read.
Whew! I still didn’t get around to mentioning every Yakezie member’s blog, so I’m guessing I’ll have to follow up with a Part 3 sooner or later.
The Yakezie.com
Today, the first entry for the inaugural Yakezie scholarship award has been posted. This week, a new entry will be posted daily and readers will have a chance to vote on each essay. The scholarship is structured so that there will be three winners of varying amounts ($600, $300, $100). Be sure to vote this week!
