Yakezie Carnival: San Diego Edition

Welcome to the November 27, 2011 Yakezie Carnival. As I write this edition, it is a warm, sunny day which inspired the name.  We’ll take a look at some San Diego sights along with great reading from Yakezie members and challengers.

The Yakezie is the largest network of personal finance and lifestyle bloggers on the web and I’m excited to share some of the best articles from the group along with a little San Diego trivia.

San Diego bay with it’s natural harbor and deep water was discovered by Juan Cabrillo in 1542 (although it was inhabited by native Americans for more than 10,000 years prior to that).  San Diego may not be the city it is without the economic asset of the bay  hosting both tourism and defense.

Frugality

The Jenny Pincher: How to Shop this Holiday Season Without Blowing Your Budget – There are two things you need to know before you begin your holiday shopping.

My Broken Coin: Why I Don’t Want to Die in Walmart – Find out how a shopping addict can forego an abundance of stuff enhanced by early opening hours and seemingly great discounts.

My Journey to Millions: How Much Is Too Much to Spend on a Hobby – It isn’t that I can’t afford taking a martial arts class (awesome old post of mine with some great comments) it is that if I join I know that will be $200 less going to my savings account, and I am not sure I will receive $200 of utility from that class.

Squirrelers: Saving Money on Watching Movies – There are plenty of options for watching movies at lower prices than going to the theatre. This post covers these choices we now have.

Balboa Park is a 1,200 acre city park that was established in 1835.  Many of the buildings in the park were built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.  The buildings are National Historic Landmarks and the park is a National Landmark District.

Wealth

Money Reasons: Alternative Plans For Financial Independence – Don’t stick with just one plan for financial independence! Who knows, perhaps Plan B will get you there instead!

20’s Finances: My Financial Goals – Find out about my new financial goals that I want to accomplish in 2-3 years.

Passive Income to Retire: Real Estate as Passive Income – Real Estate investments can be one of the most passive investments out there. Find out how!

Darwin’s Money: Income Disparity is Actually Good. Here’s Why – With all the outrage from the Occupy movement, you’d think income disparity is a bad thing. Well, it’s not and here are the reasons why.

Free Money Wisdom: How the Financial Meltdown Has Changed All the Rules–Or Should Have – But here’s the problem… In today’s economy, money is no longer just a medium of exchange – it’s become an asset unto itself. We still use it to trade, but it’s become something much more. Success is now defined as earning, acquiring, preserving and growing as much money as possible. The end game is no longer to produce as much food, fish, minerals, shoes or widgets as possible, but to earn as much money as possible!

Former Banker: Why I’d Rather Earn More Than Spend Less – Frugality can only get you so far. You need to kick it up a notch if you want to build wealth.

Money Cactus: Wealth Creation Online: Interview with Barbara Friedberg – Barbara Friedberg is probably one of the most qualified personal finance bloggers that I know. With a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters in Finance, Barbara is absolutely someone that I pay attention to when it comes to people dishing up financial advice.

Known as “The Del” by locals, this hotel was built in 1888 and is also a National Historic Landmark.  It is one of the oldest all-wood buildings in the state.  You may have seen it in the movie ” Some Like it Hot” starring Marilyn Monroe.  The hotel is beautifully decorated during the holidays and worth a visit just to see them.  The beach in front of the hotel is one of the best in the city.

 Investing

 Your Finances Simplified: What Is Asset Allocation and Why Is It Important? YFS provides details as to why asset allocation is important. He also gives a brief overview of some common investment choices.

Passive Income to Retire: Real Estate as Passive Income – Real Estate investments can be one of the most passive investments out there. Find out how!

Investorz Blog: Dow Jones Historical Data for Month of December – This is, historically, how stocks have performed in the month of December, from 1950 all the way to 2010.

Investor Junkie: Investment in Physical Gold? – Gold seems to be all the rage these days – especially physical gold. Whether you are investing in gold coins, or whether you are investing in gold account, receiving a record of numbered gold bars that belong to you, it’s important to understand the challenges that can come with investing in physical gold.

Frugal Living: Common Mistakes New Investors Should Avoid – When you finally have some savings building up, you might be excited to start finding ways to make your money work for you, instead of being a slave to the almighty dollar. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm can lead to some costly mistakes if you’re not careful from the start.

The original Sea World Park was opened in 1964 and has had a series of owners. I bought season passes to Sea World and the San Diego Zoo when my kids were younger and we would go monthly for a couple of hours.  My favorite exhibit is the penguins. 

Debt

Money Q & A: 7 Ways Not To Go Into Debt This Christmas – Things are rough this year for many families across the country, but that doesn’t mean that you should add to your debt to make up for it this holiday season.

Living in Financial Excellence: How To Kill Credit Card Debt Fast – Today we answer a question from the mailbag about how to eliminate credit card debt more quickly and whether balance transfers are effective for helping you get out of debt.

The Millionaire Nurse: Savings: Are You A Failure? – Individuals living in the poorest corners of the earth are some of the best savers. How many of you are saving 50% of your income or putting 50% against your debt? We don’t realize we are in overspending Hell until it’s too late.

The military is a big part of the San Diego economy.  In addition to the many military bases, there are sub and ship building yards and many large defense contractors.  My family first came to San Diego via the Navy in 1960 when my dad served here.  I returned with the Navy as an adult.

Career

101 Centavos: Career Tip #14 – Right Vs. Wrong – I asked this question once of an interview candidate: “When is there a right time to do the wrong thing?” Find out what the ideal answer is and why it doesn’t always apply.

Sweating the Big Stuff: Are Half Day Fridays the Best Perk Ever? – Find out the many benefits of having a half day off every Friday. Do any other perks compare to it?

San Diego is known for having the most perfect weather in the country and with 201 days a year over 70 degrees and minimal rainfall (9-13 inches a year) the weather does seem perfect.  The city has 1.3 million residents while the greater urban area has 2.8 million residents.  

Taxes

Car Tax: How Much Tax Do you Pay on Petrol – Do you think you spend a lot on gas? You should compare people in the UK pay. This blog post looks at the cost of gas in the UK and why it is so expensive.

Working Tax Credits: Changes to Tax Credits – The rules around tax credits are changing in April 2012. This guide looks at how the change might affect you and your finances.

Tax Rebate Fix: How to get a National Insurance Number – If you need to claim benefits you will need to apply for a national insurance number. This articles explains how to apply for your NI number.

The Mission San Diego de Alcala was established in 1769, the first Californian mission. It is still an active church and offers tours for everyone.

Money and More

The College Investor: Credit Card Arbitrage 101 – A look at how to make money with credit cards.

Thousandaire: The Hidden Costs of Buying a House – Every now and then, I look at houses for sale and think about buying one. When comparing figures it looks like a better rate than my current rent, but you have to consider the hidden costs.

Money Spruce: How Much to Spend on Travel – This article discusses how much to spend on travel versus saving money instead.

Money Cone: 5 Must Watch Movies for Money Mavericks – Here are five of my favorite ‘money themed’ movies in no particular order…

“Live Real, Now: A Perfectly Maid Home – About a month ago, we hired a housekeeper. She comes every other week for a few hours and does a phenomenal job cleaning our house. We pay her about $150 per month for the work.

Money Beagle: Are Some Things Non-Negotiable? – I always look for a deal but insurance plans seems to negotiate the deals for you. Is there any wiggle room here?

Invest It Wisely: Becoming a Renaissance Man: Early Retirement Extreme – By following the practical advice in the book, Early Retirement Extreme, you can restructure your life and get out of the rat race at an age you never would have thought possible.

Beating Broke: Taking Financial Ownership – Through financial ownership, I have control over where my money goes. I have control over which debt gets paid off first. I have control of how tightly the purse-strings are held. And, most importantly, I have control of my financial future.

One Cent At A Time: Year end financial checklist – We know about setting up goals for the year. We never talk about a checklist of things that should be check against before the year comes to an end. This post features the top 10 things to do before your tax year changes. This sure to help many of us getting our finances and taxes in order.

Budgeting in the Fun Stuff: Mortgage and Newsletter Update #4 – As I proclaimed, lol, my husband and I are attempting to pay off our mortgage within 6 years or less – specifically, by the end of 2013. My personal goal is to shave another year off of that – so the end of 2012. In order to stay on track, I’ll be posting updates here as we make progress. Here’s what we have accomplished so far:

Money Talks Coaching: What People Are Searching For – Let’s take a look at what the world was looking for when they came across my site.

krantcents: Money or Your Life? – Give me your money or your life? It is not an ‘either or’ question. Do you want to work 40 years saving for your retirement and not enjoy your life?

Cash Flow Mantra: For What Are You Thankful – I am incredibly thankful for being born into a wonderful country with plenty of opportunities for those who work hard. I am thankful for my health and my family. I am thankful for the safety and security and ease of travel in the United States.

“Money Is the Root: Invest in Your Job: Learn How to Recover from Losing Your Cool at Work – Have you ever just lost it at work – gone ballistic – lost your cool – lost your temper? Generally this is not a good thing to do, but it happens to the best of us. If it happens to you, how will you recover and move on?

Thriftability: Goal Setting and Time Management: Raising the Bar – Thriftability is my main blog, and I am building it as a business. I have been hoping to see great things happen as far as Page Rank, Alexa Rank, and the ability to make money blogging. Until recently, I have been giving the site about 1/4 of my attention. That’s all about to change.

Sustainable Personal Finance: Can We Stop Subsidizing Millionaires? – In today’s age of government deficits, uncertain economic times, unfunded future liabilities and the like, the last thing governments should be doing is contributing millions of dollars to subsidize millionaire sports owners. It’s a poor use of taxpayer dollars.

Frugal Living: Common Mistakes New Investors Should Avoid – When you finally have some savings building up, you might be excited to start finding ways to make your money work for you, instead of being a slave to the almighty dollar. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm can lead to some costly mistakes if you’re not careful from the start.

Control Your Cash: The Poor Aren’t Getting Poorer. They’re Getting Stupider – Pew Research says the poor are getting poorer at the expense of the old. We disagree.

My University Money: Managing Your Impulsive Buying Habits – Impulsiveness can be fun at times, but it has a way of surprising you at the end month when that credit card statement comes in the mail.

Don’t Quit Your Day Job: Is College Worth It? – I compiled 2010 CPS data to present an argument for why the college degree – although recently maligned – is still a good choice for people interested in many majors. Although the death of the value of college is in the news, I feel that for many subjects the benefits of college are unarguable.

Former Banker: Why I’d Rather Earn More Than Spend Less – Frugality can only get you so far. You need to kick it up a notch if you want to build wealth.

“Family Money Values: What Is Your Legacy? – Life is fleeting, death is certain. What do you want your role in the fabric of time and humanity to be? If you think about what you want to leave behind, you may discover that you want to do things differently, or do different things!

Free From Broke : Occupy Movement Protests: A Revolution or a Waste of Time? – What are these Occupy Protests, what are they protesting, and what have they accomplished so far? People seem pretty divided over the Occupy movement, either supporting or hating it.

Watson Inc: Are You Your Portfolio’s Biggest Enemy? – This is the world of many investors today. Despite the increasingly lauded financial literacy programs, investors are struggling with two primary problems: their own nature and a well-polished Wall Street machine that loves ignorant investors.

Personal Finance Whiz: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Renting a Home vs Buying – Should you rent or should you buy? On the surface it seems that the right decision should always be to buy. I mean, when you’re renting a house – you’re just throwing money away. Right? If that’s what you’ve always thought then you may be surprised to find that there are cases in which renting is a better choice by far.

DollarVersity: 5 Places that Need to Be Occupied, Wall Street Style – Occupy Wall St. has brought attention to political and financial issues. Can it’s message be used more to help with other issues and areas in the country?

Thanks for making it to the end of this edition of the Yakezie Carnival.  I’ve enjoyed sharing a little bit about my home town with you.  Be sure to visit next week’s carnival at 20’s Finance!

 

Mission Photo by: Dmadeo , Balboa Park Photo by: Donabel and Ewan, Hotel Del Coronado Photo by: hoteldelcoronado, Sea World photo by: channone,  USS Midway photo by: Port of San Diego,  San Diego photo by:  SD Dirk, San Diego Bay photo by notmargaret

Tagged as: Yakezie Carnival