Personal Finance Bloggers, pt. 2

Monday I wrote about several of the personal finance bloggers that I read. I wanted to highlight some of the folks on my blogroll and write about how they inspire me.

This morning I was looking at No More Spending and reading her Bare Bones Budget. I am constantly amazed and in awe of how so many bloggers are so open about their finances and what they spend each month. I grew up in a culture where you did not talk about money. No one talked about how much they paid for a house or a car, how much they made and certainly not how much debt they had. In some ways considering how little my family talked about money it is amazing I have any money skills at all. People like the author of No More Spending push me beyond my boundaries and encourage me to share my financial figures as well.

BeingFrugal.net - I've linked several times to Being Frugal because I really some of the articles she has written. Right now she is having a series of guest bloggers on her site which has been fun because it has introduced me to some new writers. Also, what a great way to "fill in" while she is on vacation - she keeps her blog fresh and interesting, but doesn't have to do all the writing herself. Not that I have any major time planned away from the computer in the foreseeable future, but trust me this is an idea I will be keeping in mind when the time comes! Right now she has a couple of great "My Frugal Story" posts up by Green Panda and Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Master Your Card - Kristy has a great informational blog written from the viewpoint of someone who works in the financial industry. She has really good information about dealing with banks, credit unions, credit cards, loans, etc. Her blog isn't as personal as some of the ones I read, but it is packed with good tips and lessons. I'm always learning something from her. One of my favorite older posts of hers was Banks vs Credit Unions: Which Are Better? Confession here - I didn't do a lot of research when I opened my checking account. When I was 15 I opened my first savings account at a bank. Why? Because it was the only one close enough I could ride my bike to! Sometime after learning to drive a car I got irritated with my bank because of some changes they made and I decided to switch. My mother suggested I move my accounts to her professional credit union so, without too much thought about it I did. I've been with them ever since, mostly because I've had great service and few complaints. Reading Master Your Card's post made me even happier with my decision.

Moolanomy - This is one of the first blogs I found when I first started writing. I wanted to see what other people where doing on their blogs and through following a random string of links I stumbled on his. As I recall, someone had linked to his article 40+ Alternative Income Ideas and Resources. I read this just at the time I was starting my own list for how I was going to get an extra $900 a month. I decided to do several things on here and put several others in the "to-do" pile for the future. I still go back to it to check in on how I am doing and see if anything else catches my eye. I really enjoy his style of writing - he manages to combine personal anecdotes as well as informational topics. I've picked up a number of good tips from him!

Give Me Back My Five Bucks - This is another great blog from a gal who is trying to make ends meet, without going insane - something I certainly understand! Her blog was another among the first personal finance blogs I started reading when I started mine. I have to say I love the title of her blog - its perfect!

One Caveman's Financial Journey - I know I have linked to articles on his blog a time or two. I like this blog a lot. Not only is this another brave soul who dares to be completely open about his financial situation, but there are some great thought provoking articles here. One recently that I liked was How To Pay For College When You Are On Your Own. This is rather near and dear to my own heart, as I am a returning student myself. (First class just started!) Thanks to a nudge from this post I went over and signed up at Fastweb, something I have been meaning to do for awhile. While right now scholarships may be a touch slim, I am definitely going to apply for as many as I can when I start going for my Masters.

Well, that is all I am going to cover for today. Are there any blogs you read that I should check out? If so, let me know!


See also:

Personal Finance Bloggers, pt 1

Photo by Incessant Flux