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The Carnival of Money Stories

Scheherazade spins a story
Scheherazade spins a story

Many of our favorite bloggers are still submitting posts that aren’t stories. Some are tips, some are lists, some are reports, some are how-to’s…but a real narrative with rising action, a climax, and a dénouement (in nonfiction, that would be the lead, a body leading up to a point or resolution, and the wrap) is rare. And richer than all of our tribe. What made the original Carnival of Money Stories unique—and, IMHO, interesting—was the emphasis on story. Without that, what you have is yet another round-up of PF posts, a reiteration of the Festival of Frugality and the Carnival of Personal Finance. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…just that it’s being done elsewhere.

On the other hand, as submissions started to pour in, so few actual stories appeared among them that I began to realize why recent hosts have included volumes of the same stuff every other carnival is doing. If you restricted your choices only to narratives in which something happens, your carnival would be a bit light on content. So I decided to divide this edition into two sections, the first to include full-blown narratives that spin us a tale, and the second to include the best of all the other journalistic genres. In effect, then, every post is an editor’s pick; to gild that lily, though, I’ve marked the ones that delighted me the most with little red hearts…♥♥♥

The frog asked to be admitted to the palace
Frog went a-courtin'...

True Stories

♥♥♥ FMF
Free Money Finance
My Jobs, Promotion, Success, and Failure
This is the latest chapter in the saga of FMF’s two former bosses, Rude and Maniac. The story gets more amazing with every passing day. More is promised!

♥♥♥ Darwin
Darwin’s Finance
Top 10 College Degrees in 2009 with Massive Demand
So you want to be a chemical engineer? Darwin offers another story of life and career—very interesting and very worth reading.

♥♥♥ Jessica
Debt Kid
Why I’ll Never Get Another 30-Year Mortgage
What’s wrong with mortgage debt? Let us count the things…

Jack Schmidt
SectorMatic Money Journal
The High Cost of Deep-Fried Coke
An entertaining ramble kicks off from the discovery of an amazing confection.

Kristen Ellis
Frugality in the Making
Behold the Almighty Raincheck
Kristen discovers a way to extend sale dates and enhance the value of coupons.

J. Money
Budgets Are Sexy
Blogger Showdown #1: J. D. Roth vs. Trent Hamm
Two of our favorite bloggers tell their stories in interview fashion. The first of a series—great idea!

Vikki C, Guest Author
Bible Money Matters
Be Content, Save Money, and Be Happier
A reflection on what really  matters in life

The Investor
Monevator.com
Ten Money Mistakes I Have Made
‘Tis what it says it is.

Silicon Valley Blogger
The Digerati Life
When to Get Personal Property Insurance
SVB learns from experience why renters (homeowners, too!) need extra coverage.

Miss M
M Is for Money
Retire by Fifty
Miss M lays out a plan to achieve a dream: off the gerbil wheel by age 50!

The Smarter Wallet
How to Own a Car for Cheap
Think Smarter’s car is funny-looking? He laughs every time he drives to the bank!

Single Guy Money
Yes, Single People Can Buy Homes, Too
Wow! This one comes under the heading of “no one could make this stuff up!”

MBB
Money Blue Book
Net Worth Update and Buying a Home
Uh oh…MBB is ready to make the big leap into homeownership.

Miss Bankrupt
My Deadbeat Television
Miss B. experiences an epiphany…then wonders if her new insight means she’s overly parsimonious.

Mr. Credit Card
Ask Mr. Credit Card
Poorer Than Thou: Interview with Stephanie
Mr. CC talks with the Poorer Than Thou’s proprietor about  her three-year-long blogging and debt relief journey. At 22, Stephanie may have succeeded Mrs. Micah as the youngest PF blogger!

Mr. Tough Money Love
Tough Money Love
Thoughtful Spending to Save Money
Mr. TML strategizes some electronics purchases and draws some conclusions about the process.

Ali Baba in the Cave of the Thieves
Ali Baba in the Cave of the Forty Thieves

The Best of Everything Else

♥♥♥ Kathryn
Out of Debt: Christian Personal Finances and Debt Help
International Unemployment Rates
Startling! Compares the U.S. unemployment rate with those of a long list of other countries.

♥♥♥ Robert Alan
Sell It! On the Web
Maximize Twitter for Your Small Business
For those of us who already spend too much time on the Web, there are third-party applications to help automate some of Twitter’s crucial functions.

♥♥♥ Patrick @ Military Money
Military Finance Network
Is REDUX Retirement Worth It?
If you’re career military, you should look at this. In addition to a clear-eyed comparison between REDUX and the High-3 Retirement System, Patrick also provides links to several military retirement calculators. If you’re a voting taxpayer who cares what happens to the men and women who choose to defend our country, you’ll want to take time to read this, too…it’s an eye-opener.

♥♥♥ Matt Jabs
Debt-Free Adventure!
The Whole Armor of Personal Finance
An original and clever sustained metaphor. Neat drawing, too!

Little Dough Girl
Well, That’s a Pretty Tasty Deal
Scavenging for coupons—and cash!

Robert D. Flach
The Wandering Tax Pro
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE!
Tax practitioner wishes clients would remain conscious—and conscientious—about their returns.

Michael Bass
Debt Prison
Helpful Hints for Debt Settlement
Contains some extremely interesting facts and advice. This is a very good post.

Jeff Rose
Good Financial Cents
Cash for Clunkers Tax Rules
Best description of this program I’ve seen, and best explanation of its implications

Jason Price, Guest Author
Christian Personal Finance
My Life with Mvelopes Personal
Review of PF software for folks who budget using the envelope system

DR
Dough Roller
Balance Transfer Smackdown: 0% for 6 months vs 3.99% for 12 months

DR asks readers to decide: which is the better deal? But when you read the details, you realize the answer isn’t obvious!

The Fat Lady Sings…

And for the final aria, I can’t resist sharing this bit of silliness with you:

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Funny about Money
When Real Estate Is Funnier Than Real Life

Aladdin in the Magic Garden
Aladdin in the Magic Garden

Next Week!

J. Money hosts the next edition of the Carnival of Money Stories at Budgets Are Sexy. Remember to send your stories to the carnival through this convenient form.

Images:

Scheherazade Went On with Her Story. Virginia Frances Sterret.  Public Domain. Wikipedia Commons.

The Frog Asks to Be Admitted to the Castle. Walter Crane. Public Domain. Wikipedia Commons.

Ali Baba in the Cave of the Forty Thieves. Maxfield Parrish. Public Domain. Wikipedia Commons.

Aladdin in the Magic Garden. Max Liebert, Aladdin und die Wunderlampe. Public Domain. Wikipedia Commons.

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