The 168th Carnival of Personal Finance is up at One Caveman’s Journey, who included Funny’s report on a way to use Social Security as an interest-free loan from the government. This carnival contains quite a few interesting posts. Squawkfox offers some useful and very positive advice. The Free from Brokes are taking the plunge: Mrs. Free is quitting her job to stay home and raise the kids. Value for Your Life has some guidelines for dealing with difficult people. Fabulously Broke in the City reveals thatas a self-employed IT professionalshe’s grossing four times my salary. Yipe! She probably lives in a high-rent city, but not even New York or Boston costs four times as much as this place does.

The Festival of Frugality is up at chez Kelly, the proprietor of Almost Frugal. An American expat in France, she gives us a soignée French theme. Funny’s list of 25 strategies to save enough money to stay in her house during retirement appears in this round-up. Frugal Fu starts an interesting discussion about the embarrassment of riches a taste for clothes shopping brings to your closet. You’ve gotta see the terrific photos of tiny gas-savers and…uhm…alternate modes of transportation at The Digerati Life! For do-it-yourselfers, Fiscal Zen provides a convenient list of 10 home improvement sites. And Uncommon Advice presents a smart list of 20 things to leave out of your shopping cart.