Weekend Reading: The New Year Begins

It’s already one week into the new year, people are returning from vacations, and school is starting up again. The holiday season has come to a close, but here at Invest It Wisely, there is still one active giveaway! Read on to find out more…

Winners of the previous giveaways

I’d like to congratulate the winners of the two most recent giveaways, How to Profit in Gold and Importance of Financial Literacy Education – Get Some Here with Ramit Sethi’s Book, I Will Teach You To Be Rich, which was a guest post by Jesse from Personal Finance Firewall.  He very generously contributed two copies toward the giveaway; thanks Jesse!

Here are the winners of the How to Profit in Gold giveaway:

• Jessica07
• Roger, the Amateur Financier

They were entered for commenting on the book review and for showing interest in learning more about gold. I got the idea of hosting a giveaway directly within the review itself from Jesse, and I think it’s a great way of rewarding the visitors as well as encouraging participation.

Here are the winners of the Importance of Financial Literacy Education – Get Some Here with Ramit Sethi’s Book, I Will Teach You To Be Rich giveaway:

• 101 Centavos
• Briana Ford
• Jeff

To the winners: I hope that Ramit’s book proves helpful, inspiring, and ultimately useful in shaping your own financial future. Thanks for participating, and thanks again to Jesse from Personal Finance Firewall!

Ongoing giveaways

I am currently giving away a copy of  “Early Retirement Extreme: A philosophical and practical guide to financial independence“ over at Becoming a Renaissance Man: Early Retirement Extreme. To enter, just leave a comment about your own financial dreams and goals, and your thoughts about early retirement, extreme style!

In the Trenches is generously giving away a free online copy of In The Trenches – Financial Survival During Times of Hardship.

The Amateur Financier is giving away a free personal finance magazine subscription to the winner of his giveaway; all you need to do to enter is help him improve his blog, and you have a chance to win!

Posts of the week

How to Win Big Deals – A guest post by Tim of Every Peso Counts, this post is about the importance of consistency and trust.

Becoming a Renaissance Man: Early Retirement Extreme – This is a book review of “Early Retirement Extreme: A philosophical and practical guide to financial independence“, by Jacob Lund Fisker (Early Retirement Extreme). I enjoyed reading the book, and Jacob has challenged me to take a look at my own habits and expenses.

New Year’s Blogging Resolutions – part of the “Coffee Talk” series by First Gen American, I take a look at two resolutions to apply to Invest It Wisely over the new year.

Weekend Reading

Portfolio Objectives for 2011 (Beating The Index)

Mich lays out his portfolio objectives for 2011.

10 Free Ways to Improve Your Mood (Bucksome Boomer)

Bucksome Boomer shares some easy ways to improve your mood, whenever you are feeling a bit down!

2011: What to Watch (Balance Junkie)

Balance Junkie looks at areas to watch in 2011, including China, high debt levels, currency wars, bonds, and the housing markets.

Can Rich People Get to Heaven? (Personal Finance By The Book)

Joe Plemon takes an interesting look at how an excessive attachment to possessions can lead to personal weakness, and asks us about what it means to be “rich”.

Dumb Things People Do Volume IV: Packaging Items Poorly (Everyday Tips and Thoughts)

Everyday Tips shares another funny story about the things that people do, sometimes. 🙂

Man Tries to Rob a Restaurant With an iPhone (KNS Financial)

I wonder what he was doing with an iPhone if he needed money (or food) so badly that he would try to rob a restaurant!

Stranger in a strange land (Early Retirement Extreme)

Jacob shares some introspection and gives his thoughts on making productive use of one’s 20s and 30s.

The Winners Of The First Yakezie Scholarship (Yakezie)

Yakezie announces the winners of the first Yakezie scholarship!

Truly Inspirational – $600K raised on a street corner (Finance Fox)

Finance Fox shares an inspirational story about a handicapped man who has raised more than $600,000.

What’s Your Magic Number? (My Own Advisor)

My Own Advisor asks if people are saving enough to fund their own retirement.

2010 and the new year

• 10 Lessons from 2010 (Wealth Informatics)
• 2011 Personal New Years Resolutions (Young & Thrifty)
• Financial Samurai Predictions For 2011 (Financial Samurai)
• Goals For 2011 (Sorry They Are A Little Late…) (Everyday Tips and Thoughts)
• New Year’s Resolution: I Quit! (Yes, I Am Cheap)

Economics

• 2011 Economic Forecast (Investor Junkie)
• The Regression Theorem Understood And Applied (Run to Gold)
• Understanding Gold’s Future w/ Jim Rickards – Economics and National Security – Part 5 (The Wise Buck)

Government

• States Overstepping Boundaries – And Taking Your Gift Cards? WTF! (Darwin’s Money)
• U.S. National Debt Clock – How Much Higher Will the Debt Go? (Life and My Finances)

Investing

• 2 reflections on income-trust conversions (Larry MacDonald)
• Index Funds-Mediocre Performance? (DIY Investor)
• Stock Analysis: Fundamental vs Technical (MomVesting)
• THE GOLD BUBBLE? (The Burning Platform)

Miscellaneous

• 17 Ways to Improve Your Sleep (Mark’s Daily Apple)
• American Ingenuity: An Agricultural Revolution (Wealth Artisan)
• Career Tip #1 – Why You Need to Answer Your Voicemail (101 Centavos)
• Civilization 5 (Blessed by the Potato)
• Has Travel Made Me Dumber? (Wandering Earl)
• Is the Customer Always Right? (First Gen American)
• Sustainability Tip #8 – Use Ceiling Fans Year Round (Sustainable Personal Finance)
• The Hidden Upselling in Restaurants (Twenty Something Money)

Motivation

• Chasing the American Dream (krantcents.com)
• Leaving Excuseville (The Biz of Life)
• Setting The Course For The Impossible (Watson Inc)
• Why You Shouldn’t Live Each Day As If It Was Your Last (Get Happy Life)

Personal Finance

• 5 Rules for Achieving Debt-Free Living (Squirrelers)
• Another Reason to Love Renting (Little House in the Valley)
• Credit Score Roulette (Car Negotiation Coach)
• Retiring Later: Preferable or Not? (Do Not Wait)

Thanks to all of my readers and fellow bloggers; I appreciate the support and the feedback!

Video of the week

This is a video about the role of the Fed in the American economy, and the impacts that it has. I found it entertaining, though the video does veer off on a conspiratorial tangent.

Thanks to The Daily Capitalist for sharing.

Have a great weekend, everyone.