But summer isn’t a time to slack off on your finances. The markets keep moving, your debt still needs to be paid, and money has to be made so you need to stay sharp. One way to do that is to keep up with the latest financial news and tips from around the web, so here is a collection of good reads from the past week.

These are the reasons why I spend – Finance sites talk a lot about how to cut spending, but what is the point of money if you’re afraid to spend it? Here, Steve goes over some of the reasons why he spends.

Buying a New Hybrid to Save on Gas: Smart Move or Financial Folly – With gas prices about a dollar higher than last year people are again looking at hybrids to save money. But is the savings really there?

Are You Still Bullish on Investing in the Long Term? – Markets are choppy and we’re still in the midst of an economic downturn, so are you still bullish about investing for the long run? I am, but not everyone shares this view.

Major Stock Market Indices – We hear about stock market indicies all the time, but may not fully understand what they mean. This provides a good primer on the major indicies.

Investing on a Budget – If money is tight it can seem impossible to invest at the same time. Well, there are still ways to tuck some money away for retirement or a college education even on a budget.

Should You Liquidate Savings to Pay off Debt? – Debt is bad and savings is good, but is it worth liquidating your savings just to pay off your debt?

Are You Living Below Your Means? Benefits of the Minimalist Lifestyle – Living below your means is vital to maintaining financial stability for more reasons than one.

The Fall Of Blockbuster: A Lesson On Keeping Your Business Model Current – Blockbuster = epic fail. Take a page out of their book and learn how to keep your business above water in the ever-changing business environment.

5 Part-Time Jobs with Health Insurance & Benefits – Jobs are hard to come by these days, and part-time jobs with benefits are even harder. But there are some out there. Here are a few to look for if you’re in the job market.

A few more good reads:

• Investing VS Speculating: The Difference Between Building Wealth and Gambling
• Networking To Advance Your Career
• Building Our Baby Fund
• One Day Your Roth IRA Will Fund Itself
• Dave Ramsey Comments On My Post About His New House, His Debt Philosophy And Giving
• How To Go Without Cell Phones
• Why Are Financial Tools So Important?
• Social Security While Working: The Earnings Test
• Better investment fee and performance disclosure might help
• How to make money with your blog.

First, start getting organized. I know, you won’t be getting any tax forms until next year, but I’m sure you have other items that you need to come up with at tax time like receipts and maybe some statements. Do yourself a favor and put together some folders and start organizing those things now. Trust me, you will thank yourself come spring. And second, start looking at ways you can reduce your tax bill now instead of waiting until December. If you’ve got clothes or other items to donate, go do it. If you contribute to an IRA or retirement plan at work, consider bumping up your regular contributions. Think about it: just an extra $40 per paycheck every two weeks is an additional $500 or so in your retirement account, which is a good thing in and of itself. But that’s also probably another $100 you’ll shave off your tax bill and you won’t even notice that money is missing.

So, no slouching on your finances this summer. Here are some links to keep you on-track.

HDHomeRun Prime: End Cable Box Rental Fees! – Just like with most technology that requires a recurring fee, cable boxes add up over time. Especially if you’re paying extra for a DVR. So here’s how you can possibly break free from the fees.

A Primer on Forex Trading – You may have heard of forex trading before, but what is it exactly? Well, it’s a way to trade currency, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Here’s a good introduction.

401k Investment Alternatives – Don’t have a 401k? Don’t worry. There are still ways you can invest for retirement and Ben has some of the best alternatives listed here.

How to Barter for What You Need – Everything has a price, but sometimes you can barter your way to savings without paying a dime. Here’s how.

How To Get Started With Dividend Reinvestment Plans – These plans are an easy way to invest with small amounts of money and keep it growing by reinvesting the dividends over time. Here’s how to get started.

Two Movie Tickets for $9 at Livingsocial – Here is a deal for you movie buffs. Two tickets for under ten bucks. You can’t beat that. Around here it’s hard to get into an evening movie for under ten bucks for just one ticket.

Additional reading:

• The Risk of Variable Annuities
• Vanguard is coming to Canada
• Getting Diapers at a Discount ‒ Possible?
• Save for Retirement or Save for College
• Is A Zero Based Budget Right For You?
• What Is a Probate Lawyer and When Would You Use One?
• Why I Love Shopping At Costco
• A Secured Credit Card that Doesn’t Rip you Off?

Why Routine Living Can Leak Your Money – I hate to say it, but my life is pretty routine. Even for someone who is self-employed and works from home, my schedule doesn’t vary much day to day. Apparently this routine can actually cost me a little money.

8 New Financial Words Added to the Dictionary Since the Recession – The recession has been on the top of our minds for a few years now, and some of the things that caused it and have occurred over this time have been extraordinary. Because of this we’ve actually added some new words to the dictionary.

Debt Free and Happy, but Where to Go from Here? – Jason shares his feelings after becoming debt free. You’d think it would be a time of celebration and new opportunity, but as you’ll read, things don’t always change like you think they will.

Use Oil Stocks As A Hedge Against Rising Gas Prices – I’ve been saying this for a few years. Why bitch and moan about the few extra dollars you pay at the pump when you can throw some money at the very companies raking in profits from high gas prices and profit too? It still won’t make four dollar gas sound any better, but you’ll offset that and probably then some.

How to Sell Your House Without a Realtor – A timely article here. At our rental house our tenant has expressed interest in buying the home, so we thought about the big savings that could be realized by not using a realtor. Of course, there are some things to watch out for.

Where The Big Savers Live: Top 20 Most Frugal American Cities – Are you a frugal person? Then maybe you live in one of these cities and share your frugality with your neighbors. Can’t say I’m on that list because I live in a village with a population of less than 1,500 people.

My Risky Private Stock Investment Pays Off… Sort of – Lazy Man talk about his somewhat risky private stock investment. Did it pay off as expected?

Broadband Bandwidth Usage Caps – In a digital age where people are using the internet to do everything from conduct video chats to streaming TV, it’s shocking that many high-speed providers actually have bandwidth caps. And sadly, it isn’t anything new. Read all about it.

If anything, it sure is nice that spring is finally here in the midwest. Well, as close to spring gets around these parts anyway. We did just have a few inches of snow earlier in the week. Kind of absurd, I know. But just being able to get outside with the kids lately is such a relief. My daughter sure loves it out there:

What To Do When You’ve Got Too Much Debt – While a little debt and certain kinds of debt aren’t all that bad, what do you do when things just get out of control and you find yourself with too much debt? Here are some tips to get you started.

15 Things Our Grandparents Lived Without (and We Probably Could, Too) – What on Earth would we do without our iPods? Unthinkable, right? Well, as much as we love the things we have there are plenty of things we can do without. Our grandparents turned out fine without them.

Wealth Distribution and the Top 1% – We hear a lot in the media about the “top 1%” of earners and wealth, but what does that really mean? My Dollar Plan breaks it down.

Bad Credit Score Immunity – We know that there are a number of factors that affect your credit score, but there are a number of important factors about you that don’t affect it, and usually can’t by law. Here’s what you need to know.

5 Things You Should Have On Hand To Weather A Disaster – Nobody wants to go through a disaster, but it’s a fact of life that these things can and do occur. Usually at the worst possible time too. So here are five things you should have on hand to help you through a disaster.

Chinese Water Torture – What does Chinese water torture have to do with personal finance? Well, Steve enlightens us. After reading this you’ll be better aware of the long-term consequences of your actions.

How to Run a Barter Exchange for Earth Day – Want to save money and save the environment? Try setting up a barter exchange for Earth Day, which happens to be today, but you can do this any time as well.

Debt Free for Life – I’m a big David Bach fan and his book Automatic Millionaire made a big impression on me. Well he has a new book out on how to be debt free for life and Lazy Man takes a peek inside.

7 Reasons to Mange Your Finances Online – We use the internet for everything these days, but some people are still uneasy about tackling finances online. Well, there’s little to fear if you do it properly and it can save you money.

In other news, you may remember that a few months ago I mentioned that I submitted some of my home brewed beer into a brewing competition. Well, the results are in. The beer came in 1st place in the regional round and moved on to the final round a few weeks later where it also grabbed 1st! I was quite shocked. I knew the beer tasted good, but never had any qualified judges taste any of my beers before so that was very encouraging. So now I have an award-winning chili recipe and an award-winning beer recipe. If you’re interested in getting started with brewing your own beer don’t forget to check out the short series I put together a while back.

Now, on with the links.

12 steps to a cleaner and more productive workspace – I had to read this article. Twice. If there’s one thing I’m not very good at it’s keeping my desk and workspace clean. It’s amazing how I can clean it so there’s nothing on my desk at all and by the end of the week I have a pile of books two feet high and papers scattered everywhere. I hope this helps.

NFL Players, Lockout Loans, and Predatory Lending – What does the NFL lockout have to do with predatory lending? Well, Lazy Man can explain it a lot better than I can so check it out.

15 Things Our Grandparents Lived Without (and We Probably Could, Too) – We like to feel as if there are things we can’t live without. No cell phone? No iPod? No internet? No way, I’d shrivel up and die! Well, chances are we could live without a lot of things even if we don’t want to imagine life without them.

Types of Stock Charts – If you’ve ever looked at stock quotes you’ve probably spotted a stock chart. But here’s the interesting thing–not all stock charts are the same. Some provide hidden details that go beyond the actual closing price.

Struggling to Pay Your Taxes? IRS to Revamp Tax Lien Rules – If you’re afraid of the looming tax deadline because you are struggling to pay this year’s taxes or even back taxes, there is some good news on the horizon.

Disability Insurance 101 – Disability insurance gets the least amount of attention in the insurance world yet it’s actually one of the most important types of coverage you can have if you rely on your source of income. Here’s what you need to know.

Are Mail-In Rebates Worth The Hassle? – How do you feel about mail-in rebates? Personally, I don’t like them because it is a hassle, but not turning them in is like throwing money away. So, are they really worth the hassle?

Last Minute Tips for Tax Filers – With just a few days to go, here are a few last minute tax tips.

Are the Cheapest Diesel Cars Worth the Price? – Diesel has slowly been gaining momentum here in the states, and for good reason. A good, clean diesel engine often gets very good gas mileage. But does that really equate to a total savings?

More related links:

• How to Choose the Best Credit Monitoring Service
• When Do I Claim Tax Deductions?
• How To Get Your Taxes Filed On Time And CRA Late Filing Penalties
• Solve Debt Problems Without Getting Ripped Off
• How You Can Stay Sane While Moonlighting
• Individual vs Group Health Insurance

If you’re curious about brewing your own beer be sure to check out the article I wrote for American Express Currency last month on the topic: Brewing to save money?

A First Look At Asset Allocation – You may have heard the term ‘asset allocation’ before, but what does it mean? Should you be worried about the asset allocation in your portfolio? Here’s a good first look.

7 Things To Do With Your Tax Refund – If you have a tax refund coming you may be wondering what the best use for it is. It’s obviously fun to spend it like found money, but there are some options that can actually pay off far more down the road.

Why everyone should want to be wealthy – I want to be wealthy, don’t you? It’s pretty common for people to say they want to have more money, but there’s a good reason for having this trait.

The 15 Most Profitable Movies of All-Time – I’ll have to admit, I don’t really watch movies. Maybe one or two a year and that’s it. Either way, movies are a big deal and if you’ve always wondered, here are the most profitable movies of all time.

Ideas to Trim (or Slash) Vacation Costs – Vacation season is right around the corner so it makes sense to begin planning now. The earlier you plan, the more money you can save, so here are a few good ideas.

Can You Make Money Off of March Madness? – If you are even remotely a sports fan you obviously know we’re in the thick of March Madness. But is there any money to be made or is it all just gambling?

5 Things You Should Have On Hand To Weather A Disaster – Having an emergency fund is a good start, but as you may have seen from Japan, a big emergency fund wouldn’t mean much in the heart of a major disaster. Instead, there are a number of items to keep on hand that could prove far more valuable than money during a disaster.

Where to Find the Cheapest International Call Rates – Do you make a lot of international calls? Then your traditional calling plan may not cut it. There are actually a number of ways you can really save on those international calling rates.

Even more great reads:

• 10 Ways To Make Money Writing Online.
• How Much Interest Are You Paying?
• Interactive Brokers Discount Brokerage Review
• Market Corrections: Do You Buy, Sell or Ignore?
• How Much Control Should The Government Have?
• How to Become An Independent Contractor
• What You Need to Know About the Standard Tax Deduction
• When Should I Take Social Security Benefits?
• Amazon Mom Review ‒ Free Amazon Prime As Well As Discounts
• Should You Rollover Your TSP Account Into an IRA?
• Nuances of Completing Your College Savings Application Correctly

So, if you have a chance to step outside tonight or this weekend, take a look up at the sky and take in the super moon. After all, you won’t see one like it until 2029. I’m not sure if the weather will cooperate on Saturday, so I took advantage of the clear skies earlier this week and snapped a few pictures. I’m not sure if I could tell it was any bigger or brighter, but it did look nice.

If you don’t get a chance to see the moon this weekend, at least check out some of these great personal finance reads from the past week.

Protect Your Information With These Types of Paper Shredders – Keeping your personal and financial data safe is important theses days. Identity theft is an increasing problem and it only takes a few scraps of paper to ruin your life. So, investing in a paper shredder can be a good first line of defense.

Vacation Home Shopping Trip – I wish I was in the market for a vacation home. Instead, we own two homes, but one is little more than a financial boat anchor. But if you’re fortunate enough to be in the market for a vacation home, here are some tips.

Saving and Investing on Autopilot – This is one technique I’ve always been a big fan of. You can have the best intentions in the world, but life always seems to get in the way. When you put things on autopilot there’s little opportunity to make excuses.

Free Turbo Tax Software! – I gave away some free TurboTax software a few weeks ago, but you have another shot with Ben’s giveaway. Go sign up!

Buying Foreclosures in Canada ‒ The Process – While Canada didn’t experience the real estate problems to the extend we did, there are still foreclosures on the market. We usually talk about buying American foreclosures around here, but here’s a primer on buying one in Canada.

Revisiting the Costs of Dog Ownership – Pets can be an expensive investment, and Lazy Man asked himself a number of financial questions a few years ago when thinking about getting a dog. So, here he is with some conclusions.

How to Replace Your Income, One DRIP at a Time – There’s nothing better than earning passive income, and one way to accomplish that is to begin creating a portfolio of investments that can generate income. Here’s one way you can get started with.

10 tips to avoid money worries – Money is one of the leading causes of stress today so it makes sense to keep your money problems under control. Here are ten tips to help you overcome some of the most common money worries.

What Does the Average Wedding Cost? – I’m glad we got married about six years ago and received help from family. Weddings can be outrageously expensive, and I’m dreading the day when my daughter reaches that age and is ready to tie the knot.

More great links:

• Safest, Simplest, Cheapest RESP Account
• Roth 401k vs. traditional 401k
• Couple Money’s Netbook Giveaway
• Choose Your Retirement Date
• FREE Microsoft Money Replacement
• Best Credit Cards for Paying Taxes
• Mortgage Aid Programs To End?
• How to Save for a Vacation
• Renting A Car With Debit Card

Anyway, here are your weekly financial articles to help you spring forward this weekend.

Financial Lessons From Charlie Sheen – I was excited earlier this week to do a Charlie Sheen financial post, but somebody over at The Sun’s Financial Diary beat me to it.

Is it better to be busy or have nothing to do? – This is an interesting question. On the surface you may think that having nothing to do is a good thing, but like Steve says, I’d have to disagree. There’s nothing worse than having absolutely nothing to do.

Does Size Matter: How Small A House Are You Willing To Live In? – It wasn’t but a few years ago and excessive homes were all the rage. McMansions many liked to call them. Today, people have changed their tune. Now small is in, but how small would you be willing to go?

Why We Crave More Stuff – As humans we often can’t be content with what we have. We must have more!

Can You Afford It? – Can you afford it? That is the question we must ask ourselves daily. Unfortunately, most people don’t actually know the answer. They may see money in the checking account and assume they can, but that may not be true.

NFL Players’ Money with the Upcoming Labor Stoppage – How do you feel about the NFL talks going on right now? As a fan, I’m not amused. Like most things, it all comes down to money. Lots of it. Lazy Man weighs in a bit.

10 Ways to Waste Money on Gas – We always hear about how to save money on gas, but the same lessons can be learned if you look at it from the other side as well. By learning how you can waste gas you can hopefully avoid those things and then begin saving gas.

Why a Strong Loonie Doesn’t Make for Better Prices – I’m not talking about the crazies out in the world, but I’m talking about our Canadian friends to the north. While it’s versed in Canadian money, the same rules often apply here in the U.S. as well.

More great reads:

• Vanguard: What Makes Them Unique?
• Cable Alternatives ‒ Legal Alternatives to Cable TV
• Increasing Our Extra Mortgage Payments
• Guide For Life After College
• Life Insurance Beneficiary — Who Should It Be?
• Whoa There Cowboy! You’re STILL Paying Checking Account Fees?
• When Do You Need to Buy Long Term Care Insurance?

I usually like to use these Friday link roundups to complain about the cold weather, but I’ll refrain this week (even though it is still cold and snowy). Instead, last week I spent some time and drove out to Lake Michigan to get some pictures of the frozen scenery. Here are a few photos from the outing:

If those made you cold, you can warm up by reading these great finance links from the past week.

Craigslist Cars: 7 Steps to Get there Before the Vultures! – Craigslist can be a great place to find a car, but you’re fighting against hundreds or even thousands of others searching for the same cars. So, here’s how you can beat the vultures and score your dream car.

10 Things I Want My Kids to Learn About Money Before They’re Adults – If you have kids, then you obviously want to make sure they have money smarts before heading out on their own. Many of us never got a formal financial education when we were young so it makes sense to make sure our kids are better off. Here are a few things Frugal Dad wants to teach his kids.

Easy Home Maintenance Tips – One thing I hate about owning a home is the regular maintenance. It seems like there’s always something to keep you busy on a nice summer weekend. Here are a few tips that can help make sure your home is running smoothly and maybe even prevent a larger repair down the road.

Substitute, Improvise, and Make Do With What You Have – We always want more and more, but sometimes you have to sit back and look at what you already have. If you’re smart, you can make do with with a little improvisation.

Don’t Get Bamboozled Like These Professional Athletes – Isn’t it sad that professional athletes often make millions on top of millions of dollars only to squander it away? It is a common problem in professional sports, and while they are dealing with millions, their lessons can be applied to your life as well. Just at a smaller scale.

Buying a Vacation/Retirement Home (Part 4) – Lazy Man continues his vacation/retirement home series. This is part four of the installment.

Yield Chasing as an Investment Strategy? – We always advise people not to change returns, but what about chasing yield? Could this actually be a viable investment strategy?

EverBank MarketSafe Diversified Commodities CD – Here’s something a little different. A way to diversify across different commodities. Sun has a detailed look at these investment vehicles.

interview with credit card assist – Head on over to Steve’s site to check out an interview he did with the Bell Hazelton of Credit Card Assist.

More great reads:

• The perfect retirement myth
• Asset Allocation is a Sloppy Science
• 9 Tips to Owning A Successful Small Business
• How Much Does Netflix Cost You?
• My Wife Spends Too Much Money
• Ethical Dilemma ‒ Choosing Foreclosure to be a SAHMWhere is My IRS Form 1040 Tax Package (or Where Can I File Free)?

In addition, I want to remind everyone about the TurboTax giveway I’m running right now. I’m going to be giving away four free copies of TurboTax Deluxe starting Monday and running through Thursday. Entering is as simple as leaving a comment, so give it a shot. After entering the contest be sure to come back here and check out this week’s links.

Saving Money When Dining Out – This is actually something I wrote for the relatively new Allstate Good Hands Community. If you still want to go out to eat but don’t want to break the bank, here are a few tips that can help you save.

A Grocery-Shopping Hiatus: How Long Can You Eat from the Pantry? – Now this is an interesting question. How long could you survive from just what’s in your pantry? If you saw my pantry you’d think we could last a year. But there are plenty of benefits to having a well-stocked pantry. Here’s an in-depth look.

Buying a Vacation/Retirement Home (Part 3) – Last week I highlighted the first part of this series, and Lazy Man is following up with another important post regarding buying a vacation or retirement home.

the worthlessness of net worth – You hear a lot about net worth on finance sites, but Steve isn’t too keen on the calculation. Here’s his take on why net worth really isn’t worth all that much.

Top Canadian Stock Screeners – To my Canadian friends, here is a review of some of the best Canadian stock screeners. If you trade stocks, you’ll need to check these out.

Home Security System Savings – Here is something we’ve been thinking about. We’ve often wondered about getting a home security system, but the costs really outweighed the benefits. Well, here are some ways to save.

How To Use Stop Loss Orders To Lock In A Profit – Buying a stock is the easy part. It’s knowing when to sell that’s the hard decision. After all, that’s where you lock in your profit or loss. So, using a stop loss order can take the emotion out of it.

Are Credit Card Rewards Taxable? – We all love credit card rewards, but here’s an interesting question. Are those rewards taxable?

Expensive Or Not? A Study In Market Value Measures – You’ll hear the media and other bloggers talk about whether the stock market is cheap or expensive. What does that mean exactly? Well, here is your answer.

Google Voice Number Porting: How to & Pros & Cons – Have you tried Google Voice yet? There are an increasing number of fans of the service and many are now looking to port their old numbers. Is it worth it?

More great reads:

• Amazon Mom: Save 30% off baby purchases
• Total Bond Market Fund or Treasury Bonds?
• 25 Tax Audit Flags
• Can You Afford to Stay Home?
• How Much Can I Sell My Car For?
• Which is More Valuable: Tax Deduction or Tax Credit?
• Determining Asset Allocation by Age
• RRSP Home Buyers Program