Friday Finance Findings for March 11th

Are you ready to spring forward? We’re just a few days away from my favorite time of year. Daylight saving time! Living on the very western border of the eastern time zone we’re lucky in the summer because it often doesn’t get completely dark until 10 pm. I’m a night owl as it is, so there’s nothing better than being able to enjoy the warm summer evenings outside without being completely in the dark. That being said, I’m not sure how the kids are going to adjust. This will be the first summer with two little ones and while we have them on a pretty good schedule now, the extra light may create some problems. I have my fingers crossed that it goes smoothly.

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?