Well, this is #7 of the Yakezie Challenge Carnival!  The membership list just keep growing and growing! 

Wait… You might be wondering what is the Yakezie Challenge?  It all started as an effort by Sam at the Financial Samurai.   This is the original post that started it all: Creating Powerful Friends: Samurai’s Alexa Ranking Challenge. 

Basically the first phase wave of this challenge is improving your Alexa ranking.  Sam has since added addtional challenges, trying to help members improve their financial blog sites.

Since the formation of the group, members had added value to the group by additional sub-projects.  In fact, this Yakezie Challenge Carnival is one of the results from the group brainstorming process!

And now enjoy the great financial posts from the Yakezie members below:

Financial Samurai: Play Games To Save Money And Achieve Your Goals! – Great concept, helping people save money by making clever mental money games!

Eliminate the Muda: Combat The Closing Technique – The Consultative Close – This post had me at ““You can skin a sheep once, or you can shear it for life.”! Actually the entire “Combat The Closing Technique” is a great educational read! In fact, I’d go as far to say this is a must read series!

Planting Dollars: The Quiet Hours – This post hit at home with me because I do my best work during solitary time too!

Free From Broke: Wedding Questions With Anja Winnika Editor At Knot.com – Great interview and answers for those getting married from the Knot.com website editor!

Sweating The Big Stuff:  When You SHOULDN’T Worry About Money - Action speak louder than spreadsheets (ratios really).  Daniel points out that not all people are motived by money ratios, and to find what works for you, the individual.

Credit Card Chaser: Infamous Credit Card Hacker Albert Gonzalez Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison - I blogged about the dark elements in personal finance…  This Albert guy takes it to a whole new level.  Interesting read!

Canadian Finance Blog: 5 Ways to Make Your Credit Card Work For You - Great reasons to use credit cards instead of only cash!

Ultimate Money Blog:  Read Your Labels - What is having money without health?  As Mrs. Money states read your lables!  She goes on to list some of the ingredients to avoid too!

Darwin’s Finance:  PEG Ratio: Why It’s More Relevant than P/E for Stocks - I’m a fan of the P/E ratio comparisons and the Market Cap. level.  Darwin, present a good argument for using the PEG Ratio too.

Early Retirement Extreme:  Five things every early retiree wannabe knows - The title says it all!  Great strategic points to consider!

My Jouney to Millions:  What is Keyman Insurance? Is Your Business Protected From Death? - This is something I’ve never thought of, but make an incredible amount of sense.  Unrelated to the article, but congratulations Evan for getting under 100,000 in the Yakezie club!!!

Deliver Away Debt:  Zero Debt Christmas 2010 -  Now (or even earlier) is the time to start preparing!  I know in previous years, Christmas, and surrounding birthdays, has always had me start the new year extremely tight!  Using Jeff technique, you can really take the bite out of one of the negative aspects of Christmas.  Nice!

Monevator:  The truth behind the Natwest Black Card’s shocking APR - Amazing way of advertising a credit card!  Check this out, it truly is a shocker!

Fiscal Fizzle:  Can You Make a Living Recycling 10 Cent Bottles & Cans? – Interesting read and great concept (especially as a side job), but it was the Seinfeld reference that made me choose this article by guest poster:  Dough Roller. 

20’s Money:  Americans Get Their Economic Views From Headlines - Excellent point!  Great presentation for doing your own homework instead of reading the headlines!

Money Funk:  Maximize your Retirement Account - Very well thoughtout plan on the options for maximizing your retirement number!  Great details!

Punch Debt in the Face:  Funny Money Habits - I’ve studied the martial arts in the past, but apparently, I’m also a student of financial ninjitsu and I didn’t even know it!  Great post, I’m a little embarrassed to admit I have some of the same funny money habits!

Wealth Pilgrim:  What is the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy? - Pretty obvious what the post is about on this one.  This is a good area to talk about, you don’t see this much out in the pf blogsphere.  Nice writeup!

The Centsible Life:  Desperate Housewives, David Arquette, and an auction - There is great material at this site, but I chose this article because of her incredible experience!

Evolution of Wealth:  Life Insurance’s Recent Overhaul - Great info to know, perhaps we should all look to see if we can get a lower rate on insurance (esp. term).

Well Heeled Blog:  New 2010 Financial Goals - Since getting a new job, Well Heeled rightfully has re-aligned her financial goals!  Kudos to her for getting the new job and the goal tweaking!

CJ Bowker:  How do you set expectations?  Everybody is different, and things come up that aren’t predictable…  What say you on this one?

Couple Money:  Debt Reduction Strategy Guide - Excellent compilation of debt reduction strategies!  Great read!

Rainy-Day Saver:  What Happens to Your Debt When You Die? - Scary topic, but just knowing your state laws is half the battle (or perhaps even more than half).

Not Made Of Money:  5 Budget Friendly Tips For Eating Healthy - Healthy tips, what is life without our health?

Frugal Zeitgeist:  Watch TV On Your Computer- Great tips on how to watch TV on your computer!  I’ll be referring back to this one!!!  Nice compilation!

JoeTaxpayer:  Your Credit Score - Discusses the magic involved in the computation of your credit score number.  Great explanation!!!

Little House in the Valley:  Homes in a Box….When Sears Ruled Mail Order - Great article, nice to see a one with a historical perspective.  I hope Walmart doesn’t read this though!!!

Clarifinancial:  The Power of Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts - Excellent explanation of ILITs!

Engineer Your Finances:  FinEngr Meets T. Boone Pickens! - Wow, how cool would this be!  Congrats FinEngr!

One Money Design:  Basics of Bankruptcy - Great writeup on bankruptcy!  Discusses the types of bankruptcy too!

The Amateur Financier:  Correlation is NOT Causation - Truly great writeup on spurious relationships!  I see so many people come to false conclusions because of what Roger blogs about here!  This is a must read article!

Young And Thrifty:  Questrade and the Online Trading Academy - I’m not sure if this is in the states or not, but is sure sounds interesting!!!

Redeeming Riches:  IRA Withdrawal Rules – When Can You Withdraw Your IRA? - Nice writeup on the withdrawal rules on a traditional IRA!

Stay at Home Mom CFO:  Bought a Lawnmower in the past 16 YEARS? Get up to $75 - Interesting opportunity, I’ve had such opportunities for Stock investements in the past, but I made money on each, so I didn’t try to go this route, but money is money…  I think I would have taken advantage of it today.

Single Guy Money:  The Hiatus Is Over – SingleGuyMoney is Back Now - I’m glad those aliens wised up and sent you back!  Welcome back, sounds like you’ve been pretty busy!

151 Days Off:  Day 28: The Most Anxious Time I Had in a Restaurant - This article is about adjusting to the new cash only spending process that Bytta has implemented.  Kudos to you Bytta for sticking with it!

Downturn Living:  TJ Where The Heck Have You Been? - Welcome back, thanks for the explanation, and here’s wishing the best for you on your new path!

Beating Broke:  UPS To Become Luggage Carrier - This is about Spirit’s airlines decision to charge for luggage.

Personal Finance by the Book:  With Apologies to Dave Ramsey, One Size Doesn’t Always Fit All – I must be the only pf blogger that hasn’t read any of Dave Ramsey’s books…   I think this post sounds like a great topic of a great debate!

Ending The Rat Race:  Pay Down Your Mortgage or Invest In RRSPs? - For us in the states, RRSPs is a canadian retirement account (so think 401(k)s or IRAs for us).  I personally did both…  What are you doing?  If you are undecided read this article!

My Money Minute:  The 200,000 Mile Club - Not bad for an attorney!  I aspire to hold onto my car for as long as Jason!  Very frugal indeed!

Personal Finance Ninja:  For Love or For Money: The Sandra Bullock Trade – Do Your Ambitions Interfere With Your Personal Life? - Being successful sometime comes at a cost.  Some can make it work, but it’s hard.  Read Mike’s article as he works longer and longer hours…

Foreigner’s Finances:  Why a Spreadsheet is Your Money’s Best Friend - Instead of buying special financial software, I also go FF’s route and use my spreadsheet for everything!  Great point on this topic!

Cool to be Frugal:  What Is Your Family’s Money Dynamic? - Mrs. Frugal talks about how Mr. Frugal’s family handles discussions of money matter differently than her family does.  Interesting dynamic, good read!

Saving Money Today:  7 Things Worrying the Middle Class - I’m a sucker for any post that involves the middle class!  Hopefully things right themselves soon!!!

Bucksome Boomer:  4 Career Tips for Success from the Military - Interesting, in just Bucksome’s military history in itself.  Interesting read!

My Financial Objectives:  The Library: A Solution to the Long Commute - Great idea, especially if the library is close and you can’t alter your work schedule!

MoneyCrush:  Can You Invest With Just a Small Amount of Money to Work With? - Great article for someone that only has a little to invest per month or is just starting out with only a small amount to contribute!  Great job taking into account the fees associated with investing small amounts of money!

PersonalFinanceJourney:  7 Actions for Financial Spring Cleaning - Sounds like sound advice to me!  I think I’ll try her suggestions this year!

Zach Younkin:  iPad - Zach weight the pros and cons of buying an iPad!  Good article to check out if you are thinking about buying one yourself!  In a later post, Zach took the leap on bought an IPad!

The Debt Hawk:  Opening a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP) To Lower My Taxes - Great details about using a SEP to lower your taxes!  Also to my surprise, I learned that you can have a 401(k) and a SEP at the same time (as long as you have a side business that creates the income for the SEP).

Christian Common Cents:  Never Loan Money To Friends and Family - True, so entirely true!  Please head his advice in this matter!!!

Simple Life in France:  Have you ever felt poor? - Realizing your wealth position in the greater scheme of life.  Nicely wrote!

Girl with the Red Balloon:  wedding-wednesday-planning-wedding - Sounds like a race against time!  But that you are going a great job of managing it!  Good luck and thank for sharing!

Money Beagle:  Great value on half-and-half - We think that Walmart is the best deal in price all the time, but this isn’t always so!  Find out why at the Money Beagle!

The Millionaire Nurse:  Apple’s I-Pad: Buying One is Stupid! - Another opinion about an iPad, looks like a iPad showdown between Zach and Dr. Dean!

Bible Debt:  Legalize Marijuana – The Answer to Our Budget Problems? - Yeah Baby!  Actually this is a very thoughtful post about the pros and cons of this issues!  I’m impressed, nice job!

Peak Personal Finance:  Your Options Under the Health Care Reform Bill - Interesting info in how the Health Care Reform Bill will affect you!

Narrow Bridge:  Is Your Credit Score Age Appropraite? - Good questions about your credit score age.

PF Firewall:  Your Guide to Income Based Repayment - College loan replayment info.  This is a must read if you are graduating from college with loans!

Family Balance Sheet:  Square Foot Gardening: Making A Transition - Great writeup on how they did it!

Dividend Monk:  Harleysville Group Inc (HGIC) Dividend Stock Analysis - Great research on this particular stock.  But more importantly, the Dividend Monk does great analysis of many quality dividend stocks!!!

Well, that’s all the members that I’m aware of!

The next Yakezie Challenge Carnival #8 will be hosted by: Jason @ www.MyMoneyMinute.com

The previous carnival was hosted by Tom @ Canadian Financial Blog

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