Prime Time Money

Prime Time Money: Mid-Week Roundup

I’ve reached the end of the Internet!  Not really…but it feels like it.  I just caught up with my rss reader.  It took me 3 days but I’m finally caught up on my rss reading (about 300 posts behind).  Well, from that list I’ve gathered some gems for you to peruse…

Links from Around the Blogosphere

Running - Frugal or Not - I love running.  I just haven’t been able to do it in a while because of some nagging injuries likely caused by a few extra lbs.  I’m at the begining stages of a couch to 5k program right now though.  I’m anxious to get back in shape.  If you’re thinking about getting into it, I would say go for it but swing by and read this article first.  You’ll get the scoop on inexpensive equipment, materials, and places to run (@ Free From Broke).

10 Money and Life Lessons I Learned from My Father - I learned some very similar lessons from my Father, so I thought this list was worth sharing.  RC’s got a great blog going with lots of quality posts to read (@ Think Your Way to Wealth).

Ask Me Anything - The Answers - In this post glblguy responds to several reader questions.  I just happen to be one of those readers.  Check out my question on his blogging schedule and balancing family-time, full-time work, and part-time blogging.  Very interesting answer (@ Gather Little By Little).

Oil Company “Windfall Profits” - The New Political Catch-Phrase - Who’s to blame?  What should we do?  What’s the long-term answer?  Check out this post on the controversial resolutions to the high oil prices (@ Frugal Dad).  Also from Frugal Dad is a unique post titled, “A Letter from Twenty Years into the Future.”  Both posts are definitely worth your time.

Financial Advice from My Father (When I Was Nineteen) - J.D. shares a letter his Dad wrote for him when he was nineteen called, “J.D.’s Points to Ponder” this past Father’s Day.  It includes 12 points that his Dad wrote down for him while he was a sophomore in college.  Scans of the actual hand-written note are even included (@ Get Rich Slowly).

Free Workout Program - 100 Push Up Challenge - Yes, this is slightly off-topic.  However, several friends from the personal finance blogosphere are taking on this challenge.  I am as well.  I started on Monday night and will tackle Day 2 of the program tonight.  Let me know if you’re going to take the challenge as well (@ The Happy Rock).

Are You Ready for $5 a Gallon Gas? - I’m not.  This post includes a chart highlighting the inflation adjusted price of gas over the last 100 years, as well as charts on the rising stock prices of the big oil companies.  Very interesting (@ One Man’s Blog).

Links from the Readers

Recently, a reader, Christopher, shared a link to Vertex42’s Debt Snowball Calculator saying “I came across this debt calculator. It has some nice variables to see if its best to pay off the highest interest first, or the smallest balance, or some other variable…has helped me and I’m certain it can help your readers.”  The calculator utilizes Excel and is well done.  It’s also FREE!  Thanks, Christopher.

Apparently, Jeff from ING DIRECT Corporate Relations is an occasional reader.  He shared with me that ING DIRECT is now offering, for FREE, Trusteer Online Fraud and ID Theft Protection Software.  According to the website, “Trusteer’s innovative technology picks up where conventional security software fails: (1) Protects against sophisticated attacks like phishing, pharming, session hijacking and more; (2) Takes only seconds to install - no restart, never needs to be configured; (3) Offers stronger security at participating banking, brokerage, and retail websites.”  I haven’t used the product but it looks like a great deal.  It doesn’t appear that you have to be an ING DIRECT member to download the software.

Have a great link?  Send it my way and I’ll consider sharing it in my weekly roundups.

I think I like the idea of the mid-week roundup.  I may move to this more detailed format vs the weekend roundup I normal do.  Any objections?