The 282nd Carnival of Personal Finance (Seinfeld Edition)

Welcome to the 282nd Carnival of Personal Finance, where today we’ll be discussing one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, Seinfeld. Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer were able to compile 180 episodes over the course of nine seasons and 179 of those episodes are still in syndication today. Which one is missing you ask? Well it’s the Puerto Rican Day Parade episode, as Kramer accidental burns, then stomps out the flames on the Puerto Rican flag. Not a wise thing to do on television.

So without further adieu, let’s get started on this edition of the carnival of personal finance, Seinfeld style.

The Subway – 1991 (Editors Picks)

In season three the cast is plotted on the subway trying to get to different places at different times.  Jerry’s hoping to win a big stuffed animal at Coney Island, George is on his way to an interview, Elaine is the best man at a lesbian wedding and Kramer has hundreds of dollar is parking tickets, and is on his way to court.  Well, Jerry is the only one that actually makes it to where he’s going and before you know it, you’re on your back laughing at what happens to George and Elaine.  This episode was aired close to 20 years ago and I’ve seen it 100 times, but 100 more would be A-OK to me.

• Seating the Big Stuff discusses the art of selling a product that doesn’t exist
• Money Beagle plans their charitable contributions
• Len Penzo compares dollar stores to what Walmart has to offer
• Budgets Are Sexy explains why you have to be creative in this business
• My Wealth Builder shows how a little hard work can have late charges forgiven
• Provident Planning suggests a great alternative to tithing
• Buy Like Buffett lists 101 ways to make money using the Internet

The Cafe – 1991 (Debt)

You wouldn’t expect an actor with the name Brian George to pull off a role like Babu Bhatt but he does an amazing job.  Jerry, concerned with the business of a new Pakistani restaurant, decides to eat there himself and offer a few suggestions on how to improve the slow foot traffic.  This all happens while George is cheating on an IQ test by having Elaine help him out and she scores a less than impressive 85 her first time around.  Fun Fact # 8172: One of the reasons that Kramer is appealing to the ladies is from a jacket his mother’s ex-boyfriend left behind.

• Soldier of Finance discusses an inspiring story of breaking through a massive amount of debt
• The Financial Blogger isn’t sure that good debt exists
• Do No Wait knows you should pay off student debt before saving for your retirement
• First Generation White Collar knows that consumer debt can be a money suck

The Bubble Boy – 1992 (Retirement)

Jerry, George and Elaine plan a getaway in the cabin owned by Susan’s (George’s girlfriend) father but on their way, they have to make one quick stop at the house of a bubble boy.  During a game of trivial pursuit with the bubble boy, George becomes extremely competitive and doesn’t allow an obvious misprint to win the game for the bubble boy.  As you would expect with a character like George, he fights the bubble boy and his bubble accidentally pops.  Setting the stage for future great episodes, this is also the time where Kramer burns down the Ross cabin.

• Minding Your Money talks about changes to your 401(k) plan
• Spruce Up Your Finances determines just how much you need for retirement
• FIRE Finance serves up 15 failings that can prevent an early retirement
• Canadian Finance Blog offers tips to prevent running out of money during retirement

The Understudy – 1994 (Family and Education)

In the last episode of season six, Jerry dates a woman who is the Understudy for Bette Midler in the musical “Rochelle, Rochelle”.  During a company softball game, George absolutely destroys Bette while sliding into home plate, causing Jerry’s girlfriend to take the lead role.  In the meantime, Elaine is trying to figure out what the Korean nail salon is saying and we learn that George’s father, played by Jerry Stiller, had an affair with a Korean woman.  Kramer is able to nurse Bette Midler back to health and season six concludes.  Fun fact # 1827: Bette Midler’s favorite Italian ice flavor is Pineapple.  Huh.

• Money Smart Life takes a look at online degree programs
• Small Steps for Big Change shows how to do 2 years at a junior college the right way
• Prairie Eco-Thrifter thinks you should teach your kids about money early on
• Green Panda Treehouse offers ways that you can maximize your college internships
• Wealth Pilgrim wonders if private career colleges are worth their cost
• Dual Income No Kids gives their top four financial lessons to live by
• Family Balance Sheet shares their wisest money decision
• Richly Reasonable exclaims that her husband allows her to manage the family finances

The Calzone – 1995 (Investing)

Have you ever had a really good Calzone?  Pizza here in Miami is hit or miss but there’s a nice little shop on 116th and 6th ave. where the Calzones are bigger than the pizzas and they taste amazing.  Only after eating one did I understand why George Steinbrenner had to have one for lunch each and every day.  One of the best scenes of all time is found in this episode when Kramer asks the pizza guy to cook his shirt, it burns, then he tries to pay for his calzones with pennies.  Fun fact #1028: Newman doesn’t work in the rain.

• Dividend Growth Investor wants to know if buy and hold dividend investing is dead
• Modern Gal chats about inflation investing for 2011
• The Dividend Buy Blog thinks dividend investing will become the investment trend in 2011
• The Suns Financial Diary reports that Lending Club has lowered borrower interest rates
• Darwins Finance thinks you can make a fortune on rare events
• Bargaineering wants to know who the best IRA Roth broker is
• The Intelligent Speculator compares internet travel companies
• Oblivous Investor states that simple investing is better than investing
• MomVesting breaks down the stock market to offer up a simpler look at investing
• Grow Money provides a list of healthcare facility stocks with high dividend yields
• Passive Family Income introduces us to investing in tax liens
• The Smarter Wallet offers up different ways to invest your money
• Qwoter knows where to buy penny stocks
• Dividends Value provides dividend stocks and ETF’s which will balance your asset allocation

The Soup Nazi – 1995 (Real Estate and Insurance)

What Seinfeld list wouldn’t be complete without a reference to the Soup Nazi?  In somewhat of a rarity, all four main characters participate in the same storyline, whereas they all love the Soup Nazi’s soup.  Unsurprisingly, while Jerry, George and Elaine have trouble ordering the soup, Kramer has become best friends with the Soup Nazi and for the first time, we’re introduced to the street tough gang that steals Elaine’s armoire.  To be fair, the Soup Nazi does look like Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman.  Hooo Wah … Hooo Wah.

• Mighty Bargain Hunter warns of ARM’s at a time when fixed interest rate mortgages are as good as they’ve ever been
• Accumulating Money shows us how home improvement loans work
• Consumer Boomer provides a few ways to check the ratings of your current insurance company
• Good Financial Cents is worried that the mortgage market has spooked corporate bonds

The Seven – 1996 (Credit Cards)

In one of my absolutely, most favorite of episodes, George comes up with the unusual name of “Seven” for their unborn child.  The name is meant as a tribute to Mickey Mantle and Susan hates hit.  Susan isn’t the only one as Jerry also thinks it’s stupid and comes up with names of his own by looking though his cupboard.  He suggests Maxwell House (pretty name for a girl) and every time I hear that, I lose it.  As this is going on, Elaine hurts her neck and Kramer snaps it back into place, asking for a bicycle she just purchased as payment for his services.  She refuses to turn it over and Newman mediates the argument that ultimately gives the bike to Kramer.

• Nerd Wallet informs us of how a charge card can affect a credit score
• Credit Card Forum shows how you can get your free credit score without using a credit card
• Ask Mr. Credit Card just learned that Susan Boyle doesn’t need a credit card
• Cash Money Life reviews the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards credit card from Chase
• The Wallet Blog takes a look at the best rewards credit cards
• Hope to Prosper warns of Walmart credit cards
• Credit Card Offers IQ reviews the American Express membership rewards program
• Financial Highway thinks that there are three things you need to know about credit card solicitations
• Bucksome Boomer explains why you should have a credit card
• Prepaid Cards 123 provides step by step instructions on how to load a NetSpend prepaid card

The Susie – 1996 (Frugality)

I was only 11 years old when this episode was released but I thought the answering machine message George Costanza created was the greatest thing of all time.  Elaine is having trouble with an imaginary employee, Kramer has a gambling problem and Jerry accidentally breaks a guys thumbs when he doesn’t “pay up”.  Oddly enough, it would appear the only way to get rid of imaginary people is to have the commit suicide, then hold a funeral for all of there fake friends to attend.  You see, you also learn a lot from this show.

• One Money Design comes up with ideas on how to update your wardrobe on a budget
• Free From Broke shows us two steps everyone can take to save money
• Quizzle gives four reasons why it’s more fun to be frugal
• Money Obedience displays a few ways to get new toys for free
• Live Real, Now saved $25 on generic drugs in just three minutes
• Frugal thinks she can whip up better finances in five days
• The Military Wallet provides a list of places where veterans can score a free meal on veterans day
• Nicole and Maggie offer up a frugal confession

The Dealership – 1997 (Saving)

In a perfect world, when you drove your car and the gas tank was on “E”, you wouldn’t be able to drive any further but for some reason, there’s just no way to tell how much farther you can go when you have an empty tank.  Kramer does his best to find out and in the meantime, Jerry is in the market for a new automobile.  One thing I wish I had more of over 180 episodes was Patrick Wharburton and his character “Putty”.  He was only developed toward the end of the series and in this episode, I get all the Putty I want.

• Roshawn Watson wonders if you save instead of paying off debt
• Net Worth Journey educates us in how to create a budget
• Money Under 30 takes a look at the best places for short term savings
• Studenomics wants to know what the best online bank for 20 somethings is
• Dough Roller shows how you can save money everyday by using Ebates.com
• Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance shows where you can still get a high yield interest rate on your cash

The Frogger – 1998 (The Rest)

Atari made a couple of instant classics, one of which was the game “Frogger”.  The idea of the game was simple enough, move your frog across the screen from one side to the other without dying.  Well, George was apparently the best player this game has ever seen and the arcade style machine inside of Mario’s pizzeria proved it.  The only problem is that the pizzeria was shutting down and George goes on a quest to keep his legacy alive.  Also during this episode, a serial killer who chops peoples heads off is on the loose and Kramer appropriately thinks up a nickname for him.  “The Denogganizer”  Hilarious!

• Thousandaire just found $1,000 from a bank error and wants everyone to know about it
• MSN Smart Spending wants to know what’s the worst PF advice you’ve ever received
• The Digerati Life takes you through costly auto repair estimates
• Gen Y Wealth thinks they know 19 things as they turn 26
• Money Help for Christians lists the best ways to make money online
• Free Money Finance has a guaranteed way to become wealthy
• The Promo Code Center has a way to lower shipping costs
• Chicago Financial Planner discusses the election results and how you should plan your finances accordingly
• Christian Finances shows everyone how to properly spend a bonus
• Fabulously Broke in the City wonders if your weight is affecting your salary

Well that about does it for this edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance.  Make sure you check in next week, where Simply Forties will be hosting.  Peace out everybody!