Canadian Personal Finance Happy Hour – Birthday Edition

Well it was my 35th birthday last week – even though my brother thought I was 34. I am getting older in age but I still feel I am in great shape. Exercise and personal finance go hand in hand because of the discipline required.

It is easy enough to drink and eat bad food and don’t exercise and blame it on old age but I want to be active when I am in my 60s and 70s. One of good friends is in his 70s and he is in better shape than the majority of my friends (around my age). He still goes for hikes and goes biking.

It is a big milestone and I am so pleased I have a beautiful wife and daughter and able to go on 2 months parental leave (Dec and Jan we are leaving Canada for a brief holiday).

Other big news is that we were featured on CTV news on Friday night with our “Top 100 websites to save you money in Canada” eBook.

Here is the roundup:

Vanessa @ Vanessa’s Money writes How much does it cost to look fake? – Ever wonder how much women spend to look “good”? I did the math

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Christmas on a Budget – Planning a great Christmas on a Budget is simply about thinking ahead and following our great advice on squeezing the most out of your dollar.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Tricks and Scams to Avoid When Buying a Diamond or Engagement Ring – So you’re ready to start shopping for a diamond engagement ring? Congratulations! But how can you be sure that you’re dealing with a reputable diamond

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Change is Good – Glad I Switched to an iPhone – After spending an hour in the Telus store, talking, comparing and crunching numbers, I walked out with a new iPhone.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes How to Get Kids Interested in Money and Investing – One of the best ways to get kids interested in money is to start when they are young. Children still want to hear everything you have to say.

John @ Married (with Debt) writes The BEST Emergency Fund Setup Ever – Read here to learn how to setup the BEST emergency fund ever. It’s diversified, tiered and easily accessible.

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes (Inexpensive) Personalized Gifts – We all have that person on our shopping list: the person who has, literally, everything. For me, this impossible-to-buy-for person is my youngest brother-in-law. The guy really does have everything.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes What Would You Do with Extra Money? – If you have ever received a bonus, raise, or a little extra cash, you have likely had to ask yourself what to do with your extra money.

Young @ Young And Thrifty writes Using Groupon, Living Social and Other Sites Like Them To Check Out a New City – One of our most popular articles on this blog is the one Young wrote concerning sites like Groupon and Living Social, as well as lesser-known sites that offer similar discounts. We expand on it.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Could Free Returns Be The Policy Of The Future? – The only time that shopping in a store is cheaper is when you have to return a product. But what is all stores offered free return shipping?

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes My Love-Hate Relationship With The Campus Bookstore – As a book nerd, I’m all about bookstores. I love the atmosphere, the celebration of literature, and the quiet library-esque respect that generally pervades the area. Campus bookstores are pretty cool places if you are into book culture.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Using a Midwife – One Year Later – The Experience – Details of our midwife and home birth experience a year after we welcomed our son into our lives

MR @ Money Reasons writes Financial Benefits of Having a Fuel-Efficient Car – I’m buying a new car, and unlike when I was younger, I’m now going to buy a fuel-efficient car to get the best overall value with my purchase.

Jessica Moorhouse @ Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses writes How to Tell it’s Time to Switch Banks – I’ve been with and switch to several banks in my life time and I have a few tips on how to tell when it’s time to dump your make and start up a new relationship with a new one.

Chris @ The rplan blog writes Greatest investments over the last 15 years – A personal finance blogger digs deep in his investment/start-up interests and finds out which investments made in the last 15 years were the most lucrative. He also comes up with a little extra – the greatest investment in history by Pres. Thomas Jefferson.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes 10 Things That Make You Poorer – CNNMoney recently posted an article about 10 Things That Make You Poorer. The list includes: Smartphones Cars Credit Cards Rent-To-Own Anything Money Market Funds Lottery Tickets Cigarettes TV Collectibles House I think this is an interesting list.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Budgeting for Vacations – Find out how you can scrounge a few extra pennies to go on an exotic trip.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes How Much Cash Do You Carry? – Is there a right answer? Not exact, so let’s discuss how much cash you carry. I’ll reveal how much cash I carry around!

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes How to Save Money on Meat – Meat is one of the most expensive portion of any meals and knowing how to put together a frugal meal will make meal planning easier. Here are 10 great tips to help save money on meat.

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes RESP Explained – Learn about the Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes Is Entrepreneurship Dying? – Once upon a time, men and women across America had aspirations that amounted to great entrepreneurial feats. Millions wanted to develop businesses, and sought nothing more than a company or organization to call their own.

Jason @ Modest Money writes 10 Tips to Get Your Finances In Order Before the New Year – While most families wait until the New Year – presumably after setting goals for the upcoming year – to get their finances in order, there is no reason to waste precious months when you can get tackle them now!