Welcome, my friends, to a special Holiday edition of the Carnival of Money Pros! You are in for a real treat with the great financial insights offered by the submissions below. Enjoy!

Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents writes $975 in Weekly Extra Income and Life Updates - My spending this week was similar to my Life Update from last week. I don’t think I spent any money (at least none that I can think of) except for my OTHER dog this time. He is sick now, and it’s even worse. Since he is a French Bulldog runt, his nose is extremely closed (they have recommended laser nose surgery to open it up) and whenever he coughed he would go into a fit where he couldn’t breath for a little bit.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Use Credit Card Rewards to Pay for Christmas! - The holidays can be a very expensive time of year depending on your gift giving tendencies and how much you celebrate the holiday festivities. Luckily I’m going to share a unique way to pay for your Christmas this year that is a bit out of the box.

James Petzke @ This Is Common Cents writes Oh Drat, My Computer is "Outdated" - Keeping up with technology used to cost me over a thousand dollars per year.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey writes Smallest Balance or Highest Rate - Which Credit Card Should You Pay Off First? - This post addresses the question of whether or not paying off the credit card with the smallest balance or the credit card with the highest interest rate is the correct way to pay off your debt. Which method you ultimately choose is really more a matter of personal comfort level and that the really important issue is that you set a plan to pay off your credit cards, get started and stick to it.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Personal Capital Review – A One Stop Financial Center - Wouldn’t you love to see all of your investment account in one dashboard? Enter Personal Capital where you can connect all of your accounts. See more in our Personal Capital Review.

Mike @ The Financial Blogger writes Random Thoughts on How To Make More Money - What are viable options for making more money?

Green Panda @ Green Panda Treehouse writes Get through the holidays on a budget - How you can NOT go broke this holiday season.

Kyle James @ Rather-Be-Shopping.com writes Frugal Hack #1: The “Secret” Dish Network Programming Package - Save a bunch of money with this "secret" plan.

Levi Blackman @ Wealthnote.com writes 22 Things You Can Do Today to Become a Better Investor - A list of powerful investing wisdom that can make you a better investor starting now.

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Fourteen days to go till payday - 14 days until payday is a long time, but at least I'm half way there! Read my take on this payment arrangement!

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Some Marry The Wrong Person Knowingly - Marriage is one of those subjects that requires certainty, and not a lot of potential. Despite this, some marry the wrong person knowingly.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Financial Year End Strategy - Have you started your financial year end strategy yet? I have and I explain why this is the perfect time to do so!

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes Should You Buy Low and Sell High or Buy Low and Hold? - A reader asked: "When you buy dividend paying stocks do you usually hang on for ever or are you buying and selling stocks every few years.

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes How Living in a Small Town Affects Our Finances - I knew moving from a large city (population of 165,000) to a small town (population of 5,500) would have some sort of effect on our finances...I just wasn't....

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Help Your Children Buy a House Without Getting Into Trouble With the Taxman - Thinking about lending money to family to buy a house? How you structure the loan has a lot of tax consequences. Get the answers you need here.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Four Financial Changes For When You Have a Baby - If you're a regular reader, you're probably well aware that there is a baby about to enter my life.

Jason @ Work Save Live writes 6 Ways to Involve Your Children in Giving This Holiday Season - Children are born with giving hearts, and if they are taught at a young age that giving should be a part of their lives, they do so naturally and compassionately. Here are 6 ideas to get your children involved in giving this holiday season.

Ryan @ Early Retirement Investments writes Protect Your Business and Employees from Fire - How to protect your business and employees from fire. Read what I thinking!

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Optimizing Your Return on Savings (and Keeping it Simple) - Everyone wants to earn more money with the money that they already have. As a basic rule, investors want high returns in order to grow their wealth faster and easier. If earning more money were as easy as merely desiring it, everyone in the world would be a rich person. Instead, it is often quite difficult. It's hard to predict when a company may go under.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Buying Life Insurance For Your Kids - Buying life insurance for your kids is an important and very mature choice to make. While it's another expenses, you can rest easy that your family will be fine.

Jessica @ Mo' Money Mo' Houses writes Every Career Path is Different, and That's Okay - It's easy to look at your peers and question why they are a manager but you are still an assistant. Listen, every career path is different, and that's okay.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes How to Improve Your Finances - As the Holiday season approaches, many families are left wondering where all of their money went.

Derek Knight @ Freeat33 writes What Is Your Legacy Saying About You? - Are you doing one thing and saying something completely different? It's time to get honest with yourself. Have you wasted the last few years?

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes December 2012 Dividend Champion Watchlist Update - Every few months I like to update the watch list for my Dividend Investment Portfolio (last update was in October of 2012). As explained in great detail below, I apply various metrics to the Dividend Champion List (defined below) to weed through the list to create a watchlist that I’ll buy lots of over the next few months.

Roger Wohlner @ The Chicago Financial Planner writes Lousy 401(k) Plan? – Strategies to Make the Best of It - Like many financial advisors I generally suggest to most clients that they maximize their contributions to their company's retirement plan. But what if your organization's plan is lousy? Lousy could mean poor investment choices, high expenses, or low or no company contributions. Here are a few tips to help you make the best of a lackluster 401(k) plan.

Lazy Man @ Lazy Man and Money writes Hotel's "Broken Computer" Credit Card Scam - Someone tried to steal our credit card information a couple of hours ago. It was a pretty ingenious scam too. I'm hoping that you'll read this and share this story so that people won't fall for it like we almost did.

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes How to Avoid Paying 3 Common Fees - No one likes to pay extra money. However, there are a number of fees that you end up paying as you go through life. Indeed, it seems as though there are always new fees cropping up everywhere you turn, whether it’s an increase in ATM fees, or whether you discover that you can no longer check even one bag for free when you fly.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Does Money Grow on Trees? - You hear it all of the time: money doesn’t grow on trees! Growing up, I heard my Mom use that phrase or a similar one to me multiple times.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes What are the Best Oil Mutual Funds? - Why buy oil stocks when you can but a plethora of oil companies? Read my take on the best oil mutual funds.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes How to Improve Your Budget - Everyone who has been budgeting for a while knows that the perfect technique with budgeting isn't developed over night. It's more of a process than people often like to admit. Sure, budgeting may sound simple when we talk about it, but it's much more complex. It's not merely a step 1, step 2, and step 3.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Legitimate Ways To Make Money At Home - Many people are always looking for legitimate ways to make money at home. As a result, there are a lot of scams out there that prey on people. Here are some great ways to legitimate ways to make money at home.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes I've Forgotten How To Buy Christmas Gifts For My Husband - After years of no-gift Christmases and going Christmas shopping for myself, I've forgotten how to buy gifts for my husband without him finding out.

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Things to Do After Getting Married - In the past year, I’ve attended four different weddings. It was a busy and exciting year, yet as I reflect back on those union celebrations, I can’t help but think back to what my wife and I have done after saying, “I do.&

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Saying Goodbye to Your First Credit Card (the balance, anyways) - Maybe it's time for you to consider thinking about saying goodbye to your first credit card. Find out how it might affect you.

Sustainable Personal Finance writes How to Shop for Eco-friendly Appliances - New eco-friendly appliances, especially the big ones such as refrigerators and washing machines, are a serious commitment for homeowners.

Mandy @ Money Master Mom writes Are your finances an amazing race? - Everyone has good intentions when it comes to their cash, but man fail to plan adequately and a detour, speed bump, or road block send things out of control.

Steve @ 2012 Taxes writes Accounting For Your Business - Running a small business can be one of the most time consuming and stressful experiences in life.

Steve @ FastSwings writes How to Track Down Debtors Around the World - It is becoming less and less common for businesses to know their customers personally, especially if those customers live on a different continent.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes AUTO INSURANCE 101 - Learn auto insurance basics; dedictibles, premiums, coverages and what it all means. Tips for cheap autoo insurance.

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes TFSA Explained - Find everything you need to know about the Tax Free Savings Account or TFSA

Rod @ ROD Blog writes Review of Chase Ink Plus Business Card - Chase Ink Plus business card is offering a $500 sign up bonus. Is it worth signing up for this card? What are the benefits, problems and the reward structure?

Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Largest Mutual Fund Companies By Assets - In previous years, mutual funds have seen huge outflows in net assets. In 2012, due to more stability in the stock market and solid returns, mutual funds have began to see growth in their assets under management. Investors can learn about the advantages of mutual fund companies and find the largest ones by assets managed.

Invest It Wisely writes How to Host a Christmas Party on a Budget - We usually host the annual family reunion in our home so we learned how keep control on spending while still enjoying it.

Christina @ MyLifeInsurance101 writes Overview of Life Insurance Coverage - It's the year-end and Americans are likely thinking about their families and how to protect them financially. This article focuses on the 3 most common types of life insurance - term, whole, and universal, and contrasts the pros and cons of the policies so consumers know what is available to them.

My Money Design writes Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Early or Look for a Better Return? - Should I pay off my mortgage early or look for other opportunities with a better rate of return? What about inflation or other investment goals?

Creating a Passive Income writes Passive Income: Let Someone Else Pay Your Mortgage - Learn how you can have someone else pay your mortgage for you! You can generate passive income through real estate.

Carmen @ MyBestCarInsurance101 writes What To Do After A Car Accident - With the holidays fast approaching, hopefully yours will be safe and accident free. For those of you that may experience a car accident now or in the future, here is a "what to do" to keep you financially protected and responsible.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Planning To Donate To Charity? Do It Before The IRS Deadline - Thinking of donating a little more to charity this year and hoping to get the tax deduction you're owed? Make sure you're aware of these IRS deadlines.

Harry Campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes How Much Money Would it Take to Leave a Great Life? - When I graduated college four years ago, I faced a tough job market with very few prospects. I had a couple interviews but I was only offered one position as a navigation/systems engineer in Palmdale, CA. Even though it was my only offer at the time, it was still a tough decision. I debated about taking the job because I had lived in SoCal all my life(never more than 10 minutes from the beach) and I can assure you that Palmdale was/is no Southern Cali! I really wanted to turn down the offer b

Matt @ Dividend Monk writes How to Invest with a Margin of Safety - An overview of conservative investing for solid returns by using a margin of safety.

Matt @ Stoic Insights writes Invest in your health with Quality Food - An extremely detailed article outlining the benefits and arguments of investing more in food now to save money later.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Can We Just Skip Gift Cards This Christmas? - I haven't done any of my holiday shopping at this point, but I'm going to declare a new theory of relative proportion at Your Smart Money Moves today.

Tax Deduction Blog writes How to Make Penalty-free Early Withdrawals from your IRA and 401(k) - Here are some ways in which you can get money (early withdrawal) from your 401(k) or your IRA before maturity and not incur any penalty.

Simple Finance Blog writes Variable Annuities and 401(k) Plan Combo: More Losses than Gains - Over the years, variable annuities have gained popularity. The reason, perhaps, is partly because it is marketed more aggressively by many financial institutions these days.

Aloysa @ My Broken Coin writes Love Skiing But Hate Spending? Go Nordic. - Utah. Dry summers. Cold winters. Snowy mountains. Expensive ski resorts. Utahns love their snow so much that they claim to have "The Best Snow on Earth." I can argue with this statement. To say something like this means you are way too arrogant to my liking.

My Wealth Desire writes Why the Rich getting richer and the Poor get poorer? Other Poor People Stay Poor - In America or in almost all of the countries, there is a wide gap between the rich and the poor people. The common observation from many economists is that the “the rich getting richer and the poor get poorer. In my previous article I discussed in detail the reasons why the rich getting richer. And now in this article I will elaborate the causes why the poor getting poorer or why poor people stay poor.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Options to Deal with Buyer's Remorse - Have you ever had buyer’s remorse? I like to live my life with no regrets—I am a true believer that every moment, both good and bad, has been integral to

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes What Causes Inflation? - Most of us consider inflation to be a general rise in prices. While this is a valid observation, the rise in prices is actually the effect. Higher prices don’t cause inflation. An increase in the money supply causes inflation.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Which Accounting Method Should You Use for Your Small Business - The end of the year is coming up and my wife has a big accounting decision to make. This year, my wife started a music studio. Since it’s her first year of operation, she has to pick an accounting method to properly report the taxes owed from the business. Perhaps you’ve never given your choices much thought.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Watch your money this festive period - Many people use Christmas as an occasion when they 'let their hair down' and spend without cpntrol or responsibility. Don't forget to watch your money.

Andrea @ Modest Money writes 7 Ways to Lose Money with Last-Minute Gift Shopping - Last minute Christmas shopping is never fun, but on top of that you might be losing money by proscrastinating. Learn how.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes How to Make Money Sharing Your Christmas List - Modern technology has made our time the age of the Penny Hoarder. Only ten years ago, companies paid large chunks of change to one massive advertising agency to get the word out on products and build a brand.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes The Vagaries of Life - Soo my darlings, how do you strive to balance it all? Any particular coping mechanisms to slash through all of the objectives etched into your daily agenda?

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Adventures in Landlording - So Far, So Good - It's been a while since I talked about our rental income. Here is our most recent updates on our adventures in landlording.

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes 4 Frugal Gift Ideas for Acquaintances - Today we will be talking about 4 Frugal Gift Ideas for Acquaintances and service providers. With the holiday upon it can be a challenge upon us to know what can be appropriate to gift to the people to help us all along.

CF @ The Outlier Model writes Recipe Idea: Mulled Apple Cider - It’s not the holidays without a warm cozy drink! One of my favourite drinks to curl up with is a nice, spicy apple cider. Check out our recipe!

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Unconventional Investment Series: Investing in Wine - Unconventional Investment Series: Investing in Wine

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes Last Minute Gift Ideas – A Financial Education - So you’re down to the nitty gritty for Christmas gifts yet again. Last year you promised yourself it would never come to this again. No more last second stressful dashes to the mall to fight crowds of other anxiety-ridden zombies. Yet somehow December just flew by again this year...

Wealth Effect Blogger @ www.YourWealthEffect.com writes Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs and Enticing Yields - When you're hungry, the smell of bacon wrapped hot dogs cooking on the grill is almost irresistible much like the appeal of enticing yields for those hungry for income.

Jason @ Live Real Now writes Dreams - It’s hard to raise a family on a stablehand’s income. My wife's alternative was to own horses. This comes with a different set of problems.

Beating Broke writes Are You Waiting on Your Finances to Change? - Your finances aren’t going to change if you only wait on them to. If you want them to change, you’ve got to make a directed effort to change them.

KrantCents writes What Is a Progress Report and Why Is It Important? - A progress report is a report of work accomplished during a specific time period. Simple enough, but how often do you reflect on your progress? Although I monitor my progress and adjust my efforts often, I very rarely prepare a report. Just recording your progress is not enough to accomplish your goals either.

Investing Money writes Understanding a Roth IRA and its Advantages - A Roth IRA is a nice investment vehicle to use for retirement planning. Find out more about it.

What Your Boss Really Thinks writes Ask Your Boss: When a Boss Doesn't Deal With an Office Bully - "I am in a unique position. I am an onsite vendor working for a client. The job is going pretty well except for one thing: One of the members on our small team is very difficult to work with.

Ray @ Squirrelers writes Find Silver Coins in Circulation - Sometimes we can find a nice surprise in our change: silver coins! This post discusses how we can find coins much more valuable than face value, just by checking the dates

Tie the Money Knot writes Frugal Holiday Traditions for the Family Can be Fun - Holiday traditions can be a lot of fun, and they don't have to cost a lot of money either, as we explore in this post

Digital Personal Finance writes 12 Tips on Using Linkedin to Help Grow Your Career - Our careers are very important for our ability to save and build net worth. Along those lines, we should explore opportunities to develop professionally. One thing that can help is using Linkedin, and this post shares 12 tips on using it to your benefit

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Hospital Stay - Last week I wrote about how my husband was changing companies and that the new company has expensive health insurance.

Gajizmo.com writes Best Home Insurance Coverage, Companies, Quotes and Rates - Finding the best insurance coverage is easy when you are willing to spend any amount finding it. Trying to find the best home insurance coverage and company with the lowest rates, is a different question. Learn how to do it!

Justin @ Young And Thrifty writes 7 Well Paying Jobs that Don’t Require a University Degree - If you are thinking about making a career change, or spooked by the cost of a university education for yourself or your child, there are well-paying jobs that don’t require university degree.

Free Money Finance writes Stacking Multiple Discounts to Rack Up Big Savings - A few weeks ago I noted how I save while shopping at outlet malls. The key: stacking multiple offers on top of each other to get substantial discounts. Well, our family recently had a big success doing this on a much larger scale and thought I'd share the details.

Investor Junkie writes Keep Your Financial Information Secure - While it’s practically impossible to guarantee that your financial information will never be stolen, you can reduce the chances that you will be a victim.

Girl Meets Debt writes Have Yourself a Very Merry and Not So Expensive Christmas - This holiday season, I have been surprisingly really good and resisted many spending temptations. I am going to share with you some tried and true tips I used to save money this year:

Holly @ Club Thrifty writes Confessions of a Cheap-Ass Santa - I admit it. I am a cheap-ass Santa. Yet, I don't let it bother me. In fact, here are a few confessions of ways I've saved money on gifts this Christmas.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes First Steps to Investing in the Stock Market - Just starting to invest in the stock market can be a daunting task for many. But, with a few simple guidelines you can get started on the road to investing for your future.

The Happy Homeowner writes $1400+ of Travel for $520 - Want to travel but not sure the cost will fit in your budget? This post highlights my recent travel deals and shares tips for making a vacation your reality no matter how tight the budget may be!

Dividend Growth Investor writes Dividend Stocks I Purchased Over the Past Two Months - As I mentioned in my dividend retirement plan, I am an investor in the accumulation phase. I typically purchase somewhere between one to three investments each month.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Teaching Kids the Power of Giving This Holiday Season - Consider how often you get gifts from your family and friends that you don’t especially want knowing they spent more money than they can afford. This year, why not give (and receive) a better gift by telling them to donate to a charity in your name, and you’ll do the same for them?

Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes Living Beyond Rich: You Gotta Read This Book! - Living Beyond Rich isn’t just financial advice. It’s a personal story, full of heartfelt emotion and passion. It’s the true story of how one normal, everyday family got rid of $150,000 of consumer debt in a REALLY short period of time. Jen McDonough bares it all in the book, sharing her family’s most intimate financial details for the world to read – so that the world may learn from their mistakes and experiences.

Everything Finance Blog writes Start the New Year Right--Declutter and Make Money Selling Books & Electronics - If you would like to start the new year with some extra cash and an organized, de-cluttered home, why not sell or trade in some of your clutter old valuables.

Cash Flow Mantra writes The Check Is In the Mail - I am actually pleased to be saying, “The check is in the mail.” That’s because I am the one sending the check. And the recipient is the IRS.

Penny Thots writes Why I Am Not Worried about the Fiscal Cliff - Don’t get caught up in the hype that the news is selling you. They are trying to get a reaction out of you so you become emotionally tied to the news story and will watch anytime they mention “fiscal cliff”. We all know that the worst decisions are ones we make based on emotion. So why sell out now, based on how you feel?

Little House in the Valley writes Achieving Goals on a Continuum - What I’m realizing is that my goals are on a continuum. They aren’t simple one-step goals that I can achieve in 12-months. Instead, I have to evaluate the progress I’ve made and go from there making adjustments to eventually meet the entire goal.

Steve @ Grocery Alerts writes Would you pay for a $7 cup of coffee from Starbucks? - Has anyone tried the new Costa Rica Finca Palmilera coffee from Starbucks? I did and it was the most expensive coffee I ever drank at $7 for a Grande.

Andrew @ 101 Centavos writes Delta Airlines and the March of Folly - Corporations are not unknown for making dumb decisions and stupid moves. Some are patently obvious on their face, like the Netflix/Qwikster fiasco, some are revealed as idiotic only in retrospect (such as Decca Records deciding NOT to sign up the Beatles). Still other boneheaded moves just leave some of the outside watchers shaking their head, softly muttering under their breath, “They’ll be soooorry”

Bob @ ChristianPF writes 9 Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas That Might Actually Get Used - Let’s be honest, we have all received some homemade Christmas gifts that never saw the light of day again – sometimes they are well intentioned and so we might not care that our peppermint-scented ruler holder won’t get too much use.

Philip @ PT Money Personal Finance writes Hottest New Toys for Christmas This Year - What toys top the list as the "most wanted" this year? How do they stack up to the most wanted toys in the past 2 years? Here's everything you need to know.

Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes How to Stay Relevant in Your Career - In today's rapidly changing world, you need to make sure to remain relevant in your chosen industry. Get regular training, keep to date with technology, and choose a job that you can be passionate about.

Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes Financial Wrongs from the Past - I share an example of when a technicality cost my family over $40,000.

Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes Protecting Your Kids from Child Identity Theft - We worry enough about our own identities and ID theft but we also need to be aware of how to protect our kids from identity theft as well.

Steve @ 2011 Taxes writes The Proposed 2013 Tax Changes Are Only Weeks Away - The powers that be are still trying to work out how they can forestall the fiscal cliff but everyone should be prepared for the consequences.

Mike @ The Financial Blogger writes Invest $198 and Make Thousands of Dollar A Case Study on How to Make Money With Aweber And Enjoy Your Subscription For Free - Is your newsletter working for you?

Pete @ Intelligent Speculator writes Could Apple And Google Finally Become Smart About Their Rivalry? - What if these giants worked together?

Mike @ Experiglot writes How Much Credit Card Debt Do You Have? - What to do if you're stuck in debt.
 

If you’d like to submit an article to a future Carnival of Money Pros or you’re interested in hosting- click here. Thanks again to everyone who participated this week!