NCN made a boo-boo. I have 2 free checking accounts with Wachovia. I made a deposit into our primary checking account Monday morning. Or, at least I THOUGHT I made a deposit into our primary checking account. In fact, I made a deposit into our SECONDARY checking account. This error lead to a 50 insufficient charges fee. YIKES! So, I called our local branch, and they were super-cool about everything. They reversed the charges and corrected the deposit. I like my Wachovia free checking. Now, if they only offered a decent savings rate!!!

Lessons learned:

Check, and re-check your deposit slips.

If YOU make a mistake, own up to it, take your medicine, and don’t blame someone else.

Do not assume that people are going to say “no”. Sometimes, they say “yes”.

Special note to self: NCN, you might “know” a little bit (or a lot) about handling money, but you can still be an idiot. Do not get smug and over-confident. Dork!

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Your Very, Very Best Money Saving Tips is now up to THIRTY-TWO Entries. Click the link for more money savings tips, and enter to win the Very, Very Best Money Saving Tips Contest!

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Welcome to the 65th Edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance. For more general information about the carnival, please click here.

A big thanks to all of those who submitted. Now, on to the posts!

Budgeting:

Taking Control Over Money: Why You Need A Budget

It’s Just Money: Wedding Money Madness

Matt’s Money Blog: Financial Habits

Getting Finances Done: Irregular Income

We’re In Debt: Sticking To It

Money, Matter, and More Musings: Yodlee

Personal High Finance: Below Your Means

Debt and Credit:

Debt Free 4 Ever: Credit A Friend? No WAY!

Stop Buying Crap: FICO Score

Savings:

Arthaey: Net Worth Calculations

Bryan C. Fleming: Cash Is King

Get Rich Slowly: Emergency Fund

Insurance:

InsureBlog: Health Insurance?

Retirement and Investing:

1st Million At 33: Investing Advice

My Money Path: Are You Leaving Benefits On The Table?

The Dividend Guy: Investing Comfort

The Finance Journey: Retirement Planning

Hill’s Personal Finance: Estate Planning

Be Reasonable: Choices

The Frugal Duchess: Hollywood Lessons

FireFinance: Plan Long-Term

Education:

Young and Broke: Personal Finance Book Reviews

Unleash Your Potential: Motivation

Ask Uncle Bill: MBA?

QueerCents: 10 Questions

Frugal Living:

Blogging Away Debt: Free Stuff On The Road-Side

Free Money Finance: BE NICE!

The Road 2 Riches: Money = Happiness?

Help With Everything: Frugal Tips

Then Things: Big Expense?

Scott On Money: Happy Hour Eating

The MotherLoad: Find Cheaper Gas

2 Million: Vacation Expenses

Real Estate:

PaceSetter Mortgage Blog: Home Pricing

SearchLight Crusade: Real Estate Knowledge

Single Ma’s Fabulous Financials: Good Faith Estimates

Family Finance:

Free The Drones: Kids and Money

Income:

Tick Marks: eBay Tips

Motivation:

My Financial Awareness: Fear?

Taxes:

Five Cent Nickel: Self Employed Tax Information

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A big thanks to all of those who participated. You are visiting the No Credit Needed Blog, a personal finance dedicated to debt reduction and a credit-free lifestyle. If you like what you see here at No Credit Needed, you might also enjoy my podcast, the No Credit Needed Podcast. Also, you might want to check out our network of like-minded bloggers over at the No Credit Needed Network. Thanks for stopping by.

Oh yeah, I’ve also started a weight loss blog over at No Calories Needed. I’d love it if you stopped by to check my progress and leave a comment.

Next week’s Carnival will be hosted by Free Money Finance.

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Christmas is just around the corner, in less than FOUR MONTHS. That’s right, it’s time to prepare yourself for the onslaught of marketing, merchandising, and mayhem. Are you ready? I said, ARE YOU READY?

Me neither. But, I have a plan of attack in place. Here we go:

1. Be sure that you have “gifts” or “Christmas savings” as a monthly budget-item. Do not try to wait until December to find money for gifts.

2. Make a LIST of all of the people you need to buy for, with a general idea of what you want to buy for them.

3. Start buying items now, before the Christmas rush sits in.

4. Shop SMART. Use sites like Dealnews and Fatwallet to find the best prices on items for sale.

5. Think about presents that are “year round” and not just winter specific. If you live in the South, do you really need a new, heavy-duty winter coat? How about a bicycle for the kids, or a pair swim trunks for that first summer swim? Think outside the box!

6. Talk to family members (especially those with kids) and have a plan for how you are going to divvy up present purchases. Are you going to swap names, or buy for everyone?

7. Number 6 follow up: Do NOT be embarrassed if you cannot give a costly gift. Make something, write something, or create something. Gifts do not have to cost money to be valuable.

8. Buy used toys, especially if you have little kids. They won’t care! Seriously, put it in a box with a bow, tape it up really well, and let them have at it.

9. Watch what you eat! (I believe that a majority of us over-eat during the holidays, costing us more money for food AND for new clothes.)

10. Remember the “Reason for the Season”. Don’t get caught up in the Christmas hype, and forget the CHRISTMAS reality.

Do you have more ideas? Leave a comment, or a link to your favorite Christmas-shopping blog post.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever put Christmas purchases on a credit card. If you are trying to get out of debt, you do NOT need to slow your progress by adding to your debt balances.

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I will be hosting this week’s edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance, here at the No Credit Needed Blog stie. If you are a personal finance blogger and you would like to submit an article for inclusion, please submit via one of the following:

Email:  (Subject: Carnival of Personal Finance)

Carnival Submission Forms:

Conservative Cat

Blog Carnival

I want to thank you for your participation, and I look forward to your posts. –NCN

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