What I’m Reading: St Patrick’s Day Edition

My to do list today is a little long today, since we have people coming over for dinner tonight and the first part of the home study on Monday night. While the corned beef is on the stove, I still have to clean the kitchen, clean off the dining room table (well, finish doing that, I started last night), clean the living room, and vacuum the whole upstairs (one of the people who is coming tonight is allergic to dogs, so I try to vacuum before she comes over). Speaking of the dogs, they all need baths, and I need to do a run to CostCo for potatoes and milk, and probably stop by Safeway for some Dawn to wash the dogs with.

What does that mean for you? It means a quick and dirty roundup. So here we go.

Given everything that’s been going on over here, I don’t think you’ll be surprised to learn that I recommend everyone read Who Do You Trust with Your Money at So Over Debt.

Last night, C and I were talking about the “unschooling” method (we’re planning for a kid, and he’s in a class studying alternate educational theories, it comes up), and came to the decision that most people do eventually want to learn all the things they should know, but generally not until after they are kind of screwed for not knowing them already. Personal finances is a good example. At Making Sense of Cents, she’s trying to help her sister learn these things and in Money Life Lessons gave a good list of basics.

Dr. Dean of The Millionaire Nurse remains one of my favorite bloggers out there, and this week, he spoke right to me by asking Killer Jobs: Do You Have One? He reminds all of us with our cubicle jobs that there are things we can do to get ourselves moving.

Super Frugalette just had her birthday (Happy Belated Birthday!), and used it to take advantage of all sorts of special deals stores offer just for coming in during the month (or on the day) you were born. Head on over to her Fashion, beauty and birthday round up to find out about all the great deals she got.

I’ve talked a bit about how I don’t understand investing. I’m lucky enough that my 403(b) has those targeted retirement funds, where they automatically adjust what you’re investing in based on how close you are to retirement. But if you don’t have that option, or you want a little more control over your investments, Funancials does a great job of describing the Rule of 100.

And finally, during this last week, I’ve wanted to just throw on jeans and oversized sweaters every day (this also has to do with the fact that it’s been snowing in Seattle this week), but I can’t, because that’s not work appropriate attire. And I’m glad, because I can’t tell you how glad I was I was dressed extra nice (for conducting interviews) two weeks ago when our new VP showed up early, and I ended up being her first point of contact. What we wear is important, and Smart Family Finance goes into What Your Clothing Says About You and Your Finances.

In honor of St Patrick's Day, here's a picture of the house from The Quiet Man, which I took when I was in Ireland March 2008