An Elementary, Watson Roundup

This week we start with Why You Should Try To Get the Smallest Tax Refund Possible? at my journey to millions. I commented on this, remarking that my goal is to actually to owe a bit on my return, just enough to not owe any penalty. Why lend money to Uncle Sam at zero interest?

Saving to Invest asked Am I Saving Enough Money For Retirement and How Much You Should Be Putting Away in 401K or IRA Accounts? Aside from some technical issues, such as the non-linearity of one’s social security benefit, I found the post to be thought provoking, a heads up for people who are not saving enough.

From my friend B Simple comes the advice Don’t hate yourself for not having a job loss plan, just do it. B helps us understand why the standard 6 month emergency fund is just a start, but the helps explain why you need more, you need a Job Loss Plan. Good reading.

Mike Piper (The Oblivious Investor) guest posted In Defense of the Traditional IRA at Free From Broke. I’ve been trying to get the word out that the Roth may not be right for everyone, and it seems I’m finding some growing agreement out there. Thanks for adding to this discussion, Mike.

With a nod to the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People comes a guest post at MoneyNing titled 7 Habits of Highly Frugal People. This is not jut a simple list, the author expands on each of his seven thoughts for an in depth discussion worth your time.

On a frugal note – Ray at Financial Highway offers 8 Money Saving Tips for BBQ. I’m a fan of BBQ, and I’d rather light the grill (or bring the main course to a friend’s house) than go to a restaurant. Ray gives some good tips as to how to do this without breaking the bank.

I’ve looked for the underlying cause of the current economic slowdown for some time, and I found the answer, it’s fellow PF blogger Roshawn Watson’s fault. Read his recent post Economists Blame ME for the Slow Recovery to understand why. And thank you, Shawn, for inspiring my title this week.

Joe