Miscellaneous

After a complete year of silence, the Dividend Monk is Back, but a few things will change.

 

On March 23^rd 2015, the Dividend Monk was transferred to Mike, the owner of The Dividend Guy Blog. I could have faked being Matt (the original author) and let you think that you are still reading his work, but I prefer to be transparent with you and keep his dividend stock analysis methods and writing style intact.

 

Who’s Mike, Who’s The Dividend Guy?

First and foremost, I’m a passionate investor. I have a CFP title, a BAA in finance and an MBA. I’m happily married with three wonderful children and currently work in the financial industry. I started investing in 2003 using leverage techniques and bought my first house in 2006 with cash down coming from my trading successes. I have been writing blogs since 2006 and own several websites. I love my day job, but I also want to keep a very good sideline in case anything happens. In June 2010, I bought The Dividend Guy as I wanted to share my passion for investing with readers. I have authored this blog since then and have even written a book and created an investing platform. My goal throughout the years remains the same: share my passion for investing with my readers and helping them in their investment journey.

 

Why Buy the Dividend Monk?

You might think that with a dividend blog already, I could be busy enough and there would be little to no purpose of writing for a second one and you could be right. To be honest, I wouldn’t buy most dividend websites I read on a weekly basis simply because they are quite similar to mine. In business, we would call this cannibalism since I would only split the same readership amongst the two blogs.

The reason I bought Dividend Monk (DM) is because it is quite different from The Dividend Guy Blog (DGB). I’ve always appreciated the more analytical side of DM which I never developed on my own blog. This is why I will keep the structure and calculations he uses to analyze a company. While I make jokes from time to time on DGB, DM will remain serious and go deeper with its analysis.

This will also answer a good question I keep having from my own readers: when buying a stock? When is the value right? Using the dividend discount model is a great way to determine the value of a company and, therefore, the right moment to buy it. This is why I will keep using the DM Toolkit to analyze companies from a different angle than I use on my own blog. It’s just easier for me to separate the two types of analysis on two different websites. I hope you will like the work produced here.

 

Matt is Still on Board for the Newsletter

In our agreement, Matt will continue writing newsletter issues. Not all of them, but he will still be around. I’m happy to count him on my team as he will continue to add great value to the investing newsletter.

I’m excited to start this new adventure and hope you will have great success in your investing journey!

 

Cheers,

Mike

The Dividend Guy… and the Dividend Monk ;-)

For weekend reading, here is a useful list of articles on a variety of money topics for the Carnival of Financial Planning.

If you run a blog and you would like to participate in the next carnival, submit a post at Blogger Carnivals.

BUDGETING AND ECONOMICS

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes How We Saved $146.90 By Reading The Paper – It’s not everyday reading the paper can score you some money back in your pocket. Being aware of store policies and understanding them as a consumer may work to your advantage like it did for us.

Justin @ The Frugal Path writes Living Below Your Means: There’s no way around it – If you want to achieve wealth or be able to retire with dignity there is one truth that must be obeyed. You must live below your means.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Brookstone: Who Buys This Stuff Anyway? – Brookstone has a ton of awesome stuff. However, the awesome stuff is… very unique and normally not super useful or practical. Oh yeah… it is normally outrageously expensive too! How expensive and impractical? Let’s take a look!

MR @ Money Reasons writes Is A Millionaire Promise Wrong? – Is my millionaire promise an impossible one? Read about my millionaire promise that I made as a child and how I'm trying to become a millionaire by a certain age range.

Robert @ Beat The 9 to 5 writes Our Tribe is Growing! What Do We Call Ourselves? – irst, I want to thank you for trusting me. Trusting me with your inbox. Supporting me with my journey. I’m honored by the fact that there are already over 100 subscribers to this site vision. Now, I wanted to share a little more about what I want us to do as a tribe. We’re in this together, and you’ve committed you sharing your journey with me!

John @ Card Hub writes Ask The Experts: If I Could Make One Policy Change to Fix the Federal Deficit, I Would… – One of the most pressing issues facing our nation these days is the federal government’s massive budget deficit. There are plenty of proposed solutions out there – both practical and inane – coming from a variety of sources. But evaluating the efficacy of a potential remedy, of course, necessitates making a proper diagnosis first.

CAREER AND INCOME

Buck Inspire @ Buck Inspire writes My First Taste Of Haterade – I’ve always stayed below the radar and not ruffled feathers. Recently I’m coming off the sidelines and getting into the game. Not surprisingly, I also encountered my first taste of Haterade.

Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes Selling Our House Update – Many of you know that my family is selling our home and moving because I found a new job. It's been almost two months since the house was listed, and I must admit that it feels like our house will never sell.

Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents writes Financial Goals and Increased Income – Many Changes – Recently, I have been receiving many questions about how our financial goals have changed since we now are making more income than we used to make. Even Jordann made a post last week titled How to Spend Your Extra Income. We definitely need to adjust our financial goals. This is mainly because of all of the side hustles that I am doing, especially since how last month I made nearly $8,000 in extra income.

Robert @ The College Investor writes How To Improve Your Credit Score and Why You Should Care – If you aren’t already making timely and full payments, paying down your debt, and obtaining your free yearly copy of your credit report, here are five reasons you should invest in your credit score.

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes 5 New Websites That Save You Big Bucks – Today I will be taking about 5 New Websites That Save You Big Bucks. The internet is an amazing tool and we can peruse just about everything. Need a job hit the monster or a career builder, wanna sell the old couch post an ad or create ad in Facebook.

Nick @ A Young Pro writes What I Learned from a Lost Purse – Recently my wife lost her purse at a local store. Read this article to discover the wonderful lessons I learned from that lost purse.

DEBT AND CREDIT

John S @ Frugal Rules writes The Cost of a Bad Credit Score – A credit score can be used to determine many things from rates on loans to eligibility for certain jobs. By protecting your credit score you can help yourself potentially save a good amount of money over time.

Alexis @ FITnancials writes I Want a Credit Card – But I Have No Credit – I want a credit card. Yes, I just said that! I’ve been on the hunt for one, and I’ve even applied for some, but I’ve gotten denied. I have no credit (I’m 19, my car loan isn’t in my name, and I have no other credit cards), so it is hard for me to find a card to get approved for.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes 5 Things to Remember When Buying a Car – Check out these 5 things to remember when buying a car.

Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes Prevent Credit Card Electronic Theft – The rise of online commerce has improved our lives in a number of ways. Today, you have the choice to use your credit card to order millions of types of products from online stores. Sites like Amazon.com and Ebay.com are doing billions of dollars worth of business every year, and still growing at a very impressive rate.

IMB @ Investing Money writes Tips for Real Estate Investing in India – So you are all geared up to purchase the house of your dreams, accrued all your savings, inquired the financial institutions about all the lending criteria and the term for which you will be taking up the loan. But, this is not all.

Kevin @ Passiveincometoretire writes The Hidden Costs Of Home Refinancing – Mortgage refinancing costs and fees will be different depending on the homeowners financial situation and the type of loan they want. With interest rates so low right now, many homeowners can benefit from getting a mortgage refinanced into a new loan with better interest rates, terms, or conditions.

Jon Haver @ Pay My Student Loans writes Next 4 Years – Obama Student Loan Forgiveness – For many Americans, paying for and living under the weight of student loans has become a way of life. The next four years are starting to look a lot more hopeful thanks to President Obama’s “Pay As You Earn” proposal and Representative Hansen Clarke’s proposed Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012.

Grayson @ Debt Roundup writes How Debt Started My Quest Toward Financial Literacy – Some start being financially responsible before they get into debt. I decided to do it a little different. After getting into debt, I decided that I needed to gain some financial literacy.

INVESTING AND SAVING

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Six Dividend Paying Stocks I Purchased for my IRA – I purchased six dividend stocks in an IRA. By making this IRA contribution, I was able to reduce my tax due by more than half. The amount I put in that IRA produced an instant tax savings that was equivalent to over one third of its value in taxes.

Jules Wilson @ Faithful With a Few writes Wilson Household On the Mend..$250.00 Later – We were so grateful that we had the extra money which is something we wouldn’t have had in the past. I never would have dreamed having a sick household could cost so much.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes The Letter My Wife Will Get If I Don’t Check Gmail For 6 Months – If I pass away, this is the message I would have gmail send my wife after 6 months.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes There’s a Pot of Gold Waiting for You in New Mexico… – …all you have to do is find it! That’s right, Penny Hoarders! Three years ago, a multimillionaire named Forest Fenn buried a chest (weighing over 40 pounds!) that is filled with a multi-million dollar treasure. It’s filled with gold coins, diamonds, emeralds and other gems, and it’s yours for the taking.

Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey @ My Personal Finance Journey writes Which Short-Term Bond Mutual Fund Should You Use For Your Fixed Income Asset Allocation in Taxable and Tax-Sheltered Accounts? – Which Short-Term Bond Mutual Fund Should You Use For Your Fixed Income Asset Allocation in Taxable and Tax-Sheltered Accounts?

Sam @ Simplefinancialfreedom writes What does Obamacare Mean for Your Health Coverage – ObamaCare will bring a range of services and benefits to your health care plan. Some of the benefits can already be seen, while others will roll out in 2014.

DJ Wetzel @ Money for College Project writes Payoff Student Loans with a Business Mindset – Student loans can mount quickly, and paying them off can seem a daunting task. Approaching your student loans as you would a business investment helps to reframe your thinking about student loans, and strategize efficient ways to pay them off sooner.

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes My Online Addiction – The title might be a little flamboyant, but I do love the online world. I hate errands, wasting any time, and saving money, so I do everything I can online.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes You Can Avoid Living Paycheck to Paycheck – Here are your best steps to avoid living paycheck to paycheck and to move forward.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Roger’s Rants: Switch to the Metric System, Already! – This article represents the first one where I take a step away from a strict personal finance issue to wail, rave, and generally, well, rant about subjects that

Pete @ Intelligent Speculator writes Are You Ready For The Next Market Crash? – We look at the potential of another market crash.

Lauren @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes A Very Leaky Bucket – Ever have one of those weeks months where you feel your wallet is a bucket with a really big hole in it? I’m not talking about a small leak, more like a full on deluge, kinda like this: Yeah. That’s happening for me, right now. Ha. Here are all of the things I have to The post A Very Leaky Bucket appeared first on L Bee and the Moneytree.

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Why Aren’t Gold Bonds Plunging Along With The Stocks? – With the price of gold and gold mining equities in free fall, surely investors could expect a decent spread widening in gold bonds, right? Not quite.

Rich @ Growing Money Smart writes Growing Money is More Than Math – Growing Money is more than math, read all of the other reasons to take into consideration on your journey to wealth.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Finding and Pursuing Work You are Passionate About – The key to a good work life is finding and pursuing work you are passionate about

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes What is Bitcoin and Should You Invest in it? – If you’re like me, you’ve probably sent a peer to peer payment before. Whether its the monthly rent, or gambling debts owed to a friend, sending money through Paypal or similar services is pretty easy(and free!). Bitcoin essentially does the same thing but with its own currency. Yes that’s right, Bitcoin has its own currency that can be used to pay for merchandise/services all across the web.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE

Michael Kitces @ Nerd’s Eye View writes Why Cancelling An Existing Whole Life Or Universal Life Policy May Be A Bad Idea – Normally, most people who don’t need life insurance simply cancel the coverage. But in today’s low return environment, the reality is that an existing life insurance policy can actually provide a remarkably appealing fixed return if held until death, which means even if you wouldn’t buy the coverage today, it may make a lot of sense to keep what you’ve already got!

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Would Batman need Life Insurance? – Batman doesn't; but whether you need life insurance and how much you should check carefully.

REAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Happy Birthday: Budgeting Your Child’s Birthday Party – Child's birthday coming up? It doesn't have to break your finances. Read here for tips on successfully budgeting your child's next birthday party.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Our House Is Back On The Market – After taking the winter off, our home is back on the market – and this time, we’re being more aggressive with the list price and Realtor’s fees.

RETIREMENT AND TAXATION

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Is It Bad to Get a Large Tax Refund? – It all begs the question: is it good to have a large tax refund?

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes The Government Will Tell You What To Do With Your 401(k)? – Find out how the Government Accountability Office is making your 401(k) options confusing and putting a damper on your personal finances through regulations!

MMD @ My Money Design writes When Can I Retire – It All Depends On How Badly You Want To! – The answer to When can I retire is not something that comes with age. Depending on how well you plan and prepare, it could be a lot sooner than you think!

This week, I’m hosting the blogging Carnival of Retirement. Here are several good reads on finance and investing.

If you operate a blog, you can submit articles for future carnivals at the submission page on Blogger Carnivals.

Michael Kitces @ Nerd’s Eye View writes Harvesting Losses Or Harvesting Gains – Planning Around Four Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rates – Traditional tax planning for portfolios has been relatively straightforward – defer taxes on gains as long as possible, and harvest capital losses to further maximize the benefit. In today’s world, though, with a new top capital gains tax rate, and a Medicare surtax, along with a 0% rate for couples up to $70,000 of income, the reality is that it may often be better to harvest the gains on investments, not the losses!

Robert @ Entrepreneurship Life writes The Benefits of a PO Box for Small Businesses – I have several small businesses that I operate outside of my day job. For each of those, including a flash mob company and blogging business, I use a PO Box for my address instead of my home address. I think that is an important protection and I encourage all business owners that don’t have a physical office to do the same.

Michael @ Financial Ramblings writes Roll Your IRA into a 401(k)? – Much has been written about the virtues of rolling over your 401(k) into an IRA. But what about doing the opposite? Believe it or not, there are cases in which you might want to roll IRA funds into a 401(k) plan.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Chase Freedom 5% Cash Back Categories For April, May and June 2013 – Chase Freedom is one of the most awesome cash back credit cards and I use it on a regular basis. They offer 5% cash back in categories that rotate each quarter. I almost always use my Chase Freedom card whenever I make a transaction in one of these categories because 5% cash back is very hard to beat.

Roger Wohlner @ The Chicago Financial Planner writes Investing Seminars – Should You Attend? – Today an invitation to an investment seminar from a major brokerage firm came in the mail. Besides the free dinner is there a benefit to attending these types of sessions?

Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Five Things to Look For in a Real Estate Investment Trust – There are five factors I analyze at a REIT, before putting my money to work in the sector. I used three REIT’s I own in this exercise in order to illustrate my strategy in action.

Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Highest Paying Jobs For Women – Gender inequality is still an issue in America, but there are still certain careers that minimize the compensation gap and offer men and women relatively the same advancement. Healthcare continues to dominate the list of best paying industries for women, but what other jobs offer the highest pay?

Rich @ Growing Money Smart writes My Portfolio Was Up While The Dow Was Down 100 – Nothing is more satisfying that checking your portfolio and noticing that it’s up over 1k while the DOW is down 100 basis points! What an awesome feeling! For the most part it’s a fluke, but I’ll take it. The stocks that gave me the rise were AIG and VIPS, both very different in nature.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Was My History Degree Worthless? – I get a lot of flack for having what some consider to be a worthless degree in history. But I’d argue the humanities are vital to true success as a person.

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Popular Types of Debt and How to Avoid Them – Running into debt problems? There's a good chance it's one of these three popular types of debt. Read here to find out how to avoid these common problems!

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes Americans Hate Honesty, Prefer To Be Lied To – Cyprus is the latest country to face financial meltdown. In order to receive a bailout from the European Union, the President has agreed to a few terms. Initially, it was proposed that all bank deposits be taxed 6.75% (under 100k) and 9.9% (above 100k). This caused an uproar (obviously) as depositors raced to the banks to withdraw their deposits.

Judy @ TLIQ123 writes No Exam Life Insurance – If you aren’t in the best shape, smoke, drink or maintain a lifestyle that some may consider dangerous, it is going to be difficult for you to purchase traditional life insurance to protect your family. In these situations, individuals usually apply for no medical exam life insurance to avoid a physical exam by a doctor during the application process. Learn more about how anyone can get life insurance.

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Where to Find Truly Free Music, Free Digital Prints, and Free eBooks Online! – Where to Find Truly Free Music, Free Digital Prints, and Free eBooks Online!

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Fact or Fiction: 5 Passive Income Myths – Looking into starting a passive income? Before you try, it's important to know the facts and falsehoods. Here are 5 passive income myths and tips.

Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes How to Deal with Detractors – We have all had them as we set and go after our goals, no matter where we are or what our goals may be: naysayers, detractors, people who poke fun or get angry or tell us we can’t do it. I have been a detractor (not proud to write that) in the past, so I can say first hand that it comes from a place of low self esteem…and misery certainly loves company.

Mochimac @ Save. Spend. Splurge. writes How to pay less than $200 in taxes for $50,000 of income – For Canadians living in Ontario, they can get dividends up to $50,000 and pay less than $200 in taxes. This is how it’s done.

Sam @ Simplefinancialfreedom writes Don’t Overlook Critical Illness Insurance – Critical Illness insurance is a product that is not very well known by the consumer and therefore is considered the most overlooked type of insurance that an

Steven @ MyDividendStocks writes Investing In The Companies That Pay Dividends – A Guide For The Beginners – For all those who are investing for earning income, have numerous options outside bonds and the most traditional are the high-dividend stocks. With the increasing debt obligations within the nation, there are too many people who are looking forward to their investing skills so that they have enough money to make ends meet.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Taking a Look at Actual Prosper Returns Over 6 Years – I’ve been investing in Prosper for 6 years. The most important number is the total return of 4.32% which takes into account my entire history with Prosper. I would absolutely invest again if I were allowed to.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Presenting the Sweating The Big Stuff Prepaid Debit Card – You've been asking for it, so it's finally here! The Sweating The Big Stuff Prepaid Debit Card is just what you need! Come read all the cool features!

MMD @ My Money Design writes Reader Debate – Would You Borrow Money to Invest in Stocks? – If real estate investors use other people’s cash to finance their investments, would it be wise for stock investors to borrow money to invest in stocks?

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Move over Milan: The Latest Fashion Trend for Hollywood is the Prepaid Debit Card Line – Is it just me, or is endorsing a prepaid debit card the newest Hollywood trend? This is partly due to the fact that the 2010 swipe fee reforms (in the

Steve @ 2009 to 2013 Taxes writes Finding The Right Online Tax Prep – The nice thing about these different options is that they are all free and allow you to quickly get your information in so you can receive your refund.

Arnel Ariate @ Money Soldiers writes 3 of the Best Budgeting Tips for Contractors – These are things that you need to do in order to stretch your cash in any job. Budgeting is an essential part of any financial plan and preparing a budget is essential to your contracting business.

Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes The Smartest Ways You Can Invest Your Money – An overview of the smartest ways you can invest your money today.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes Why You Should Think Twice about Paying Off Debt! – Do you pay off debt or invest? Many personal financial bloggers suggest to always pay off debt. It is not that simple! Whenever you have to make a financial or any kind of decision, you should examine all the alternatives. It is commonly called opportunity cost.

Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes Feeling Mature about Your Family’s Finances – My husband and I are in the midst of a fight over exactly when we started feeling like responsible adults, especially when it comes to our family's finances

Kevin @ 20smoney.com writes Five Tips for Paying Student Loans – Start repaying your student loans after your graduate. The longer you hold your loan, the more student loan interest you can accrue. These tips will help you repay your college loan. Use a student loan repayment calculator to figure out a payment structure.

Kevin @ Passiveincometoretire writes How much do you Need to Retire – The exact answer to the question of how much money one needs to retire is different for every individual, because it depends on their respective means and requirements. However, there definitely are some general rules and facts that can help you understand more about your requirements, and about your means.

IMB @ Investing Money writes The Black Swan of Cyprus – A day-by-day understanding of the Cypriot bailout and the Cypriot Parliament's response, what can be described as a black swan event.

Marvin @ Brick By Brick Investing writes Ridiculous Young Entitled Generation – My personal rant about a highschool senior who fills entitled to an Ivy League education.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Getting Dressed: Simple Ways to Save Money on Clothing – From hand me downs to clothing buyback stores, there are ways to save money on garments for your family. Read here for great tips to buy clothes for cheap.

Joe @ Midlife Finance writes 6 Financial Lessons from the NCAA — And the NBA – An astonishing number professional athletes have gone broke after their career. They made millions over their short career, but can’t hold on to it. What can we learn from them?

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Seven Questions to Answer Before You Retire – How can you know when the time is right for you to retire? Here are the questions to ask yourself to get your answer to “When should I retire?”

Hank @ Money Q&A writes How To Save Money On Your Vacation This Summer – There are several easy and fairly painless ways on how to save money on your vacation. You should not have to sacrifice fun and memories sending money on what doesn't matter to you and your trip.

Grand Per Month @ Grand Per Month writes Develop the Mindset to Make Extra Money – Here’s a little secret–the longer and harder you work, the more that will come your way. The more you believe in yourself, the more “luck” you’ll have. The more you feel you have something to offer, the more connections you will make, which will in turn grow your business.

Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Skip It. . .and Save – Want an easy way to stretch your money and goods? Take a cue from your childhood: SKIP IT.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Is Off Shore Banking a Good Choice? – Off Shore banking is a great option for the ultra rich, but are you missing out on the tax shielding benefits?

Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes Are smart TV’s worth it? – Consumer technology evolves at such a rapid rate these days that your tech is probably out-dated by the time you’ve managed to save up for it. Advertising sometimes manages to convince you to save up for gear neither need nor want.

Jason @ Live Real Now writes Setting Goals: How to Have The Perfect Life – A few years ago, my wife and I were discussing life improvement, the options in front of us, and our future goals. She said she felt trapped by the scope of our goals and didn’t know where to start. That led to a discussion on achieving our goals, which led to this.

CT @ Cashtastrophe writes Volunteer During College to Help You Land a Job After College – How to Avoid a Cashtastrophe – Save more, spend less, and live a good life

John @ Card Hub writes How to Negotiate with the IRS – when Uncle Sam says pay up and you can’t quite answer the bell, making an offer in compromise requires doing something most consumers would rather avoid: talking to the IRS.

Lynn @ Wallet Blog writes Home Warranties: Worth the Price? – A home warranty/home protection plan is a service contract that protects many of the appliances or systems (heating, plumbing, air conditioning) in your house in case they fail. They can serve as a security blanket of sorts to homeowners, particularly if you’re purchasing a home that is older or hasn’t had much in the way of upkeep over the past number of years.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes WHY YOU NEED DISABILITY INSURANCE – Disability statistics and why you must get disability/loss of income insurance.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Could we lose our money? Lessons from Cyprus – Lessons from the botched treatment of Cyprus, bullied by the Troika.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Are We Financial Serfs? – Are we financial serfs, read how are aren't be a few important changes since the hard life times of the past.

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes What Can You Invest in Besides CDs? – Have you ever invested in Certificates of Deposit? If you’re younger than 25, you might not even know what a CD is, and there’s actually good reason for that.

Greg @ Club Thrifty writes Planning Ahead: The Advantages of Life Planning – OK, so we may take planning ahead to a whole new section of Crazy Town. Still, planning ahead can benefit your life in many ways. Find out how inside!

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Distaster Strikes! Juggling a Broken Leg – My wife broke her leg, but I’m afraid we didn’t follow an optimal path for cost and efficiency with the injury. Read my future plans for such accidents.

Charles @ Wallet Hub writes Title Insurance Guide – Most homebuyers know they’re required to take out title insurance, but but many remain uncertain about why this is so – or even what title insurance is. This guide will introduce you to the basics of title insurance and make you a smarter homebuyer in the process.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes Best Way to Choose an Insurance Policy – Choosing an insurance policy can seem like a daunting task at first, but finding the best insurance coverage really comes down to what makes you the most comfortable when it comes to taking risks, getting personal service and fitting insurance into your budget.

LaTisha @ Young Finances writes Invest like Warren Buffett – How to use Warren Buffet's focused investing style to build your portfolio.

Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Retirement Planning: What Are Retirement Buckets? – One of the more interesting retirement planning strategies I’ve come across recently is the idea of buckets. I first read about buckets on Forbes, and I like the goals-based approach to dividing up your retirement assets.

Nick @ A Young Pro writes Recent Graduate Budget Infographic – I discuss the merits of an infographic aimed at helping recent graduates learn the basics of money management.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes Understanding the Concept of Emergency Cash – Many people are focused on the idea of saving for the future, investing in various stocks, shares and accounts and preparing for what the future may hold.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Is Your Retirement Planning Frightening? – Looking at the statistics, many people are behind in a big way in terms of saving for retirement. Don’t allow yourself to be another statistic and start now, even if small and it will help that discipline of saving money over time.

John @ Fearless Men writes Be In the Know About Credit Cards Before They Own You – According to Forbes (March, 2012) the average credit card debt for indebted households was $14,517, and for all households was $6,772. That is a daunting statistic to have to face, and it’s a reality that many people live with every day. If you have a credit card it’s important that you take careful steps to avoid any of the pitfalls that can trap you in debt and keep you there almost indefinitely.

John @ All Things Finance writes Maximize Your Federal Tax Withholding Allowance And Keep Your Own Money – In 2013, over 50% of all Americans will receive a tax refund. The majority of those receiving a tax refund claim that they will use it to pay off debt. Somehow, we have associated a refund with something positive, while owing taxes is perceived as something you should avoid at all costs. This misconception is entirely wrong and I’ll explain why.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Net Worth Update: April 2013 – I realize that when you look at this title you’re probably thinking, ‘Roger, it’s not April yet. Heck, it’s not even the end of March.

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Japan Goes All-In On Money Printing – And Bond Yields Plunge – The 10-year Japanese government bond actually dropped to under 0.40%. Yes, that’s 40 basis points for a 10-year fixed income security.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes How to Find a Home For Cheap – Are you currently in the market for a new house? Buying a home is always an exciting time, but because most of us don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars just lying around, you want to make sure that you’re

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Tax Tips and Write Offs – Do you volunteer? Just a reminder to those parents who volunteer regularly that you can write-off any expenses involved in volunteering and all travel mileage.

Mr. Frenzy @ Frenzied Finances writes Basics of Filing Your Taxes: The How-To Guide – New to filing your taxes? Finding yourself confused in this process? Read here for the how-to guide for basics on filing your taxes.

JP @ My Family Finances writes Time to shine in Dubai: how to expand your family business overseas – With the Department of Economic Development now allowing 100 percent foreign ownership, overseas businesses find it easy to make the most of the country’s favourable economic conditions.

Marie at FamilyMoneyValues @ Family Money Values writes Make a new legacy – What is your legacy to the world? Is it the one you want to leave, or an accidental legacy you didn’t plan and don’t want?

KD @ LIR123 writes Variable Universal Life Insurance Pros and Cons – Variable universal life insurance can be a great way to buy insurance coverage with an option to invest for retirement. Variable life protection gives a policyholder more freedom to choose what types of investments to direct their premiums into, but does come with potential disadvantages. If you are considering a life insurance policy, consider researching all types of coverage.

Steve @ Grocery Alerts writes Guide to Cross Border Shopping for Canadians – Many Canadians cross border shop in the United States. This guide shares tips on how much you can bring back, what you can bring and useful websites.

Justin @ The Frugal Path writes 2013 Saver’s Tax Credit: The Government Match – There is a little known tax credit available to those with lower income based on how much you contributed to certain retirement accounts.

Jacob @ AllPersonalFinance writes Is it Good to Consolidate Credit Card Debt? – Millions of people are finding themselves with a significant amount of credit card debt. You have numerous credit cards, and the balances keep increasing. Getting into debt is easy; however, getting out of debt is very difficult.

Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes Top 10 Ways to Improve your Returns on Savings – Due to inflation and depreciation banks are dropping their interest rates. If a customer did not call the tax credit phone number and be informed, then the rates can be dropped without the knowledge of the customer. Saving money in banks will not have a big impact on the capital deposited, because of the low interest rates provided by the banks.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Why Are You Mad At Your Accountant? – Here is a question to ask yourself after tax season is over.

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Seven mortgage related terms made simple – Seven mortgage related terms to help with your mortgage knowledge and to go into any mortgage discussion with the right mindset and knowledge.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Save for a Home Down Payment OR Invest for Retirement – In order to save up a down payment, I need to make a choice between reducing my retirement contributions or delaying the purchase.

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes What to Expect From a Home Inspection – Just found a new home? No time to celebrate yet. Find out what to expect during the home inspection.

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes Are You Investing in Recession Proof Companies? – Take a look at your investments, whether it’s in mutual funds, ETFs, index funds, or individual stocks, are you invested in recession proof companies? If you answered no, then you might be in trouble. Let’s take a look at what is a recession proof company and how do you invest in one.

Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank @ Monster Piggy Bank writes Time is Money – What are you Sacrificing for Money? – What are you sacrificing for money? Is it Time? Or perhaps physical or mental health? It is a question that I think many people don’t bother to ask themselves, as they don’t feel that they are sacrificing anything.

Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes My New Sony NWZ-W262 Walkman From Klout! – The Sony NWZ-W262 Walkman wireless MP3 player recently came into my possession, and so far I love it! You can read my first impressions & see a video of the unboxing

Jordann @ Making Sense of Cents writes How to Spend Your Extra Income – One thing she hasn’t covered is what to do with all of that extra income. One of my favorite things about extra income is that it’s not included in the budget, so you can really do anything you want with it. That said, it might not be the best idea to blow it on shopping. So what should you do with your extra income?

Jacob @ Cash Cow Couple writes Why You Probably Can’t Afford a Dog – Unless you’ve stashed a mound of cash in the doggy fund, you should probably take a good hard look at the total cost of owning a new dog.

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Life, Money and Retirement-Skype Doesn’t Reach Heaven – Sometimes we need to ask ourselves why we work so hard for all the money we make and whether we are spending our time wisely. Pouring your life into one basket risks leaving behind potential memories that you might not be able to go back and get. Take time to evaluate your life, your priorities and your future

Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes Is SAFEMIN Safe Enough? – Dr. Wade Pfau, CFA, and other academics have determined a safe minimum savings/investment rate so that if you save that much every year for 30 years, you should be able to retire for 30 years without running out of money. What’s that number, and is it right?

I published the Dividend Toolkit a few months ago, and hundreds of investors have already purchased it. It includes a 200 page PDF guide on how to analyze dividend stocks in a streamlined way, and comes with the spreadsheet tool that I use to quickly calculate the fair value of a stock.

That’s why I developed it. There were already some solid dividend books on the market, but the digital nature of this one allows for the material to work directly with the spreadsheet tool. Some books give you equations to use, but this one gives the equations, describes in detail the reasons they work, and then provides the spreadsheet tool that allows you to use those equations literally in seconds. The content in this guide is rather different from any other book on dividend investing you’ll read.

Several investing bloggers reviewed it, so I figured I’d compile the reviews here:

“This is not your average investing E-book! I’ve never read an E-book filled with such detailed and genuine information in my life. Whether you are just starting out or you think you know everything there is about dividend investing, The Dividend Toolkit will take you through the basics as well as advanced chapters on finding the right companies to invest in and create a dependable flow of passive income.”
-Loonie Bin Review

“In summary, this book is an excellent guide for dividend growth investors. It covers basic and advanced topics in a comprehensive yet readily understandable manner. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in becoming a successful investor by building a sustainable and growing stream of income from dividends.”
-Dividend Growth Machine Review

“I would say that this book is one of the best books I’ve ever read on dividend growth investing.”
-Dividend Mantra Review

“The price is BEYOND reasonable just for the spreadsheets and this one chapter.”
-My Journey to Millions Review

“Matt Alden, the man behind the curtain over at Dividend Monk, has produced something very rare in the blogging world: an E-book that is actually worth reading.”
-Dividends For the Long Run Review

“I’ve enjoyed reading the Dividend Toolkit even though it will take perhaps a few more reads to fully understand all of the information provided. Whatever investing level you are at you will likely learn something new after reading this book.”
-Six Figure Investor Review

“I can say that Matt’s unique characteristic is definitely his in-depth analysis style.”
-Dividend Guy Review

“The Dividend Toolkit is a comprehensive, well researched tool for the ardent stock investor.”
-MyOwnAdvisor.ca Review

“The Dividend Toolkit is well researched, well presented, and provides many examples. At 200 pages long this toolkit is an excellent resource for any serious DIY investor looking to expand their knowledge.”
-Simply Investing Review

……….

I really appreciate these reviews. All of these blogs are solid personal finance or value/dividend investment sites, so be sure to check them out. I’ll update this page if more reviews come in.

If you haven’t yet read the Toolkit and used the spreadsheet tool, these reviews provide some third-party opinions of the material. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of dividend investing, allows you to develop deep and fundamental knowledge of the subject, and folds everything down into concise and actionable steps to take.

You can read about and buy the Dividend Toolkit here.

In the October issue of the monthly dividend newsletter, I interviewed Chuck Carnevale, who has over 40 years of experience in the securities industry.

We cover:
-His long-term investing strategy
-The current valuation of the market.
-Thoughts on the Efficient Market Hypothesis.
-Several specific stocks that appear to be undervalued currently.

If you’re not already one of the 3,600+ subscribers, you can sign up for free and get access to the archives instantly, which now includes this recent October issue.

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