The 123rd Carnival of Personal Finance (The Boo! edition)

Welcome to the 123rd Carnival of Personal Finance (The Boo! edition). October is a scary month. Not only is it home to All Hallows’ Eve, it is also home to some of the scariest stock market crashes in our history. For this edition of the CoPF, I’ll trace the history of some of the largest single-day market plunges that occurred in the month of October. To comfort us during these frightening times, I’ve also included some beautiful photographs taken by a good friend of mine (and used by his express permission). The pictures will help remind us that while personal finance is important, there are some things in life that money just can’t buy. So with that, let’s get on with the carnival. Each submission is organized by category, and I’ll begin with my selection of the best articles of the week.
Editor’s Picks

My Impulse Buy Savings Plan (@ Caustic Musings): “One of my unspoken personal vows to myself this year (call it an early New Year’s resolution) was to stop buying so much crap on impulse.”

How China Could Crash the US Dollar on a Whim (@ Currency Trading): “This article will go beyond forex reserves and discuss several other facets of China’s economy. From US house prices to global commodity prices, from interest rates to inflation rates, we will explore how China could cripple the US economy, both willfully and unintentionally, if so desired.”

Use Halloween to Teach Kids Money Lessons (@ Grad Money Matters): “How can one thing mean two totally different things to different people? Take Halloween treats for example. Kids are delighted by it. Parents, not so much. Candies filled with high fructose corn syrup and food coloring, and kids that are hyper-active with so much sugar intake that they literally bounce off the walls. It’s every parent’s nightmare and the perfect scary ending to the Halloween holiday! But here’s a trick that will sound more like a treat – this unsavory situation can easily be turned into a money lesson for kids!”

36 Important Money Saving Tips (@ Frugal Journey): “Over the past year, I’ve written 100’s of money saving tips, on a wide range of topics. Today, I’ve gathered all my favorites into one source. Now, the best of the best, is available right at your fingertips.”

Change Your Child’s Genetics By Giving Up The BMW (@ The Happy Rock): “We recently talked about financially changing your family tree as financial motivation, but for those of us needed some more convincing here is evidence that our decisions about money go much deeper than just dollars and cents.”

Why The Rich Get Richer: An Entirely Different Perspective (@ The Digerati Life): “It’s an age old question: how do the rich get richer? Here are some reasons that may explain this economic phenomenon.”

List of money related forums and discussion boards (@ Might Bargain Hunter): “Discussion boards are a great resource and a good place to exchange ideas with like-minded people or, at least, people with interests similar to yours. Anyway, I hope you find this list of money-related forums useful; maybe you’ll find a new favorite.”

the myth of the parent that NEEDS to work (@ brip blap): “Many couples claim to be “forced” to work two jobs to make ends meet, but is it really “making ends meet” when you don’t live a frugal lifestyle?”

I’m Responsible For One Of The Worst Interviews Ever (@ A Penny Closer): “After a few months at my new job an old work acquaintance (let’s call him David) contacted me to see how I was doing. I explained that I liked the new position with this smaller company and he asked if I could get him an interview.” And that’s when the trouble began.