Welcome to Wise Bread's Best of Personal Finance roundup. This week we're talking leftover hot dog buns, why women need so much money, and a blinged-out J.D. Roth. (You'll have to see it to believe it!)

Top 5 Articles of the Week

6 Smart Gmail Tricks to Help You Get the Most Out of it – Consolidated email accounts, browser add-ons, and labs are just three of the natty perks that the popular email service can offer you. Not convinced to give it a try? This article may convert you yet. Dumb Little Man

Why Women Need More Money Than Men (and How to Get What We Need!) – While I don’t know that everyone will agree with all points in this provoking piece (just look at the comments), it’s a perspective that deserves to be told. “Women comprise 87% of the impoverished elderly. A woman who works full-time for 40 years will earn $523,000 less than her male counterpart. At age 65, that extra half a million dollars could keep her from becoming one of the elderly poor.” This statistic alone is worth the read. Millionaire Mommy Next Door

The Top 25 Most Badass Personal Finance Blogs – This list of blogs (inspired by our own top 100 list) includes so many of our blogging friends, it’s a read in itself. Add in the flavorful caricatures of Adam Baker, Ramit Sethi, and J.D. Roth, and it’s something you could print out and hang on your wall. Word. Credit Card Finder

Confessions of a Starbucks Barista? It’s not like getting inside the mind of the mob, but it is an interesting impromptu interview. Hear the pros and cons of working for the mega brewer in this out of the ordinary read. Budgets are Sexy

Leftover Hot Dog Bun Recipes – There’s 10 to a pack, but the dogs come in 8’s. If you’re stuck with some leftover buns, here are a couple of fabulous recipes for you! (Note: They in no way involve hot dogs.) Mummy Deals

 

Other Essential Reading

How to Respond to Every Job Offer You Receive – Congrats! You got the job… sort of. This bit of wise advice tell you exactly what you need to know when you get offered the job, even if you’re not sure about taking it. Free Money Finance

Mint.com is Scary – This blogger asks for help in using Mint’s budgeting tool. The reason? He supposedly exceeded his $681 Movies and DVD budget by about $5,000 or so. Maybe you have some advice on reducing his $500+ bar tab, as well? The Sun’s Financial Diary

The Anniversary of Lehman Brother’s Failure: What You Can Learn from It – It’s fitting to look back at the painful lessons of this monumental event. Do you think they will stick? Or will history repeat itself? Gather Little By Little

7 Free Sites to Track Your Personal Information – Looking to spy on yourself? These free resources can help you get dibs on important info used to make credit, employment and other major decisions. (You can even find out about your purchase return history.) Consumer Reports Money Advisor via Consumerist

Your Kid’s Allowance: How Much to Give Your Child – I’m hoping my daughter doesn’t read this post. Apparently, we pay way less than the recommended $1 per year of age per week recommendation quoted in the article. (The total would be more than my water bill!) The Digerati Life