Welcome to Wise Bread's Best of Personal Finance roundup.

How to write an effective thank you note for any occasion:

  1. Say thank you (of course).
  2. Express a detailed appreciation of the opportunity or gift:  "Thank you for the gift of $20 on the occasion of my graduation."
  3. Build towards a future connection:  "I hope you’ll stop in over Thanksgiving break at my parents so we can touch base."  The Simple Dollar

Paying a la carte can save you a bundle.  Study showed that gym members overestimate how often they'll use their membership by over 70%.  People who purchased single-use passes actually saved more money than those who paid for long term memberships.  Imagine applying this a la carte logic to prepaid cell phones, Netflix, magazine subscriptions, etc.  I Will Teach You To Be Rich via Smart Spending

The hidden cost of Wal-Mart.  It forces you to bear a time cost (waiting in line) that directly offsets its own labor costs (cashiers).  Mighty Bargain Hunter

How 10 families stopped using their credit cards.  Featuring inspirational stories of our good friends Jason and Molly of No Credit Needed and Leo from Zen Habits

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McCain vs. Obama: How will they impact your tax bill?  "McCain’s plan calls for the biggest percentage (that is, most meaningful) tax decrease for the highest earners while Obama’s allows the lowest income earners to receive the biggest break."  Consumerism Commentary (See also Paul's take on the comparison.)

Strategic splurging actually saves you money.  Learning how treating yourself once in a while can give you the thrill without the spill.  Get Rich Slowly

13 secrets to stretching your travel dollars.  For example, stock up on food at a local supermarket.  Try limiting restaurant visits to one per day.  Free Money Finance

Frugal vacation preparation checklist.  Frugal travel begins before the trip.  Good planning can save you a bundle.  Our Fourpence Worth

Teach your kids to become entrepreneurs. The process of starting a business can teach kids valuable networking, accounting, and critical thinking skills.  All Financial Matters

Improve your gas mileage by 15%.   Focus on accelerating gradually, anticipate stops, coast where possible, and minimize air conditioning.  Five Cent Nickel

5 healthy and cheap DIY snacks.  "Buying a tub of pretzels and parceling them into snack bags is literally 3 times cheaper than buying the individual bags. No coupon in the world will save you what 20 minutes will."  Dumb Little Man