Best of personal finance: Let's just stop listening to the news, shall we?

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Create a budget in as little as ten minutes. Get Rich Slowly

Not that you have any money anymore, but if you did, you would want to keep it in a safe bank, right? Fice Cent Nickel

The ol' "Why Do You Give the Government an Interest-Free Loan Every Year, Because That's What You Do When You Have Enough Taken Out of Your Paycheck to Qualify for a Refund Every April" argument. I never get tired of it. "I hereby offer to allow anybody reading this to send me money. I'll take cash, checks, money orders, even food stamps. Send me as much as you want. And I promise -- on my word as MSN Money's tax expert -- that I'll send it back to you on April 15, without interest." MSN Money

Cheap, cheap ways to show you care about someone. Dumb Little Man

Sweet gifts for under $10. Frugal Duchess

Just like Lee Iacocca would have wanted! The Buy American provisions in the Obama stimulus package. FT

What if we just cut 4.7 billion by eliminating the Pentagon's PR budget? Fox News

Imagine if the United States managed to achieve savings rates akin to the rest of the world. Or maybe just like we used to in the 1980s? Mighty Bargain Hunter

Now you have until June to convert your analog teevee or buy a new one, with the money you don't have. No Credit Needed

"As a person who aspires to be frugal, I understand that spending less money is only part of the equation. Another piece of the frugal puzzle is to do more with what we already have, and that includes money. The why is easy enough to understand, but the how is another story altogether.  Should I start sticking money under my mattress?  Should I put it all into "growth" funds in the stock market? " Frugal Hacks

Great crockpot recipes that make cooking cheap and almost effortless. The Simple Dollar

Free tax filing in the IRS web site if you made under 56K last year. Queercents

People who aren't burning their furniture for fuel might end up throwing it out, in which case you can fix it up really nicely. Frugal for Life

Oh, hey, guess what? The Treasury paid the banks more bailout money than they needed to! In addition to not having any important provisions attached to the funds! CNN Money via DINK

If you're going to the dollar store, don't buy just anything. Here are some of the best items to get your hands on. Not Made of Money

There's this guy who travels around the world while spending $5 a day. No, really. "Do you find you get more help from tourists or from locals?
In America, it was primarily locals. And in England. In Europe, it was primarily tourists. American tourists, believe it or not, they saved me so many times, to the point that I would wake up in the morning and I’d be like, “O.K. guys, we’ve gotta find some Americans.” Frugal Traveler (NYT)

What would happen if you didn't pay your taxes, other than having to withdraw your name from consideration for a cabinet position? My Two Dollars

Is there any point in trying to slim a fat cat down? Consumerism Commentary discusses limited CEO pay.

The thing about those ARM mortgage options, is that they kind of suck. All Financial Matters

What's black and white and has over 2,000 calories? The unhealthiest thing you can buy to eat, which you shouldn't, because it will kill you. Then again, it's a cheapish way to get a day's worth of calories. Men's Health via Boing Boing

When businesses go out of business, you lose anything you have invested in them - like gift cards. "As the number of business bankruptcies spike, more people will discover that their hard-earned cash is trapped in limbo -- inaccessible to them and perhaps gone forever." MSN Money Central

Romantic Valentine's ideas (hint: does not involve diamonds, pearls, or naked skydiving). The Simple Dollar

Working on your problem areas might be your best bet for saving money. I Will Teach You To Be Rich

Free audiobook, if not lunch - 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is available for free download. FIRE FINANCE

It's still cold. Cut your heating bill without moving into an igloo. Alpha Consumer

Why health care costs can kill a business. CNN Money

Credit card life and disability insurance - you don't need it. Here's why. Moolanomy