Friday Roundup: Finance, Parenting and Mom Blogs

You might have noticed that I have not mentioned my own kids in any of my posts. This is because my children right now are furry beings: a Great Dane and two cats. Now these kids can be almost as trying, as loving and as beautiful as human children (to which any parent of a furry child can attest!), but there’s a certain je ne sais quoi missing in stories about one’s pets that is apparent in parent stories (really, how many people truly want to hear my numerous Great Dane puppy stories?).

In any case, my hubby and I hope to (okay, we are getting really anxious to) get pregnant someday soon, so I have loved to read everything related to parenting lately. In fact, I have become a connoisseur of parenting and mom blogs, loving everything from finance parenting sites to fun blogs about the cutest kids I have ever seen!

In our past round-ups, we have focused on all of the fantastic finance blogs, but now I’d like to add some of the best stories (and blogs!) from the parenting realm. Here are some of the best posts I’ve found this week on both fronts:

The Finance Front

• Follow Femme Frugality as she shows us some of the best couponing sites, complete with one that has a searchable coupon field. I know what I’m doing this afternoon…
• Mysti shares a story about how asking for a lower rate can save you cash.
• Lindy Mint sells some gold jewelry to come out ahead…or at least not completely hosed.
• Sandy wonders if we should listen to Warren Buffett when he tells us we need to raise his taxes.
• Baby RB40 has taken Retire by Forty by a sleep stronghold, but he still manages to answer a few finance questions!

Finance Fun, Continued

• MoneyCone shares the differences between Ally and ING.
• Marie details how she plans to save for the worst and spend for the best.
• What do you do when your phone chants “Droid” incessantly? Why a little internet-influenced Ms. Fix It magic!
• Crystal’s mom shares a fun story about the evils of cable and the saving grace of rabbit ears in her first guest blog!
• BrokeTO considers buying a car – quick, someone talk her out of it!

Some Outdoor Fun From Finance Peeps

• Perfecting Dad shares the story of canoeing in a raging river with three kids, two dogs, and a wife who is 8 months pregnant (brave woman!)
• Jeff shares how to build a compost bin.
• Niki dives into her garden to come up with the most adorable bell peppers and one sad cuke (which doesn’t look all that sad to me!).
• I can smell the wood smoke in Laura’s post, and I’m jealous of her awesome camping trip!

More From Our Favorites in Finance

• Little House calculated her Starbucks to the tune of $5,256. Ouch! Thank you Spendster for the wakeup call!
• Derek brags…I mean, shares…how he lost 15 pounds in two weeks and what the means for his wallet.
• The Family CEO made an executive decision to negotiate a lower rate on her cable/internet/phone package.
• Ashley finds $1,158 sitting around and applies it to…wait for it…the teeth fund!

From the Mom Blogs!

• Sarah at SoSaysSarah is one of the most creative moms I have found to date. Check out her circle art for kiddies, inspired by artist Kenneth Noland.
• Amy at When Did I Get Like This writes about motherhood in fun ways, and one of my favorites to date has been “So, What are Your Superpowers?”
• At MyKidsEatSquid, Kristen shares a recipe for squid burgers. Nope, scratch that: portabello burgers. It’s all the same to me: my niece and nephew only eat mac ‘n’ cheese, hot dogs and fries. Maybe I can get them to try portabello with this recipe.
• Another Housewife shares a heartwarming story about how lunch notes can make your kids’ days.

Photo Source: Christa's pics (yes, that's my 100-pound baby girl!)