We've looked previously at why you might want to be a "bond girl." But if you're considering doing so, you might not know what to do next. One of the first things you need to decide are what kind of bonds might interest you.

As Americans struggle through what we hope is the tail end of the “Great Recession”, we hear the terms “inflation” and “deflation” often.  For many people, these terms mean little beyond the definitions of “a rise in general prices” and “a fall in general prices”, respectively.  In many ways however, inflation and deflation are two of the biggest drivers for your investment decisions. How, then, does inflation and deflation really affect our families and finances?

Inflation

Between giving ourselves a raise, saving during the holidays, and investing with less than $1,000, we’re as giddy as children over here at MomVesting.  Here are some of our favorite posts that we came across this week.  Hopefully, after reading them, you’ll be as excited as we are.

When I bring up finances with my girlfriends, the first response is usually something like, “Yes, I know. I need to get out of debt.” Sometimes they start complaining about student loans crushing them, and sometimes it's credit cards. Regardless, the outcome is always the same: They think that being debt free is the definition of being financially fit.

Play with your kids more, exercise when you want to, or even train a puppy while on the job. The benefits from working from home are as limitless as the people who decide to do so.  The main thing that all successful work-from-home types have is their dedication to investing in themselves.  Working from home still means working, and if you’re willing to accept that, you can make working from home work for you.

Picture this, if you will.  It's any given day in Anytown, USA.  More specifically, it's early evening, also known affectionately as "the witching hour" to some.  You know what time I'm talking about:  your kiddos are fighting with each other if they're not whining and clinging to your legs.   You're trying to get dinner to the table after another hectic day, and your dear hubby is relaxing in front of the tube.  And he keeps turning up the volume as the kids' voices escalate.  Laundry is waiting, homework is waiting, bathtime is waiting, and don't even get started on housework.  Who among us

My husband and I were both originally raised in sheltered lifestyles, so when we moved to Seattle, WA, in 2002, we were in for some surprises.  From the annual nude bike ride in the Fremont district to four-star cuisine to snow-capped mountains in June, we experienced countless adventures that rivaled our laid-back former lifestyles.  In one adventure, we were buying a used car at a dealership, and our previous sheltered farm existences were challenged.     

If you're a mom - working, single or stay at home - you're busy.  Period.  Your to-do list is full and growing, you're on call 24/7, and all you'd really like is to sit down for five minutes without someone pulling you in ten different directions.  Needless to say, finance is probably not at the forefront of your mind.  However, finances can (and probably already do) have a place in your life.  Below, we've listed some reasons why today's busy mom can -- and should -- be fearlessly informed and savvy about finances.

Here's a look at some posts that caught our attention this week:

• Dividend Monk brings us 5 Dividend Stocks that have gone NOWHERE for a Decade (and why you should care). Of course if the yield is high enough, "going nowhere" is just fine for many dividend stocks.

Picture it. The suburbs of Buffalo. Summer of 2005. My hubby and I had been married for four years, and I had just got the car of my dreams. A new-to-me, shiny, black VW Beetle was mine (complete with the bud vase and everything!). We had two incomes, ate out a lot, and now I had new wheels. Life was sweet.