Weekend Link Love And Carnival Roundup

First off, I’d like to apologize for being so unresponsive of late.  I haven’t done a good job responding to emails or comments on account of the whole new job thing.  I’m starting to get settled in, though, so things should get less hectic moving forward.  Now, on with the links!

The Finance Blog Network

Curt from Pennyjobs reviews a book I also thoroughly enjoyed, Reality Check by Guy Kawasaki.

Andy from Saving To Invest asks if smart people are really all that smart.  Good question!  My feeling is that it can lead to extreme overconfidence, and we all see what that leads to.

Passive Family Income relates how his passive income streams are saving him over $27,000!  It just goes to show that even tiny trickles of passive income can make a huge difference if you apply them correctly.  Pre-paying your mortgage is just one such way.  You could also invest the extra cash in an investment account every month to yield even greater dividends.

Rich Credit Debt Loan talks about protecting your pension from the credit crisis.  His advice is the same as mine:  don’t rely entirely on your pension!

The Strump, a recent addition to The Finance Blog Network, relays the story of the millionaire bag lady.

Around The Web And Carnival Of Personal Finance

Special thanks goes out to Brooke at Dollar Frugal for including my post 5 Tips To Prepare For A Layoff In Advance in this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance:  Wizard of Oz edition.

Savings Toolbox brings us ways to save on car insurance.  Much of this is common sense, but I love the tip to “own a lower-risk vehicle.”  Most people overlook the fact that the car you drive is one of the biggest determinants of your insurance rate.

Money Smart Life explains your options for 3 of the top tax software programs.

Main Street calculates the odds of getting laid off are around 1 in 250 in this economy.  How does that compare to other events, such as getting into Harvard business school or having twins?  You may be surprised.