Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge

Five Cent Nickel has it available now!

Trust me, I was IMing with him last night and he didn’t finish it till pretty late. He’s pulled out his ‘Editor’s Choice’ top picks at the top. Expect much the same from me when I host Carnival #91 in March.

These are the ones that caught my eye.

Jim at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity does the tax bracket review that someone asked me to do a few months ago.

Searchlight Crusade on what to do if your mortgage loan is declined. I hope I never need this advice! (Shouldn’t the lead off be, if you are declined, are you sure you should be doing this?”)

My Financial Journey on lottery odds. Funny, and yet frightening. I don’t want to be struck by lightning or die in my bathtub. EVER.

My Retirement Blog with a very short and sweet analysis of Roth vs Regular 401k’s. (Can’t these boys think of anything peppier than “My X Blog”?)

Jose at Money & Investing on maybe why your manager wants you to leave, or not. Pretty interesting if you ask me. Something to think about if you’re contemplating a job change in the upcoming year.

Mr. Credit Card writes about a debate Rob and I have had before, do you transfer your HELOC off to credit cards?

William Wallets at A Financial Revolution has a ‘Fixed Income Ladder’ also known as a ‘CD Ladder’. I liked this particular version of it because he discusses how to tweak it for your timing. Apparently I lead a ‘volatile’ life because I have mine laddered for every month with some 3 month gaps. (No, I don’t have a full ladder for all 12 months.)

Hazzard has a post about a homeless guy who gets a windfall check. I wrote in the comment about what I’d do if I won the lottery. Pretty much, I think I’d become a professional volunteer or keep my job. I go nuts after being idle for a month. Unemployment in 2005 and Underemployment in 2001 proves to me that I really like being active.

If I won the lottery, I would keep working if my windfall was $3 million or less. If it was over $5 million, I’d definitely quit. Somewhere in the middle? It would depend on how I felt about my job and how soon I thought I’d need it for retirement.

So even if I suddenly became Ms. Moneybags, you’ll see my blog name change to “Ms. Moneybags’ Fiscal Management”. I’ll start writing it full-time. I’ll join Habitat for Humanity and build houses. I’ll teach knitting and spinning. Be a librarian. Teach how to read or teach English. I’ll teach financial literacy workshops.

I’ll give my parents some of the money so my mom can retire immediately. I’ll give some to my nieces and nephews for their college funds. I’ll make a trust fund for my developmentally disabled relative. I’ll pay off my condo. I’ll buy a newer car to fulfill my car fantasies. (Lately, I’m in love with the BMW M3 SMG. KICKY! But I’d have to get it new because used means someone else beat it up first.) I’ll endow a scholarship at my high school. I’ll buy a bunny rabbit and a dog as pets.

Someone at work buys lottery tickets and fantasizes about what she would do if she won all that money. After finding that out, I read Hazzard’s post and started to dream up what I would do. What would you do? What would you change about your life? Would you quit your job? How much would you have to receive?