Yakezie Carnival: The 93 Edition

Welcome to the Yakezie Carnival.  The Yakezie is a group of the best personal finance blogs on the internet.  In short, we rock.  Joining the Yakezie is a 6 month challenge involving Alexa ranking and cross-promotion.

These are posts submitted by Yakezie members.  Please note, this is the 93 Edition, not the 93rd Edition.

Today is April 3rd, the 93rd day of the year.

93 is a Blum integer.  For those of you who don’t know, a Blum integer is, to quote Wikipedia, a natural number n if n = p×q is a semiprime for which p and q are distinct prime numbers congruent to 3 mod 4.  Now you know as much as you did before.   If you understand that definition, you probably already knew what a Blum integer was.   To me, this means a Blum integer is a number that has a definition that I have to copy and paste to even repeat coherently.  It exists solely to make math geeks feel smart.  I am not a math geek.

On to the carnival!

KrantCents brings us Cash or Credit, a post about the choice between using cash or credit for purchases.  We’ve wrestled with this one before.  A few months ago, we basically abandoned the cash-only system as inconvenient and too easy to ignore.  Right now, we are transitioning to a travel rewards card for all of our regular purchases.   I’m going to see how much of my trip to the Financial Blogger Conference I can get for free.

Using thelemic isopsephy, a form of numerology promoted by Aleister Crowley, Will + Love = 93.   Crowley once said something to the effect of “Never lie.  Just live the kind of life no one will believe.”  I love that quote, but I can’t remember where I read it.

Dr. Dean presents 5 Tips Plus A Bonus On Saving Money: Today! and says “Dr Dean’s patients are telling him their costs are rising, despite the feds promise that inflation is under control.  5 tips to save a little money, now (with a fun bonus!)”  As a father of 3, the bonus tip needs to be rethought.   Long-term costs….

On February 8th, 1993, GM sued NBC for faking crashes that show GM trucks catching fire in car accidents.  First, if Hollywood has taught me anything, it’s that cars catch fire in every accident, no matter how minor.  Second, where’s Toyota’s lawsuit, now?

Jacob at My Personal Finance Journey bring us Are Extended Auto Warranties A Scam? and says “A look at the considerations that should go in to deciding whether or not extended warranties are worth their weight in gold.”  I want to call extended auto warranties a scam, but I can’t.  When I bought my car, I got the warranty and paid a couple of thousand dollars for it(I don’t remember exactly how much!).  For years, it was worthless, but shortly before the warranty expired, I had a couple of problems that needed to be fixed, so I brought it in and asked for a complete inspection to go with the repair.  All told, I got close to $5,000 in repairs for that $2,000 warranty and my car drives like new at 7 years old.

On May 10th, 1893, the United States Supreme Court officially declared the tomato to be a vegetable, proving once again that, not only will the government stick its nose into absolutely anything, but it doesn’t feel a need to base its decisions on facts or science.   Remember that when you hear any government declaration regarding scientific facts or advances.

Money Reasons bring us Are We All COGs in the Machine Of Life? and says “Break away from the business machine that is using you as a COG spinning doing the owner’s bidding.  Why just spin in circles wasting life away?  Start your own business or develop some life fulfilling hobbies!”  I love the idea of breaking out and doing what you love, whether or not it makes you any money.  Life’s too short to hate everything about it.

In Q1, 1793, France declared war on Great Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands.   Now, they make whine, pastries, and self-righteous politicians.   The Earth is also 93 million miles from the sun.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Evan at My Journey to Millions offers up Important Dates When Investing in Dividend Producing Stocks and says “When you are dealing with dividend paying stocks there are dates whose definitions can be considered a term of art and you should know about including declaration date, ex-dividend date, record date and payment date.”  I get lost when dealing with most investments.  That’s mostly because, at this point in my financial journey, I don’t care.  I’m still working on paying my way out of debt.  I’ll worry about the investments later.

93 is located at the 42nd digit of pi.  That is obviously significant.  I should team up with Thelema to invent some mystical reason to take a paid holiday tomorrow to celebrate the works of Douglas Adams.

Melissa at Mom’s Plan presents How to Accomplish Your Goals Part Two:  Write Down a Step-by-Step Timeline and says “Writing down the goal is only one step of the process; directing yourself as to how you will complete the process is just as important.”  Having goals turns life into a game.  Games are fun, so goals are good.

By contentment, the acquisition of extreme happiness. – 93rd Aphroism Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra

Darwin’s Money brings us Life Settlement Investment – Scam or Legit? and says “Life Settlement Investments – Profiting from Death? Scam? Or legitimate high yield alternative investment?  Find out for yourself with the facts here.”  Life settlement funds appeal to me in a totally morbid, Running Man kind of way.  It’s less disturbing that Treadmill to Bucks.

Finally, 93 is the number of the flight that successfully fought back on 9/11.  Never forget.