New Health Routine Foiled (and Personal Finance Links)

This weekend, my wife and I realized that if one of us got up early and went jogging with our dog for 20 minutes we’d be hitting a new high in productivity. For one our dog (a husky/yellow lab mix) gets much needed exercise. That exercise will hopefully prevent him from getting restless during the day while we are at work (something that happens from time to time). The other half of the productivity comes from the exercise that we get. The person who doesn’t walk the dog in the morning gets and early trip to work in an effort to get home early for another dog jog.

Today I’m the one getting to work early. Traffic was a breeze at 7AM (yes it’s not the norm. I’ve found that Silicon Valley generally has later sleepers). The traffic was so good that I got into work only to find locked doors at 7:30. No one was around to let me in. That wouldn’t be a problem if I wasn’t the only person at work without a key. I had never made it a priority to get one since it was only twice previously in months and months that I was here before or after hours. Let’s hope this is just a blip in the overall plan. Something tells me that’s going to be the easy part and jogging the mile and a half in the morning is going to be a little more difficult.

Money Writers:

• Brip Blap posts the 5 o’clock test.
• Digerati Life ponders tipping etiquette: why should I tip?
• Frugal Dad asks [should I] postpone college in order to pay for it with cash?
• Million Dollar Journey writes breaking up is hard to do: transitioning well from one job to another.
• Money Smart Life asks standard deduction or itemized deduction?
• My Dollar Plan shares how to make a Roth IRA conversion.
• The Sun’s Financial Diary presents five pitfalls to avoid when buying or selling a house.

Top PF Posts:

• Free Money Finance shares nine Roth IRA conversion mistakes.
• The Smarter Wallet blogs on how to buy a digital camera.
• No Credit Needed writes 10 ways to save 10 bucks each month.
• One Frugal Girl asks do you try to save money or try to earn more?
• Five Cent Nickel posts Roth IRA as an emergency fund?
• Credit Addict says federal credit card regulations will backfire on consumers.
• Hundred Goal$ asks is a gym membership worth the money?
• Mapgirl is rebalancing her portfolio.
• A Dawn Journal shares how to get the best mortgage deals.
• Bargaineering says working Americans have almost no retirement savings.
• Wealth…Uncomplicated asks how good is your advisor?
• Fine Tuned Finances explores what to do if you can’t pay the taxes you owe.