Later this week, we’ll be jetting off for a much needed ten day vacation. While things will likely slow down a bit around here, I still intend to post a few articles here and there while we’re on the road. In the mean time…

Recent links of interest

Jim talked about using a leftover calendar to reduce food spoilage. This is something that we could use, as we often forget about leftovers until they’ve gone bad. In fact, we’re furiously eating all of our leftovers right now as we prepare to leave town.

JD published a fascinating (and touching) letter that his father wrote to him back in college. What were the most useful bits of insight? Well, one of my favorites was that “girls can be handy.” Another was an admonishment to “wear clean underwear.” There was also a good bit of financial advice embedded in the letter.

As gas prices continue to spiral upward, you might want to check out Wise Bread’s list of tips for deterring gas thieves.

NCN wrote about breaking the addiction to credit. Of course, I also run a site called Credit Addict, so I’m obviously not averse to using plastic. But if you’re having problems, and looking to kick the habit, this article is definitely worth a look.

Lazy Man talked about saving money on groceries by shopping at the right store. When I was a kid, we had a neighborhood grocery/convenience store where we always went for our milk as well as a few essentials in between trips to the “real” grocery store. Unfortunately, it seems that the days of smaller-scale, reasonably priced store are long gone. Nowadays, your best bet is a full-scale grocery store or (especially if you have a big family) a warehouse club.

Jeremy has a nice collection of tips for optimizing your homeowner’s insurance. The only thing that I’d add to it would be that you should be sure to update your coverage if you renovate your house.

SVB talked put together a list of five reasons that people spoil their kids (along with a bunch of super-extravagant gifts). It’s an interesting read, and I’d have to say that she’s pretty much nailed it.

Finally… I’ve actually been meaning to link to this one for awhile, but I never got around to it… Mrs. Micah wrote about what to do when you receive a collections letter. This is something that we actually had to deal with last fall even though we had paid our bill (and had proof).