Best Money Tips: Cash for Clunkers 2.0

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Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips roundup.  If it’s novel, frugal, or otherwise fantastic, we’re hoping to share it with you each week.  This week’s assortment of treats comes to you with advice for junking your car, rocking your career, and brewing your own.

Top 5 Articles of the Week

Cash for Clunkers 2.0: Five Tips for Consumers – If you only do five things when looking to dump your higher mileage automobile in favor of a sexier model, this is the authority on where to start.  TIME

Freezer and Fridge Hacks: Seven Ways to Maximize The Value of Your Fridge and Freezer – Let’s face the facts.  Food isn’t cheap, and storing it efficiently isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  Trent’s tips for saving on energy and waste are idiot-proof and effective.  The Simple Dollar

9 Qualities That Will Rock Your Career – It isn’t just about showing up on time and looking busy when the boss walks by.  Today’s competitive job market requires a bit of out-of-the-box thinking and finesse.  This list, and a lot of gumption, can lead you in the right direction.  Dumb Little Man

Stay-at-Home Moms Need A Career Plan – Think you’ve got enough to worry about with a new baby in tow? Think again.  A smart mama begins thinking and doing to prepare for the when’s and if’s of going back to work someday.  Alpha Consumer

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money: Bottling - This is just another fabulous tutorial in a series of how to craft your own beer.  With over a dozen full-color photos to help you along, you’ll witness the scum at the top of the beer bucket like you’ve never seen it before -- and at a savings over retail.  Generation X Finance

Other Essential Reading

4 Swiffer Cleaning Hacks for Cheaper Dust-free Living – Some people, no matter how frugal, will not part with their Swiffer.  To these dust-defeating and diligent consumers we say “Go for it,” with this quick pictorial involving binder clips.  Squawkfox

The Financial Benefits of Facebook - Is there a more-than-social reason to hang out on the social networking site these days?  With a few reminders on how to save money, get unique offers, and gain employment, David Mitchell gives a rundown. SavingAdvice

How to Plan a Low-Cost Funeral that Doesn’t Cost an Arm and a Leg - There is no pun intended with this straight-forward look at planning for the very end. The explanation of “The Funeral Rule” is necessary reading and well worth taking a look at.  Dough Roller

Back to School: Tech Temptations to Avoid - While not everyone will agree that there is a definitive list of wants vs. needs for college kids, this piece does get the conversation going.  Big screen TV’s are probably not necessary for most Freshmen entering a tiny dorm room.  (But you’ll have to wrestle most for their iPods.)  MainStreet

Top 10: Things to Do Before You Bolt - Ready for college?  Not so fast, buddy.  Before you hit the road for your year of independence, check this list of must-do tasks to make sure you put your best foot forward.  Anti-virus software and rubber flip-flops may not be the stuff frat party movies are made of, but you have to start somewhere.  College Finance 101