The Carnival of Personal Finance is published on Mondays. Of all the blog showcases and compilations that are listed on the Monroe on a budget blogroll, this one is my favorite because of a weekly publication schedule, variety of topics, a good geographic mix of bloggers, and the time and creativity that the editors put into their presentations.

We’re in Debt hosted this week’s carnival edition. As you’ll see, personal finance bloggers from across the Internet found plenty of things to write about during mid- to late-December. There are some really great posts to read.

Here are my top picks:

• The Dough Roller presents To Make Good Financial Decisions, Think Like Mr. Spock But Act Like Captain Kirk. This is a very clever analogy with two famous characters. You need to understand financial details, but also know what among the available choices will make you happy (especially when you have to pick and choose from various financial goals.) … As an aside note, my husband and I were very involved in Star Trek fan club activities when we got married. Almost a dozen of the wedding cards we received from friends and family included this phrase: “Live long, and prosper!” Yes, that’s a perfect wedding blessing for those who are familiar with Star Trek!
• Brip Blap presents You Might Be a Personal Finance Redneck If. Yes, personal finance topics can be specific to one’s cultural background! Here’s a snippet: “you don’t have to worry about the Latte factor, you have to worry about the Kools-and-Schlitz Factor.” … By the way, I’m only three generations removed from Kentucky “hillbilly.” I attended a family reunion in 2003 where there were so many Kentucky relatives intermingled in so many directions that I had to recite several generations of family lineage for the others to figure out who my kinfolk were.
• Being Frugal presents How to save an emergency fund when money is tight. No matter what approach you follow for budgeting money for “rainy days”, you need to find every means possible to limit daily expenses so you can put money aside for bigger / unpredictable messes like car repairs, broken appliances and factory shutdowns. … One thing my husband did earlier this year, when he got vacation pay in lieu of time off, was to put the money in his savings account rather than spend it. The intention is to help us make up the difference in paychecks when he has to take unpaid time off.
• Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Money presents Very Wealthy People’s Characteristics. A snippet: “Doing the right thing everyday, even in small amounts is so much more important than grandiose gestures. The ones who really get their financial houses in order are the ones that make the lifestyle changes, and make them part of who they are.” … I hope that gives readers inspiration to stay on task. Yes, it’s annoying to follow a dizzying array of money-saving and personal finance tips and still be living paycheck to paycheck. But if you fail to stay on task, you end up in serious financial trouble much sooner.
• And Monroe on a budget presents Weddings on a budget: your first call is to the church or ceremony site. I’m providing 10 things you need to know before you purchase the gowns and book the professional services. …Yes, my co-workers and I had some fun recently trading wedding stories and the regional bridal show season is just starting. I don’t know how long my wedding on a budget thread will last, but I’ve got several ideas drafted and ready to sprinkle in with the everyday topics.