The new Carnival of Personal Finance is up at Broke-Ass Student and I am happy to see my recent post on Earning a High Happiness ROI included. There are tons of great submissions to this carnival, so check it out! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Money and Such has a great post critical of the 401(k) system.  This really hit home for me as I’ve switched jobs a few times in the last 5 years and each time I rolled over my 401(k) into my new employer’s 401(k). This is a huge mistake, as leaving a job is a rare opportunity to roll your 401(k) into an IRA, with more options and the potential for much less cost. I’m still kicking myself.
• Plus6 questions whether going on a purchasing fast is really helpful in the long run. The post offers useful suggestions for getting a handle on your finances without drastic measures. I have read about “buy nothing” experiments like the Compact and I think they can be useful for increasing awareness of materialism, but may be too drastic for most people for a steady length of time. I am always in favor of spending less on material goods and more on life-enhancing experiences.
• Money Smart Life offers some tips on traveling with credit cards. Check out the comments too! Some excellent points there. I have a Capital One card for travel because CapOne charges no foreign currency transaction fee. The card also offers 1% cash back. Not a bad deal.
• Searchlight Crusade speaks up for the often-maligned condo/townhouse/PUD. I am very happy in my condo and would probably have bought it even if single-family homes in my neighborhood were more affordable. There is a lot to be said for not having to mow the lawn!
• Finally, here is a great post from Grad Money Matters on staying disciplined. I particularly liked how the author compromises on lunches out by brown-bagging it three days a week and dining out the other two. That is a great balance between saving like a miser and spending without a thought. I’d bet those two days a week are even more special because of it, too.

I could go on, but you really should check out the carnival for yourself–there’s a lot of great content there.