If you’ve got a financial question and you think that several heads are better than one, then ask us, the m-network, and we’ll give you our opinions and suggestions. Not all questions can be answered, and we can’t offer professional advice, but all questions published will have several different answers and will be on display publicly for other people to add their comments too.

If you’re interested in taking part, contact me with your question.

I’m enjoying a fairly traditional Christmas at my dad’s house this year. One of my brothers wakes everyone up much earlier than is necessary (except me, I’m the eldest child therefore I sleep in or they’re all dead). We all, including my dad, have Christmas stockings plus my dad hides small gifts round the house and makes clues for my youngest brother to find - in return my youngest brother does exactly the same for my dad, but the clues are fiendishly difficult.

Present opening takes place with a glass of bubbly (or more than one glass) whilst listening to Slade, Wizzard and The Pogues.

For lunch we’ll be having turkey with all the trimmings - roast potatoes, mini sausages wrapped in bacon, stuffing, sprouts, parsnips and other veg. There will be Christmas crackers, so the wearing of silly hats and the reading of not funny jokes will be compulsory. Christmas pudding is followed by mints and coffee.

In the afternoon we skip the Queens speech and watch a film or play a board game. Any more food is of the help yourself out of the fridge variety.

Whatever you’re doing, hope you have a great Christmas.

If there are any features that you’d like to see on plonkee money, now is a good time to let me know. I’m toying with the idea of adding something so that you can email a post to a friend.

If you’re a recent graduate, or you know someone that is, you might be interested in this little guide for college graduates from Jim @ blueprint for financial prosperity. I’ve read it, and it looks good to me. Some of the advice is a little US biased (of course) but the general principles are there, and if you need any help translating to British personal finance, try this and/or this. Also in the new resources, is a very short pdf on making more money, from millionaire money habits.

Once you’ve seen all that little lot, come back and check out the discussions here at plonkee money. I’ve got a new page up that lists the most recent conversations, so that you can check out who’s saying what where. I’m hoping that it’ll encourage you (and me) to comment more often. If there are any other features you’d like to see on plonkee money, drop me a line I’d love to hear from you.

The thing to do, is to be on an organ donor register if you’re in an opt-in system and to not opt out if you’re in an opt out system.

The next thing to do, is to inform your nearest and dearest that in the event of your untimely demise, you want your organs donated. This can be hard to bring up - my preferred choice was to say:

Just to let you know, if you die and they’ll take your organs, I’m going to have them donated. Feel free to do the same for me. 

Because, that’s another point. You’re probably more likely to be involved in the decision to donate someone else’s organs as you are to have your own donated. As you can tell, I think that (as a strong default) you should go ahead and donate their organs if you can. I’d probably want to donate regardless of the feelings of the now dead person, but I can be hard-hearted, you’ll have to make your own minds up.

But the important thing really, is to think about what you would do in advance. And then hope that it never comes up.

And while we’re on the subject of death, don’t forget that you should have a will, and sufficient life insurance. 

A big thank you to all the people who contributed to plonkee money’s success in February. Top 10 referrers were:

1. i’ve paid for this twice already… (249)
2. moolanomy (212)
3. get rich slowly (177)
4. mrs micah (175)
5. single guy money (174)
6. being frugal (168)
7. my two dollars (128)
8. gather little by little (122)
9. put things off (99)
10. mapgirl (88)

I said in October that my goal for plonkee money was to average twice as many comments per post as I did then. In October 2007 I had 8.11 comments per post, and in February 2008 I was up to 12, so thanks to everyone that contributed to the community here at plonkee money, I’m hoping for lots more discussion this month, and onwards.

Top commentators in February were:

• RacerX (19)
• Llama for brains (11)
• Mrs. Micah (11)
• Looby (10)
• Chief Family Officer (8)
• Pippin (8)
• E.C. (6)

It’s a big week for Mrs. Micah as she’s also announced the launch of a personal finance wiki, the finwikian. For those that don’t know, a wiki means that pretty much anyone can edit it. There are already over a hundred entries on personal finance blogs, but if yours isn’t there feel free to add it. In addition, personal finance articles are wanted - it’s going to be like wikipedia, but better because it’s about personal finance.

I thought I’d give you a heads up on some things I’ve got planned for plonkee money.

First up, I’m joining in the m-network’s series on Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps to Financial Freedom. Of course, Dave Ramsey is basically unheard of in the UK, so if you want to get an idea of what it’s all about, check out this Dave Ramsey overview from Patrick @ Cash Money Life. When you’ve done that, the rest of the series is as follows:

• Step 0: No More Debt! No More Debt - Debt-Free Revolution, No More Debt - Single Guy Money.
• Step 1: $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund - Gather Little by Little.
• Step 2: Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball - I’ve Paid For This Twice Already.
• Step 3: 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings - Being Frugal.
• Step 4: Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement - The Dough Roller.
• Step 5: College funding for children - My Two Dollars.
• Step 6: Pay off home early - Moolanomy.
• Step 7: Build wealth and give! - Plonkee Money.
• Wrap-Up: Being Frugal, I’ve Paid For This Twice Already.

Another thing that’s in the works is a guide to ISA investing. I know a couple of you have requested one, and it’s currently about half finished - it’ll probably be a two or three part series. If there’s something you particularly want addressed in that, be sure to let me know.

I’m going to carry on with my book reviews, taking a look at Rich Dad, Poor Dad (assuming that I can find my copy). If there’s a book you’d like me to review, again let me know.

Finally, I’m thinking about writing a series or something on one of my favourite topics, budget travel. I prefer to actually do budget travel, but failing that, I’ll write about it so that you can do it.

As always, feel free to contact me with questions, suggestions, criticisms or ideas.

Image by oskay 

PS. It’s free, go tell your friends.

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to plonkee money

Happy Birthday to Me

That’s right, plonkee money is one year old today.

In honour of this auspicious occasion, I’m throwing open the comment sections for your questions.

Is there anything you would like to know about personal finance, but can’t quite be bothered to find out?

Is there something you’ve been dying to ask me, but weren’t quite sure if it was relevant?

Have you always wanted to know what the English think on some issue, but were too polite to ask?

Whatever question you have*, say it here before Friday 29th February and I will publicly answer all questions put to me within a week.

*small print: no swearing, it’s not big, and it’s not clever