For years, Black Friday has brought the crazy out in people. I mean standing out in the middle of the night in arctic temperatures brand of crazy. At the end of the ice-cold, wait-till-midnight-to-shop hysteria is an expensive piece of electronic equipment discounted by $100. Then, after great feats of effort, you wrap up the expensive piece of electronic equipment and give it to someone else. Sadly, I’m here to announce that Black Friday might be coming to an end.

Bloomberg notes that sales were down this last Black Friday. The biggest culprit was the number of retailers trying to get a jump on Friday by offering Thanksgiving sales. However, the article also notes that many retailers have been offering deals all week. This defeats the magic of Black Friday, which was that all retailers initiated holiday specials at the same time. As deals spread out, the need to hit the stores at midnight fades. This could be the beginning of the end for Black Friday.

What are your thoughts? Could Black Friday be drawing to a close?

Yakezie Carnival

Now that I’ve either made your day or ruined your life. I leave you with this week’s Yakezie Carnival.

Great articles everyone!

Justin @ The Frugal Path writes Couponing 101: You Don’t Have to be Extreme – Cutting coupons can be a great way to save money on your grocery budget. But don’t fall into the trap of extreme couponing where you buy stuff that you don’t need.

James Petzke @ This Is Common Cents writes What Has Two Thumbs and Doesn’t Care About Black Friday? This Guy! – Black Friday sales are a very clever marketing trick to get you to buy useless crap you don’t even need.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes Be Prepared for Paycheck Shrinkage on January 1, 2013 – Sorry to break the news to all of my American friends but starting January 1, 2013 your paycheck will likely be 2% smaller and that is on the conservative side. It could be even smaller than that! So what am I talking about and why should you care?

Michael @ Financial Ramblings writes HSA Bank vs. HSA Administrators – These are the top two options if you’re looking to invest inside your HSA. They’re both quite good, but there are some key differences that you should consider when choosing between them.

Walt Valdemoro @ MyWealthDesire writes Wealth Buildings like Jim Rogers: 5 Best Ways to Invest in Silver – Jim Rogers is one of the successful and famous American investors. He is a seasoned and famous investor with an amazing record of accomplishments when it comes to investing in commodities like silver, gold and other precious metals. In the latest report from most business media, it was reported that Jim Rogers is recommending his fellow investors to invest in silver. The demand for silver has continuously increased in manufacturing of alternative energy products, kitchenware, construction mat

Jon Rhodes @ Affiliate Marketing Help writes Places That Accept Guest Posts – This is a “living breathing” post that lists some of the best blogs to guest post to. We will update this list by accepting your suggestions, so if you’re blog accepts guest posts, drop by and give us yoour suggestion.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes WHAT IS THE FISCAL CLIFF? – How the Fiscal Cliff will raise taxes. Financial wealth building strategies to cut your tax bill.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Six Ways to Support Veterans Throughout the Year – A look at ways to support veterans, not just on Veteran’s Day but also throughout the year, allowing you to improve the life of veterans throughout the year.

Rohit @ The Money Mail writes Use balance transfer offers to pay down debt quicker – With the cost of debt so high, it takes forever to pay down debt. Using tools like zero balance transfers, you can save on interest expenses and also repay debt sooner.

ETZ25 @ Entertainment Timez writes Blogging Is Hard For Kids But Worth It? – Blogging for kids is hard, but can be a rewarding experience in many way. Read how my son is overcoming some of the previous problems.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Which Type of Mortgage is Right For You? – The most notable types of mortgage available for anyone who wants to buy a home, whether it is for the first, second or even third time are listed here:

Darwin @ Darwin’s Money writes The #1 Thing You Need to Be Successful in Life (That Nobody Talks About) – Success at anything – life, career, finances, you name it – depends on this one single thing. And it is rarely talked about.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Want to Avoid a 459% Product Mark Up? Make Your Own Home Made Play-doh – Make your own homemade playdoh, save money (459% mark up on the brand name!) and have more fun.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Should You Pay The Nanny Tax? – It’s estimated that 85-90% of people who have household employees do not pay what’s commonly referred to as the nanny tax. But should you pay it?

IMB @ Investing Money writes Diversification: Everything you Need to Know – Find out everything you need to know about investing diversification for your portfolio.

Rod @ ROD Blog writes Chase Ink Cash Business Card Review – Chase Ink Cash Business Card is one of the few no-fee business credit cards. How does it stack up on rewards and benefits compared to other cards?

Todd @ Financial Mentor writes Retirement Planning Is Dead – Traditional retirement planning has failed. Statistics prove it is an old world model in need of a facelift. If you want to retire with security this alternative…

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes What Makes a Company Successful? – Every entrepreneur wants his or her company to succeed. Of course, not every startup is going to enjoy the wild success that, say, Amazon, Google or Apple have had.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Budgeting for a Wedding – Find out how to plan for the expenses of a wedding and not let money prevent you from having a great time celebrating your union.

Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes Why Do Stock Share Prices Change? – Even if you don’t yet know too much about the stock market, you’ll probably be aware that prices change on a regular basis… Read why!

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Top 20 Dividend Stocks – November 2012 – My top 20 stocks according to my screening criteria.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Buying A Purebred Dog Is Like Buying A New Car – There are a lot of things that you must consider before buying a purebred dog. It is a lot like buying a new car with all the considerations that you must take into account. Here are some tips.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Attacking the Cost of Doing Laundry in Our Household – The two of us generate enough dirty clothes to run two loads of laundry per week (with one-two extra loads per month), or approximately 110 loads per year.

TTMK @ Tie the Money Knot writes The Value of a Good Night’s Sleep – Some folks believe that burning the midnight oil is the way to riches. On the other hand, I say that getting a full night of sleep each night is more profitable.

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Rediscovering Passion – I am slowly coming out of a pretty long low life cycle that I never thought would end. Now, I’m not sure what to be more alarmed by, the fact that I am getting old enough to have negative or positive life cycles that can last more than 5 years or that it freakin’ lasted 5 years?

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes No Mortgage Payments For A Year-Sign Me Up! – Quicken Loans is having an awesome Sweepstakes going on right now. If you win, they’ll pay your mortgage payments for an entire year. How could I not share this? I would love to win this sweepstakes.

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes Why I Prefer to Make My Own Black Friday Deals – I’d much rather sit back in the comfort of my own home and shop online. And I say this, living in 60 degree winter weather; I can’t even imagine what it’s like to wait in line at 6 am when it’s literally freezing cold outside. But whether I find a deal on eBay or my favorite retailer Amazon, I can compare prices, use coupons and get free 2 day shipping(thank you prime!) all from the comfort of my reclining couch. This type of shopping might not be appealing to everyone but it defini

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Cheap and Easy Thanksgiving Sides – Here are my favorite cheap and easy Thanksgiving side dishes and links to the step-by-step recipes!

Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Why You Should Get A Home Insurance Estimate – After Hurricane Sandy and the latest natural disasters, it is more important than ever that Americans protect their largest investment – their homes.

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Best Alternatives to Credit Cards – Credit cards are dangerous and can get people into serious trouble. Instead of risking it, why not use these alternatives instead and safeguard yourself.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Should You Invest in Bonds? – Bonds are understood to be the middle ground between stocks and cash. Bonds are more volatile than cash, but offer higher returns.

TDB @ Tax Deduction Blog writes Balancing Retirement and Your Child’s College Tuition – Most people view college tuition as a parent’s responsibility, but its cost continues to rise with no end in sight. For example, the fees and tuition of public schools rose by 8 percent in 2011 alone. Likewise, the cost of living isn’t going down either, so the cost of requirement is rising as well. Together,…

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Frontier Bonds and the case for exotic investments – I had a phone call from a reporter this morning that was writing a story on frontier market bonds. Here is what I told her about this high risk investment.

Jason @ Work Save Live writes Understanding the Basics of Deferred Annuities – What is an Annuity? By definition, an annuity is: A fixed sum of money paid to someone each year, typically for the rest of their life A form of insurance or investment entitling the investor to a series of annual sums.

Rich @ Growing Money Smart writes What is Dollar Cost Averaging? – Dollar Cost Averaging is an investment strategy where you are investing static amounts of chunks of money spread out over time (instead of a lump sum purchase) in a given investment.

Robert @ en writes Starting a Business? How To Have Work Life Balance – How to balance your life while starting your own business.

Robert @ My Multiple Income writes 3 Steps Towards Retirement Planning – My ideal retirement is not where I am no longer working. I want to be in a field that I truly enjoy, and also earn some sort of passive income and something safe on the side so that I can continue to enjoy what I love.

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes The Failures and Eventual Success of Colonel Sanders – I love hard luck stories turned mega success. We see huge companies that have been there our whole lives and think that they just appeared.

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Extra Expenses Around Holidays – Thanksgiving is almost here for all of us who live in the U.S. and while that may mean extra vacation days from work, it also means one of the most expensive times of the year.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes How To Rollover An Old 401(k) Plan – Why do you need to know the details on how to rollover an old 401(k) plan? The average person holds 11 jobs from the age of 18 to 44, according to the Bureau

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Prioritizing Your Holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s? – More and more Americans are working in jobs that don’t stop just because of a holiday. Which holidays are your priority when it comes to taking time off?

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes 4 Bond Strategies You Can Use To Grow Your Portfolio – Investing in bonds is just one way to diversify your investment portfolio. Bonds are a great investment if you want a regular income stream.

J.P. @ Novel Investor writes What Is An ADR (American Depositary Receipt)? – There are many ways to invest in foreign companies. An ADR or American Depositary Receipt is an easy way to buy foreign stocks through your broker.

Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes Ways to Save Money on Your Small Business Expenses – If you have a small business, it is almost just as important to minimize expenses, as it is to generate more revenue. If you don’t watch your expenses, you could easily find yourself running a deficit and struggling to maintain your business. Here are some simple tips to save money on your small business expenses.

Gary @ Gajizmo.com – Personal Finance writes Best Ways To Get Cheap Car Insurance Quotes – Tips on how to save on your car insurance rates, the factors that affect your premiums, and 5 reasons you should compare quotes online.

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes The Dividend Toolkit Review – Matt Alden, and fellow dividend blogger at the Dividend Monk has recently published a great stock analysis guide. I’ve had the opportunity to read the entire guide and apply some of its concepts.

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes What Will You Do In Retirement? – Have you figured out how much you need in order to retire? Have you adjusted this for how you actually want to retire? Retiring young would require you to start

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes Our Bid for Financial Freedom by Age 50 – How much we earn from our money will determine how fast it grows. My husband and I have both learned that there are just some things that you can’t control. But it is nice to have a plan anyway.

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes My Zombie Apocalypse Budget – Three things happened to prompt me to write this post and make an emergency budget should there be a huge emergency, like a zombie apocalypse.

CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Job Ready – While this influx of applicants may make things more difficult when you’re hunting for a job, all you need to do is spend a little time making sure you are easy to find on the Internet.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes What Happens After Liquidation – Personal finance focuses on how to make businesses successful; but more than 80% of them fail. Knowing about liquidation and what it means is important.

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes The Middle Class Squeeze – The term “middle-class” originated around 1745 as a social class between nobility and peasantry. Within the confines of Capitalism, somebody that was born with nothing could become something and rival nobles. Speaking more modern, ANYBODY can become SOMEBODY. It doesn’t really matter how you explain it or define it, though.

Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes 0% Interest – Can I really avoid cutting up my Credit Cards – Do you really need to cut up your credit cards or can a balance be found of wise spending versus interest rates. A great look at 0% offers.

Infinite Banker @ Becoming Your Own Bank writes Mutual Fund Performance Infograph – Infograph showing mutual fund performance compared to the S&P.

Sam @ http://creditcardselect.com writes FinanceNog, Sip On Holiday Tips with Leading Experts (Part 1) – Holiday savings tips from top finance experts like Stephanie Nelson of Coupon Mom and Adrian Nazari of Credit Sesame.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Will Google Calendar Save This Blog? – My posting schedule is slipping, can Google Calendar save this blog? Read why I think it can and what my new schedule will be and why!

Teacher Man @ My University Money writes What if Your Degree Doesn’t Match What You Really Want to Do? – Do you abandon your education in favor of what it is your really want to do, and waste thousands of hours of study and tens of thousands of dollars? Or do you just ignore what it is you really want to do? It’s a tough choice no matter which way you go.

Young @ Young And Thrifty writes 4 Strategies for Effective Workplace Communication – Since we spend more time in the workplace than we spend with our loved ones on a daily basis, trying to like your colleagues and work well with them is an important part of your day-to-day work.

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Treat Yourself with Holiday Gifts – Don’t just go out and blindly spend your money buying gifts. Instead, why not buy a gift of experience for friends and family and gifts that give back for acquaintances?

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes 5 Investing Lessons To Live By – In a previous issue of Kiplinger’s magazine, Kathy Kristof wrote a column that compare’s the lessons learned in the movie Moneyball with investing advice.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Non-Refundable Hotel Reservations – As a self-proclaimed travel novice, I’d never heard of non-refundable hotel reservations – until now. Let me just say, I’m pissed off about the whole situation. Here’s my story:

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes Black Friday 101: Your Guide to Successful Shopping – Black Friday is a serious shopping day for Americans, but it is also one of the most hectic and chaotic times of the year. For a smooth and successful Black Friday shopping adventure this year, follow these easy tips:

Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes Budgeting for Dummies: A Beginner’s Guide – Over the years, I’ve come across a lot of different approaches to budgeting. Naturally I feel that my approach is the best. That’s mainly because it works well for me. I finally realized that the method isn’t entirely critical as long as you’re accomplishing a few key things with your budget:

PITR @ Passive Income To Retire writes Passive Income Challenge Update 1 – Learn more about my multiple streams of passive income and which source of income is the best.

Shawanda @ You Have More Than You Think writes How Lazy Bastards Make Money Without Lifting a Finger – What happens if you quit your job? It’s not a trick question. Read how to make money without lifting a finger!

krantcents @ KrantCents writes How Do You Prepare for the Unexpected? – Are you prepared for the unexpected? This past week saw unusual weather hit the East coast and devastate the Jersey shore. Too many people’s homes and businesses are devastated and will take a long time to rebuild.

Richard @ Modest Money writes Great Ideas For Simple Living – In uncertain times many families have been changing the way they manage their finances and lifestyles. The shift to simple living has become more and more popular. Often times it takes a serious crisis to get people to re-evaluate their situation and then change.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes Busy, Busy With a Focus Group (and a Spattering of Updates) – Read about my recent experiences with a focus group, and my latest updates

Chris_MoneyandI @ Money & I writes Flight Ticket Refund and Compensation: What’s the difference and when to claim? – A PF blogger explains all you have to know about flight refunds and compensations before claiming them. Check it out yourself!

Jason @ Live Real Now writes 5 Ways to Make Shopping Quickly a Breeze – Here’s my super-secret ninja plan to reduce the unpleasant time wasted while giving away my money in exchange for the privilege of not scooping manure straight from the source onto my crops to get both my burgers and my salads.

Chris @ rVoice – The rplan Blog writes Brief history of the London Stock Exchange – Historical fun facts, stats and trivia on the fourth biggest stock exchange in the world. Check out the new post on the rplan Blog about the history of the London Stock Exchange!

Beating Broke @ Beating Broke writes Capitalism Requires Participation – Really, I think that we’re preconditioned to expect that we’ll wait for a doctor, and since we’re paying them for the service, and we need the service, we don’t dare rock the boat. But, there’s a couple of good arguments against that being true. The biggest of which is that capitalism requires participation.

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes 3 Tips for Choosing a Financial Adviser – Choosing a financial adviser can be a little bit trickier, though. Put some thought into it, and use the following 3 tips to help you make your decision:

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes How to Lead a Focused Life – It’s only as we approach death that our lives come into sharp focus. What have we done that is worthwhile? Have we made the world a better place by being in it? Have we really been effective and productive in society? If only it were possible to find our focus sooner, before it is nearly too late to live it. It is possible and some people achieve that focus at a very young age, others (like me) don’t get it until later. Here are my retrospective tips on how to lead a focused life.

Deacon @ Well Kept Wallet writes 7 Habits of Wealthy People – If you want to be wealthy, who should you study? Rich people, right? Well, here are seven habits of wealthy people that you can implement to start building wealth.

Sicorra @ Tackling Our Debt writes Could You Use Some Extra Money This Christmas? – Excellent tips to help you find seasonal work and make extra money this Christmas.

Jessica @ Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses writes Why I Don’t Think Hiding Your Spending is Such a Bad Thing – I may be a personal finance blogger, but that doesn’t mean I live like some frugal coupon-clipping saint who never spends any of her money. But that’s my business, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with not sharing my purchases with the world.

Philip @ PT Money Personal Finance writes 5 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score – You can get these 5 ways to improve your credit score in several places on the web, but this post offers actionable steps instead of generalities.

Robert @ The College Investor writes Ten Ways to Make the Most of Thanksgiving – How to make the most of Thanksgiving.

PK @ Don’t Quit Your Day Job… writes Health Care is No Different Than Any Other Good – So, health care is a unique market? Right – only like every other market. See why the peculiarities of the health care market still don’t make it appropriate for price controls and fixing.

FMF @ Free Money Finance writes The Power of 1% All the Way Around – After I wrote about the difference 1% can make in your career, I ran into this calculator from the NY Times that shows the benefit of saving an additional 1% of your income each year. I like the concept but the calculator has one big flaw IMO — it only allows you to get to where you’re saving 16% of your income. They are on the right track, but saving 16% of your salary is not enough if you want to retire safely. You have to go higher.

Kim @ Frugal Rules writes Be an Advocate For Your Own Health Care – Visiting the doctor can be an uncomfortable experience for many people. One of the main reasons is due to the high cost of health care. With a little due diligence and homework there are ways you can lower your bill and be a more informed patient at the same time.

Marie @ Family Money Values writes A Laptop for Christmas – Do you use a laptop? I never had one until I retired and started building and writing content for websites and blogs. What a difference portability makes! This is the time to buy – lots of sales!

Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes What’s In My Wallet – I show you everything in my tiny wallet – can you keep yours as concise?

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes 10 Ways to earn Extra Holiday Cash – We have almost completed our Christmas shopping (maybe a few little gifts to buy), but many of our readers have shopping to complete that I wanted to share ten ways you can make some quick holiday cash.