A March 2013 T. Rowe Price survey asked kids between the ages of 8 and 14 which money topics they wish their parents talked more about. Bank accounts and credit cards topped the list, with 34 percent of kids wishing their parents were more open about these topics. Money management was a close second at 29 percent.

I must have been lucky. My parents were pretty hands-on when it came to molding my personal finance education. While I may not have been educated about those two topics by the time I was 14 (the survey’s cut-off age), I learned about both from my parents before I left high school.

I got my credit education when I was 18, when my dad generously co-signed a credit card for me. He taught me how to use it — and how not to use it. He explained that the card had a credit limit, and that I needed to check online (or call my bank) regularly to see how close I was to it. He also emphasized that, whenever I charged something, I was to make sure that there was enough in my checking account at the end of the month to pay it off. In other words, the credit card was a tool for building good credit — not an excuse to spend more. I admit I haven’t always been perfect when it comes to thinking ahead before swiping. But when I did load up my card for the occasional road trip, I felt a “What would Dad think?” pang of guilt — and my credit slip-ups have been minor and few.

I learned about banks and money management even earlier — this time from my mom. When I got my first job at 16, my mom asked me what I was going to do with my paychecks.

“Cash them?” I ventured. That’s what my friends did.

“We’re going to the bank tomorrow,” my mom responded.

We found a bank that passed on my way home from work and opened a checking account. Then we made a plan. Every payday, I’d stop at the bank, hand the teller my paycheck and get no more than $50 (the amount we calculated would be enough for lunch a few times a week and a reasonable amount of fun during the weekends) back in cash. The rest would remain in the bank until I needed it.

With Mother’s Day in mind, there’s another interesting finding in the survey: Kids tend to approach Mom (59 percent) — rather than Dad (38 percent) — with questions about money. Why the difference? The kids surveyed said Mom was more likely to be in charge of family finances than Dad.

Whichever parent kids approach for money advice, it’s important that parent knows what to say. Luckily, the personal finance blogosphere has plenty of tips for parents who aren’t sure how to become good money role models:

Make uncomfortable discussions fun:  Do you find it awkward talking about money? Having a serious, sit-down talk with your kids might be tough, then. Melissa Batai from the personal finance blog GoGirl Finance suggests breaking out the board games. Monopoly and Life both have money-management elements and can help you segue into conversations about why it’s important to have money for emergencies — and why it’s important to save up for the big purchases that could help you win the game.

Go to the bank: In a guest post on the blog Money Saving Mom, blogger and author Grace Pamer recommends setting kids up with a bank account as early as third or fourth grade. Because banks don’t provide the visual reward that a full piggybank does, it’s vital for parents to get kids accustomed to and comfortable with financial institutions.

Use training wheels when it comes to introducing plastic: Jason, founder of the blog Frugal Dad, has an aged-based lesson plan for teaching kids about money. In it, he recommends easing kids into plastic by getting them a debit card by the time they’re 16. This establishes the connection between plastic and the “real” money that resides in the bank account –without forcing parents to tie their credit to their children’s via a co-signing or authorized user arrangement.

Make them save: When teens get their first jobs, setting money aside may not be their first instinct. Even teens who start working in high school often begin their adult lives with no savings. Justin, founder of the blog The Frugal Path suggests charging your teens a small amount of “rent” once they’ve gotten their first jobs but are still living under your roof. Save that money on their behalf. Then give it to them when they leave home. Forcing teens to live on less than they earn and then presenting them with all that money when they really need it will, hopefully, reinforce the value of saving.

Which valuable money lessons did your parents teach you? And which ones do you wish they’d taught you?

The problem is when you live in a city known for its excellent food and fun nightlife, most socialization revolves around enjoying it. And once you’re out and about, dinner easily turns into coffee and dessert, which turns into a night on the town, which turns into brunch plans for the next day.

Lucky for me, the personal finance blogosphere is full of advice for those who want to avoid spending without avoiding their friends. Here’s the best advice I’ve found — and some that I’ve tried.

Be honest. The blog Financial Highway emphasizes that those who truly care about you will understand if you say that you’re on a strict budget — even if you have to repeat yourself a few times. Krystal Yee, a blogger at Give Me Back My Five Bucks, points out that your friends have probably been in your situation as well — and will probably happily suggest cheap, or free, activities.

Because my strict spending freeze is only temporary, I’m not directly informing people that my money is on lockdown. Instead, I’m much more likely to ….

Propose another activity. You can only turn down your friends so many times before they start getting concerned — or stop calling altogether. So proposing an activity within your means can keep both your budget and friendships intact. Can’t afford dinner? Make plans for (just one) after-dinner drink, personal finance site Wise Bread recommends. Yee suggests offering to host gatherings to avoid, say, watching a much-anticipated game at a pub or bar. If friends want to collaborate on the food and beverages, all the better.

This week, I managed to avoid an outing to a cafe for coffee and ice cream by telling a friend I had a ton of tea and hot chocolate at my apartment and asking her to “help me get rid of it.” We spent a few hours catching up without spending a dime. My boyfriend and I have also been hosting weekly viewing parties for a show a bunch of our friends love. That way, I get to see several people at once without the pressure to “buy a round.”

Prepare. I make every effort to prepare meals ahead of time. It’s a lot easier to say “no” to a dinner invitation when you’ve got some chimichurri (that you spent an hour making) all ready to smother the meat you’ve already defrosted. An empty fridge can make it too tempting to grab your debit card and head to a restaurant. Mint has some great tips on planning and pre-preparing meals.

Distract yourself. Green Panda Tree House, a personal finance blog aimed at 20-somethings, suggests using something you really want to distract yourself from things you kind of want at the moment. If you’re focused on a big reward, small sacrifices become effortless.

The other week, I placed a guide book and some maps of the city I’ll be visiting on my coffee table. Last weekend, I had just texted a friend, “Sorry, staying in tonight,” after receiving an invite for pub trivia (one of my favorite activities). I was feeling a bit lonely, so I picked up the guide book and started paging through. I soon found a ton of activities that would cost me the same amount as a pitcher of beer and an appetizer at trivia and, suddenly, loneliness was replaced with excitement.

Once I’m back from my trip, I’ll let up a bit. But this spending lockdown has taught me some good habits I hope to continue. While I’ll probably say “yes” to trivia night, I hope to continue preparing meals in advance — and maybe even getting so good at cooking that I won’t miss meals out as much.

But what if you have an expensive hobby — something you enjoy that’s worth spending extra on? Running marathons, riding horses and tinkering with old cars cost money –  and unless you’re wealthy, paying for your passion will often involve making room not only in your life, but in your budget.

That’s what I’ve been doing lately. After my doctor lectured me (again) on my sedentary lifestyle (I edit for a living and make excuses to avoid the gym in my spare time), I decided to train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I attended one free introductory session, and I was sold. It’s difficult and exhausting, but it held my interest in a way that no other physical activity has.

But training does not come cheap. I want to train at least twice a week for 12 months, which will cost me roughly $1,300 over the next year.

Cramming this into my budget is extra challenging because my financial adviser has me on an aggressive saving regimen. The idea is to take advantage of these last several years before I have a house and the need for a new car, and save like crazy while I still can. I’ve seen the savings progress I’ve made, and I don’t want to compromise that.

So, last weekend I took a good look at my latest bank statements with the intention to make $1,300 worth of room over the next year for my new hobby. Three of my biggest non-essential expenses were the easiest to cut:

My storage unit
I was paying $35 a month to store stuff, mostly books, that I haven’t looked at in two years. So I cleaned out the storage unit, donated a bunch of stuff from around my apartment to make room for it and told the storage company we were through. That will save me $420 this year. Plus I earned $57 selling the books at Half Price Books.

Cable
A few months ago, my boyfriend and I decided to get cable to take advantage of a really good promotion. We each now pay $30 a month. We have agreed to cut the cord as soon as the show we are hooked on ends its season in May. This move will save me $330 over the next year.

Visits home
My parents live a plane ride away, and I always visit during the summer for our family reunion. Tickets to where they live usually cost around $300. I have lots of rewards points for my airline of choice sitting around (more than enough for a round trip). But because I usually fly home on weekends during the summer, redeeming them is nearly impossible. So I booked my ticket this week (instead of waiting until the last minute) and opted for an early morning flight on a convoluted route to get a rewards seat — and saved $307 dollars.

With three painless cuts, I’m saving just over $1,000. Not bad, but still not enough. So I’m also limiting myself to one meal out at a restaurant per week (I’ve been eating out about three times a week over the past three months, according to my bank statements). I’ve now got enough frozen meat, vegetables and brown rice stocked up to last me months, and my training will probably go better if I’m eating healthier, anyway.

Looking to take up an expensive hobby? Here’s some advice from the blogosphere:

Try before buying:  If you’re interested in something that requires pricey equipment, become an expert before opening your wallet, Eyes on the Dollar recommends. If possible, rent equipment (or buy used equipment) to find out what works best for you before buying new stuff.

If you’re passionate about something, make it happen: In a guest blog on Man Vs. Debt, the site’s community manager, Jan Otto, estimates she’s spent $4,000 on tae kwon do over the years. If your income doesn’t stretch quite far enough, Otto recommends a side hustle like selling unneeded items online, or offering your services as a Web designer or tutor.

Try to find budget-friendly alternatives: You don’t need to sacrifice the activities you enjoy if you can find more cost-effective ways of doing them, according to Enemy of Debt. Share equipment with a friend and split the cost. Or scour eBay or yard sales for less-expensive supplies.

Say “no” if you can’t afford it: If you have debt, you can’t afford a pricey hobby, according to Aryn of the blog Sound Money Matters, whose expensive pastime of choice is stained glass crafting. Even when you’re out of debt, she recommends brown-bagging your lunch, canceling the cable (you won’t have time for it if you’re truly concentrating on your hobby) and pooling supplies with friends to make room in your budget.

Tone it down: Find out what you like most about your hobby and stick to that. For example, according to Trent from The Simple Dollar, you might cut out the competitive aspect. He blogs about shelling out a lot of money on competitions for the card game Magic: The Gathering. Once he stopped competing and started playing only socially, it was no longer necessary to spend money on new cards and accommodations for competitions.

Even if I have to divert a couple hundred dollars from my savings in the end, I think it will be worth it. I’ll be doing something I enjoy that will motivate me to become more physically — and financially — fit.

My little yellow and silver phone, which came free with the cellphone contract I signed in 2006, increasingly became an object of ridicule. Then I lost it in an airport in early 2012. And if this doesn’t tell you how undesirable my phone was: Someone turned it into the lost and found. I made a joke to the airport security guy about how I almost wished it had stayed missing so that I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about upgrading.

“I haven’t had a phone like this since high school,” the airport employee said, laughing. “I gave it to my grandma, like, three years ago.”

When my own father (who raised me to cling to outdated technology for the sake of frugality), got a smartphone, I decided it was time. My old phone worked just fine and cost me less than half of what my contract costs now, but I was embarrassed to take it out of my purse, was convinced others were judging me for it and was sick of the modern-day isolation that comes from hanging out with friends who are constantly whipping out their phones to do important things.

In other words, I gave into my desire for a status symbol.

Turns out, smartphones are one of the top modern status symbols, according to Quidco, a cash-back and voucher site in the UK. Its March 2013 survey also revealed tablet computers, huge TVs, swanky gym memberships, dog walkers, hot tubs and a certain handbag I’d never heard of that costs $1,500 are the hottest items and services purchased, not out of necessity, but to impress others.

New technology is particularly good at getting people to part with their money, according to this March 2012 South University article. While many purchase decisions are fueled by advertising, those who purchase new technology are more influenced by wanting to fit in with their social groups. In the article, Paul Boag, founder of Web design company Headscape, admitted his own decision to get a Mac was motivated by the desire to be like those he admired.

“Emulation is a big part of the equation,” he said. “Technology is a way to aspire to the status of others or associate oneself with a particular group. It is also a way to impress others.”

If you can afford it, purchasing status symbols isn’t a problem. Yet, according to research that appeared in the Journal of Experimental Psychology in 2010, status symbols can often get those who can’t afford them to take their eyes off their financial pictures. That’s because the acquisition of status symbols is related in disturbing ways to your self-esteem. The research found that when participants got negative feedback, they were more willing to buy goods that conveyed status. And it wasn’t the cheap fixes they were looking to purchase, but those who felt that their self-worth was being attacked specifically sought out expensive, status-building items.

I’m starting to understand why that airport employee’s jibe made me head straight for the store.

Have you ever splurged on new technology, even when an old gadget was working fine? How do you fight the impulse to buy a status symbol?

Here are some blogs from others who have struggled with the issue:

Saving Advice lists 10 “lifestyle investments” to avoid.

Free Money Finance describes how overwhelming that “gotta-have-it” feeling can be.

Sustain, Create and Flow explains how a frugal lifestyle itself can be a status symbol.

Squawkfox expresses annoyance at the constant push to upgrade.

Being Frugal warns about the danger of tying your worth to the things you own.

That was the response I got after asking if I could pay for my sandwich using Square Wallet, a mobile payment app. The deli was on my app’s list of local merchants accepting Square Wallet and, the moment I parked my car, I got an alert welcoming me to the establishment and welcoming me to use the app (I’d configured the app to engage automatically when I was near the restaurant). And yet, when I tried to pay, it was a no-go.

Mobile payments, which  allow you to sync a payment card to the app and pay with your smartphone, have been one of the most buzzed-about developments in the payments industry the past couple years. The big contenders (Square, PayPal, Isis and Google Wallet) may differ slightly, but their advertised message is the same: Leave your wallet at home.

The apps have a lot of ground to cover to make that a reality, however. For one thing, it remains to be seen whether consumers are willing to turn their phones into wallets. A March 2013 Federal Reserve survey found that while half of smartphone users had used their phones for mobile banking in the past 12 months, just 6 percent had used their phones to make a point-of-sale payment. Overall, less than a fourth of consumers (22 percent) said they’d be interested in giving mobile payments a try, and 36 percent said they found it more convenient to pay via other methods, such as cash and plastic.

Then there’s the question of whether enough businesses will allow customers to use their phones as a payment method. If early adopters are getting rebuffed by cashiers, the technology could stall. To find out how easy it would be to use mobile payments in the wild, I took the technology for a spin this week. Because I’m an iPhone user, Google Wallet and the heavily-advertised Isis were out (they require near field communication, a wireless technology enabled only on select Android devices). That left me with PayPal and Square.

PayPal
Late last year, PayPal partnered with software company ERPLY to let PayPal users use their phones to pay at the register with funds in their PayPal accounts. Customers use their phones to check in when they enter a business that uses the technology. Their profile and photo pop up on the cash register’s screen, and customers simply say their name at checkout to complete the transaction, no swiping necessary.

I already have a PayPal account — and a balance of $25 in it — so I was eager to use the app. But I hit a dead end almost immediately. There are only a few businesses (a salon, a rug store and a nutrition store) near me that use the service — and none sold things I wanted to buy.

Square Wallet
Square Wallet also uses the check-in concept — when you enter a store, you can open a tab and give your name at the register to check out. You can also use the more streamlined “hands free” option to enable certain businesses to open your tab automatically when you’re within 100 meters. That lets you walk in, order and pay with your name without digging for your phone or pressing buttons.

The first place I tried was the deli where I confused the poor cashier. I called the next day and spoke with a manager about my experience, and she explained that the restaurant had taken the initial steps to use Square (which is why my app was picking it up), but hadn’t integrated it with their payments system.

“Not many people ask us to use it,” she told me. “We’re hoping to have everything hooked up in the future.”

My second stop was Starbucks, which struck a highly publicized deal with Square last summer. Starbucks isn’t using the hands-free checkout system yet. You have to pull up the app on your phone, push the “pay here” button and show the resulting QR code to the cashier for scanning. Given the publicity surrounding Square’s partnership with Starbucks,  I figured the process would be smooth. What actually happened was this:

Me: Hi, can I pay with Square here?

Barista: Wait, pay with what?

He called a coworker over.

“She’s got this app on her phone called ‘Squared,’ ” he explained. “Do we do that?”

“I don’t know,” said the coworker. “But we can try.”

We all huddled around my phone. I generated the QR code. The barista picked up a scanner from beside the register and took aim.

“Hey, it worked!” he said. “That’s pretty cool. You said it was called Square?”

I still wanted to find a place that let me use the hands-free feature, so I headed over to a local ice cream shop that popped up in Square’s locator. It was here that I got the authentic Square experience.

“Hi,” I said as I walked in. “Can I use Square here?”

“Are you Kristin?” the cashier asked, turning the iPad they were using as a register toward me. There was my picture.

I asked if many customers are using Square. The cashier told me it happens every once in a while, but not often.

“It’s weird though,” she admitted. “It picks up on your phone when it’s nearby, so when people who have the app are at the bar next door, their faces pop up on our screen. It’s funny how you know they’re nearby and know their names.”

My verdict
When mobile payments work the way they’re supposed to, they’re convenient and fun. However, I’m not totally sold on the hands-free automatic check-ins. What’s to prevent a cashier from putting someone else’s order under my tab if I happen to be next door? Square’s chief operating officer addressed that concern in this New York Times blog and pointed that the same thing can happen if you have an open bar tab and the bartender charges the wrong card. Still, I think I’ll disable the hands-free option and check in manually at each business in the future, instead of letting the app automatically open a tab in my name when I’m close by.

My other concern about mobile payments: They may be a little too quick and painless. Studies show that paying with cash helps you make more judicious decisions when shopping. If you’ve ever been shocked at the total on your bar tab at the end of the night, you know how easy it is to spend more if you don’t have to reach for your wallet for every purchase.

For now, though, I’m keeping my debit card synced with Square. I like to leave my wallet at home when I go jogging, and I’d like the option of grabbing an ice cream.

Here are some useful blogs and articles about mobile payments — and the experiences of others who have put them to the test:

Fast Company tried out Square at various Starbucks and confused a slew of employees.

Defend your Dollars has some advice for protecting your personal information while using mobile payments.

The Big Ideas Blog breaks down the technologies behind different mobile payment platforms.

The Lookout Blog lists some mobile payment app safety tips.

Gadchick gave Isis a try and had mixed success.

Last time I was in Germany (when I was younger and much, much less wise), I used my debit card to withdraw cash at ATMs whenever I ran out. When I got back home, an account statement full of nasty ATM fees awaited me. A logical solution for this trip, I figured, would be a prepaid card. Unlike cash, you have some recourse if it gets stolen — just report the theft to the card provider to shut down the card and thwart the thief (who would need a PIN to get the funds anyway). Plus, a prepaid card wouldn’t be tied to my bank account, helping me lessen my risk of identity fraud. Finally, the budgeting angle appealed to me. I’d have only the money on the card and no more — with, of course, the option to reload if absolutely necessary, for emergencies (or good German beer).

The prepaid options for Americans traveling abroad, however, aren’t exactly without costs and inconveniences. In fact, I’ve concluded they’re more trouble than they’re worth. Here are some of the options I looked into. If you make it all the way to the end of this blog, I’ll share the plan of action I decided on.

Prepaid cards for travelers

1. MasterCard Cash Passport

The good: At first blush, this card was a shoo-in, and it’s the first result if you run a search for “prepaid card for travelers.” You can load the card in foreign currency (including the euro),  meaning you lock in the exchange rate on the day you load the card. Because you’re doing all your spending in euros, you avoid foreign transaction fees.  Cash Passport also provides 24-hour global assistance, in case your card is lost or stolen.

Even better, there’s a chip-and-PIN version of the card, meaning it uses the security technology that’s becoming more common in European card readers. While you can usually still use a U.S. card with a magnetic stripe in Europe, you may have to explain it to the cashier. In my experience, cashiers have shaken their heads and handed my funny-looking card back to me, especially in off-the-beaten path locations.

There are no fees to load the card and no card purchase fees, either — only an ATM fee of €1.75. The issuers make money by offering a less favorable exchange rate — just as currency exchange places at the airports do.  If I were to load $500 onto the card, I’d get €351 euros. I’d get €389 if I picked up cash from my bank before leaving.

In other words, I’d be paying $38 for the privilege of the Cash Passport. Ultimately, I decided I’d be willing to pay the price, for the added security and for the convenience of not having to worry about foreign transaction fees.

However…

The bad: I can’t seem to get my hands on this card. Although you can order online via the U.K. site, the U.S. site instructs you to go to a participating bank or Travelex location. Problem is, the bank that issued the card (Suburban Bank) just discontinued it. And, although there’s a Travelex location near me, Travelex has temporarily discontinued the card as well. The rep I spoke with said they were hoping to offer it again by June — and I’m traveling in May, so that’s cutting it close.

2.  Visa Travel Money

The good: This card comes with some travel insurance protections, including lost luggage cover for up to $1,000 if your baggage gets stolen. It also provides 24-hour emergency services or everything from replacing the card, to making emergency travel arrangements, to finding a local doctor. You can reload the card via phone or online from anywhere. As an added perk, you get 90-day purchase protection, which covers you if the goods you bought get damaged or stolen.

You can get a card by ordering online or using the website to find a location that sells them. If you’re doing the latter, though, be sure to call ahead. While the website indicated that my local supermarket chain offers them, none of the five locations I called had them in stock. Three of those locations had never heard of the card.

The bad:  This card is fee-heavy. Fees vary slightly, depending on where you purchase the card, but, at worst, expect to pay about $5 to get the card, a $3 for foreign ATM withdrawals, a $6 monthly maintenance fee,  a 3 percent foreign transaction fee (because the card can be loaded only with U.S. currency) and re-loading fees (which vary, based on the amount loaded).

3. Other banks’ travel cards

I called up my banks to ask if they had prepaid cards that could be used abroad. One of them did. Reloading the card from abroad wouldn’t exactly be convenient however, as the only options are direct deposit or a visit to a branch (the bank doesn’t exist overseas). That means I’d have set up a direct deposit and schedule it for while I’m away — or predict exactly how much I need in advance and hope I don’t run out of funds.

The fees are pretty hefty, too and nearly identical to those on the Visa Travel Money card. I’d have pay to get the card, pay per month, pay for ATM withdrawals, pay for customer service calls and pay for each transaction.

My game plan
Disappointed about the prepaid card offers, I called a family member who lived in Germany last year, and asked for advice. She pointed out that, while most German merchants are getting increasingly better about accepting plastic, many shops, small restaurants and tourist attractions still take only cash. So why would I be willing to pay so much to get a prepaid card that may not even be useable?

I also had a chat with the bank that issued my debit card. If I use the ATMs at the German bank it partners with, I’ll be charged no fees. That bank has ATMs all over the cities I’m visiting. If I can’t find one, I’ll have to eat a $5 fee plus 1 percent of the withdrawn amount (and any fees assessed by the bank that owns the ATM).

Because my travel buddy and I have prepaid for our accommodations (our biggest expense), the only money we’ll need to carry is for meals and entertainment.

So our solution is a simple one: We will get enough cash in advance to cover the first half of our trip (which is 9 days long). Then, we will find an ATM (hopefully a free one) and make one withdrawal halfway through the trip. I’ll also store a credit card in the locker we’ll be renting at our hostel, in case of an emergency.

I’m hoping some of you globetrotters can chime in with advice. Have you had any luck with prepaid cards for travelers? Any other tips for spending abroad?

And now, whether you’re trying to save money while traveling or staying home, here’s some inspiration from our favorite personal finance blogs of the week:

Three Thrifty Guys list off nine common ways people waste their tax refunds.

Grayson from Debt Roundup shares the best money lesson his parents ever taught him.

Frugal Rules has some tips for handling your money while traveling abroad.

Cash Cow Couple breaks down the cost of their inexpensive but fun honeymoon.

Money Soldiers offers some advice about what to do if your partner is in debt.

Money Crush suggests 11 ways to save on transportation costs.

“So many places do credit checks now,” he said, lamenting the fact that he’d probably have to offer several months’ rent up front to get around it, as he has a very thin credit history.

The personal finance website editor in me kicked in, and I suggested he get a credit card — maybe a secured card, if he couldn’t get a regular one. That way, he’d have a credit history by the next time he needed a new place.

“But I don’t want to have to go into debt and pay interest,” he argued.

I explained he wouldn’t have to; he could avoid debt and interest entirely by charging a few items a month and then paying off the balance before the due date.

“Yeah, well, it’s the temptation, mostly,” he admitted.  “I don’t want to end up like my parents.”

My friend is far from alone in his attitude toward credit. According to this March 18, 2013, Bloomberg article, many young people see credit only as a liability — not as a useful tool that can help their financial futures. Spooked by the recession (and, possibly, their parents’ debt mistakes), young people are avoiding plastic, as well as other forms of credit, such as mortgages.

The article cites this February 2013 Pew Research report, which tracked the credit behaviors of those under 35. Unlike their older counterparts, the under-35 crowd’s use of personal loans, mortgages, vehicle loans and credit cards has decreased since 2001 — with the biggest drop occurring after the recession that began in 2007.

The only type of credit young people are using more frequently are student loans — as of 2010, according to the Pew report, they were four times as likely as the over-35 crowd to carry student loan debt. Timely student loan payments are a good thing when it comes to credit history, the Bloomberg article points out. However, if student loans are the only type of credit being used, they’re not likely to help much: Student loans often mean big debt balances, and, without timely payments on, say, a credit card account, lenders will still likely say, “No.”

What this all boils down to is a generation that traditional credit reporting can’t get a read on. That could shut younger people out of owning homes and, as my friend found out, make it harder to get an apartment. While no access to credit is inconvenient for young people, it could have an even greater impact beyond their own lives: Increased home ownership and other big purchases could help fuel an economic comeback, while growing numbers of credit-free consumers could stall economic progress.

As a member of the under-35 crowd, I can understand that fear of debt and credit. Luckily, my dad was willing to act as co-signer on a credit card account in my name when I turned 18. I make purchases on that account every month and pay them off early — and, over 10 years, I’ve created a healthy credit history that I’m grateful for. It’s helped me land an apartment at a time when I had no income and decreased the security deposits I’ve had to pay. There have been many times over the years that I’ve said a silent “thank you” to my father and the credit gods.

I never did convince my friend to get a credit card — and I’d never try to strong-arm someone into getting a financial product they’re not comfortable with. Yet I’m troubled by my peers’ credit avoidance. I’d like to hear some feedback from those of you who live credit-free. Tell me in the comments why living without credit works for you. Has it ever held you back from getting something you’ve wanted?

Whatever your financial values are, our weekly blog roundup is sure to have something that inspires you. Here are our favorite blog posts of the week:

Holly from Club Thrifty explains why she could never be an “extreme” cheapskate.

One Smart Dollar asks if loans among family members are worth it.

Making Sense of Cents explains why those who make more often spend more, rather than save more.

Jana from Daily Money Shot has decided to go on a spending freeze.

Master the Art of Saving demonstrates how you can use bi-weekly paychecks to get ahead on your bills.

Justin from The Frugal Path wonders if he and his wife can afford to have a baby.

• Stop buying lattes.
• Pack a lunch instead of eating at restaurants.
• Wait an extra month between visits to the hair salon.
• Get rid of your cable TV service.

Considering I didn’t drink coffee, was subsisting on powdered soup and peanut butter, hadn’t gotten a haircut in well over a year and didn’t even own a TV, let’s just say none of this advice spoke to me.

Such personal finance advice has become known by critics as the “blame the latte” movement. The idea behind it is simple: Cut out small luxuries, invest that money and end up with tens of thousands of extra dollars years down the line. The infamous Starbucks latte became shorthand for these meaningless luxuries, with experts from Suze Orman to David Bach inviting their audiences to use its cost as a starting point for calculating the money they were wasting.

As the recent economic downturn progressed, however, this line of thinking started getting some backlash. Some called it misleading.  Felix Salmon, writing for Reuters, called the line of thinking “personal-finance snake oil,” calling into question whether foregoing the daily latte would actually yield the huge investment returns financial gurus were promising. Dan Caplinger, writing for AOL’s DailyFinance argued that fretting over small expenses takes consumers’ minds off their big financial picture — and makes them think they’re making good choices while, in fact, they’re just spinning their wheels.

The biggest critics of the “blame the latte” movement, however, are those that argue it doesn’t do anything for those who need personal finance help the most — those whose finances were ravaged in the recession. As the personal finance blog BudgetTracker points out, there are many families who have already cut back as much as they can. Lattes aren’t even an option for them. Author Helaine Olen, whose book, “Pound Foolish,” provides a scathing review of the personal finance industry, has called latte-related advice downright condescending to those trying to decide between medical bills and rent, not between “grande” and “venti.”  In her promotion of the book, she’s accused popular personal finance gurus of inviting consumers to blame themselves for their predicaments — and then profiting off that self-blame.

I won’t say that there’s no place for “blame the latte” advice. For those who have disposable income and are looking to plug financial leaks, daily $5 habits are a great place to start. It’s been about seven years since I checked that book out of the library, and except for one more brief stint as a student, I’ve been gainfully employed since then. And I’ll admit, there have been times when the “blame the latte” advice fits my lifestyle.

It’s not necessarily lattes I’m buying. For me, it’s usually meals out. Sometimes it’s pricier, “gourmet,” versions of my grocery staples. Personal finance apps (like Mint), which separate purchases by category, make it easy to see pricey habits forming. If I notice that my food spending is surpassing the previous month’s, I set ground rules — only one meal out per week for the rest of the month, for example. In other words, I do buy the occasional “latte,” but cut back when it starts to cut into the money I can put into savings every month. So, I suppose I am following the “blame the latte” advice because there are often lattes in my life that need to be cut out.

Yet it’s also important to recognize that it’s not an option for many. Need proof? Follow Olen’s advice and play the online game Spent, which puts you in the shoes of an unemployed head of a household trying to make it through one month. I said “no” to every frivolous purchase (and even some not-so-frivolous ones), and I was still reaching for the payday loans options near the end of the month.

Whether you’re trying to cut out frivolous purchases, or just trying to stay afloat financially, here’s some personal finance inspiration from around the blogosphere:

Boomer & Echo provide some tips for overcoming financial inertia.

The College Investor shares some of the secrets of those who manage to become millionaires.

Beating Broke has some advice for paying out of pocket after a car accident.

Digging Out from Our Mess just got blindsided with car repair bills.

Find Me Frugal(er) analyzes the moral dilemma of paying the minimum on your student loans until they’re forgiven.

One Frugal Girl writes about putting financial worries in perspective.

My eyes darted to the “usage” chart that appears on the left side of the bill. No problem there — our electric use for February was our lowest yet, beating our November 2012 record. My eyes darted to the right side of the bill, where the bill is broken down. There, among all the random $6 and $8 charges the city tacks on for drainage service and “street service” (whatever that is) was a $200 “deposit.” There was also a $0.90 “late payment fee.”

I called our service provider and was told that the deposit was charged upon change in residence (we’d just moved) to “customers with a history of late payment.”

Late payment?

Turns out, all our payments between September 2012 and February 2013 had been flagged as late, even though the withdrawal dates from my checking account prove otherwise. I would have noticed there was a problem if I’d looked carefully at the itemized bill every month and seen the late payment fees (which ranged between $0.10 and $0.90). You’d think I would have noticed, given that I pay the bill manually each month, instead of relying on automatic payments. But I had only been checking our electric use, scanning the bold number at the bottom of the bill and making the payment. It wasn’t until the $200 charge made me jump out of my chair that I took a closer look.

The energy company is looking into the issue, and I’m waiting on resolution. In the meantime, I’m wondering what else I’m not noticing — and what it’s costing me. Even small billing errors can add up over time. Me Vs. Debt, a blog that tracks the blogger’s (Amanda’s) journey out of $20,000 in debt, chronicles a similar encounter with credit card billing errors. Despite making no new purchases on a balance transfer card, the higher purchase APR was being applied to small amounts of the balance. Because the resulting finance charges were so small, they were barely noticeable — but, given time, the cost would have ballooned.

Meanwhile, the anonymous blogger behind iHeartBudgets (a blog that focuses on the fun side of budgeting) has a guide on billing errors, which includes all the errors his family has found — and how much catching those errors has saved them. Examples include early credit card payments mysteriously posting after the due date; grocery coupons that didn’t ring up correctly; mysterious items added to restaurant bills; nonsense charges added to hotel bills; and improperly processed returns. The grand total saved by watching bills like a hawk? iHeartBudgets estimates that it’s been $3,000 over the course of a year.

That’s motivation enough to take a few extra seconds scanning my bills.

If you’re also trying to be more mindful of where your money’s going, check out our roundup of the most interesting personal finance blogs of the week.

Frugal Rules offers some tips for easier tax filing.

Stupid Cents walks you through the process of creating your first budget.

Ready for Zero lists 10 common mental barriers to paying off debt.

Mr. Money Mustache attempts an experiment — wasting money for once.

Steadfast Finances outlines the first steps everyone must take on the road to riches.

Lauren of L Bee and the Money Tree explains why she does not coupon.

Still, once the new-apartment smell has faded, we’ll have to reckon with the fact that our bank accounts have taken a beating the past couple weeks. Here are some of the costs we’ve encountered — and some of the ones we’ve managed to avoid.

The costs we couldn’t escape

• A rent increase: Our new apartment is nicer than our old one and has been recently renovated. That means we will be paying an extra $160 a month. I wish we would have seen this blog entry on Careful Cents, which has a great tip for dealing with rent increases: A couple months before the move, warm up by putting aside the difference in rent. If we had put an extra $160 in a savings account for two months before we moved, paying the first month’s rent today would have hurt a lot less.
• Double rent: Our new landlord thankfully held our new place rent-free for us for a month. But there were still two weeks of overlap with our old lease. Having plenty of time to move has been nice. Paying for an empty apartment? Not so nice, although I hope the wall-dwelling critters are having fun in there.
• Fees: Alex Blaca of The Billfold paid an $800 security deposit, so our $150 deposit makes me feel like we got off relatively easy. However, we also forked over $100 in application fees and $150 in “administrative fees,” which our landlord perkily described as “paper-pushing” fees. Still, we didn’t pay nearly the $1,000 to $2,000 in fees estimated by this blog from rental payment service William Paid.
• Eating at restaurants: When you’re trying to move the contents of your fridge and pantry to a new place and your cooking supplies are packed away, it’s not easy to cook. My checking account statement bears the scars of having an excuse to eat at my favorite restaurants this week.
• Splurges: When you move to a nice new place, suddenly your second-hand furniture and old decor starts looking a little … shabby. Guess who dropped $90 on a new area rug while buying cleaning supplies?

The costs we managed to avoid

• Movers: I’ve used movers in the past, and I’ve found the time and stress they’ve saved me to be worth the cost. In fact, Blaca writes she wished she had paid movers to move everything instead of transporting her small items herself. My boyfriend and I opted to go it alone, with help from a wonderful friend when it came to the bigger stuff. The one perk of cheap furniture is that you can disassemble it and move it piece by piece.
• Moving supplies: I used social media to ask my friends if they had any spare moving boxes — and they delivered. We ended up with about a dozen cardboard moving boxes and avoided buying more by unpacking each load at the new place and re-using them.
• Other cost increases: Careful Cents outlines a list of surprising cost increases many don’t think about — increased commute costs, increased rental insurance costs and increased energy costs. Since we moved just down the street, our insurance premiums stayed the same and our commutes will not change at all. Our new place also has energy-efficient appliances, which (we hope) will actually decrease our energy bills.

Have you been dealing with some big expenses lately? Consider drawing some inspiration from our weekly blog roundup:

Beating Broke admits there are times when paying for services is smarter than going the DIY route.

Squirrelers demonstrates the importance of checking for money leaks.

Elizabeth from Simple Finance Blog reminisces about how much she’s spent on her friends over the years.

Money Beagle confesses to breaking a frugal vow — and buying a new TV.

Jordann of My Alternate Life shares her experiences of dealing with debt as a millennial.

Financial Highway suggests some ways to spend your tax refund wisely.