How Japanese manage personal finance, 2009 page turners and the lure of store credit cards @ the RoundUp

As always I try to bring in my roundup the more interesting articles and posts I've encountered over the past week or two.

From leading magazines:

• The Lure of Store Credit Cards, and the Hook @ NY Times - A fitting article for the holiday season.
  
  
• Page-turners @ The Economist – The best books of 2009

Carnival of Personal Finance #234 – Weirdest Toy Crazes Edition was hosted by Suburban Dollar. My post on The Dangers of Excess Frugality – Budgeting and Balanced Living was chosen as Editor's Pick! Recognition always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Here are some of my favorite posts from the carnival:

• 4 Japanese Personal Finance Gripes @ Foreigner's Finances – My first acquaintance with this blog and it’s a good one. The blog broadens our financial horizons, a very stimulating concept.
  
  
• 5 Little-Known Websites That Will Save You Time and Money When Booking Airfare Online @ Get Rich Slowly – One of those focused niche posts that bring real added value if you're looking to save on airfare. Highly Recommended.

More from fellow personal financier bloggers:

• How To Be A Skeptical Empiricist In One Easy Lesson @ Amateur Asset Allocator – Great post. I enjoy applied philosophy and have written quite about it myself (See philosophy under my categories for more).
  
  
• How To Invest Online Using The Peter Lynch Strategy @ The Digerati Life – Looking into another investing philosophy.
  
  
• What Is Your Financial Fear? @ Single Guy Money
  
  
• What are your dividend investing goals? @ Dividend Growth Investor