This is pretty neat: I received an invite for a contest for a VIP pass the World Business Forum. The September event in New York includes talks by Tony Blair, Colin Powell, Madeline Albright, Jack Welch, and Muhammad Yunus, and the contest is specifically for accomplished young professionals. The invite got me thinking about role models; certainly any of these guys would make good ones. But as I pondered those I admire in business and life, I want to ask you the same question I asked myself: Do you have a role model for your finances? Read the full article

Imagine paying a high tax for owning a gas-guzzling SUV, enjoying six weeks of paid vacation each year, or giving half of your paycheck to the government. In this guest post, Emily Starbuck Gerson, of the CreditCards.com blog Taking Charge, describes some of the differences between the personal finances of Americans and Europeans. Read the full article

This story about how a writer who saves every $5 bill she comes across, and in three years has amassed $12,000, is the most e-mailed story today on Boston.com. Read the full article

My parents have always been coupon fiends. I remember Saturday mornings from my childhood, sitting at the kitchen table with my father helping him clip grocery coupons from last Sunday’s newspaper (and sort through envelopes of saved coupons) before heading out to the store. Coupons have their pros and cons—they can save you a bunch, but they can also tempt you to buy things you might not need. Do you use coupons? If not, here are some tips for saving with coupons. Read the full article

Business credit cards are the credit card industry’s best-keep secret. They feature lower APRs, better rewards, and better introductory terms than consumer cards—and anybody with good credit can get one. No business? No problem. Here are five reasons to swap your current plastic for a business card. Read the full article

Donating your unused clothing makes a lot of sense; you can help out a charity like Goodwill or the Salvation Army while cleaning out your closet. You’ll even score a small tax deduction. But choose whom you give you clothes to carefully; for-profit companies are now setting up clothing drop boxes and then reselling your duds to consignment stores or textile recyclers. Read the full article

IndyMac Bancorp—once the nation’s 10th largest mortgage lender—has gone belly-up, leaving approximately 10,000 uninsured depositors high and dry. These guys will be lucky to recover 50% of their uninsured money. What can we learn about managing your money from the IndyMac failure? Read the full article

When it comes to high yield savings accounts, interest isn’t everything. On a $10,000 balance, the monthly difference in earnings between HSBC Direct’s 3.5% APY and E*Trade’s 3.3% is $1.60. A more important question is: With this online savings account, how can I move my money? Read the full article

Sick of renting, but not ready to spend your Saturdays on a lawn mower? Often featuring desirable locations, minimal maintenance, and smaller price tags than single-family homes, it’s no wonder young homebuyers find condos attractive. But living in a condo can present some unique challenges. Ask yourself these questions to make sure a condo living is right for you. Read the full article

American Express announced a new service allowing holders of American Express credit cards the ability to review credit card balances on their mobile phones by sending a text message to “MYAMEX”. Consumers with Chase credit cards already enjoy a similar feature that provides credit card balance information by text message. Existing AMEX cardmembers can enroll for the text service at www.americanexpress.com/text. What do you think— is this something you would use?