Remember this post we wrote as a reaction to a prompt on our (at the time) current spending and saving? We wanted to revisit the topic with the whole of year 2011 in the books - and some solid numbers.

Remember how a few months back I promised you folks I would post up a bunch of articles on home renovation and do it yourself sort of projects? Yeah, well - I'm running out of rooms (just two left). I've been documenting my progress, so I'm probably just going to dump a load of articles on you guys all in a short period of time - be ready for it! (And you can see some more interior pictures of our house. Architecturally I would describe it as half Mid Century Modern and half 'California' Contemporary.)

On Personal Finance sites, we tend to get bogged down in the details of the drive for financial independence. We do the boring stuff most people don't bother doing - reading account agreements, pouring through investing prospect, and strategizing the best combination of credit cards needed to get the most cash back on certain purchases. Worthy undertakings all, yet sometimes we overcomplicate a simple matter - there is a very basic equation to success.

Last week, my colleague Cameron gave you this nice primer on the mortgage interest deduction and who it really benefits. Today, we're going to take this topic one step further (on the sell-side) and discuss government intervention in the mortgage market.

Another summer day! From us here at DQYDJ, congratulations to those graduating today. To those of you preparing to take the Bar - well, you shouldn't be reading non-law related web sites right now. Go back to what you were doing (studying or drinking coffee, I assume).

As a genre of web sites, Personal Finance sites spend lots of time discussing and reviewing the best companies to enter into contracts with, and the best companies to do business with. There is also no shortage of reviews on companies which don't live up to those same standards. One thing we don't tend to touch? Companies which don't want to do business with us.

Isn't summer great? No school buses and soccer practices to disrupt your commute, a lack of pollen, and great reading on Don't Quit Your Day Job?

That happens all year, you say? Thanks for the compliment!

If there is anything in politics sillier than Congressional Job Approval polls, I've yet to find it - yet here I am writing about it. Ostensibly, these polls are set up to gauge the public's trust in Congress - to get an idea about the public mood regarding our elected leaders.

In reality, the entire setup of the poll is a sham. Here's the thing - unlike the President, the average voter cannot vote out the average Congressman (or woman). The truth is, Congress is set up in the way that it is strictly to avoid the public's mood from tearing the House and Senate apart.

Remember a few weeks back when we discussed stock market investing using the Kelly Criterion to determine asset allocations? Today we're going to go in a different direction and use Kelly for what it was intended - betting!

The Kelly Criterion is a formula you can use to determine the proper size of a bet when there are known odds and a definite payout. With a little hand waving and some basic math (as I proved a few weeks back), you can also use it to help guide your investment decisions - namely when determining the size of a position you should take. Let's hop into some calculators.

Happy summer folks! It's time to avoid basking in the harsh light of your computer monitor and absorb some vitamin D... at least part of the day! Thanks for spending your morning reading another edition of the Weekender!