I love the fall: it’s delightfully crisp outside, the morning sun lends everything a golden color, and all the leaves are beginning to turn and fall. It’s the perfect time for a mental health day, so I’m heading out for a bike ride with some photo taking. It’s a great way to explore and get excercise. But first, as always, this week’s roundup.

  • Ever since I was little, I remember seeing my mom ask for discounts on clothes with slight blemishs or stains. She almost always got the items for substantially cheaper than the list price. Free Money Finance has some other times when you can ask for a discount. (Read it at Free Money Finance)
  • Apparently I’m not the only one thinking about Christmas gifts. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
  • Consumerist has a great post about understanding government debt without being obtuse or talking down to readers. (Read it at Consumerist)
  • Free podcasts are wonderful sources of information, and Trent at The Simple Dollar offers a list of financial based podcasts. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
  • Also from Trent, like Nina’s post, Trent offers some good ideas for a frugal date night. I’m fond of the teach something date concept: recently my girlfriend and I hiked into the woods where she taught me how to build a fire with a single log and a hatchet. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
  • Suze Orman, whom we’ve previously linked to at Queercents, recently came out against Florida’s Amendment 2, which would ban same-sex marriage. (Read it at The Advocate)

Queercents flashback: Speaking of Suze Orman, here’s a guest post from Susie Bright about her.