As the holidays approach, it's natural to take a look at your spending and wonder how you can improve your financial picture.

There are a number of blogs out there that can help, but rather than spending time looking for articles on more ways to prepare ramen noodles, here are five personal finance blogs that provide… (here it comes)… a “wealth” of information.

Take a little time and check them out—particularly the comments. Not only might you find helpful information in the comments, but you can discover if the other readers are similar to you and are benefiting from the advice.

1. Money Crashers strives to educate individuals in making wise financial decisions. Their sensible advice covers a range of topics from negotiating your salary to setting up trust funds.
2. Wise Bread promotes “living large on a small budget.” This site has expert advice on choosing credit cards, ways to save money on prescriptions, how to calculate your retirement costs and more.
3. Get Rich Slowly has been around since 2006, and has articles about investing, frugal tips, book reviews, and news on personal finance tools.
4. Consumerism Commentary covers all aspects of personal finance and has many reviews of financial products.
5. Mr. Money Mustache is a 30-something retiree who writes about how we can all live a frugal, yet rewarding life. Rather than offering dry, stodgy financial information, Mr. MM writes about his personal experiences, observations, and opinions, mainly concerning the joys of living frugally and simply.

All of these sites are written in easy-to-understand terms, and do offer very useful advice. So if you're thinking of planning retirement, saving for a vacation after the holidays, or are just tired of ramen noodles, you're bound to find some guidance in these blogs.

Scary or cute? Funny or sexy? Classic or current? Trying to find that perfect Halloween costume can be an agonizing shopping trip, particularly when you're looking for just the right thing in the right size and at the right price.

Here are some of the trending costumes the kids will be wearing during Halloween 2015:

• Superheroes. The newest movies in the Avengers and Fantastic Four franchises came out this year, as well as Ant-Man, so we're bound to see lots of miniature superheroes asking for candy this Halloween.
• Animated characters. Disney princess costumes will always be sought after, but other cartoons inspire costumes as well. Kids will want to dress up as their favorite characters from such shows as Paw Patrol, Doc McStuffins, and the movies Inside Out and Minions.
• Movie characters. Halloween is all about getting to be someone else, and movies provide lots of new personalities to try out. The past year has had a great assortment of characters you're bound to see out trick-or-treating. Look for characters from new movies like Descendants, as well as those continuing sagas like Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean.

And why should the kids get to have all the fun?  These days, adults want to get in on the action, too. What are they wearing, you ask?  Believe it or not, this year you can find adult versions of just about all of the same costumes—which are great options if you're looking for couples costumes. It should be a snap to find coordinating costumes like Shrek and Fiona or superhero duos.
 
Have a safe Halloween—and a fun one!

Once you've decided to tackle your weight loss program, how do you go about it? Do you look online for the most up-to-date fitness and nutrition information? Or do you watch hundreds of YouTube videos, looking for just the right workout routines?
 
A certified personal trainer can help you avoid spending all that time planning your work-out program—time you could be spending on actually working out! Here are some reasons why you need to use a personal trainer:

1. You'll have fewer injuries. Many injuries are caused by failure to warm up properly before exercising. A personal trainer can show you how to prevent muscle cramping and other injuries by stretching. (Hint: once you've learned this from your trainer, warm up prior to subsequent training sessions so you're not paying to have your trainer watch you warm up.) Trainers can also help you improve your technique, such as when to breathe and how to change up your exercising safely.
2. They'll keep you accountable. Do you find yourself making excuses why you don't have time to work out? Having a set appointment with your trainer could help you reach those fitness goals.
3. You'll get a fitness plan just for you. Everyone's goals, abilities, and health histories are different; a personal trainer takes all that information into account when formulating your fitness plan. A trainer also helps you step things up when you've accomplished your earlier goals, and helps motivate you when you reach plateaus.

If you feel like you could really need someone in your corner while you achieve your fitness goals, using a certified personal trainer is the way to go!

Be sure to check with your health professional before starting any new exercise program.

All around the great wide world,
Columbus sailed the ocean
To prove the world was big and round--
That's real devotion!
(--Sung to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel”, by unknown author)

For many people, commemorating the US holiday Columbus Day is a way of both honoring Christopher Columbus' achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage. The facts surrounding Columbus' discovery of the New World over 500 years ago still spark controversy.
 
Even one of the basic ideas that most of us learned in school—that Columbus wanted to prove that the world was not flat — is not true. Most educated Europeans did understand that the world was round; however they were unaware of the existence of the Pacific Ocean, believing instead that the Atlantic was the only ocean between Europe and the East Indies.
 
Here are a few bits of trivia about Columbus and Columbus Day:

• Records show that despite being sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus received no payment until 1493.
• Columbus was the captain of the Santa Maria. The captains of the Pinta and the Nina were the Pinzon Brothers. The youngest, Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, is considered by historians to have been the first to discover Brazil.
• Columbus Day is celebrated in Latin American countries as The Day of the Race (El Dia de la Raza), honoring the many different peoples of Latin America.

For more information, you can visit the History Channel and see what you can ‘discover.’

Although it isn't an official holiday, Child Health Day, celebrated the first Monday of October, is a day meant to focus on kids. While some local hospitals, schools, and government agencies may have some special programs on that day, these websites can offer helpful information to you anytime.
 
The Dr. Spock WebSite for Parents.  It's a rare parent who hasn't heard of Dr. Spock, the baby doc. Although Spock, author of the best-selling The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, died in 1998, the doctors who write for the website are highly qualified, and have many articles about childhood nutrition.
 
Healthychildren.org.  If you've been dealing with issues such as fear of the dark or have questions about gender identity and children, this website by the American Academy of Pediatrics could prove invaluable. Be sure to check out the Tips & Tools links, which features a symptom checker tool.
 
KidsHealth is a great resource for health-related issues, as well as for school projects. It was created by The Nemours Center for Children's Health Media, and covers just about any topic.
 
MedlinePlus is a comprehensive source of information for the new parents. The section on infant and newborn care has guidance on everything from car seat safety to circumcision, from cradle cap to colic.
 
With skyrocketing medical costs, it’s sometimes a challenge to keep children’s health in the forefront. Child Health Day is a reminder of why we should, since many illnesses children face develop into larger problems in adulthood if left untreated. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

How do you feel about mobile banking? Do you find yourself worrying about identity theft or having your funds stolen somehow? Despite how uncomfortable you might be with online banking, most banks are pushing their apps and requesting that their customers go paperless.

Mobile banking offers several conveniences:

• No more hunting for an ATM. You can check your balance on your computer or other mobile devices.
• Save time, postage, and gas money by paying your bills online.
• No more waiting in line at the bank or drive-thru. There are many apps that allow you to deposit checks to your account.

Concerned about security? Here are some tips that can help keep you safe:

• Don't use public Wi-Fi. Not only is it easier for hackers to get access to your data, but some hot-spots allow the owner to monitor your activity.
• Avoid downloading third-party apps. Go to your bank's website and download the app there. Make sure you download updates to both the app and your phone when they are available.
• Log out when you're done. Most apps will time out, but on the off chance yours doesn't and your phone is stolen, don't make it easy for the thief to access your account. If your phone is stolen, notify your bank immediately.
• Remember that your bank will not be emailing you or texting you to ask for your account information. Never give out any personal information over the phone unless you are the one who has made the phone call.

Mobile banking is here to stay. Enjoy the perks, and keep your password to yourself!