It’s amazing what social media has done to the landscape of the Internet. Nowadays, surfing the web just feels, to quote the Black Eyed Peas, “so 2008.” Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have now become the quickest way to receive personalized information. And that info doesn’t have to be just sports scores and celebrity gossip, but practically anything that could be of value - including personal finance. From stock market advice to credit card ratings, there’s a wealth of good money information on Facebook. You just need to know who to “like”.

The U.S. Mint has closed a loophole that allowed owners of credit cards with airline miles to rack up free fares— without spending any money. Credit card users across the country are smacking their heads and asking themselves why they didn’t think of that earlier. In an effort to spread $1 coins into circulation, the U.S. Mint had been offering what it thought was a zero-sum deal to consumers: the ability for citizens to purchase large quantities of $1 coins at face value.  In other words, you charge $5,000 on your credit card, and a few days later $5,000-worth of $1 coins would arrive on your doorstep.

Where would we be without Twitter? It's amazing that Twitter is only five years old. The ability to get quick information that's specifically relevant to you has revolutionized the way the world communicates. Nowadays, the world announces news, sports scores, celebrity gossip, and every other conceivable bits of information on Twitter timelines. It's not all fun, though. The one drawback of Twitter is the oversaturation of useless accounts. Finding a good account to follow can sometimes feel like picking a needle out of the world's largest haystack. Nevertheless, Twitter is an excellent source for insight on personal finance. From tips on the best no annual fee credit cards to advice on investments and saving, the Twittersphere is ripe with fruitful money knowledge. You just need to know who to follow! Here are the top 9 tweeters out there on the subject of personal finance:

There’s quite the debate going on in Washington DC regarding the nation’s debt and what spending to cut. Democrats are proposing to eliminate tax write-offs and make cuts to military spending, while Republicans are seeking to cut discretionary and entitlement spending. Whatever the final deal includes, the hope is that it will help foster an economic recovery. Most Americans aren’t in the best financial shape right now. We're working with debt, seeing our credit scores drop, having to turn to bad credit credit cards, and we are angry at Washington for not fixing the problem. That, of course, is easier said than done. Still, it’s hard to stomach talk from politicians in either party at times when you think about their finances. Are politicians hurting as much as your family? Probably not, given the average net worth for an elected official in Washington, D.C. is just under $1 Million. In an effort to get a better idea of how much some of these people are actually worth, we did some research and compiled a list of the 15 wealthiest politicians currently serving in Congress (via estimated net worth):

Credit cards can often be a double-edged sword. When used incorrectly, they can destroy the most seasoned financier. However, when used in wisdom, they can be a powerful wealth generating tool. Perhaps you own a small business and supplies need to be purchased today to ship to a customer, but you won't actually receive payment for a couple of weeks? While new businesses low on cash flow may find difficulty in funding short-term operational needs, interim cash flow shortages can often be remedied through the use of credit cards and other forms of revolving credit. In fact, using no interest credit cards can be a great way for entrepreneurs to fund small expenses while getting a business up-and-running. Access to quick cash is essential for nearly any business’ operations, and even after you've passed the zero interest grace period, the card can still be useful in the normal course of one’s business dealings.