Emily's list: The top 10 this week, O.J. Simpson edition

On this date in 1995, when I was a fledgling fifth grader, the country glued itself to the television as the verdict of "the trial of the century" was announced. Professional football player O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ronald Goldman. This acquittal and much of O.J.'s behavior since has been questionable, and his financial problems have been endless. Meanwhile, this week, O.J. is on trial for a new set of felony charges. Let's get started with this Friday's O.J. Simpson round-up!

1. Kacie at Sense to Save explains why she is going on a debit card diet and trying to rely on cash only, even if it means missing out on reward points. O.J. had to cut back his spending at first too, after civil court found him guilty for the wrongful death of Goldman and asked O.J. to pay $33.5 million in damages. California law prevents pensions being used for legal judgments, however, so "The Juice" was able to go back to living the high life.

2. Mrs. Micah reminds readers that your home equity line of credit is not the same thing as an emergency fund, and that you always must have cash reserves in case of crisis. O.J. didn't have much cash stashed away in the 1990s, which was a problem when he was pegged with that $33 million bill. To help pay it off, his Heisman trophy had to be auctioned off (it sold for $500,000) and the money he earned from appearing in a video game was seized. 

3. Money Under 30 gives the lowdown on credit unions and explains why they can be excellent alternatives to banks. One main reason is because they operate as nonprofits rather than profit-earning entities, unlilke O.J.'s acting career. OK, it was so bad and so short, maybe it wasn't for profit.

4. My Dollar Plan answers four excellent reader questions, two of which ask about credit cards. The first is addressed to a reader who paid off a good chunk of credit card debt, but is now being asked to pay taxes on that money by the IRS. O.J. knows about problems with the IRS; in September of 1999, a tax lien was placed on his home because the state of California found that he owed $1,435,484.17 in past taxes.

5. Is the credit crisis giving you anxiety? Is the mortgage meltdown causing you fear about losing your home? Flexo at Consumerism Commentary discusses the level of stress and worry most Americans are beginning to feel due to our economy's current state. O.J. doesn't seem too anxious about being thought of as guilty; he recently wrote a book called "If I Did It," a first-person fictional account of how he would have committed those murders had he been the criminal. It's all "hypothetical."

6. Trent at The Simple Dollar discusses why payment plans can be debt traps and should be avoided when possible. Shopping for a plasma TV is fun, but if you have to finance it, you won't be smiling for long. Save up the cash or stick to smaller purchases. Like gloves.

7. The Consumerist provides tips for something O.J. probably should have done: How to find a good financial planner.

8. Blueprint for Financial Prosperity provides charts and explanations of how your credit score can impact your interest rate on various types of loans and cause you to be indebted for longer. O.J. has a hefty loan with the Goldman's for those millions, and almost everything he earns for the rest of his life will go toward that debt. The Goldmans are even the ones earning the money from the sales of his book. If O.J. is thrown in prison for the  charges he now faces, he may be indebted forever.

9. No Credit Needed explains how he survives without borrowing money or using credit cards. Instead of living on cash or even borrowing money, O.J. allegedly helped steal thousands of dollars of sports collectibles and memorabilia in an incident last year, and is currently on trial in Las Vegas for assault, robbery, and kidnapping, to name a few. Maybe using a credit card would have been wiser in this situation ...

10. In the midst of this financial crisis, consumers may find their credit limits being lowered. Credit Addict gives tips for keeping your credit limits from dropping. Following these tips may also help keep your interest rates as low as O.J.'s speed in his Bronco during his infamous car chase.