Emily's list: J.K. Rowling edition

Today is the birthday of J.K. Rowling, the British author of the Harry Potter book series. Rowling is famous for her incredible rags-to-riches story. She was a struggling writer and teacher who battled with severe depression in the aftermath of the loss of her mother and a marital separation. She ended up living on welfare but never lost her creativity and passion for writing.

Rowling had developed the idea for the Harry Potter series in 1990 while riding on a train from Manchester to London. By 1995, she had finished her first Harry Potter manuscript on a manual typewriter. She approached publisher after publisher, and after one year, someone finally bit. Her book slowly but surely took off, and she churned out six more books in the series. Warner Brothers purchased the rights to her books, all of which have been made into major Hollywood hits. The latest, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," debuted July 15.

Rowling was named by Forbes as the first person to become a U.S.-dollar billionaire by writing books, in addition to being the second-richest female entertainer. What can this teach us? Persistence really counts. Whether you are struggling to pay off crippling credit card debt, want to start your own business or want to become successful in your career, believe in yourself and keep on trucking. We live in a world of instant gratification, but Rowling proves that hard work and patience pays off. No, it's not likely that your efforts will result in you being a billionaire. But it's inspiring to remember what kinds of things can happen when you choose not to give up.

Before you start pondering about persistence, be sure to read this list of the best credit-related blog post in the personal finance blogosphere from the past week!

1.    Bargaineering explains why it may be worth it to take a look at all of your credit cards and figure out your overall credit limit. You may be surprised how high it is!
2.    Lazy Man and Money notifies readers that if they own a debit card or credit from Citi, they can purchase tickets to major concerts for just $5.
3.    MoneyNing explains why advice about credit cards from his banker is flat-out wrong and reminders readers that not everyone gives out sound advice, even if their job is in finance! 
4.    Single Guy Money explains how he uses credit to his advantage.
5.    All Financial Matters discusses his family's experiment of giving youth cash cards to his kids and explains how it has gone so far.
6.    Squawkfox has created a credit card calculator that can help you figure out how to reduce your credit card debt faster.
7.    No Credit Needed discusses the debt reduction mindset that he has found to work best for him.
8.    The Digerati Life explains the difference between your FICO score and all the other types of credit scores out there.
9.    The Consumerist tries to help a reader figure out if it is worth it to have a lower APR in exchange for closing a credit card account.