Emily's list: Burger King edition

On this day in 1954, the first Burger King opened in Miami. Now, after 55 years of whopping growth, the fast food chain can be found in 71 countries with its array of tempting -- and sometimes diet-busting -- menu items.

A typical meal at Burger King

Soon, many of us will be making New Year's resolutions to help us start the year off fresh. And every year, two of the most popular post-holiday resolutions will be shedding weight and shedding debt.

There's a parallel between the two: Fast food, such as that served at Burger King, is always tempting us to veer from our goals, and so is instant gratification from a credit card. We tend to beat ourselves up when we slip up, whether it is by stopping by Burger King for fries or making some unnecessary purchases on the credit card.

Below is a list of some of the best posts from the personal finance blogosphere from the past week. Several of these posts stress that it's OK to make mistakes, even when it comes to personal finance. We're not perfect, so don't give up on your goals just because you backtracked a little bit. Read on and enjoy!

1. Bargaineering reminds readers to check their credit reports annually. What better a time than the New Year?

2. We all know that the holidays can wreak havoc on our credit card statements. ChristianPF lists several homemade holiday gifts that are inexpensive to make and are likely to actually be used.

3. Five Cent Nickel ponders whether the problems people are running into with credit cards and debit cards mean it's time for cash to become king again.

4. Frugal Dad's family is finally free from debt, and he discusses whether it is easier to be on the debt-free side of life.

5. Smart Spending writes about a unique piece of plastic -- a prepaid debit card for medical marijuana.

6. Get Rich Slowly reminds readers that failure is OK, even when it comes to debt and credit card bills.

7. The Digerati Life discusses whether secured and prepaid credit cards are the answer for people with no credit.

8. When you're not sure what to get someone for the holidays, a gift card can be tempting. The Consumerist lists 10 reasons why gift cards do not make good gifts.

9. Some couples aren't honest with each other about how much they spend or how much credit card debt they owe. Own the Dollar explains why financial infidelity happens and how to combat it.

10. Studenomics explains what it is like to be on the road to debt recovery, and reminds readers that mistakes are just a part of being human.