Emily's list: Costa Rica and no ATMs edition

A few months ago, I went to Canada and wrote about my experience with credit cards there. There were some minor differences, such as restaurants bringing the credit card readers to our table, but in general, I was able to use my credit and debit cards as usual.

This weekend, I'm traveling to Costa Rica for the first time. I'll be hanging out in Tamarindo for a few days, then doing a much-needed retreat at Peace Retreat in Playa Negra. It's a tiny little town on the Pacific Coast. It sounds like a very peaceful and relaxing place. I was reading the retreat's website for details of what to bring, and I read that there are no ATMs in the town. You have to go to Tamarindo (which is nearby) if you need to get cash.

I've done a lot of traveling, but I don't know if I've ever gone anywhere (perhaps other than a volunteer trip to the slums of Mexico) that doesn't have ATMs. I'm not sure if any of the local merchants accept credit cards. I'm going to have to hope that I bring the right amount of cash.

My first thought was that this was a major inconvenience. Internet may be spotty, too. But you know what? I'm realizing that it might actually be nice to unplug. Being in a small beach town is exactly what I need right now to unwind, and if that comes with no ATMs, minimal cell phone service and spotty WiFi, I'll take it. I wouldn't want every day to be that way, but a simpler life will be nice for a week.

Without further ado, here is my roundup of my 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week. Enjoy!

The Digerati Life reveals the benefit of keeping a financial diary and shows examples of how you can do it to keep yourself accountable.

2. Square Pennies begins to question whether patience really is a virtue when there are things you could be doing to get ahead.

3. An interesting guest post on One Cent at a Time explains why caring about money is important, and why she thinks to care about money is to care about life.

4. Everyday Tips and Thoughts admits to being a food waster -- something I have also been wallowing in guilt about. She lists several smart ways she is going to reform her ways and stop throwing away food and money.

5. Personal Finance by the Book has also stopped to take a look at how much water, food and electricity they waste in their household and some of the methods they use for saving.

6. Couple Money shares a few lessons from the late Steve Jobs that can easily be applied to your finances and your life.

7. Len Penzo lists 18 scary financial facts about Halloween. You'll really get spooked when you see how much money Americans spend on costumes and candy each year.

8. Now that you've been reminded of how expensive Halloween can be, Frugal Dad shares ideas for several great frugal Halloween costumes.

9. You always hear about needing to create an emergency fund, but Moolanomy discusses why it's also a great idea to make a "fun" fund.

10. An unauthorized purchase reminds Budgeting in the Fun Stuff why it is so important to check your credit card statement every month.