A Little Reading...Great Budgeting Books

Love to read? Love to save money? Need to save money? These are four books that were key in getting us through our schooling and four births on a teacher's salary with no debt. Very inspiring and practical material!

The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. This is the definitive tome on all things cheap- how to make soap last, feed your family on less than $200 a month, have a family yearly clothing budget of under $100 (and she has five kids!), grow a garden and pay off your mortgage.


The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley. This book might sound a bit cheesy, but it is actually a very insightful book about the lives of millionaires- people with a million liquid bucks in the bank. The two authors tracked millionaire behavior for twenty years and then published their findings. For example, most millionaries buy suits at Sears for under $70; most of their wives were school teachers, and almost all of them are business owners. Very fascinating. It also debunks the lifestyles of the seemingly wealthy and gives you the courage to live a frugal lifestyle.


The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. This is probably the book that has had the greatest impact on our financial lives, hands down. We implemented his baby steps and are financially free because of it. No gimmicks, no funky investing. Just old fashioned hard work, long hours, saving and financial freedom.


The Super Red Racer by Dave Ramsey. Our favorite in a series of money books for children, this one teaches how to work hard and save up. Our other favorite is Careless at the Carnival.

A Little...Homemade Detergent Part 2

In addition to making my own homemade detergent for clothes, I though there has to be a way to make my own dish detergent. I was especially interested in finding a way to better clean my dishes. I don't know about your dishes, but since the government removed phosphate from the detergent, my dishes have just not been clean. After further googling the subject...I came up with what I think is the best recipe.

Here it is:

1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda (I sometimes do 1/2 cup Washing Soda & 1/2 cup Baking soda)
2 packets Lemonade Flavored Kool-Aid aka Citric Acid (use ONLY lemonade and unflavored to prevent coloring your dishwasher)
1/4 Pickling Salt
Combine all ingredients in a container with a lid and shake until combined. Add 1 tablespoon to each cup of your detergent dispenser. Use white vinegar in your rinse cup.

After much tinkering with the recipe...this appears to be the best combination. No more cloudy dishes or icky residue. And again the best part...I am paying less than 10% than I used to when I was buying store bought detergent. Now that's a little great!!

A Little Money... When Shopping Temptation Strikes

I am not a miser at heart. I am still tempted to buy the brand name cream of chicken soup at the store.

My husband and I have just made it through three degree programs, four children and a teacher's salary- and we've made it out debt free. Maybe you too are living lean by choice (or not by choice.) Here are some practices that have saved me financially and emotionally. These strategies have kept me honest, "acting my wage," and staying loyal to the budget and financial goals of my marriage.

1. Walk away from any unplanned purchase. It will be there tomorrow. Many purchases are emotional, and walking away, even for one hour, will diffuse the "buyer's high."

2. Count how much money you have saved by walking away. "I saved our family $200 today, honey! Look what I DIDN'T buy at Sephora, off of Amazon or at Gymboree!"

3. Meticulously scrub anything you are tempted to replace. Sick of your car? Your couch? Your gross, banged up, scratched and embarrassing kitchen table? (True story.) Clean every nook, use the right cleansers, and get it ready as if you were going to sell it. By caring for our things, we gain patience and a new perspective on our possessions.

4. Be constantly grateful. Continually fill your mind with thankfulness; get detailed. Start with your family, your health and abilities, your opportunities, your past, your possessions and even your trials. Serving others will take away the tasties to buy things- you will see your own blessings and be truly content with what you have.

5. If you need a shopping fix, go shopping at the library! Go alone to especially indulge yourself. Pick books on any topic and check out back issues of magazines. This really quenches your thirst for new things and starts to actually fill you with real riches- knowledge.

One last piece of advice: start talking and stalking. Tell people (brag) about the deals you find, the sacrifices your making and the goals you've met. "Yeah, I got this Victoria's Secret bra for $2 because it had a shoe print on it from the half-yearly sale. Cool, huh?!" Also, interview, haunt and hang out with people you admire financially. Learn from them and let them rub off on you, and you in turn will help others gain self control and peace from your example.

A Little Insight... Money and Happiness.

by Corinne

Do you think more money will make you more happy? How about more stuff? Well the answer to that, my friends, is no. Psychologists have shown in research (see references below) that the pursuit of material wealth and the pursuit of happiness are not the same.
Caveat: Not having enough money to pay for basic needs such as shelter, food, medicine, etc. does affect happiness (not to mention stress levels and health).
But once you have enough to live comfortably, does more more more, mean more more more joy?

Once again, no.
Tim Kasser says:
People who buy into the messages of consumer culture actually report lower personal well-being.
I say:
When it comes to consumer culture, we can never win. There is always something better, newer, sleeker. It feels like an endless slippery slope. At least to me.
Tim Kasser says:
Individuals who say that money, image, and popularity are relatively important to them report less satisfaction in life as well as more depression and anxiety.
I say:
Uh, yeah! All those things are outside the realm of our control and if our wellness and happiness depend on external things, we are in for a bumpy ride.

Oprah did a fascinating show a while back about Freegans...

A Little Style... Style and Savings

By Aly
No doubt you have noticed that the economy is down and money is a little tight these days. Below are three important questions to ask yourself when deciding to purchase an item.

1. Do I LOVE it? How many times have you bought something quickly, only to decide later that the neckline isn’t right or the sleeves are too short? Make sure that you LOVE it in the store. A good way to decide is to walk away, maybe even into another store, and come back a little later and reassess.
2. Do I need it? Is it really true that a girl can never have too many jeans? By the looks of my closet, it is, but in the reality of this recession, it’s not. We have to pick and choose carefully these days.
3. Will it last? Is it quality? It is going to be out of style next season? It is best to invest in certain pieces that will last and then update those basics with more trendy items that won’t break the bank, like a scarf, chunky necklace, or some fun colorful flats.