i30 days of smart money choices

We, like many families' would rather not pay $100 a month for cable TV. We use a Roku system. Little did we know that we are part of a significant trend. How about you? Have you investigated ways to save on your entertainment budget, especially with regard to TV?

Enjoy!

30 Days of Smart Money Choices: The Casual Wardrobe

Do you have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear? One reason might be that you have allocated too much of your wardrobe budget for items that you seldom wear, while you have spent too little on the things you actually wear day to day. Since our society is becoming progressively more casual, chances are a woman who has this problem with her closet may have neglected to buy enough well-made, long-lasting, and flattering casual garments.

The term "casual" covers a lot of ground. Items in the casual part of your wardrobe might include sports and outdoor clothing, clothes to run errands in, clothes you might wear at home, clothes you might wear when running a home business or managing your household, to items you might wear for casual social events. Casual items might include skirts, dresses, pants, tops, shoes, purses, etc.

The one thing casual shouldn't mean is shoddily made. Since we wear our casual clothing more often, it's wise to search for the best quality for the price. That doesn't mean our casual wear must necessarily expensive, but it should be durable, well-fitting, comfortable, and pleasingly presentable.

Casual clothing can express any fashion personality from boho to chic. Obviously, women who have sporty fashion sensibilities will lean toward casual items. (In fact, they may have too many casual items and not enough dressier ones.) Women who like preppy styles and women who have natural tastes will also adore casual items. Women who dress in classic style may also have a special flair for wearing casual clothing, though they will also have dressier items in their closets.

One way to wear casual clothing is to choose a number of basic pieces in neutral colors. These can be dressed up or down through your choice of shoes and accessories. Many women turn their favorite one or two neutrals into sort of an "everyday uniform", which they can pull together quickly and easily.

Enjoy!

Thirty Days of Smart Money Choices:

A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Luke 12:15

The Greatest Generation, as they are called, generally followed a strict corporate career structure. Beginning with their baby boomer children, each succeeding generation has become more flexible in job outlook. Millenials, for example, are often entrepreneurial in spirit and often start small businesses that are centered on jobs or skills they enjoy. Internet technology makes it possible to market such businesses. Many are choosing job and life satisfaction over prestige and paycheck.

Whatever generation someone belongs to, today's business culture makes it more likely that an individual will have at least two types of work during their lifetime. For example, the baby boomer who is downsized out of a job or who has retired may start a new venture during midlife and later -- provided that they are physically healthy enough to do so. Likewise, a woman may choose for her main career to be that of managing her home and family, yet she may also take on outside work in different seasons of life. The young entrepreneur who launches a small business may sell a successful one and move on to something else or, conversely, may not succeed and end up in a more traditional work role.

If you are at a career crossroads in life, you may be stuck as to what you want to do next. Here are a couple of ideas:

As baby boomers and Gen X-ers age, more health care resources are needed. If you do not wish to go back to school to become a doctor or a nurse, there are other opportunities in the field of medicine that you might consider. For example, you might become a paid health care advocate, who helps patients manage their own health care. Or, you might become a sitter for someone who is home bound. Health care provides volunteer opportunities, too.

If health care is not your thing, you might consider becoming a docent. If your town has a museum or a historical attraction, for example, you may find work giving tours. Similarly, libraries often need assistance.

In some places, any college degree will qualify you to become a substitute teacher. If you love children and are looking for "a career after a career", consider substituting.

If you are a manager of your home, consider that much of this world's good has been traditionally done by women at home whose children are grown. You might choose to forgo getting a job simply because your children are out of the house and people expect you to do something, anything. You are still needed in our home. Likewise, you are needed to fill roles that have traditionally been done by women of mid-life and beyond. You might, for example, unofficially mentor young wives and moms in your area, do volunteer and church work, get involved in service to your neighborhood or city, help out the elderly in your neighborhood, etc. The possibilities are endless.

In our era, we are not as limited in our choice of vocation or avocation as we once were. Before you settle for grinding a way at a job you no longer enjoy, investigate what other possibilities you can explore. Remember, though, that it is best not to quit your current job until you know for certain that you do have replacement income. Also remember that it is not always possible to do exactly what we want to do. Sometimes, we have to work at something we don't particularly enjoy in order to provide for our families, and, sometimes, we do have to stick with a career path that no longer suits us. A job that pays the bills is a blessing in this economy, whether it's a dream job or not.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Day 16

Doing it yourself can not only save you money, but add to your sense of satisfaction in life, as well. The June 2011 edition of Ladies' Home Journal quotes neuroscientist Kelly Lambert and other scientists as saying that hand work fights depression. Meaningful work with your hands releases floods of dopamine and serotonin that make us feel happy and satisfied. The work that best calls forth these happy chemicals is when we use our hands in anything related to survival, particularly regarding shelter and food. You don't have to hunt down game or plow a prairie in order to have this happy effect. Little activities, such as hemming a skirt, grooming your daughter's hair, darning a sock, growing some herbs, dicing onions, and the like signal to our brains that we are taking care of these essential needs. Mending things, repairing things, and otherwise using our hands to ensure that we get the most from our tools and clothes can fit into this category, as well.

The article also notes that doing soothing, repetitive chores with our hands distracts our brains from external stress and gives us some moments to relax mentally.

Enjoy!

Thirty Days of Smart Money Choices -- Start young!!

According to a figure cited on Credit.com, people in the 18 to 24 age range spend nearly 30% of their monthly income on debt repayment. While I'm not sure when this statistic was gathered except that it was 2009 or after. However, Credit.com noted that this was double the percentage spent in 1992.

Devoting 30 per cent of your pay check to debt retirement is a burden at any time of life. For young singles and young couples just staring out in life, this is even more overwhelming. Young people generally just also acquire the basic needs in life -- a place to live, furniture, cars, etc. -- and for many there are also the costs of staring a family. They may still be finishing their education, particularly if they are going on to graduate school. There is also the risk that a young couple might delay having children until debt is paid, thus missing prime years for having and enjoying children.

A phenomenon sometimes mentioned with regard to this generation of 18 to 35 year olds is that many are delaying the usual hallmarks of maturity and independence. The title of the movie "Failure to Launch" takes its name from this syndrome. I'm sure that there are many cultural factors at work here, but, perhaps, the trend toward more and more debt is one of them.

How can parents of young children start now to help them avoid starting their adult life in debt?

1) Speak positively to your child about your child's future. Celebrate milestones of maturity from taking first steps to graduating from college to marriage and beyond.
2) Train young children how to handle money. Continue training through high school. Make a list of money skills that your children will need to acquire, and teach them as is age appropriate. Does your high school child know how to stick to a budget? Does he know what it takes to balance an account? To use a credit card responsibly? That doesn't mean that your child needs to have the responsibility for money management or a credit card at this age, but they should be preparing to step into these roles.
3) Teach your children the difference between needs and wants and how to reasonably enjoy both.
4) Help your child learn job skills that he or she can use while pursuing higher education.
5) Help your child assess his strengths and interests. Help him develop a vision for what he or she wants to do in life. Help him or her map out an educational strategy that will help him or her fulfil his or her goals.
6) Help your child not to fear failure. Teach your child how to find that balance between actively striving for goals, yet without perfectionism, insecurity, or a feeling that his or her total worth in life depends on reaching those goals.
7) Teach your child that his or her worth in life does not come through accumulating things.

enjoy!

Thirty Days of Smart Money Choices....


1) When couponing, make sure that any coupon you use will represent a "real saving". By that, I mean that the coupon must be for an item and a brand that you really want. For some items, I do care about which brand I buy. For other items, a house brand is fine for our family. Sometimes, a coupon for a brand name item will only bring it in line with the regular price for another brand's equivalent or for the house brand's equivalent. Also, we can get carried away with cutting out coupons and clip coupons for products that we really don't have a desire for or a use for. If you really do not desire that particular item in that particular brand, the coupon doesn't represent real savings for you. However, if it allows you to buy a brand that you do love or an item that you really need, that is a real savings.
2) Encourage any of your children who are earning money through babysitting, doing chores, or working at a job to give a certain amount of their income, to save a certain amount of their income, and let them use the rest as they see fit. (That is, of course, provided that they use it in a way that is in line with your family's values.) This will teach them habits of giving and saving early. Starting with monetary discipline at a young age is so much easier than trying to acquire it later on.
3) We are not vegetarian, but we do not mind meatless meals. Well-balanced, meatless meals can often be cheaper to cook than ones which include meat. Also, you can stretch your meat budget through using little bits of meat in stir-fries, casseroles, etc.
4) The worthy woman in Proverbs 31 was likened to merchant ships bringing back their food from afar. How would merchant ships operate? The merchant would likely select the best of something for the best price. He or she would be knowledgeable about the goods to be traded. For example, a spice merchant would have a thorough knowledge of spices, and a clothing merchant would be able to identify quality merchandise. As the food manager of your home, it's worthwhile to educate yourself about many different aspects of foods from nutrition to quality to seasonal supply to how to cook them to the best ways to season them, etc. Learn, for example, what the various cuts and grades of meats are and how they should best be cooked.
Learn enough to be a smart shopper. You don't have to know it all at once, and you don't have to become a gourmet chef in order to make some good choices with your food money. Just gradually learn what you need to know for your purposes and keep learning throughout life.
5) Dental work can be very expensive, but not everyone has dental insurance. Sometimes, even if you do not have access to dental insurance through your work, you can qualify for a dental discount plan. Search your options. Verify that the discount plan is sound and will be a benefit to you. The dental discount may not cut your costs as much as insurance would, but every dental dollar helps.
6) Maintaining your teeth will cut down on expenses and pain! Of course, we all know that it's important to floss and brush our teeth. Likewise, it's wiser to go for regular check-ups than to wait until you have a problem to visit the dentist. Even if you practice tip-top dental hygiene, there is no guarantee that you won't ever have some problems with your teeth. Sometimes, things befall us that are no fault of our own. However, if you do neglect your teeth, you can pretty much count on paying for it later on down the road.
7) Wearing your sunscreen throughout life can cut down on the expense (and pain) of dealing with pre-cancerous damage to your skin. Obviously, those of us who can't tan are at highest risk. However, even if you tan easily or even if you have very dark skin, you can sustain some sun damage. No matter what your skin type or ethnic background, some type of sun protection is advisable. Talk to your doctor about what is best for you.

Enjoy!

30 days of Smart Money Choices:

1) If you're faithful with a little, you'll be faithful with a lot. Start with what you have and manage it well. Don't wait for "your ship to come in". Do the best with what you have now.
2) Think about how your parents used money. Think about any life events that affect your attitudes toward money. Think about how are you shaped by these things, for good and for ill. Get rid of any emotional baggage that warps your healthy view of money and your ability to use it wisely.
3) Let money be a tool that you use for good. Don't let it become your master.
4) Realize that you probably need less money and less stuff than you think you do.
5) Allow some room in your budget for "fun spending". Don't create a budget that is so tight that you can't stick to it.

Enjoy!

30 days of smart money choices --

1) The smart lady above is making the most of her bounty by preserving her fruits. Freezing and canning can save you money if you have the time for these activities. You do not always have to grow your own fruits, veggies, and meats in order to preserve them. For example, I sometimes buy my favorite kind of apple (very crisp and firm Arkansas Black variety) at a nearby orchard and keep the apples the way the owner recommends. I put several in a zip lock bag with just a bare teaspoonful of water in the bag. (Too much water renders the apples soggy, rather than crisp.) I keep the sacks of apples in the refrigerator crisper. They can last up to a year this way, especially if you check the bags to remove any that are starting to spoil. You can buy extra produce at a farmer's market or even a grocery store that has good quality produce in season. You can then preserve it just as you would as if you had grown it yourself. Of course, growing your own produce will give you lots of summer bounty to store for the rest of the year.
2) Research various ways to preserve herbs. One way is to salt them. Herbs can also easily be grown inside, all year long.
3) Search out recipes for freezer slaw, three bean salads, copper pennies, and for small batches of jellies and pickles that don't need heavy canning or freezing to preserve.

On a completely different train of thought...
4) Save and invest with your convictions in mind. First and foremost, do not compromise your beliefs for the sake of earning money. Secondly, the home is a great venue from which to foster things that help the community at large. Some things you might foster with careful savings, careful investments, careful consumption, gifts to charities, and personal charity are adoption, clean water for people in third world countries, the spreading of the news about Christ, medical aid to people in areas served by charity clinics, food banks, being a good steward of the environment, supporting local businesses, encouraging young entrepreneurs, and the list goes on and on. You may not be able to do everything, but you can do something. The combined effect of individual households using portions of their assets for worthy causes can do a nation much good.
4a) Be ware of dubious investment schemes that play on your desire to do good in a certain area. Make sure any proposed investment -- even ones that claim to promote a good cause -- is sound and that the returns really will be used for the stated goal. Likewise, check out charities before you give. You want your money to actually meet the need about which you are so passionate.
4c) Having said that, set aside some money that you are willing to give, lend, or invest without any guarantee of financial return. That way, you will be able to give that money to a truly worthy venture, regardless of the outcome.

Still another set of ideas:
5) This is the season for spring cleaning, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. Before you throw things away, decide if they can be sold. For example, many people -- myself included -- have sold books on Amazon.com. (Be sure to account for the cost of mailing your item to a buyer in your asking price. Amazon.com does give a shipping allowance, but it might not be enough for a heavy book.) Other sites to check for selling things are Sell.Com, Half.Com, E-Bay, Listia.com, and Craig's List. While some people with a good eye for what sells buy old things and re-sell them to such sites, it's best to start by simply selling something you already have and would like to get rid of. That way, you are not risking anything. If it sells, you've earned a little extra pocket cash. If it doesn't -- no biggie. You can always toss it or give it away later.
6) Take care of any obvious water leaks in your house, such as a drippy faucet or water damage on a first floor ceiling that might indicate a problem with an upstairs air conditioner/heating unit . Also check for hidden leaks. One way to to this is to turn off all of the fixtures and appliances in your house that use water. Look at your water meter. If the flow indicator is still spinning, you have a leak that needs to be fixed. Repairing water leaks can save you a lot of money.
7) We all know that using an ATM that doesn't belong to your bank costs extra. If you plan ahead, you can perform any transactions you need to at your bank or at one of your bank's ATMs. However, even the savviest planners among us can get caught needing a little cash in a pinch. If you are not near one of your own bank's ATM's, buy a small item at a grocery store or drug store and ask for cash back. Most places limit the amount of cash you can get in this way. However, the limit is usually high enough to meet any sudden need.

Enjoy!

30 Days of Smart Money Choices --

Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. Ecclesiastes 11:6

1) To quote a popular proverb, "Don't put all of your eggs in one basket." Diversify your investments. Have a good investment plan which does not depend on just one type of investment to succeed. A mutual fund can provide some diversity for you simply by the fact that it manages a wide portfolio of stocks. Even so, your personal investment strategy needs a little diversity, as well.
2) Have a good grasp of the overall picture of your life. Have a unifying purpose for your endeavors. For the Christian, it could be to seek God and His kingdom first and to follow Jesus. As Jesus told Martha, it's not good to fret and stew over many things. Only one thing is needed. Working toward a over-arching goal gives meaning to everything we do. Yet, under that umbrella of a unifying purpose, we will need to accomplish work in many sub-areas. For example, the keeper at home must not only organize meals, but see to it that her family is clothed as well. Be able to allot time and finances to complete your work. Do not work hard in the morning and slack off as the day goes on. Do not pour all of your time into your favorite activities and fail to succeed at other responsibilities. In this sense, you not only diversify your financial investments, but your time investments, as well.
3) When investing and making other financial decisions, watch out for these attitudes that can sabotage you: fear (as opposed to reasoned and prayerful prudence), greed, envy, making rash decisions, believing unreasonable claims, placing too much security in temporal things, and a lack of trust in God's provision. Cultivate trust, generosity, prayerful and reasoned prudence, and the knowledge that God can provide no matter what happens to your personal finances or to the overall economy.

Smart Money Choices --

1) Don't buy a brand new car. The greatest depreciation on a car occurs in the first year. You can get very good deals by buying a one-year-old car. Some people buy a car and decide after a year that it's not the one for them. Others trade up every year, though this is not as common as it once was. Some buy a car and decide a year later that they can't or don't want to make the payments. These things means that there is often a selection of one-year-old cars for you to choose from. If you go this route, be sure the car is in good condition and was not returned because of an accident or design flaws. Also, do your research and determine what type of car you want fist. Then, look for a one-year-old in that make and model. Don't settle for something you don't want. If you buy a car when it is one year old, it should last you many years.
2) If you have a pet, investigate whether pet insurance is worth your while. Factors to consider are how much you would personally spend to keep a pet alive. Some owners would do everything possible; others would draw the line at certain expensive features. We have not found it worth having pet insurance yet. However, dear friends of ours do carry pet insurance, as they earn the cost back on the amount they must spend every year to have their dog's teeth taken care of. One thing to consider. As soon as enough people who use medical services in a particular field buy insurance, providers begin to assume that everyone has insurance. They begin to charge accordingly. This drives prices up. So, consider the overall picture when deciding whether to buy pet insurance or not.
3) The start up costs on a brand new garden may eat up any savings you would earn by growing your own veggies. However, if you plan well, you can save money in the long run. Consider your time. Do you want to spend the time it takes to compost, grow plants from seeds, save seeds, or do other things that will make your garden efforts most cost-effective? If you enjoy it, it's a great way to save.
4) If you can't do a huge garden, consider tub gardening. There are many varieties of tomatoes, carrots, squash, and other veggies which can be grown in containers on patios or decks. A strawberry jar is a nice way to grow some fruit if you are willing to wait for the harvest and can protect the strawberry plants during winter. Container gardening can produce a lot of veggies for not much cost or labor. Again, the profit for container gardening goes up in the second year, as you don't have to buy containers.
5) If you live in an urban or suburban area, investigate a shared garden, a community garden, or some other type of co-operative garden scheme. This can save you money and time when compared to both buying all of your food or doing a garden all by yourself.
6) If you don't know much about gardening or even if you do but you want to hone your gardening skills, consult one of your area's master gardeners. You can find one through your County Extension office. They can help you not only with gardening in general, but also how to get the most out of your local soil and local climate.
7) No matter where you live, you are probably within a reasonable driving distance of an orchard or pick your own farm. Investigate buying foods from orchards, pick your own sites, and other local farms.

Happy Home Keeping!

Thirty Days of Smart Money Choices -- Day VII

Stretch your gasoline dollars...

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

I just paid $50.00 to fill a mid-size car (about 12 gallons). So, that prompted me to come home and do some research about how to save money on gasoline.

As we already talked about, driving the speed limit will help you get more miles per gallon of gas. For most cars, the gasoline efficiency goes down if you exceed speeds of about 55 to 60 mph. Part of this has to do with the extra aerodynamic drag on your car, or, in other words, the increased drag from the air that your car experiences when you drive at faster speeds.

Also, most of us have figured out by now that it's a good thing to map your travels so that you can do several errands on one route. This is much better than either making several separate trips to do errands or else back-tracking when doing multiple errands. Think through how many stops you need to make and try to do them in a gas-efficient way.

Here are more tips:

1) Don't forget to utilize your accumulated grocery store points. Today, I lost out by not entering my points correctly. I was not at a Kroger station, but at another brand station which does accept Kroger points. I was trying to use my card, but misread the directions and did not receive my credit. Next time, I will know how to input my Kroger info. Using gas points from Kroger or other grocery stores will help you save some money per gallon, which can add up when gas is so costly. Publix will sometimes run deals in which you can get free gas cards for every $25.00 spent.
2) Empty any heavy items that you've been lugging around in your car that are heavy and not necessary to carry.
3) Keep your tires properly inflated. This not only helps with gas mileage, but increases safety, as well. Don't over inflate your tires, though. The risk of accident, injury, and death far outweighs any increase in gas mileage.
4) Know which grade fuel is recommended for your car. If you do not need a medium or high grade fuel, select the lowest grade option. Buying a higher grade fuel will not necessarily give you higher mpg. By the same token, buying the lowest grade will not guarantee that you save money. Find out what works for your car. We generally buy the lower grade fuel as that is fine for our cars.
5) Are you sitting in a traffic jam? Waiting to drive onto a ferry? Waiting for someone to get in the car? Avoid idling your car for more than one minute. After one minute, it is cheaper to turn your car off and to restart it when you are ready to move than it is to keep it idling. Again, you have to keep safety in mind. If you are in a situation in which you must move your car quickly, say when a long red traffic light changes to green, keep your car running.
6) From time to time, assess your car's gas mileage and performance. A drop in fuel efficiency could be due to a fixable problem. If you notice such a drop, take your car to a trusted mechanic for help.
7) Did you know that it is actually more economical to run your air conditioner at a low level than to drive with your windows down? When your windows are open, there is more air drag on your car, which means the car has to perform harder and burn more fuel to overcome the resistance. Of course, who can resist driving with your windows down on a beautiful spring day! But, if you choose to do so, make sure you're not doing it simply for economic reasons.
8) Accelerate gently and brake gradually. When you do accelerate, try to do it slowly and over the longest possible distance. (Keep safety in mind, of course. You do need to keep up with traffic into which you are merging.)
9) Fill up when you are near the spot in your area that has the lowest gas prices. This spot may change from day to day and week to week. But, if you are out and notice lower gas prices, stop and get at least a few gallons of gas. Sometimes, on trips, you can also time your breaks and gas stops to take advantage of lower gas prices. This is especially true if you are about to cross into one state with lower or higher prices and gas taxes than the one you are currently in.
10) Think carefully about applying hypermiling tips, no matter how tempting they may be. Hypermilers are people who are devoted to getting the most possible mileage out of each gallon of gas. While some of the methods they use are safe and economical, other methods that many hypermilers try are both dangerous and illegal in many states. For example, some hypermilers will try in order to tailgate to take advantage of the draft pulling from the front car. This tip might be ok on a race track. For real life driving, however, it is likely to cause an accident and is higly dangerous for the occupants of both cars. Trying to save a few cents at the risk of safety is not only foolish, but could cost way more in terms of suffering, grief, and money than sticking to safer methods of stretching gas dollars.

Be safe! Be thrifty! Enjoy!

Thirty Days of Wise Money Choices -- Day V

There are plenty of ways to get ahead. The first is so basic I'm almost embarrassed to say it: spend less than you earn. ~Paul Clitheroe

1) Remember that the home/farm/small family business/estate was the first arena of economy in history. The Greek word oikonomos from which we get the English word "economy" meant a household steward or a manager of the home. It also meant someone who is a guardian of the home and who makes the allotments of goods necessary to run the home. It is used of men and women in the Bible. It is the word used in Titus 2 to say that older women need to teach younger women how to be good managers or keepers of their homes.

This is what the Free Dictionary has to say about the history of the word economy and its relation to oikonomos:

Word History: Managing an economy has at least an etymological justification. The word economy can be traced back to the Greek word oikonomos, "one who manages a household," derived from oikos, "house," and nemein, "to manage." From oikonomos was derived oikonomi, which had not only the sense "management of a household or family" but also senses such as "thrift," "direction," "administration," "arrangement," and "public revenue of a state." The first recorded sense of our word economy, found in a work possibly composed in 1440, is "the management of economic affairs," in this case, of a monastery. Economy is later recorded in other senses shared by oikonomi in Greek, including "thrift" and "administration." What is probably our most frequently used current sense, "the economic system of a country or an area," seems not to have developed until the 19th or 20th century. (Bold emphasis mine)

If you manage or help to manage the finances in your household, you are a home economist. That doesn't mean that those of us who are managers of our homes have to have degrees in economics. It does mean, however, that we do well to take the use of our money, time, family health, and other resources seriously. Because societies are made up of smaller units, such as the home, what goes on in our homes affects the larger society. It has been said in many senses that, "As goes the home, so goes the country

2) Women have always been a vital part of the small household/farm/family business economy. In many cases, this economic role in the household or the estate gave women greater power than they had through other arenas, in which their contributions might not have been recognized. It's important that we, as women, do not devalue the importance of a woman managing her home and family well. When we do so, we send a message that we, as women, don't care about this important part of women's history. It also sends a message that we, as women, don't think much of the role women can play in today's society by managing their household economies well. No, this doesn't have to be the only role that a woman fulfills. We do have more opportunities available to us today, as do men who are no longer bound to follow their fathers' occupations and station in life. Yet, if a woman doesn't fulfill this important role in life, who will?

Of course, a wife will work in tandem with her husband to manage her household, and she may also be training children to handle money and other resources wisely. Even so, her personal contributions to the household economy are important.

3) A good rule of thumb to remember is the Biblical statement that, "And the borrower becomes the lender's slave." This idea is not found in the Bible alone. Many people have noted this. Here are just a few examples of sayings related to the pain of debt. Some are meant to be tongue in cheek, but all have the bite of truth about them:

“When you get in debt you become a slave.”-Andrew Jackson

He looks the whole world in the face for he owes not any man. ~Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow

The only man who sticks closer to you in adversity than a friend is a creditor. ~Author Unknown

Who goeth a borrowing Goeth a sorrowing. ~Thomas Tusser

When a man is...in debt, someone else has the advantage. ~Bill Balance

Wouldst thou shut up the avenues of ill, Pay every debt as if God wrote the bill.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need most. ~American Proverb

Debt is the worst poverty. ~Thomas Fuller

It is the debtor that is ruined by hard times.” -Rutherford B. Hayes

Lying rides upon debt’s back.”-Benjamin Franklin

Buy what thou hast no Need of and ere long thou shalt sell thy Necessaries.”
-Benjamin Franklin

“This would be a much better world if more married couples were as deeply in love as they are in debt.” -Earl Wilson

Nations and individuals have been brought down by debt. Our nation's debt is now over $14 trillion dollars, according to some sources. We have a hard time wrapping our minds around the concept of one trillion, much less 14 trillion. One way to think of this is that a trillion seconds is 31,688 years. If we paid off our national debt at the rate of one dollar per second, it would take us over 14 times 31,688 years to pay it off. Where were you 31,688 years ago? Where will you be in 31, 688 years? It's staggering to think of, isn't it?

As citizens, most of us don't have much power to do anything about our national debt, other than to pray, pay our taxes even though that won't be enough to cure our problem, vote well, and express our opinions in a calm way and through civil means.

We can, however, do something about our personal little units of economy. We can do our best to live debt free. We can be wise in our consumption, rather than to be spend-thrift. We can give generously to others who are in need. We can support local businesses or local farms with our trade, if we are convinced this is a good idea. We can help our nation build tangible and intangible sources of capital by always conducting any trade we do with integrity, by coming up with new and enterprising ideas, by raising children who will be productive and moral citizens, by valuing spiritual wealth over physical wealth, and by living according to sound money principles. Since a nation's greatest resources are its people, raising happy and productive children in the home is a major source of supporting a nation's future happiness. As we mentioned, as the home goes, so goes the nation.

4) Along with this, we can remember that individuals who build capital inject needed financial opportunities and funds for investment into the larger economy, helping it to be healthier. This was especially true in agrarian societies and pre-capitalist societies and works in capitalist societies as well. It's harder to grow an economy that is heavily socialist or communist. These more closed systems are more dependent on the the re-cycling and re-distributing of the same amount of capital that the economy started with.

However, in whatever type of economy we should live, there is often a way to make a difference. Since the home is a small economy unto itself, a woman at home can nurture economic growth by the methods listed in number 3.

Bottom line, though, we cannot always control what type of larger economy we find ourselves in. Families have survived during horrible economic times and under despotic regimes and during times of war and famine. Audrey Hepburn's family, for example, survived by making flour out of ground tulip bulbs in German occupied Holland. My great-grandmother raised a family for several years with both Confederate and Union troops plundering the countryside around her and with her husband away at war.

Of course, we'd rather live during easier times, but, we need not spend our time worrying over our economic freedom, any wealth that we have, and what might happen to us. Instead, we should resolve to always do our best to manage our homes as best we can in whatever circumstances life presents. Again, it's helpful to remember that the only true and lasting wealth is treasure in heaven. We need not fear what is happening on a larger scale if we do the best we can to be good stewards (oikonomos) of what we do have in hand.

Enjoy!

Thirty Days of Wise Money Choices...
Day IV

1) Drive the speed limit! On this side of heaven, good is not always immediately rewarded nor does misbehavior always catch up with someone. However, this is one time you can count on the fact that being a law-abiding citizen has its rewards. Obviously, sticking to the legal speed is safer and is less likely to result in expensive speeding tickets. However, it also saves you in terms of fuel economy. The miles you can get from a gallon of gas drop dramatically as you increase over usual speed limits. The more fuel efficient your car is in general, the more likely it is to eat more gas per mile at higher speeds. The MSN article I linked to suggested that since time=money, there might be times when pushing the speed limit is a good choice if it will help you get there faster. That is the only thing in the article that I disagree with. The risks of being stopped by a state trooper on the open road or having an accident in town or out of town outweigh any possible gains by going over the speed limit. Speeding to get somewhere on time also contributes to physical and emotional stress, which can be costly to health. You're better off adjusting your departure time to arrive on time.

2) Saving money can be equal to earning money. The wise home keeper looks for and stops hidden money leaks. For example, a money leak that needs to be on my radar is my habit of still cooking and buying for a full house, even though I now have an empty nest. The "science experiments" turning green in my fridge are a waste of valuable resources. Hidden money leaks can take many forms, including a literal water leak that needs fixing or a habit of leaving lights on in an empty room.

Another leak might be a habit of buying something every day, even though if you thought about it, you might decide that you don't want or need it badly enough to justify the extra cost. For example, some people find great enjoyment in going to Starbuck's every day. For those who truly do enjoy it, that's a wonderful little luxury. However, others mindlessly buy Starbuck's every day without truly enjoying the Starbuck's experience. In that case, it's better to either make coffees or lattes at home or to choose a less expensive coffee option, such as Micky D's Starbuck imitations. You can save a lot by correcting mindless little habits that drain money from your wallet.

3) Be wise when it comes to stocking your pantry. It's helpful to have 3 months to one year's worth of non-perishable staples, medicine that won't go out of date, toiletries, paper goods or anything else that you can buy on sale or with a coupon and store. Most families do not need to acquire more than a one-year supply. Some will decide that they do not need even that amount.

The purposes of storing ahead are 1) to make use of sales and coupons by buying extra items when they are at low prices and working them into your inventory. 2) Having stock on hand for emergencies, such as a layoff or a weather event or to use while the highest wage earner makes a career change. 3) Being able to replace a used item quickly. For example, if you use mayonnaise, it's handy to have one jar open and one on hand. When the first jar runs out, you open the second and buy a third. This makes it easy to keep your pantry inventory up to date.

Buying and trying to store too many things only complicates matters. You will forget what you have on hand. You will spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to store it. You are putting a lot of funds into very perishable items that could be destroyed by a weather event or simply by sitting so long the items are no longer usable. You are also holding on to items that could be donated to those in need.

Every little step that we can take to use money wisely blesses our families!

Enjoy!

30 days of smart money choices -- Day 2

1.) Remember that time is a resource, just as money is. You might save money by choosing a time consuming option -- such as sewing all of your own curtains or visiting 3 different stores in a week to get the best deals. If you don't have the time, that might not be the best way for you to save money right then. If you do have the time, it could be a great choice. Weigh time and money together.
2. ) Understand that your time budget and your money budget changes throughout life and that your time/money balance changes. For example, the woman with a middle schooler, pre-schooler, toddler, and infant in the home will have different time and money needs than a woman who is newlywed with no children, a single woman, or a married woman whose children have left home.
3. ) Some people are naturally gifted at managing finances; others are not. Even if it doesn't come naturally to you, learn and to the best you can. Others can help you so that you don't have to re-invent the wheel. For example, I have a friend who is excellent at couponing. Sometimes, I will go grocery shopping with her. She will tell me about certain deals. Likewise, there are many blogs that are written by people who will tell you what deals are hot in your area.
4) You don't have to have an MBA to balance a household budget and to make wise investments. Get advice from people who do have money skills, but always think through the advice for yourself. Even if you hire a money professional in some capacity, make sure that you
have at least a minimal understanding of the choices they are making with your money or the advice they are giving you.
5). Take care of equipment, cars, clothing, appliances -- Learn how to take care of things. Read suggested maintenance schedules, for example. Taking care of the things you have will prolong their life and keep you from having to buy more.
6). Learn how to choose things of good quality. Buy the best quality your budget allows. Don't worry if you have a small budget and can't afford top quality. Just do the best you can. Sometimes, a cheaper purchase can end up costing you more in the long run. For example, some clothing will last longer and wear better than cheaper versions will.
7) Be in unity with your spouse. Set priorities together. Have a set amount of money each of you can spend on your own. Have an agreement to talk to each other about any possible expenditures over that set threshold. Make sure that you both know how to get hold of important financial documents if there is an emergency. Even if you don't like handling financial matters and your husband handles most of them, be acquainted enough with what's going on that you could take over for him if you should need to.

Enjoy!