I'm going to pick on Linda Tirado author of Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America one last time before I move on. The article I'm referencing is an book excerpt on Slate, but I'll quote the part I want to focus on in this post.

"And let’s also talk about the ways in which money advice is geared only toward people who actually have money in ( Read more... )

I'm reading books on PR. And hit this great quote that was applicable to wider concerns:

"The solution is not money; money is what pays for the solution." - Laura K. Lee Dellinger (The Library PR HandbookWe have a similar phrase in our book.  "Money is a means to an end, not an end unto itself."  (Or something like that...I don't have my book with ( Read more... )

Halloween is tomorrow. I started to go into my standard thrifty holiday tips but instead decided this was a good time to talk about the importance of moderation. Moderation is a key element to living a healthy, holistic, and minimalist lifestyle.

Let's touch briefly on the candy. Sugar and fat are not just good for you but essential in moderation. ( Read more... )

Short video discussing one of our most basic financial concepts.

Click to view

Sorry about being absent last week. The yardsale was crazy big this time (had to research pricing on all my grandmother's antiques/collectibles), and I spent pretty much all last week getting ready for it. I was happy with what we sold, but we still have a lot leftover. Took two ( Read more... )

I have a bit of a love/hate thing going with the Suze Orman show.  I do like some of her philosophies, and I think she's great with the more complicated investment questions.  One thing I don't like about her is her "budgets are like diets, they don't work" mantra, because it's not true.  If you stick to a healthy diet, you'll lose weight.  If you ( Read more... )

More reasons to eat healthy:

The Anti-Allergy Diet  (article)

If you're new and wondering why I keep linking to health/food articles, it's because your eating habits and health habits are directly related to your finances.  Those of us in the lower income group may have to get a little more creative to eat healthy on a budget, but it's important to ( Read more... )

Chances are at some point in your life in person or on TV, you've heard the phrase "Time is Money".  Usually in a drama or comedy it's said by some obnoxious person in a business suit who doesn't want to take time to listen to the protagonist.  But there is some truth in it.  At least money and time are intimately connected.

For individuals, how we ( Read more... )

Those of you who've been following the blog for the past three+ years have heard me mention taking a holistic approach a few times, but it's been a while, so I wanted to touch on it again for newbies.

A holistic approach means that you realize every part of your life affects and/or effects every other part.  Relationships, religious beliefs, money, ( Read more... )

I had at least two people comment that our book sounded a lot like the book "Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich (or it's opposite).  It's a New York Times best seller about a journalist who tried making it on a minimum wage income, only to fail to the point of winding up in a shelter.  I decided to check it out to see if I could pick out why ( Read more... )