I’m sure I’m not the only person looking ahead at the new year with a combination of excitement about all the possibilities and apprehension about the situation we find ourselves in, economically. You can hardly turn on a news station without seeing self-proclaimed financial gurus sharing their thoughts on this, that, and the other thing, while no one knows who the experts really are any more. But here are some facts that we need to face as we make our goals and plans for the coming twelve months: 1. Unemployment rates are skyrocketing. There are currently six million Americans who … Continue reading →

I have four small children. Well, they actually aren’t that small anymore – they’re getting bigger all the time – and while they understand the need to budget, their basic desires are getting more expensive. A Lego set does cost more than a stuffed animal, that’s for sure. I think it’s safe to say that we all want our children to have a wonderful Christmas, but how do you pay for it? I’ll confess that in years past, I’ve put Christmas on a credit card. There just hasn’t been enough cash flow in our home to accommodate even the most … Continue reading →

Back in pioneer times, it was easy to heat a house. Go outside, chop some wood, throw it on the fire or in the stove, and presto. There you go. It was also easy to fuel your vehicle – just give the horse some hay and oats, and your buggy could go for miles. It wasn’t hard to get the wood for the stove. You’d either chop down some trees or you’d trade a neighbor who had wood. You’d grow the oats on your own farm, and the hay would come from your own wheat. Yes, all of this required … Continue reading →

A new grocery store opened in my neighborhood earlier this year. I meant to head down and check it out, but with one thing and the other, I didn’t get around to it. But one day when my sister was here for a visit, she dragged me down there. “You’ve got to see this place,” she said. “You just won’t believe it.” I looked around, and I was impressed. The prices were really good, they have a great bulk food section, and I could see myself shopping there regularly. In fact, I went back four times over the next three … Continue reading →

Around this time of year, it is easy to get a burgeoning case of the I Wants. It begins with the back to school and Christmas advertising, both of which seem to happen at the same time these days. All right, Christmas ads might not start until September. I open the local paper and a stack of ads fall out. Then come the catalogues. Bought anything from a larger company lately? If you’re on their mailing list, be assured that they will send you a nice, juicy catalogue to tempt you right about now. Maybe you already have a good … Continue reading →

Have you ever tried a crash diet? Sure, they don’t generally work for your body. You may lose a lot of weight quickly, but as soon as you go back to your normal eating and workout routines (or lack thereof), the weight comes right back. It’s a bit disheartening, to say the least. Money crash diets can be similar. You decide to save a lot of money, and for a while you are very, very frugal. Then you slip. Then you slip again. Finally, you go back to your old ways, bailing out of the crash diet in a big … Continue reading →

There’s an ethic that we’ve missed these last few decades. Years ago, when my grandparents and even my parents were growing up, there was an ethic that could be summed up as “making do”. It wasn’t necessarily an ethic that people wanted to adopt after World War Two, when consumerism became the new ideal to strive for. However, when you’re trying to build a home that is thrifty and avoids debt, making do is a good way to be. What is this concept? Well, these days if we don’t have enough money to buy something, that doesn’t always feel like … Continue reading →

Sometimes it can be hard to stop spending. For me, this happens at Christmas time, birthday times, and any other time when I have a real excuse to spend money. Once I get into the swing of spending, it is hard to stop. But stop I must, or my budget will be in serious trouble. One of the things that says stop to me is my budget. I have it automatically tally up where I am in relation to my income, and when the two approach, I know that I need to stop spending. However, having a credit card feels … Continue reading →