Saving Money Through Reading: Simplified

If you are new to the concept of thrifting and saving money, odds are you're looking for reading material on the subject. It can be a daunting experience! Just put 'saving money' in the search bar for Amazon, and literally HUNDREDS of titles pop up! What's worth your time?

I have spent most of my adult life researching this subject, and I can cut YOUR research time by recommending 3 books that have helped me more than any others.

Over at Miserlymoms.com, Jonni McCoy dispenses tightwad wisdom through her website, books and cookbooks. Jonni was a white collar professional, earning half her family's income, and living in the highly expensive San Francisco area, when she chose to quit working to stay home with her children. Through trial and error and a TON of research, Jonni not only successfully made the switch to stay at home mom, she built a successful career as a writer and speaker on the subject of saving money. Complicating things was the discovery that one of her children had serious food allergies, so she not only had to save money on food, but healthy, whole foods at that. She made it work! She is also clear about not being a tightwad who enjoys a spartan lifestyle. She enjoys her luxuries and finds cheaper ways to get them! Jonni writes in a candid, easy manner, and the average person can follow her advice without finding her too extreme.

At Livingonadime.com, Tawra and her mom, Jill, run a small empire based on thrift. Their e-books, newsletter and Facebook page are chock full of good advice on how to do things frugally. Both speak from experience! Jill started her own business and paid off $35,000 in debt on only $1000 a month, and then when she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and had to go on disability, she successfully raised two teenagers on only $500 a month! Jill and her husband, Mike, paid off $20,000 on only $22,000 a month, and now that their debt is paid, they are working to pay off their house. Both ladies are candid about the trials and tribulations of living on so little, but their spirit and drive make reading their books a pleasure, and leave you with the the feeling that you can do it, too!

Last but not least, the granddaddy of all thrift books is The Complete Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn. Amy has retired, and no longer runs her newsletter, but this book is the compliation of her efforts. Where Jonni, Tawra and Jill are the 'silk stockings' of saving money, Amy is the Genghis Khan of thrift. No nonsense, she doesn't suffer fools gladly, and she takes no prisoners. She had a vision early in her marriage of being a stay at home mom, with a large family, and a huge farmhouse, on only $30,000 a year. By golly, she did it! Many folks view Amy as extreme, and she herself admits all her views may not be your cup of tea, but you will definitely learn thrift is a viable option by reading her book. Who can't help but be inspired by a woman who led her family to be able to buy that long dreamed of farmhouse with $49,000 saved in only 7 years, on that often less than $30,000 yearly income? Sign me up, bro!

As with everything I post on Thriftnerd, I encourage you to read, then make your own decisions based on your particular needs. I do the same with tecommending these 3 books. No matter how you choose to implement these ladies' books into your own lives, it will definitely change things for the better.

I also recommend you check their books out at the library, first. Like me, you may want to buy them afterwards, to have on hand to refer to often. I've had my 'Tightwad Gazette' since I was pregnant with Claire, and I am STILL reading and learning!

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

Oh, the best laid plans. Ain't life great? You truly don't know what to expect from one day to the next. You can do your best and plan ahead, but ultimately.........yeah. We all end up surprised in one form or another.

Last month I wrote about paying off our debts. You guys were all so sweet with your nice comments.

We thought we were home free, and truly ready to start Claire's senior year with a fresh slate. I was also preparing to have major surgery.

Last week, we found out that, starting in September, we'll be having a budget shortfall of $850 per month. Not sure for how long.

So, what do you DO when you find this stuff out? Well, in my case? I start out by having a good cry.

Then, I count my blessings. We DID pay our debts off. We were much better off than we would have been had we received this shocking news a month ago.

And finally, I get out the budget and do a little math.

Things will be tight. The big plans we'd had are either falling by the wayside for a while, or else we're thinking up creative but cheap alternatives. I'm going to put off my surgery.

But you know what? When all is said and done, I'm anticipating a gigantic learning experience. We did everything WE were supposed to do, and life STILL got in the way. So, we have a game plan, and we punt. Claire will still have a fabulous senior year.

And I'll be here to chronicle every single, frugal step.

Hocking Hills Goodies

I've been a little MIA lately, sorry Thriftnerds. Life has gotten in the way a bit.

I DID want to let you guys know about some nicely priced bling I picked up at an antique store down in Hocking this past weekend. Claire was gone, so we took advantage of the time and had a very nice little mini-vacay all by ourselves. Saturday morning we headed down and checked out an antique mall/flea market off 33 in Lancaster. Even if we'd not bought a thing, it would have been a great day. We so rarely get to go just hang out in fun spots, so this was a treat.

After indulging in some fabulous peanut butter yogurt covered pretzels (drooling just thinking about them), we got this lovely bracelet from one of the coolest antique stores I've ever seen. It's brass, so of course it was very tarnished (brown!). Giving it a good cleaning with my brass polish revealed it to be beautiful. The patterned etching leads me to believe it might be from the '30's........kind of an art deco design. It was only $2.50, quite a deal. I also got this ring from a new trinket store in the mall. Gold pattern with marcasite beads down the center, and only $16.

My antiquing also turned up a gorgeous brooch and earring set that will go perfectly with Claire's homecoming dress, and a special goodie for my secret sister. I don't think we spent more than $40 all told, even with the pretzels.

I was so happy with the purchases. Finding things that fill the bill with just a little bit of $$, plus the fact that my sweet husband and I got to relax and enjoy each other's company, made for a perfect day.

Stocking The Basics: Clothing and Shoes

Warm thanks to my close, personal friend Christina Aguilera for her help with today's blog picture (LOL)

Remember how we did a little relaxation exercise yesterday to help us clear our heads and think about what constituted a jewelry need in our own lives? Today, we'll do the same with our clothing and footwear needs.

I want you to think about your life. Work, home, shopping, etc. Think about a typical week, and what you wear to each activity. First of all, if you work outside the home, your work 'uniform' plays a huge role. If your job SUPPLIES your work uniform, you don't need to think any further, except if you must supply items to go along with it, like shoes or pants. What do you wear to your job at the office? The shop? In my own life, I must wear a black shirt, because that is the color of Roush. I can pay to have an ill fitting polo or sweatshirt emblazoned with the company logo, or I can go buy my own. I opt for the second option, as I'd rather have something that fits me if I have to wear the Color Of The Damned. Honestly, I look horrible in black. In addition, I wear jeans and tennis shoes. The mechanics and my husband wear work boots, and I have also, but tennies allow me to stay on my feet longer. Comfort is important.

What if you work at home? I'd say, wear something comfortable, yet presentable. You gotta open the door sometime, and you do need to pop out on an errand occasionally. I'm not being snobby, but when you're comfortable yet classy, you get more done. When I was a stay at home mom, I found if I wore my jammies all day, I didn't have the 'oomph' I needed to accomplish things. Maybe that's just me. Pajama day usually meant I felt just one step away from falling back into bed!

If you work in an office or with the public, you don't wear a job-given uniform, and you're starting from scratch, you need to work out from the basics. Start with a neutral that looks good with your skin tone. If it's black, get either a suit or a jacket and slacks/skirt in that color. If it's brown or navy, same thing. Then, get several blouses/tops in a complimentary color, that look good both with the suit and your skin tone. Now, add some shoes. Are you sitting all day? Maybe a kitten heel or higher will work. Are you on your feet? Something comfortable, like a ballet flat, might be better. Again, go with the base neutral for the shoe color.

Once you've covered your daily Monday-Friday life, it's time to go to the weekend wear. Do you wear jeans on weekends? Make your top and shoes comfortable too, but also nice enough that you don't mind bumping into your child's teacher or an ex-boyfriend. Maybe you'd rather wear workout clothes? Again, go for pulled together. You know what I mean.........a workout jacket and yoga pants might be preferable to your husband's old, holey Marlboro Camel Joe t-shirt and faded, stretched out lycra capris. Getting a good mind picture?

Do you go to church? A basic outfit for Sunday mornings could also be used for a nice lunch or dinner out. A basic black dress is always a good investment (or brown, or navy). Something you can dress up or down, for a variety of activities. You can't go wrong with a body conscious sheath. Wear it with a jeans jacket and boots for a parent-teacher conference, or pearls and heels for a wedding. Make sure it's in a washable fabric, too. Nothing cancels out a low sale price on clothing like having to dry clean it often!

As a finishing touch to your basic wardrobe, ladies need a handbag. This is definitely an area of personal preference. No one can tell you what purse is right for YOU, you have to figure it out for yourself. It all goes back to what your are comfortable toting around. Since we're only going for the basics, I'd buy an every day handbag (either in your neutral color, or a bright pop of complimentary color), and an elegant evening bag/clutch for special occasions. For myself personally, I also like to have a cross body bag. It's great to wear when you need to be 'hands free.'

Now that you have these guidelines, AGAIN, check out your thrift store! All these items can be had for pennies second hand. Also, check your department store clearance racks. FABULOUS deals are to be had there! I can honestly say, if you carefully check resale and clearance, odds are really good you won't have to pay full price for any of these basic items!

Remember, these are just guidelines. I use myself an example to get YOUR ideas flowing!

Stocking The Basics: Jewelry

So, here we are. Fresh palette and no bling. So many possibilities! The world is your oyster, and it's just waiting for you to run to the mall and plunk down your plastic! You'll have that box stocked in NO time.

Stocked? Yes. Filled with thoughtful purchases? Maybe, but more likely not.

Let's do an exercise. Sit back in your computer chair and turn off your thoughts. Breathe deeply.

Now, I want you to think about what your favorite pieces of jewelry are (or used to be). What are your 'go-to' items? If you're dressing for work.......for church......a wedding or funeral. Maybe a lunch out with friends or family. How about a run to the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon?

Did any pieces immediately spring to mind?

I offer myself only as a guideline to get your juices flowing. I'm not vain enough to believe my choices are YOUR choices, too. Then again, you could be my long lost twin! Hey ma! Look who I found!

For starters, let's do earrings. For me, I rely on gold ball studs. About 4 different sizes of hoops......tiny for every day. Medium for work. Large for church or general dressing up. Extra large for possibly a concert or other special event. Also, my trusty CZ studs. I wear them EVERYWHERE.........around the house, in the pool, grocery shopping, you name it. Nothing (for me, anyway) finishes an outfit quite like a stud with shine. So, if I were starting over, those would be my earring basics.

Next, a watch. You know I like a big, gold man's watch. It truly goes with everything. You may prefer a smaller, dainty watch, and that's cool. No one should rock something they're not comfortable with. For me, I did the 'tiny' watch thing for years, and now I'm ready to actually SEE what's on my wrist!

Bracelets. So many choices! Again, we're talking the 'starter' jewelry box, so I'd go with a medium sized, plain gold bangle. Perfectly tasteful for anything. Plus, I'd do a smaller version to wear with my watch. That's just me. So, two bangles.

Rings? Well, this is where personal preference REALLY comes in. I'd probably start with a sparkly CZ show stopper, and also a large, gold knuckle ring. Both would cover all the areas and social events in my life.

There you have it. Now, where to get it?

Believe it or not, I have found almost all these pieces (at one time or another) at a thrift store! Our Goodwill just recently started selling brand new jewelry, and I found a fabulous multipack of hoop earrings for $1.29! Good colored gold plate, and the various sizes were perfect. Although I have found beautiful rings resale, I have better luck with the big and the bold (not to mention the price) at Walmart or Meijer. Sometimes Penney's or Sears have fabulous jewelry sales, too. That's where I got that lovely tank watch for $10. My favorite 'gold' watch came from Kohl's, on sale for $12.99.

Your own life will dictate what 'must haves' you need for your jewelry box. Your job, your social calendar, your taste in either gold or silver (or both!).......the possibilities are limitless.

So are your jewelry resale options.

Stocking The Basics, Thriftnerd Style

What if you lost everything? In this day and age, that's not a rare occurrence. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, wild fires.......even a major windstorm can take away everything materially you've worked for your whole life. All of a sudden, you're standing atop a pile of what used to be your home.

I've actually thought of this scenario a lot. Several years ago, friends of ours saw their house completely burn to the ground. They lost everything. We all rallied around with money, clothing, household goods, and someone even came forward with a new house to rent. What was initially a tragedy became an opportunity to start fresh.

When I can't sleep, I lay awake at night thinking of a number of things, but often I think of what I would replace if I lost all my earthly goods. Beyond the furniture and other household necessities, what would I replace of my personal belongings? My wardrobe and jewelry? Sounds trivial.......until you're wearing an ensemble from The Red Cross while you replace your things.

With that in mind, Thriftnerd is starting a week long blogging series on 'Stocking The Basics, Thriftnerd Style.'

For most of us, a visit to our closet reveals mass accumulation. Stepping into mine, I see things I bought years ago. Are they necessary, or did I buy them on impulse? If they were suddenly snatched away from me, would they be replaced?

Would I still buy that leopard print skirt that only goes with one top? Would I find another hot pink rhinestone clutch to replace this one? Probably not. Losing all your things tends to clarify what's important and what's
just........silly.

Sometimes fashion magazines have articles about 'must have' items for your wardrobe. Unfortunately, it's not a 'one size fits all' world, so while one woman may NEED a pair of black stilettos, another more likely wears black flats. Only YOU know what YOU need.

So, I'll be offering guidelines. And of course, planting the seed that your ultimate 'stock up shop' is a thrift store.

Reflections On My Youngest Turning 18

Driving to work this morning, I was listening to talk radio, and the guest, an expert in education in America, said we are preparing to graduate the dumbest high school class in this country's history. Functionally illiterate teenagers are being allowed to get a diploma, even though they lack the basic skills they will need to properly perform in the world as we know it. How staggering is THAT information, especially first thing in the morning?

I've been thinking about his words a lot. I've also been thinking about them in the context of today, being my precious baby girl Claire's 18th birthday.

Now, I know I will be preaching to the choir. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, chances are pretty good that you and I share some basic values. We want to get the most out of life, for the least amount of money, and use our creativity to do so. We also love our families, and spend as much time as possible with our kids.

Acoording to this morning's talk radio guest, dysfunctional family life is one of the biggest reasons why kids are doing so poorly in school. I'm not talking about the normal upheaval every family experiences. The radio guest said PARENTS AREN'T SPENDING ENOUGH TIME PARENTING THEIR KIDS. It's not the teachers, it's not society, it's THE PARENTS. As a collective whole, American parents would rather throw money at the problem, buy their kids the latest crap, while spending the least amount of time possible with them. Then, when they fail? Oh, it's the teachers and society. Nice little 'pass the buck' scenario, being played out far to often in our fair country.

Now, how does this relate to Claire and her 18th birthday?

People tell me all the time what a kind, sweet, smart, accomplished daughter I have. They marvel at the close relationship she and I enjoy. It's wonderful to hear those things, and yes, we do have a fabulous, close relationship; but my daughter's life and talents are the harvest we're reaping after years of me literally living with my nose up her keister.

You want to be a successful parent? You must devote all your energy, time and talents to raising your kids. Will they still screw up and fail? Of course, because you do, too! We're imperfect people raising imperfect people. However, that does NOT excuse you from doing the best you can.

So, ok. How have I raised Claire? I spent as much time with her as humanly possible. I was blessed to spend the first 13 years of her life as a stay at home parent, and 5 of those homeschooling her. That's a luxury many people don't have, I realize that. However, now that I've been a working parent for 4 1/2 years, I STILL make spending time with Claire my priority. She's the reason I don't have a higher paying, longer hour job right now. There will be plenty of time for that later, after she's out of school. For now, we watch our pennies, shop smartly, and don't give her every single high priced goodie under the sun.

Is this too simplistic? I don't think so. Coming home and spending that first hour with Claire allows her to tell me many things I might not hear otherwise. True, the older she gets, those hours are harder to find, but that doesn't excuse us from FINDING THEM. It's one of the reasons I still take her to school in the morning (boy, I'm going to miss that!). She tells me her fears and her happy stuff, and we pray over all of it. I could get into work earlier and make more money, but like I said, I can do that later.

Claire knows she can be honest with me. I want to hear the good AND the bad. She knows I'm not perfect, and I share my ups and downs with her, so why would she be afraid to do the same? I'm not disappointed when she makes a human mistake. If I goof up, I make sure she knows. I don't regale her with tales of how perfect I was growing up, how 'I would never do something like THAT!' That's bull hockey anyway and we all know it. We screwed up, we snuck out, we lied and cheated and stole candy from the drug store. Come clean with your kid and let them know, but also hold their feet to the fire if they say 'well I can do this because YOU did!' That's NOT what I mean! Knowing your parent is just as flawed as you are isn't license to go out and make the same mistakes over and over. We're supposed to LEARN from them.

Don't just sign your kid up for stuff, and then let others take responsibility for their involvement. If they take Tae Kwon Do, sit and watch the classes if you're allowed. You can learn a lot that way. If your kid is a Girl Scout, see if you can help run a troop. If they show animals in 4H, do whatever YOU can to help with their projects, and don't make the club leaders do it all. It takes precarious scheduling sometimes, due to work and other kiddos in the family, but it CAN be done. Exhausting? Yes! Claire and I got deathly ill the year she showed her rabbits at the Delaware County Fair, but we have fabulous memories of how much fun it was to be involved. So much better to have that than regrets.

Check out your kid's interests, WITH your kid. Through the years, Claire's obsessions have been The Little Mermaid, Bratz dolls, The Spice Girls, Naruto (and all Japanese culture), Captain Jack Sparrow, Batman, video games (and all THAT entails), The Beatles, a mercifully short foray into everything dark and screamo rock, serial killers, Sweeney Todd, Broadway, Supernatural, Dr. Who, Glee, Bettie Page, Dita Von Teese, Marilyn Monroe and all vintage glamour........this summer it was Criminal Minds and Friends. I have enjoyed exploring ALL of these with Claire. Why not? I don't want a boring, vanilla kid, anymore than my children want a one dimensional mom. One of the ladies at our eye doctor told me, 'I love how you let your kids' freak flags fly!' It's easy to do when you enjoy and learn from them :)

I know being a grown up is hard. I know parenthood is a tough gig. I haven't had a smooth, easy time of it. Many years I spent as a mom who was also in an unhappy first marriage. It required a delicate balancing act, but somehow, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, my children never once lacked for parental attention and care. I don't say that to boast, I say that to show you IT CAN BE DONE.

So, today we celebrate the 18th birthday of a beautiful, well rounded young woman. I am so proud of Claire, and so honored that God allowed me to be her mom. I wouldn't have traded even one single tiny bit of all the years we've spent together, no matter how hard some were.

I hope she feels the same.