Recommended Resources
- Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
- Last Sunday, Alexander was rich. His grandparents had given him a dollar. But when there's gum, and toys, and other temptations all around, it isn't easy for a young child hang onto a dollar. This classic story (first published in...
- Amazon for Groceries
- Have you ever shopped for groceries on Amazon? There are deals to be had. For example, if you buy $49 worth of Kashi products during July you can get an instant $20 rebate. Their Cinnamon Harvest cereal, shown here, comes...
- Born to Buy
- Every parent of kids who are not out on their own yet should read “Born to Buy.” Author Juliet Schor, whose previous books include “The Overworked American” and “The Overspent American,” presents a compelling look at the materialistic attitude of...
- Debt-Proof The Holidays
- As we cling to the last bits of summer, the holidays may seem a long way off. But they're not. And if we are to navigate the holidays without going into debt, now's the time to develop a plan. Mary...
- Fields of Gold
- Have you noticed how popular generosity has become? Bill Clinton wrote about it with his book, "Giving." Oprah is broadcasting about it with her new show, "Oprah's Big Give." And social scientists seem to come out with new reports each...
- Free
- Have you listened to any good money management songs lately? I doubt that Ginny Owens had spreadsheets and bank accounts in mind when she recorded the song "Free." However, it's not only a great tune, but it conveys some important...
- Freedom of Simplicity
- Simplicity is in. There are simple living magazines, books, blogs, software, seminars, and...whew, it's not so simple to keep up on all the simple living tips and techniques. Within that whirlwind stands "Freedom of Simplicity," a recently updated version of...
- Gifts That Make a Difference
- Usually this space is devoted to recommending a book or other resource that's helpful in teaching us to manage money wisely. This month, as most of us shop for gifts for the special people in our life, I'd like to...
- Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas
- For anyone looking to celebrate Christmas–and all special occasions, for that matter–with less spending and more joy, “Hundred Dollar Holiday” is highly recommended. And it’s appropriate to read this short book well before the holidays are upon us. Author Bill...
- Last Minute Gift Ideas
- Still looking for Christmas gift ideas? Tired of all the usual ideas -- sweaters and CDs and such? How about giving the gift of independence to a family with no means to support itself? Or food for someone impacted by...
- Live Your Life for Half the Price
- Many are the personal finance authors with tips and techniques for saving money. But when it comes to wringing every last bit of value from a dollar, no one does it better than Mary Hunt. From big-ticket items like cars...
- Living Rich by Spending Smart
- I thought I knew a thing or two about getting good deals. But after reading Gregory Karp's new book I saw that I was just scratching the surface. Karp is a syndicated personal finance columnist who specializes in helping people...
- Money Strategies for Tough Times
- Are you feeling the effects of today's economy? Who isn't? "Money Strategies for Tough Times" can help you successfully navigate the tough times, get to a better place with your finances, and stay there. In this new book you'll find...
- Money, Purpose, Joy - Discussion Guide
- If you want to take your relationship with money to a whole new level, bring the subject into your small group. It can be scary to open up about money, at least at first. But the "Money, Purpose, Joy Discussion...
- Money, Purpose, Joy - Personal Workbook
- The start of a new year is the perfect time to set financial goals and develop a spending plan that will guide you toward their accomplishment. But what's a reasonable amount to spend on groceries for a household of your...
- Money. Purpose. Joy.
- Too much debt and too little savings are not signs that we have stretched ourselves too far; they're signs that we've settled for too little. They're indications that we have wandered from "home" in our use of money--home being a...
- Moneywise Kids
- Despite increased efforts at teaching kids about money, their financial literacy scores have actually gotten worse over the years. When the non-profit Jump$tart Coalition gave a money management test to high school seniors across the country in 1997, their average...
- No More Mondays
- Is Monday one of your favorite days of the week? Do you start the week eager to head off to work? If not, "No More Mondays" is for you. Dan Miller says that no matter how old you are or...
- Our Day to End Poverty
- Did you do anything to help eliminate poverty today? It's a ridiculous question, isn't it? Poverty is an overwhelming issue, taking the lives of some 30,000 children around the world every day, according to the United Nations. What can we...
- Quicken Basic
- One of the most surprising findings in the book The Millionaire Next Door is the fact that over half of all millionaires use a household budget to guide their spending. That's right, the lowly budget--what I call the Rodney Dangerfield...
- Reusable Shopping Bag
- Paper or plastic? Ah, the dreaded question at the grocery store checkout lane. Opt for plastic and we risk getting a condemning stare from the environmentalists in our midst. But it also takes a lot of trees to make all...
- Serve God, Save the Planet
- J. Matthew Sleeth had what many people envy: a prestigious, highly paid job, large home, and otherwise affluent lifestyle. However, in his work as a medical chief of staff, seeing an increasing number of chronic illnesses raised questions in his...
- Simplify
- Doesn't simplifying life often seem ironically complicated? There are closet organizers to shop for, lug home, and figure out how to install; various digital devices that require hours to program; and thick simple living magazines to wade through. That's why...
- Stumbling on Happiness
- Happiness is a goal shared by all. Its quest is the motive behind much of our behavior -- from whom we choose to spend our lives with to what we choose to park in our garage. And yet happiness remains...
- The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need
- One of the greatest gifts we can give our kids is an education in how to use money with wisdom and joy. And those lessons can start early with the help of books like this month's Recommended Resource. In "The...
- The Clown of God
- When I read books to our kids before bedtime, it's usually a time of laughter and a bit of learning. I certainly don't expect any of the books to move me to tears. But that's exactly what happened the first...
- The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair
- If you own a home or condo you're probably all too familiar with leaky faucets, pilot lights that go out at the most inopportune times, and windows that provide a breeze even when closed. Whether you call a repairperson or...
- The Gift of Nothing
- For anyone interested in teaching children what money can and can't buy, this is a fun illustrated book with a great message. Mooch the cat is in search of the perfect gift for his friend Earl the dog. But Earl...
- The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
- For anyone wanting to simply their approach to investing, index funds are about as simple as it gets. By investing in a single mutual fund you can own a piece of all of the nation's publicly held businesses. John Bogle...
- The Treasure Principle
- Randy Alcorn's "The Treasure Principle: Discovering the Secret of Joyful Giving" is simply one of the best books I have ever read on the topic of giving. This small book is packed with solid teaching, challenging points for reflection, and...
- Tiptionary 2
- Time and money are two commodities we can always manage better. Which is why Mary Hunt is such a popular writer and speaker. She's an experienced pro at teaching us how to make the absolute most of both. Her popular...
- To Be Told
- It's the beginning of a new year and many of us are setting goals, making plans. But how do we decide which goals to set, which plans to follow? Are the ones we choose connected to the big picture of...
- What Will I Do With My Money
- One of the things that has both fascinated and frustrated me in 15 plus years of teaching about money management is this: While it's relatively easy to teach people the how-to's of wise money management, it's often really hard to...
- Your Kids Can Master Their Money
- It has never been so important or so challenging to teach kids how to manage money. That's because never before have marketers taken their messages so directly to children. Today, there are product placements in comic books and video games....
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