Gather Little by Little

Hi there and welcome to the Best of Money Carnival #5! What? You’ve never heard of the Best of Money Carnival? Well, I’m sure you’re not the only one. The Best of Money Carnival is a fairly new blog carnival  that features the top 10 articles submitted each week. Not only does it make for a shorter carnival, but it also gives you the very best of the best out of all the articles submitted that week. Now of course the downside is on host (that’s me), as picking out the top 10 is tough!

Click to continue reading...

Kids are famous for complaining to their parents that they are bored or that there’s nothing to do. A lot of adults who have recently switched over to a frugal lifestyle are starting to sound just like those kids. They simply don’t know what to do to entertain themselves if it doesn’t involve spending any money. Well, just like your parents told you when you were a bored kid, there’s plenty to do if you get creative.

Here are some of the best free events for kids that you can enjoy in almost any place that you might live:

Click to continue reading...

A frequent subject on personal finance blogs is the discussion relating to tithing. If you conduct an internet search on that topic, you will find a colorful variety of opinions scattered throughout cyberspace.

What is a tithe?

Some of the controversy centers around the word “tithe” itself. The Old Testament Jews had a strict definition of what tithing meant. The first tenth of all their “increase” belonged to God. In fact, one passage made it clear that neglecting to pay the tithe was considered robbery by God. Tithing was not an option and the most faithful Jews tithed everything – livestock, money, garden goods, spice, and more.

Click to continue reading...

Last Friday, I was informed that the wife of a friend I work with passed away in her sleep unexpectedly. She came home from work not feeling well, went to bed and never woke up. It reminded me of just how quickly your life can be taken from you. The article below is an article I wrote in 2007 about a good friend and co-worker who passed away that same year. I thought it would be beneficial to share Rich’s story with you again.

Click to continue reading...

I am on the road once again and my internet is a little shaky, so I am not going to run the post that I had originally planned for today. Furthermore, Sheila asked for a housing update on this post and since there have been some developments, I thought I would write about our house once again.

Click to continue reading...

We purchased a new gas grill over the weekend. I’ve been shopping and reading about them for a few months as we slowly saved our money for one. After all of my research, I decided to buy a Weber E-310, which consistently received excellent reviews from every source I found. The Weber is very expensive though and right at $700.00. The question of “is quality really worth paying more for” kept looming in the back of my mind.

Click to continue reading...

A few weeks ago, I shared with you a great service I found for creating a financial plan. I also shared the importance of having a plan and how if you didn’t you were basically driving around without knowing where you’re headed. Having a financial plan in place can make a significant difference in whether or not you achieve your financial goals or not.

Click to continue reading...

A frugal vacation is almost an oxymoron, but there are some small ways that our family has developed to reduce travel costs. Frankly, my idea of a vacation involves staying home . . . so maybe there is such a thing as a frugal vacation. Anyway, my job and our current financial situation do not allow for traditional vacations in the sense that we go to a particular location for the purpose of relaxation and entertainment. Our vacations merely consist of traveling to see family – we live roughly a thousand miles from both major relative groups – or work related trips. We spend a great deal of time on the road.

Click to continue reading...

My family and I were driving somewhere the other day and my 14 year old started asking me some questions about the recession. Questions like: What exactly is a recession? Is it normal? Will the recession stop? After answering his questions he got quiet as he thought about my answers. A few minutes later he said: “Dad, so a recession is sort of like a financial flood.”  Whoa.

The biblical flood

Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made – Genesis 7:4

Click to continue reading...

My family and I are out of town this week, I am posting from my parent’s house. We are traveling to spend time with family and friends in another state. As we visit and reminisce, more than once, the conversation has turned to the state of the economy. Everyone is worried and we are all looking for strategies for surviving if things really get bad.

Click to continue reading...