View your shopping cart.
BackIssueIndex
This is a listing of every HomeEconomiser Newsletter article we've written since 2003. There are two ways you can access these articles:
- Web site membership: With a paid membership to our AmericasCheapestFamily.com web site you'll have access to every article, selections from the new books we are writing and subscriber only forms and links. Plus we'll personally answer 4 of your personal budgeting or household finance questions each year. Cost: $20 per year.
- Individual Issues: You can download back issues as a .pdf file which will be instantly (well, as quick as cyberspace and your isp will allow) delivered to your email address. Each issue is 8 pages long and includes the articles listed plus book review and reader tips. Cost: $2 each
| Issue |
Article Title | *Online Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Sep/Oct 09 Issue 49 ................... |
Are You Violating the Money Rule? If you ignore the 5/50/500 Money Rule with your kids it could really cost you — no matter what age they are. Do you know the five skills your kids must have to keep them from spending your retirement? |  |
| Issue 49 |
School Discounts If money is tight, these tips for getting discounted services from professional trade schools is a must read. If money is tight, these tips for getting discounted services from professional trade schools is a must read. | None |
| Issue 49 | The Stuff-itus Cure When you’re frugal, accumulating things is natural, but how do you “un-accumulate.” Expert Vickie Dellaquila helps us understand how to clean things out. | None |
| Issue 49 | Cheap Sites More top money saving Web sites from readers all over the world. | None |
| Jul/Aug 09 Issue 48 ................... |
The Big Transition Raising and preparing our kids for independence is a monumental task. In this two-part article we share six attitudes and skills your teen needs before leaving the nest. |  |
| Issue 48 | 10 Reasons we LOVE The Recession! Yes, the economy is bad, but every cloud has a silver lining. We give you reasons to smile as you hear gloomy economic predictions. | None |
| Issue 48 | Making Music — Smarter & Cheaper Do you or your child play a musical instrument? Find out how to do it less expensively. | None |
| Issue 48 | Secrets of a Purchasing Agent Learn from professional buyers how they make sure they always get the most value for their money. | None |
| Issue 48 | Success in Detroit & Ohio Two families are thriving in spite of the economy — you can too. | None |
| May/Jun 09 Issue 47 ................... |
Saving Water With Sailor Showers How much water can the average household save by showering different and putting a water bottle in their toilet . . . you'd be surprised . . . in one year it could fill a swimming pool. |
 |
| Issue 47 | Frugal Gardening More people are putting in gardens, but are they really saving money. We've got some tips so that your garden budget doesn't grow out of control. |
None |
| Issue 47 | Vacations When Your Economy is Down Getting away can be cheap if you know some tricks. Learn about alternative lodging, combining tickets and eating inexpensively. Plus a couple of our favorite recipes. |
None |
| Mar/Apr 09 Issue 46 ................... |
When is Enough . . . Enough Trying to emulate the lifestyles of the rich and famous will bankrupt . . . even the rich and famous. We share how we’ve found a balance between acquiring stuff, keeping busy and investing in our family. |  |
| Issue 46 | Rain Checks and Substitutions — Just Ask Use these simple ideas to get the advertised deal even if the store is out of stock. It will save you lots of time and money. | None |
| Issue 46 | Is “Biggering” . . . “Bettering” A reader tells us that living on less is backwards thinking. What do you think? | None |
| Jan/Feb 09 Issue 45 ................... |
I Wish I May, I wish I Might . . . Learn about one of the most powerful tools an economizer can utilize — the Wish List. |  |
| Issue 45 | A Killer Coupon Deal Bed Bath and Beyond’s coupon policy saved us 40 percent on some luxurious sheets – find out how you can make a killing — legally. | None |
| Issue 45 | 16 Ways to Start Saving This Year A quick list of fantastic ways to save tons of money on Groceries, Clothes and Recreation. | None |
| Issue 45 | Roma’s No Bake Cookies If you love chocolate and cookie recipes, this one’s for you. | None |
| Issue 45 | Where Are You Going? For Teens By A Teen Abbey Economides has something to share with your teens (and you) on setting goals and going after them. | None |
| Issue 45 | Soap It Up What do you do with left-over soap shards? | None |
| Issue 45 | Bulk Cooking Success A dynamic cooking duo over came the intimidation factor and found delicious success with bulk cooking. | None |
| Nov/Dec 08 Issue 44 ................... |
Read The Signs: Cucumbers and Christmas? Knowing when to harvest your veggies and knowing how much you can spend this holiday season have a lot in common. Learn how to read the signs of the season. |  |
| Issue 44 | Sorry — The Economy Is All Our Fault! According to a New York psychiatrist our current economic crisis is a result of some comments we made about Grade B eggs on a Fox Network telecast. | None |
| Issue 44 | Creativity and Success A family financial recovery, derailed by a lay-off, turns out okay because they did have a plan. | None |
| Issue 44 | Organic Food Follow-up Two families share how they get healthy food for their families for less. | None |
| Issue 44 | Recipe Aunt Harriet’s Pork Chops and Rice | None |
| Sep/Oct 08 Issue 43 ................... |
Organic Food — Is It Worth It? Your health is important, but is going “all organic” and spending gobs of money the thing to do? We have some options. |  |
| Issue 43 | We’re stuck on Tape! What is the most economical tape for sealing a box or wrapping a present — you’ll be surprised at the price differences between equal amounts of masking, packing, duct, transparent and Kraft tapes. | None |
| Issue 43 | Economy Hits Economical Economides’ What do you do when prices keep increasing, but your income remains the same? Find out how America’s Cheapest Family has been adjusting their spending. | None |
| Issue 43 | Success One family shares how they started budgeting and paying off debt, but then came a lay-off — learn how they survived. | None |
| Jul/Aug 08 Issue 42 |
Go Team! Throughout the ages, groups of people working together, have accomplished great things. We share several ways that we apply teamwork in our home to help us get big and small jobs done quicker, easier and with some laughter. |  |
| Issue 42 | 13 Ways to Destroy Your Kid's Financial Future From tricycles to cars we point out the dangerous ramifications of giving your kids things rather than teaching them to work and earn them. | |
| Issue 42 | Make-Do Decorating Pottery barn taste with a Wal-mart budget? One reader tells her story of making a beautiful home without spending a fortune. | |
| Issue 42 | Spaghetti Pie A great recipe for using up left-over spaghetti. | |
| May/Jun 08 Issue 41 |
It’s Enough To Make You Sick — Again Medical bills can sink you financially. We interviewed medical billing advocates and share information on how to negotiate discounts or get help to reduce your bills. |  |
| Issue 41 | Is FICO Fair? Just Ask We share about a new, somewhat unknown, FICO rating system that favors those who avoid debt and have a scant credit background. | |
| Issue 41 | Success Stories Meet two inspired frugal families | |
| Issue 41 | Refinancing Reviewed Knowing what questions to ask and which fees are negotiable can save you thousands of dollars when you refinance. Now is a great time to refinance! | * Refinance Cost Comparison Worksheet |
| Mar/Apr 08 Issue 40 |
Weighing In On Produce — Save 15 to 50 percent on your fresh fruits and veggies with the two strategies we present. |  |
| Issue 40 | Washed Up Savings — Is cheaper better when it comes to dish washing liquid? We tested several brands — you’ll be surprised by our findings. |
|
| Issue 40 | Avoiding Dinner Time Disruptions — Eating as a family is important. We’ve heard 15 reasons why it can’t be done. We’ve got 15 answers. | |
| Issue 40 | Recipes French Onion Soup and Ratatouille |
|
| Jan/Feb 08 Issue 39 |
Housing: Rent or Buy? Is it time to buy or sell, rent or own? Higher mortgage payments and/or repossession loom on the horizon for thousands. What should you do? |  |
| Issue 39 | Don’t “Checkout” at the Checkout Grocery shopping smarter with coupons and planning can really pay-off, but not you “check-out” when it’s time to ring up your order. | |
| Issue 39 | Success Stories: Staying On Track! Three families share their hardships and victories. | |
| Issue 39 | Egg-Streme Price Increases Egg prices have skyrocketed in recent months. We share several egg-zamples of how we buy eggs smarter. | |
| Nov/Dec 07 Issue 38 |
Surviving Unemployment What would you do if you got a pink slip this Friday. We’ve been laid off three times — here’s how we’ve survived. |
 |
| Issue 38 | 15 Ways To Wreck Your Food Budget Do you know what you’re doing wrong? Learn the most common shopping mistakes and how to avoid them. | |
| Issue 38 | Success Stories: Up Size / Down Size and Forgetting the Joneses — Two families share their better financial choices. | |
| Issue 38 | Recipes Jane’s Nacho Chicken and Baked Apples | |
| Sep/Oct 07 Issue 37 |
Organization: Do the Kitchen Dance What do kitchen cabinets have to do with saving money? Keeping them organized and efficient and they can be terrific money stretchers. Waltz through our cabinets. |  |
| Issue 37 | Where’s the Beef with Old Meat? Is meat that is out of code safe to eat? Is it worth the risk to get the savings? Yes and Yes! | |
| Issue 37 | Powerful Choices Two families share their good and bad financial choices. | |
| Issue 37 | Free Light A unique use of solar lights. | |
| Issue 37 | Big Beef Drop Beat high meat prices by buying and sharing a cow. | |
| Jul/Aug 07 Issue 36 |
Oak Tree or Weed — Get Rich Slow! When it comes to building enduring wealth, haste can hurt you, but growing slow and steady can get you to your goal — for good. |  |
| Issue 36 | Stock Your Pantry and Make a Killing A well stocked pantry can literally save you thousands of dollars each year. We’ll show you what we stock and how much we stock-up on. | |
| Issue 36 | Is Your Landscaping Edible? Planning your landscaping to produce food you can enjoy will look beautiful to your eye and your budget. them inexpensively. | |
| May/Jun 07 Issue 35 |
Guide to Great Garage Sales You can make a lot of money or waste a lot of time. Follow our advice and your next garage sale will be bigger, better and much more profitable (and loads of fun). |  |
| Issue 35 | Family, Incorporated Well run businesses and well run families have five things in common. | |
| Issue 35 | Spice it up! A overview of many spices and how they can be used to add zest to your life. Also a listing of where to get them inexpensively. | |
| Mar/Apr 07 Issue 34 |
For Sale by . . . You? Thinking about selling your home yourself? Count the cost before you start counting your savings. | *Editable Home For Sale Flyer  |
| Issue 34 | Do Babies Cost an Arm and a Leg? Newborns are a marketers gold mine. We’ll help you save on feeding, diapering, clothes, furniture and toys. | |
| Issue 34 | Cry Now or Cry Later The path to a secure financial future may include some times of frustration or discouragement. We’ve been there and survived — there is hope! |
|
| Issue 34 | Recipes Two of our favorite ground beef meals. | |
| Jan/Feb 07 Issue 33 |
A Last Time for Everything Making that final payment whether it’s a credit card or a house is not just a dream, but can become your reality. |  |
| Issue 33 | Dream Weddings Tying the knot doesn’t have to break the bank. From the dress to the reception, you’ll save thousands with these reader tips. | |
| Issue 33 | Clues for Cutting College Costs From huge savings on books, super scholarship deals and finding great teachers, this college briefing could save you thousands! | |
| Nov/Dec 06 Issue 32 |
Savings On The Web Having the right tools makes any job easier. We list over 55 time and money saving web sites to add to your frugal toolbox. |  |
| Issue 32 | Holiday Pie Recipes It's pie season and we've got five terrific recipes for you to tempt your family and friends with. | *Holiday Pie Recipes |
| Issue 32 | 10 Ways To Do Dinner Can't decide what to do for dinner, strapped for time, tempted to run to the drive-through? Stop the music and read this list. You'll discover options and savings you never dreamed of. | |
| Issue 32 | Saving At The Pump We've got 23 ways to cut your driving and gas consumption so you can put more money in the bank and less in your tank. | |
| Sep/Oct 06 Issue 31 |
Home Office Deals are Everywhere From ink to furniture, you can supply and furnish your home office for pennies on the dollar. We'll provide lots of ideas for everyday needs and the best places to buy them. |  |
| Issue 31 | Costumes: Simple, Fun and Creative Arrgh Matie, we have some great and inexpensive ideas for Halloween. Many can be made from items found around the house and the rest can be picked up from thrift stores. | |
| Issue 31 | Budget Guideline: Every Penny Counts Every journey starts with planning. We outline how to balance your budget using recommended percentages for almost every household budget category. | |
| Jul/Aug 06 Issue 30 |
Freeze It—Store It—Enjoy It! We've been asked dozens of times what can be frozen. So here's our best effort on what can be stored in your freezer so you can start saving hundreds on your grocery bill this year. |  |
| Issue 30 | Home Is Where The School Is There are currently over 1.1 million kids who are schooled at home in the U.S. Since 1986 we've been a home school family. While this option isn't for everyone, we've found 12 reasons to at least consider it for your kids. | |
| Issue30 | Weekly Staffing—Getting On Course Government offices have them and so do major corporations—how 'bout your family? Do you have a weekly staff meeting? We do and we'll show you how you can save not only time but money too. | |
| May/Jun 06 Issue 29 |
Work and Play – In Perspective Where is the balance between working hard and playing? Should economizers ever have fun, or do we always need to keep our noses to the grindstone? You'll have to read to find out! |  |
| Issue 29 | Lost and Found — Keep what you have! Does losing things cost your household hundreds or thousands of dollars each year? We've got several steps you can take to minimize your losses. | |
| Issue 29 | Reader Recreation Tips Fun for Free! You better believe it! Lots of great recreation ideas from all over the country. From books to banjos, these ideas will get you thinking and your creative juices flowing. | |
| Issue 29 | Address This . . . And More Address labels aren't just for letters. Here are eight unique uses for this miniature identifiers | |
| Issue 29 | Calculate This Grocers want to confuse you with quantity pricing. Take this ten question quiz and see how sharp you are at spotting a bargain. | |
| Mar/Apr 06 Issue 28 |
Recreation Ideas That Don’t “Rec” The Budget – We all want to have some fun and relaxation, but does it have to drain our wallets? — nope and we’ll tell you how. |  |
| Issue 28 | TimeShares — The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – Are TimeShares a good vacation bargain? We’ll help you evaluate the true cost and if you already have one that you don’t want, show you a sane way to get out of it. | |
| Issue 28 | Clothing Tidbits – Several readers share their great clothing ideas — Shave ‘em, Clean ‘em, Swap ‘em, Make ‘em and Recycle ‘em. | |
| Jan/Feb 06 Issue 27 |
Kids’ Clothing Wars Get your uniform ready. The battle over Kids’ clothing must be fought and won. We’re battling against high prices and crazy styles. Our arsenal is equipped with 11 different tools we’ve used to keep costs down and our kids well dressed. |  |
| Issue 27 | The Bottom Line — Are You Nuts? When does a high price just not matter? Is it okay to “splurge” on an item that is a family favorite? We hate to pay retail, but in some cases . . . Well you’ll have to read this one to find out what we splurged on. | |
| Issue 27 | Livin’ Thrifty There are so many benefits to living economically — this article includes our top six. We would have included ten, but we were trying to save money. | |
| Nov/Dec 05 Issue 26 |
Check Your Receipt — Get the Real Deal As spending increases during the holidays, make sure you don't lose money at the check out. |  |
| Issue 26 | Turkey Stuffin’ No Bluffin’ 6 family favorite stuffing recipes passed down over several generations — plus one family’s holiday favorite, egg noodle recipe. | |
| Issue 26 | Turkey Roastin’ and Boastin’ A Fast and Easy way to cook a turkey plus four simple recipes for using up that delicious leftover turkey meat — and we're not just talkin’ turkey sandwiches. |  |
| Issue 26 | Christmas Gifts Under $10 — Frugal Doesn't Mean Frumpy From pictures and ornaments to fudge and gift baskets readers share their great ideas for gifts that won't “bust" your budget. |
|
| Issue 26 | Loss and the Holidays Celebrating the holidays without a special loved one can be difficult, but not impossible. | |
| Sep/Oct 05 Issue 25 |
Give Me Morphine  Prescription drugs can cause major financial pain especially if you’re on a fixed or low income. But don’t despair, there are several ways to save money and, following our advice, the savings can be significant. |
*Prescription Drug Discount and Patient Assistance Programs Sheets  |
| Issue 25 | Movie Picks Laughter is great medicine — we share more movies that are family favorites and family friendly — you’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll want to pop some more popcorn. | |
| Issue 25 | Toy Stories You can spend a fortune on a toy that gets played with for one day. Or you can spend next to nothing on a toy that becomes a life-long favorite. Are toys a constructive part of a child’s development? We’ll share lots of examples of a variety of beneficial toys for every age group. | *Suggested Toy Sheet for various ages |
| Issue 25 | Halloween Party Ideas One subscriber shares her ideas for a great Halloween bash that will charm both adults and kids alike — it’s really not that scary! | |
| Jul/Aug 05 Issue 24 |
Gold Medal Vacations The average family of four spends $258 per day on vacations. Utilizing some great money saving ideas, our 18 day trip to Washington, DC came in well below the average. |
|
| Issue 24 | The Freedom of Idealism What do monuments, memorials and battlefields have to do with our personal finances? From our founding fathers we draw some revolutionary ideas for handling money. | |
| Issue 24 | Summertime Routines Do your kids ever say they're bored? One reader shares some quick tips to make the summer fly by. | |
| Issue 24 | What a Crock Can crock pots save you time and money? We share some quick recipe ideas that will produce delicious meals. | |
| June 05 Issue 23 |
Slow Down You Move Too Fast Making a quick decision usually ends up costing more — you’ll see what we mean from these examples. |
 |
| Issue 23 | Controlling Clothing Complexity Following our three steps of, Evaluation, Organization and Careful Wardrobe Building, will stretch your clothing budget further than expected and you’ll look great too. | |
| Issue 23 | Clothing tips from readers A couple of subscribers share their unique ways to keep their family clothed for less. | |
| Issue 23 | Mixed Savings Being patient and saving with a purpose netted this subscriber a huge savings on a great mixer. | |
| May 05 Issue 22 |
Charitable Giving We are constantly bombarded with requests for money. Is giving money a mandatory thing?  Is your policy saying “NO” to everyone, or Giving to everyone or Giving to a select few? There are lots of options. |
*Charitable Organizations Profile |
| Issue 22 | Economizer Kitchen Tools There are some kitchen tools that make cooking and cleaning up a whole lot easier — here are some of our favorites. | |
| Issue 22 | Character Building Activities for Kids There are hundreds of clubs and activities available for kids to join. How do you select the right one for your kids? What do you look for in club leadership? Can seniors and singles help? | |
| April 05 Issue 21 |
Auto Insurance, Are You Sure? Recently we were in a three car accident — no one was hurt physically , but fiscally it’s another story. We were the only one with insurance. Are you well covered? |
 |
| Issue 21 | Economizer Tools There are some household tools that make life for us a whole lot easier — here are five of our favorites. | |
| Issue 21 | College Wrap-Up A couple of subscribers who are college instructors share an inside view of getting through college faster and cheaper. | |
| Issue 21 | The Estate of Your Linens Are linen table cloths and napkins just for special occasions or can they save time and money every day. | |
| March 05 Issue 20 |
Hiring A Contractor Sometimes it pays to hire an expert for home repair or improvement  projects — but not if you get ripped-off. We'll show you how to arm yourself with more than a hammer and screwdriver. |
*Contractor Interview Sheet  |
| Issue 20 | Vexed and Sleepless Over the Budget We answer common budgeting questions. Should husband and wife keep their money separate? How much should I allocate for each budget category? | |
| Issue 20 | Persistence Pays Do you ever get frustrated with bureaucratic delays when you want important information — follow these simple steps. | |
| Issue 20 | Senior Stuff Every age group has unique needs, but there are some common threads for saving money. | |
| February 05 Issue 19 |
Finance College the Prospectors Way – Loans and Savings aren't the only way to finance a college education. Scholarships abound and with a little digging you could unearth some real gold. |  |
| Issue 19 | Moove Over Mr. Butcher Learn how we get extra-lean ground beef for 66% less than what the butcher charges. | |
| Issue 19 | Game Plan for a Fair Deal Strategizing to save money really pays off — learn how much we saved in our State Fair adventure. | |
| January 05 Issue 18 |
Navigating College College is a major time and financial commitment. We've helped our kids navigate the classes and instructors to maximize their enjoyment and potential for success. |  |
| Issue 18 | The Neighborhood Goldmine You can find treasures right around the corner – this is our secret method for finding good stuff . . . FREE | |
| Issue 18 | Organizing Your Frozen Assets A large freezer can be used to save loads of money especially if it is organized efficiently. | |
| Issue 18 | Movie Picks Here's a list of some of our family’s favorite movies. | |
| Nov/Dec 04 Issue 17 |
Be Prepared — How to build an Emergency Fund How much do you need to save and for what purposes. We have 5 categories for emergency savings. It takes time and perseverance, but the rewards are far reaching. |
 |
| Issue 17 | Deck the Halls with Budget Parties— Holiday Hospitality on a Shoestring Holiday parties don't have to break the bank. From simple menus to fun games we've got suggestions to help you make them memorable and enjoyable. | *Neighborhood Party Bingo Sheet |
| Issue 17 | Calendars for FREE Several readers share creative ways to get a yearly supply of calendars for free. | |
| Issue 17 | A Tale of Three Sisters Creative Christmas presents are a standard for this frugal family. | |
| Issue 17 | Stocking Stuffers A great list to get your creative juices flowing — nope, coal isn't one of the suggestions. | *Stocking Stuffer Ideas  |
| October 04 Issue 16 |
Pickin’ Menus to Picky Eaters Discover three ways to save time and money in the kitchen: Menu Planning Basics; School lunch ideas; Conquering picky eating. | |
| Issue 16 | Squeaky Clean Do you do windows? We share how we get ours nice and clean with minimal effort and cost. We share several recipes for “home brewed” window cleaner. |  |
| Issue 16 | Seasonal Décor Transforming the inside of your home to celebrate the changing seasons without straining your wallet. Many ideas are shared for involving the kids and letting them enjoy the seasons too. | |
| Sept 04 Issue 15 |
Talk Isn't Cheap Home Phone, Cell Phone, Internet and Cable - Yikes! Some people are spending $200 each month to "Reach out and touch someone!" We've got some ideas on how to trim that bill. |  |
| Issue 15 | Household Budget Q & A Many readers have written in with questions about managing a household budget. We answer several of the more common ones: Fluctuating Income; Paying Off a Mortgage; Dealing with Repossession or Bankruptcy; and How to budget on a low income. | |
| Issue 15 | eBay in your PJ's Some of the best bargains we've found have been on eBay. If you've never tried it, you might, after reading this. We reveal a couple of our tried and true "secrets" to winning the bid – but don't use our secrets to bid against - that just wouldn't be nice! | |
| Jul/Aug 04 Issue 14 |
The Emergency Room Disciplining your money part 2 - Wanting to start a household budget is a good thing, but how can you set up a budget very little money in the bank. |  |
| Issue 14 | The Economiser Workshop – Save it, fix it, use it Storing parts and project left-overs in an organized fashion can be a real money saver. | |
| Issue 14 | Sacred Cows Most of us have them, those little “indulgences” that we just can’t live without. If you're wanting to achieve financial stability, you may just have to walk your Sacred Cow to the altar. |  |
| Issue 14 | Snacks for Teens – Feeding the Bottomless Pit Teens need fuel for their bodies, but how can you meet the need without going broke? We share loads of snack ideas that our kids love. | |
| June 04 Issue 13 |
Is Your Money Disciplined? Part 1 – Is your money trained  to go exactly where you want it? We share the system we've used since 1982 to stretch our income and reach terrific goals. |
*Stewardship Sheet and Income/Outgo Sheet |
| Issue 13 | Creative Cookery & The Meal Swap Club Five friends get together and pool their cooking ability to save time and money. Plus a single friend shares her meal tips and the wonder of mason jars, they aren't just for canning anymore. | |
| Issue 13 | We'll Have Fun, Fun, Fun Especially when it's Free, Free or really Inexpensive Summer (or year-round) activities for anyone that don't cost an arm and a leg. |
|
| May 04 Issue 12 |
Home Ownership - Are you Dreaming Home ownership  can be the American Dream or a nightmare. Proper planning will keep your home as your castle, instead of a tower of exile. |
|
| Issue 12 | It's the Little Things That Matter A penny here, a dollar there, they all add up. We identify some common pitfalls and show how the little amounts of “insignificant” spending really add up. | |
| Issue 12 | Getting Personal — Making the most of “Reading Room” Storage We take you where few will ever venture . . . The Economiser Bathroom. We are focusing on maximizing storage space and organizing supplies so we save time and money. | |
| April 04 Issue 11 |
Put your pets on a Budget Do economizers  have pets? You bet! We share our experiences in getting and keeping many pets in an economical way. |
|
| Issue 11 | Happy Birthday To You! Part 2 Several inexpensive party ideas for older kids. From Fondue to Capture the Flag, there are fun and thrifty ideas for guys, gals and parents too. | * Mall Scavenger Hunt Sheet  |
| Issue 11 | Grocery Games There are several web sites that claim you can save 40 – 60 percent on your grocery bill. All you have to do is pay their fee and follow their instructions. Is it worth it? We review a couple of them and give you the real scoop. | |
| March 04 Issue 10 |
Does Your Garden Grow — And How! -Gardening tips for the  beginner and experienced gardener. We garden for fun, health and inexpensive veggies. We cover soil, exposure, timing and companion planting. |
|
| Issue 10 | Birthday Parties That Kids and Parents Love! Tired of spending gobs of money for birthday parties that are forgotten the next day. With a little effort and even less money, you can create some great memories for your kids and grand kids. | |
| Issue 10 | Contentment We’re not talking about a fatalistic or lazy attitude. We are talking about putting some limits on our lifestyle so we can really enjoy what we do have. | |
| February 04 Issue 9 |
Cook Less, Save Time, Money and Sanity Once-A-Month-Cooking is a life saver. It sounds  overwhelming, but it can really free up time on a daily basis. We describe the how we’ve modified this system to fit our family and lifestyle. It really does work. |
*Sample Meal List |
| Issue 9 | The Rich Kid Syndrome Can a marriage survive if one partner was raised in affluence and the other wasn't? It's a dangerous combination. We share solutions and how we've tried to immunize our kids from this painful condition. | |
| Issue 9 | The Rise and Fall of Property Tax Appeals How does your county calculate property taxes? Is your property properly assessed? We tell our tale of fighting city hall and winning. | |
| January 04 Issue 8 |
Do's and Don'ts 10 Ways to Take a  Bite Out of Your Food Bill. Buying bread to warehouse stores – we cover 10 strategies to minimize your grocery expenses. |
|
| Issue 8 | The Great Turkey Hunt of ‘03 – SUMMARY How did you fare this Thanksgiving? We bagged over 167.2 pounds of Turkey for a paltry sum . . . without even firing a shot. | |
| Issue 8 | Healthy By the Ounce It's flu season. With a large family, a cold or the flu can mean over a month of sickness, spread from one person to another. We share several specific ways that we keep our health up and our medical expenses down. | |
| Issue 8 | FRUGAL DNA Are you endowed with frugal genes? Discover what the make-up of an economizer is and how you can enhance your gene pool. |
|
| Nov Dec 03 Issue 7 |
The Great Turkey Hunt 139.2 lbs. of turkey for only $41.35 - that was our take in 2002. We explain how we did it and whether it was ethical. |
|
| Issue 7 | Gift Ideas for Less than $10 We share reader submitted ideas and our own crafty gifts to stimulate your creative juices for gift giving. * Holiday Recipes This sheet includes: Annette's Christmas Pumpkin Bread; Cranberry-Orange Bread; How to cook a pumpkin; Pumpkin seeds; and Zucchini Relish. |
* Holiday Recipes |
| Issue 7 | Cars are Expensive . . . Duh! We've never purchased a brand new car. But we have found some spectacular used deals and saved oodles of dollars doing it. We share our shopping strategies and how we make sure that the seller is being honest. |
Inspecting a used car a very informative section on Samarin's.com |
| October 03 Issue 6 |
Gift Secrets from the Closet Get some tips on how we not only do the holidays for cash, but plan for all our gift buying throughout the entire year (we also talk about re-gifting . . . but don’t tell anyone). | * Gift Budget Worksheet  |
| Issue 6 | Disappearing Dinner Hour You won’t believe what the surveys are saying about families eating together. We share some of our ideas on making dinner a fun family time. | |
| Issue 6 | Shut the Door, Turn Out the Light! Are there some inexpensive things we can do to save on Utilities? You bet! We share several ways to trim expenses without turning your home into an igloo or a sauna. | |
| Sept 03 Issue 5 |
Tooth fairies to Turkeys - Traditions that Bond! Traditions, they don't have to be expensive or elaborate to be fun and memorable. We share many of our favorites to encourage and inspire you to find the ones that work for your family. | *Resurrection Eggs Kit and Turkey Shoot Template |
| Issue 5 | Coupon Crazy? . . . Not! There's more to life than trying to buy $100 of groceries for $1. Here is our "balanced" approach to couponing without sacrificing too much family time. | |
| Issue 5 | Datebook Diligence How do you keep track of your priorities, your kids and your spouse? This article shares tips on how we prevent mental overload. | |
| Jul/Aug 03 Issue 4 |
You've got mail :-( Do you pile or file or just toss it all? We've got a system that works for us. Maybe it will work for you too. | |
| Issue 4 | Job Hunting 101 - Persistence Don't start looking for a job until you read this article. We share over 20 years of job hunting ideas that have worked. |
|
| Issue 4 | Buying Meat - Hunting within limits Hunt it down and bring it home? Some money saving strategies to feed your family |
|
| June 2003 Issue 3 |
Plastic Surgery for Debt Tired of huge chunks of your take home  pay going to credit card companies? There's hope. You can control the credit monster and take charge of your future. |
*Debt Repayment Sheet |
| Issue 3 | Don't get soaked buying Used Appliances How can you buy used with confidence? Take our advice, we've made a few mistakes. Learn how we research and then buy. |
|
| Issue 3 | Medical Maze How to keep your sanity and your cash when dealing with medical bills. | |
| May 2003 Issue 2 |
Vacations with no "Debt Regret" Can it be done - Can it be Fun? |
*Vacation Packing List |
| Issue 2 | Windfalls: Bonus or Bust Did your tax refund go down the drain to pay bills - get more productivity and enjoyment out of your financial windfalls. | |
| Issue 2 | "Eating Out" for less than $15 Can a family of seven get a hot meal for so little. 5 easy options for when you're too tired to cook. | |
| April 2003 Issue 1 |
An Impulsive Study What is the cost of being impulsive at the grocery store. How do grocers place products to encourage you to buy more? | |
| Issue 1 | Menu Mania Annette's original response to planning a menu was "No Way". Now after 20 years of doing it, she shares the many advantages she has discovered. | *Menu Planner helps plan 2 weeks worth of meals *Menu List - Annette's 92 meals |
| Issue 1 | Teaching Kids About Money, Isn't Kids Stuff How can you debt proof your kids, teach them responsibility and a strong work ethic. We outline a system we've been using for 9 years. | *Time Sheet *Envelope Ledger Sheet |
| March 2003 Intro Issue | America's Cheapest Family? Our family story. How and why we started economizing, and why we started the newsletter | |
| Intro Issue | Chopping Shopping Limiting trips to the store can save a bundle of cash. We describe our cheap but effective strategies. |
Free Shopping List |
* These resources are available only to current subscribers
