America's Cheapest Family®

It's February and time to get your money saving engines reved up!

Saving on groceries is one of the fastest ways to generate an excess in your household budget.

Now through February 29, you can save 20% off the price of our popular STRETCHING YOUR GROCERY DOLLARS audio seminar download or CD kit.

We're all about getting the best quality for the lowest price. About two years ago we learned about Straight Talk, a cooperative effort between Wal-Mart and TracFone to produce a better prepaid cell phone plan that included text, talk and internet. The original product rolled out with some minor glitches with service and phones. Eventually they included better phones and service on not only Verizon's network, but also T-Mobile and AT&T.

Question: I’ve been told to only use a credit card because they are safer and you are less financially exposed to loss than a debit card.

What do you say?

Answer:

Debit Card Facts

We’ve used our debit card to make airline reservations, rent cars and we’ve even earned enough bonus points (some banks offer this incentive) with them to buy several round-trip airline tickets.

Becky drives a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. She doesn’t do much driving since she her job is near our home, but whenever she fills her tank she always calculates her gas mileage on our Gas Mileage Tracking Card that she keeps in her car.

Recently she noticed that her mileage dropped from 20 mpg to 17. Her tire pressuer should be 44 pounds of pressure (pounds per square inch—psi) and had dropped to 30 psi.

QUESTION:

My question is about debt. My husband and I have been married for sixteen  
years. We got into debt early in our marriage. We got a loan and paid the  
debt off, now we are back into debt and working on paying it off. How should  
we keep ourselves from getting back into debt after this is paid off and how  
do we keep from adding to the debt we already have?

I know willpower should be the answer, but it is not that easy.

Question:

Question: I wanted to send out a very sincere thank you to your family. I've never managed to save so much money before, and it's a welcome sight after almost a year of unemployment (both my husband and myself at the same time) pretty much immediately after graduating college and getting married. I want to ask your opinion:

Question:

Hey there, Economides family:)

I am from Portugal and I love your tips. Coming soon is my birthday, and I will order your books as a gift.

Here life is different, but despite the distance, your concepts of living in your means will be a great help!

I am an unemployed recent graduate, I'm just now starting my "adult" life and want to live money smart and be debt free! What should I do first?

Answer:

Question: I would love to get your thoughts relating to budgeting. As a cab driver, my income varies daily.  

Question: I've really enjoyed reading your book and am trying to  
implement some of your practices. I am having trouble balancing a "good  
deal" with sticking to our budget.

Is education important? Yes of course. But is a formal education; public, private or parochial school and college—are they critical to success. Yes . . . and no. While researching the education chapter for our new book dealing with Kids and Money, we came across this rather intimidating list of very successful men and women who didn't follow the conventional course through the education system. Some dropped out of high school, others dropped out of college, but one thing they didn't drop out of was learning and reaching for excellence. 

Question: I understand that you are self-employed. What do you do for health insurance, dental insurance and prescription drug coverage?


Answer: We cringe when we write the monthly checks. Unfortunately health insurance is a must — it is expensive but oh, so necessary. Here’s what we do:

Question: I was wondering if you don't use any credit cards, how did you establish your credit history?  My son is 17 years old and I would like to tell him to only get an American Express (which he has to pay off each month) when he becomes an adult so he can establish a credit history.  Then, when he decides to purchase a house, he can do so with a lower interest loan that comes with good credit (now they are stipulating a FICO score of over 700 or 720).