The Wall Street Journal. Financial Guidebook for New Parents

A practical approach to affording your kids from cradle to college.

Bringing home your bouncing baby boy or girl should be an exciting time of celebration–not cause for worry about how you’re going to pay for feeding, clothing, and caring for your new bundle of expenses. The average family will spend between ,000 and ,000 during a new baby’s first year, and more than 0,000 before a kid’s eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately, a second child only doubles your costs, with little economy of scale for each additional baby.

Before you start using these statistics as birth control, take a deep breath and know that you can have a family and make a comfortable future for your children while saving for your own important goals. The Wall Street Journal Financial Guidebook for New Parents shows you the way, with information on how to:

• Safeguard your child’s well-being with wills, trusts, and life insurance
• Best weigh your child-care options and decide whether to go back to work
• Save on taxes with child-friendly tax credits and deductions plus tax-advantaged benefits at work
• Manage your family’s health-care costs
• Save for long-term costs by setting up a college fund
• Spend smart and save money at every stage of your child’s development
• Continue to contribute to your own retirement savings

From maternity (and paternity) leave to flexible spending accounts to 529 college plans, The Wall Street Journal Financial Guidebook for New Parents provides all the information you need to meet your child’s expenses while also protecting your family’s financial security.

• ISBN13: 9780307407078
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Rating: (out of 11 reviews)

List Price: $ 14.95
Price: $ 8.00

America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money: Your Guide to Living Better, Spending Less, and Cashing in on Your Dreams

Do you have too much month at the end of your money? Is your credit card screaming for relief? Are you tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul . . . whoever they are?

Meet Steve and Annette Economides. They’ve been called cheapskates, thriftaholics, and tightwads, but in these tough economic times, Steve and Annette have managed to feed their family of seven on just 0 per month, pay off their first house in nine years and purchase a second, larger home, buy cars with cash, take wonderful vacations, and put money in savings. Without degrees in finance or six-figure salaries, Steve and Annette have created a comfortable, debt-free life for themselves and their children. In America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money, they show you how they did it- and how you can do it too.

Steve and Annette share many down-to-earth principles and the simple spending plan that they have used since 1982. They have taught this economizing lifestyle to thousands of people worldwide through seminars and their newsletter, and they include lots of real-life stories to make you feel as if you’re having your own private coaching session. Not only will you find solutions to your financial dilemmas, you’ll also discover a whole new way of life.

You don’t need to be a CPA or a math wizard to learn their revolutionary system, which will teach you:

- hundreds of ways to save money on everyday household expenses, including groceries, clothing, and health care
- how to save in advance for major purchases such as homes, cars, and vacations
- how to stop living paycheck to paycheck
- how to eliminate debt . . . forever!

America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money puts meeting your financial goals- and living well at the same time- in reach for every

Rating: (out of 75 reviews)

List Price: $ 12.95
Price:

America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money: Your Guide to Living Better, Spending Less, and Cashing in on Your Dreams Reviews

Review by K. Corn:

I saw the show. I already had the book. I bought another copy to give to my son. I use the tips in the book and, yes, we DO save money.

Here is the REALITY you have to face before you even buy this book:

To get the full benefit of this book, you do need to be willing to buck certain attitudes that are part of our society. The Economides family is willing to get clothing from the thrift shop. When your child comes to you and asks to have those designer jeans, will you have the courage to say “No” or will you cave in? Can you put off impulse buying? Are you willing to take the steps necessary to stay out of debt? Read the chapter on Attitude and if you think you don’t have the guts to commit to a new attitude (and don’t fool yourself, it does take guts), the this may not be the time for you to buy this book….just don’t wait till you are drowning in debt to see the light. I personally think that one chapter is the MOST valuable one right there.

One MAJOR advantage of this book is that it offers options, depending on your comfort level with saving money. You can opt to be a bit frugal or save every spare penny. If you need to take some baby steps before moving to the next level – or just stick with a certain level of savings – each chapter offers options. Clearly, this family understands that not everyone can commit to their value system and they give a nod to those people. I found that refreshing and different.

It is not an “all or nothing” book, although the family themselves describe how far they’ll go to save money. They get by on about 35K a year and have 7 children, so it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to figure out that they have to be cutting back in a MAJOR way.

We don’t save quite as drastically as they do. Even so, we have learned a lot from this book. One of the most important facets of a longterm savings plan is maintaining the right attitude and not giving in to peer pressure or temptation. When I feel like I’m weakening, I turn to this book and am inspired again.

Review by Annette Keenberg:

What takes courage, commitment, creativity, idealism, faith, and the help of others? And isn’t homeschooling? Choosing to live a frugal lifestyle, especially during the good economic times.

The biggest negative about this book – use it and you’ll soon realize that not everyone cares to be smart about how they spend their money. It could be an elderly parent on a fixed income who says, “I’m not /that/ desperate,” when you tell them how to save a month on their AOL bill. A sibling who thinks coupon clipping is only for lonely housewives who need something to do while watching soap operas between loads of laundry. Or maybe a good friend who swears their current method for teaching their children responsible money habits works perfectly fine, but admits they rarely remember to actually use it with their kids. When faced with these people, its best to avoid asking for the 0 per year in AOL savings, fast food coupons, and money their kids may very well waste themselves “forgetting” to pay their own bills, as they learned from mom and dad forgetting to pay them during their childhoods.

Don’t panic – this is not an all or nothing book that will force you to live on ramon and peanut butter just to pay off bills as early as possible. Every helpful chapter ends with three options: Timid Mouse for those wishing to start slowly, Wise Owl for those ready to make more of a commitment to frugality, and Amazing Ant for those eager to stop wasting their money needlessly and wanting to change now. Nor do you have to read this as a start to finish system with each chapter requiring you’ve read and implemented the previous chapters. Instead, you can start where you wish to dive in and bounce around as your interests and needs dictate.

Our family has enjoyed many benefits already from the tips given to the reader by Steve and Annette Economides. Yes, that is their real last name. The day after my copy arrived, it paid for itself in a single grocery tip regarding lunchmeat. We used the money we saved the first month on medical expenses to buy new bedroom furniture. Think clipping coupons is a waste of time for just a few pennies? We didn’t change our eating habits or purchases a bit, yet with coupon savings, we financed not one but two vacations to San Diego, complete with annual passes to Sea World, the Wild Animal Park, and the Zoo for the whole family.

Throughout the book, the Economides’ children chime in with their thoughts on the ideas and, more importantly, their implementation is a real homeschooling household. With that in mind, here is what our son thinks of our new lifestyle.

I like the kid’s paycheck. I get money for doing stuff like cleaning animal cages, feeding the cats, and even exercise. It’s helping me save up to buy a used X-Box.

Living a frugal lifestyle isn’t about depriving yourself, it’s about keeping as much of your money in your hands as possible. This book is full of tips to help you do just that as painlessly as possible.

Buy America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money: Your Guide to Living Better, Spending Less, and Cashing in on Your Dreams now for only !

Worry-Free Family Finances

A step-by-step program for reining in family finances in only minutes a day Forget elaborate financial formulas and trading techniques. Worry-Free Family Finances is all about the power of simplification. This practical, easy-to-read guide provides straightforward strategies designed to make saving and investing much less complex, frustrating, and time-consuming–and more rewarding. Built around the core principles of saving and investing, Worry-Free Family Finances offers families the financial knowledge and information they need without overburdening them with intricate details and strategies. Its family-friendly concepts show readers how to: Turn just a month into a million-dollar portfolio Eliminate debt without negatively affecting lifestyle Create a 60-Minutes-a-Year, One-Sheet-of-Paper family budget

Rating: (out of 6 reviews)

List Price: $ 19.95
Price: $ 3.71

Worry-Free Family Finances Reviews

Review by temujin:

I really enjoyed this book . The author`s simplified approach to finances is very refreshing. I believe that the author has some excellent strategies for rebuilding anyone`s financial future . I especially liked the chapters on investing … the way the author explains his strategies so that anyone can understand . I have already begun putting his strategies to work in my life . I would highly recommend this title .

Review by frankie gaspar:

this is the best book on personal finance. this book unlocks the secrets of how to save, give to charity, and invest wisely for your future. all the techniques are very simple to follow and have proven to be successful through the course of time.

Buy Worry-Free Family Finances now for only $ 3.71!

You Need A Budget (YNAB) – Personal Finance Software

Praised across the internet as hands-down the “best budgeting software”, You Need A Budget (YNAB) cuts to the chase with your finances. The software focuses you on the foundation of your finances: the Budget. Experience has shown that when your budget is intact, and functioning correctly, everything else takes care of itself (the bills are paid on time, retirement contributions are made, and unnecessary debt is eliminated). The software is built around Four Rules of Cash Flow. These Four Rules will help you break the paycheck to paycheck cycle, get out of debt, and save more money faster. Where other software packages tend to be the products of years of feature creep, YNAB offers you exactly what you need: a simple, straightforward system to manage your money.

Remember to take advantage of YNAB’s fantastic support resources: video tutorials, and free live budgeting classes for any and all interested!

YNAB is built on the powerful Adobe AIR platform, which means you can run it on Windows, Mac, or Linux!

• Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, (Windows 7 / Vista/ XP / 95, / 98 / 2000 / ME / NT)
  Mac OS X (10.4.11 / 10.5.4 / 10.5.5 / 10.6), Linux (Fedora 8 and later / Ubuntu 7.10 and later / OpenSuse 10.3 and later)
• Stop living paycheck to paycheck – Get out of debt – Save more money faster
• Benefit from four unique, powerful rules for maximizing control over your money
• Gain financial peace by tracking all of your spending (dining out, groceries, bills) with one simple interface
• Be up and running in just minutes, also save time by importing your bank transactions
• Generate reports, schedule recurring transactions, and GAIN CONTROL.

Rating: (out of 169 reviews)

List Price: $ 69.90
Price: $ 59.95

Classic Home Economics Films DVD: 1950s Home Ec Social Sciences, Homemakers Household Money & Finance Management, & Family And Consumer Sciences History Pictures Film DVD

Home economics may seem like a dated subject, but this is not true. Although many of the depictions and insinuations of female homemakers of the past were very sexist, the principles of home economics are extremely valuable to our society and teach good living lessons to both sexes. In this modern age, where families have so little time to care for their home life and living situation, the practices of home economics need to be disseminated like never before! This is a DVD compilation of three digitized 16mm films on the subject of home economics and making good decisions around the house. Table Of Contents: (1) The Home Economics Story (1951) – This film is all about the decision one family makes as to whether or not their daughter should attend college or not. In the ends, they decide that their daughter will be preparing for a great future if she studies home economics! – 25 Minutes (2) Buying Food (1950) – This is an interesting film with lessons that are more valuable today than they were back when the film was made. Learn to shop wisely for food in the grocery store and make economical selections. This film deals with every grocery issue from serving sizes to food quality to food budgeting to shelf shopping – 11 Minutes (3) Why Study Home Economics? (1955) – Two college girls argue over the merits of enrolling in home economics courses. After a visit with the home economics professor, they learn that the “home ec” courses available to them are invaluable and they will be to apply what they learn in home economics class to a variety of subjects and learning experiences – 9 Minutes

• Table Of Contents:
• (1) The Home Economics Story (1951) – 25 Minutes
• (2) Buying Food (1950) – 11 Minutes
• (3) Why Study Home Economics? (1955) – 9 Minutes

List Price: $ 19.99
Price: $ 12.99

Monopoly

Everybody remembers the Monopoly game – that’s why it’s still the most popular, most widely played, and best-selling board game in the world! Across the generations and around the globe, what other game brings back so many memories of wheeling-and-dealing family fun’ No other game has turned so many game playing moments into memories! Whether you’re discovering the fun for the first time or reliving the carefree days of youth, get out there and Buy! Sell! Mortgage! Build houses and hotels! And collect those rents! That’s what makes Monopoly the great American game – just ask Rich Uncle Pennybags! For 2 to 8 players. Game includes: game board, 10 tokens, title deed cards, play money, chance cards, community chest cards, 32 houses, 12 hotels and two dice.In 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, an unemployed heating engineer from Pennsylvania created the game of Monopoly. Realizing that his get-rich theme might appeal to other Americans, he had the game printed and distributed in a Philadelphia department store. When he couldn’t keep up with the overwhelming requests for more sets, he arranged for Parker Brothers to take over the game. And the rest, as they say, is history. But Monopoly is far from a quaint historical relic. To this day, it remains a riveting game of luck, chance, and savvy wheeling and dealing–all of which can make some lucky dog rich, rich, rich! Based on the purchase of Atlantic City real estate (a city currently renowned for its get-rich gambling opportunities), Monopoly is now printed in 26 languages with more than 200 million sets sold worldwide. Players still scoot the same beloved board pieces: the old shoe, the terrier, and the hot rod. This set also includes rules for a shortened version of the game and a new token, winner

• Classic family board game
• A game of luck, chance, and wheeling and dealing
• Buy and sell properties in Atlantic City
• Corner parts of the board, build houses and hotels, and charge other players exorbitant rent
• Includes a new game piece and rules for a shortened version of the game

Rating: (out of 152 reviews)

List Price: $ 18.99
Price: $ 5.95

Monopoly Reviews

Review by Robert Graves:

Monopoly is often overlooked as a gamenight option these days, many people considering it outdated. But it’s a classic for a reason, combining lucky rolls and strategy in a very unique way. The fact is that most people don’t play Monopoly by the correct rules, and that makes all the difference. The key to enjoying the game is the inter-player deals and politics. That’s where all the fun lies, and much of the strategy. Any player can strike any kind of a deal with another player – want to trade all the purples and light blues for Boardwalk? No problem. Want to trick someone into trading a property you need for all your railroads? This is where the real enjoyment comes from. I encourage you not only to get the game and play it, but to read the rules and “get into” the game. There are also some fun alternate rules you can use, such as collecting 0 (instead of 0) when you *land* directly on “go”, or putting fine money (from chance cards, utility expenses, get out of jail money, etc.) in the center of the board and collecting it when you land on “free parking”. Don’t overlook Monopoly as an outdated option. It’s still one of the best games out there.

Review by retrowens:

There’s no doubt that Monopoly is the most popular and best known board game ever made. Everything about it is a true classic. Everything from just choosing what your character will be out of metal characters such as a cruise ship, a wheel barrow, a car, etc. to buying property and placing hotels on it in order to drain money from your opponents, is as classic as it gets. Monopoly is definitely a game that anybody no matter how old they are can enjoy. It involves strategy, and even some luck, and it’s a lot of fun. The only downfall is that sometimes it can take a long time to play a full game of Monopoly and that some people, especially kids, might get bored with it and want to quit. I recommend anybody who likes playing board games to get Monopoly more than any other board game ever made.

Buy Monopoly now for only $ 5.95!