The Best of Living on a Dime: Kid Cents
By Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam
Kellam Media & Publishing, Inc.
www.livingonadime.com
Wichita, KS
Looking at the title, I thought this book might pertain to teaching kids how to use money wisely. Upon reviewing the table of contents, I saw that the real focus was on raising children on a dime. Then, when I read through the e-book, I found that if you used the guidelines that Jill and Tawra set forth, your children would be learning how to be good stewards with their money. So this is a win, win, win e-book if you are looking to tweak your spending regarding raising your family. (Just a little tidbit: I love the cover graphic of this particular e-book. I can really relate to the woman on the cover, and I know many others can as well.)
This e-book covers topics from babies through teens. You name the idea; something in here covers it; even if you have to adapt the information to your situation. I especially enjoyed the section on lunchbox lunches. Though the authors failed to mention it, the ideas could easily be adapted for use by homeschoolers. For example, you could pull together one of their lunchbox lunches at your home on any given day, or you could use it to pack lunches for days on the go, which happens often with homeschoolers. It is always less expensive (and healthier) to pack a lunch and bring it with you than to run through a drive-thru.
There is an extensive section regarding back-to-school expenditures (e.g., children needing a whole new wardrobe when school starts, purchasing items on a school's materials list, etc.). Again, this information will have to be adapted to the homeschool setting. By taking the time to ascertain what supplies will be needed throughout the entire year, a homeschooler could purchase at back-to-school time when prices are low. In addition, if your state or county offers a tax break for back-to-school items, you should plan ahead and purchase everything you need during the tax break, including clothing and shoes. This may require you to plan your budget accordingly, especially if you have several children.
One topic that was not addressed in this particular e-book (but would have been helpful) is how to train your children fight back against the consumerism. This can be a big pitfall in frugal parenting. Although the topic is not addressed specifically, you can take some of the principles offered and apply them to this concept, but you will have to read the e-book to find out how.
On the whole, there is a lot of good information in this e-book. As with all the e-books in the Living on a Dime series, it is detailed without being overwhelming or intimidating. The cost is $6.95, far below the cost of most self-help books on the market. And the information is excellent and easily adaptable to your own family. If you are just starting a family or are already on the path, this is a book that will offer you many frugal alternatives as you are raising your children.
© copyright March 2007, Product review by Leslie Valeska, Contributing Writer, Homesteadblogger
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