Books on a Budget

How would you like to get the information to help you during these tough times and still meet a tight budget? Well, I can recommend some books that are big on advice with tiny price tags.

I recently got the opportunity to review a sample of the "budget line" from WaterBrook Press and I can tell you, they're great.

Just because the economy is suffering doesn’t mean relationships have to suffer, too. The Value Non-Fiction Line (September 15, 2009) offers insightful books on love, marriage, relationships and personal growth. At just $6.99, WaterBrook Press is offering readers on the most limited budgets, valuable resources to help them grow and succeed in their personal lives. Titles include:

More Than A Match (ISBN: 978-1-4000-7489-1) by relationship experts, Michael & Amy Smalley, marriage and family counselors who demystify the science behind compatibility tests to help singles in search of love recognize when the right relationship comes along. They also reveal the specific skills that can transform an ideal match into a lasting love.

Fool Proofing Your Life (ISNB: 978-0-307-45848-3) by Jan Silvious, Precept Ministries (Kay Arthur) radio co-host discusses how attempts at coping with difficult people often fails, because they are what the Bible refers to as “fools.” Silvious provides tools to help readers get along and conduct relationships in a way that honors God, while preserving their own sanity.

How to Act Right When Your Spouse Acts Wrong (ISBN: 978-0-307-45849-0)
by Leslie Vernick, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years experience, reveals how God uses the imperfections, difference and sins of a spouse to help anyone become more like Christ.

What Women Don’t Know and Men Don’t Tell You (ISBN: 978-0-307-45850-6)by Michelle McKinney Hammond, best-selling author, speaker, singer and co-host, with Joel A. Brooks, Jr., senior pastor of Christian Life Center, clears up misperceptions, providing women with the information they need to succeed in a lasting male-female relationship ─ both while waiting and after the wait is over.

The Value Non–Fiction Line provides readers with invaluable resources at a low cost, and offers priceless insights to help build meaningful relationship.

I got the chance to review More Than A Match by Michael and Amy Smalley. Their target audience is couples who meet online through a dating website, but their wisdom is appropriate for any couple, dating or married. They discuss how "compatibility" is just the beginning. What makes a successful marriage is WHAT COMES NEXT. They discuss important topics such as how to resolve conflict while still respecting your spouse, discussing the big issues such as finances and children, and they are honest about their own marital bumps in the road to illustrate their points perfectly. From More Than A Match, I can tell you the "budget line" books are anything but cheap.

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In tough times discover…99 Ways (times six) to thrive!

The Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group introduces 99…times six…practical and up-to-date ways to help families flourish despite present economic challenges, priced at just $5.99 per book (WaterBrook Press, July 21, 2009). These books are not only timely, but also inexpensive enough to fit into everyone’s tightening budget.

99 Ways to Entertain Your Family for Free (ISBN-13: 978-0-307-45836-0)
by Mack Thomas, bestselling author of The First Step Bible and father of five.
Offers activities and events sure to entertain and educate family members of all ages.

99 Ways to Stretch Your Home Budget (ISBN-13:978-0-307-45841-4)
by Cheri Gillard, nurse and mother of quadruplets.
Practical ideas on how families can save money around the house.

99 Ways to Increase Your Income (ISBN-13:978-0-307-45839-1)
by Frank Martin, successful entrepreneur and author of over sixteen books.
Provides tips to generate more cash, and rebuild or supplement an income,
while hanging on to existing dollars.

99 Ways to Build Job Security (ISBN-13:978-0-307-45840-7)
by Gary Nowinski, veteran in corporate management and downsizing.
Introduces key strategies to help employees keep their jobs during economic
cutbacks.

99 Ways to Fight Worry and Stress (ISBN-13: 978-0-307-45837-7)
by Elsa Kok Colopy, Associate Editor for Focus on the Family Publications.
Presents skills to guard rest, dream a little, and dive into truth and more.

99 Bible Promises for Tough Times (ISBN-13:978-0-307-45838-4)
by Randy Petersen, seasoned author of more than fifty books and Bible studies.
Gives encouraging and wise words found in Scripture to mediate upon.

Written for families and individuals who are hoping to not only survive but thrive, during tough times. These value-packed, applicable resources offer relevant and reliable insights to endure the current economic downturn, and are sure to appeal to families in all stages of life.

I got the chance to review 99 Ways to Increase Your Income. This book provided an all inclusive approach -- ways to increase the cash you have to spend and ways to spend less and make what you have stretch farther. The information was basic, logically presented with interesting illustrations, and very helpful for those who don't (or won't) spend a lot of time reading about money matters.

These little books are fabulous stocking stuffers! Unfortunately, I don't have any copies to give away, but at these prices, it's easy to buy several.

These books were provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Become a Mr. Fix It

Want to save money? Want to save the environment? Repair your broken items instead of buying new. Don't know how? Not that handy? Then read this article by Mary Hunt, the "Everyday Cheapskate" for resources to help you fix ANYTHING.

http://www.creators.com/advice/everyday-cheapskate/how-to-get-on-the-repair-it-yourself-bandwagon.html

Remember, I'm giving away one copy of Cindy Woodsmall's The Hope of Refuge next Tuesday, August 11th. To enter the random drawing, send your name and mailing address to me at seewhykinsman@gmail.com.

Book Reviews and Giveaway

Experiencing the Spirit by Henry and Melvin Blackaby is a wonderful book which will teach you how to experience the power of Pentecost every day. Believers are supposed to have the same power as Yeshua (Jesus) as a result of the Holy Spirit coming to Earth to empower us. First century belivers had such power, but modern day Believers don't . . . at least most of them don't. The Blackabys explain why not and what to do to change that.

One quote I loved from the book:

Christians are "theological belivers, but practical athiests."

HOW TRUE! Painfully, sadly true. The key to change is by focusing on your relationship with the Holy Spirit, not the gifts of the Spirit. Gifts only come from relationship -- and only if your motives are correct. God's spiritual gifts are not for your benefit, but for His benefit -- so He can accomplish His will on earth. Finally, you need to realize that although we have certain gifts and talents, a lot of times God will use your weaknesses -- He will use you in areas where you DON'T seem gifted -- in order to grow you and to show His glory. This is an excellent book and is available from RandomHouse.com by accessing the below link or from your favorite booksellers:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781590529119&ref=externallink_mlt_experiencingthespirit_aeb_0309_01

Below is the summary from the publisher:

Summary Experiencing the Spirit:

Serve God as never before

The first Christians “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) shaking the gates of hell even in the face of severe persecution. The result: People all around “were filled with wonder and amazement” (Acts 3:10).What can give Christians today the same impact?

God’s Holy Spirit is ready to answer that for us in an awesome way, as Henry Blackaby and his son Mel Blackaby make clear in Experiencing the Spirit. You’ll see how the proof of the Spirit’s presence is our awareness of God’s personal assignments for us, plus our supernatural enablement to carry out those assignments. You’ll find essential clarification on the difference between natural talents and spiritual gifts. You’ll explore the dynamics of being filled with the Spirit through intimate relationship with Him, committed obedience, and radical departure from sin.

Instead of considering what you can do for God with your abilities and talents, you’ll be encouraged here to seek what God wants to do through you supernaturally by His Spirit, empowering you beyond your personal competence and capacities. Release the Holy Spirit’s work at the very core of your experience of the Christian life.

The Lord loves a cheerful giver. But how can we be cheerful when we’re white knuckling it every month to pay the bills?! Randy Alcorn teaches us with 6 easy to apply principles in his book, The Treasure Principle. Randy relates that although 1/3 of Christians say they tithe, the accounting books show closer to 1/8 actually do. Yet Randy tells of numerous individuals and families that give away 50%, 75% or 90% of their incomes. The Treasure Principle explains what the Bible says about giving – why we are supposed to give, how we are supposed to give, and what we can expect from God in return. This is a valuable book if you want to be a good steward of God’s resources.

I have one copy of The Treasure Principle to give away. To enter the random drawing, please send your name and mailing address to seewhykinsman@gmail.com. The winner will be announced April 10, 2009. Good luck.

Below is the summary from the publisher. The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn can be purchased from various booksellers and from RandomHouse.com here

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781590525081&ref=externallink_mlt_treasureprinciple_aeb_0309_01

Summary The Treasure Principle

Flip-Flop Your Concept of Giving!

Bestselling author Randy Alcorn introduced readers to a revolution in material freedom and radical generosity with the release of the original The Treasure Principle in 2001. Now the revision to the compact, perennial bestseller includes a provocative new concluding chapter depicting God asking a believer questions about his stewardship over material resources. Readers are moved from the realms of thoughtful Bible exposition into the highly personal arena of everyday life. Because when Jesus told His followers to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” He intended that they discover an astounding secret: how joyful giving brings God maximum glory and His children maximum pleasure. Discover a joy more precious than gold!

Buy More . . . Stress!

It's a fact that the more stuff we have, the more stress we experience. Our possessions own us instead of the other way around. In addition to stressing ourselves, the "buy buy buy" bug kills the environment -- placing undue stress on the earth from cradle to grave -- resources to make the items, resources to maintain the items, and landfills to dispose of items. On April Fool's Day, it seems we are all fools, some more than others!

I recently read about a PBS television show called Affluenza, a show about the "modern-day plague of materialism." Following are some scary statistics from the show:

Americans shop six hours a week while spending only forty minutes playing with their children.

By age 20, we've seen 1 million commercials.

Recently, more Americans declared bankruptcy than graduated from college.

To read more about the show, click here: http://www.pbs.org/kcts/affluenza/


REMINDER: I have a copy of Clutter-Free Christianity by Robert Jeffress to give away to my readers! To enter the random drawing, just e-mail your name and address to me at http://seewhykinsman@gmail.com. Winners will be drawn on Friday, April 3, 2009. Good luck!

Shopping In Your Own Home

I know everyone is trying to make ends meet in this tough economy. I would like to suggest you go shopping . . . in your own home.

This weekend we cleaned out our storage room. I mean, we opened every box and rearranged every shelf. We also defrosted and re-organized the freezers and refrigerators (we have a couple of each so we can take advantage of sales).

Even though we're hyper anal and organized, we were amazed at the things we had taking up space that could be donated or sold. Often times we can't bear to part with something, so we pack it away. When enough time passes, we can finally get rid of it. I think of it as a type of reverse layaway. There were a number of "useless" items we packed away months ago that now we had a use for. There were also several items we forgot we had, or knew we had, but weren't quite certain where we had them. There were even a few items we had purchased the day before.

So, we went shopping in our home. With all our new found treasures, we added them to our stock so we won't have to buy them again so soon. We made money on the sale of a number of items and gained a tax benefit for donations (as well as benefitted some of our favorite organizations). We now remember where everything is and, best of all, have extra space. Even if you don't throw away a single thing, reorganizing always gives you extra room because you find a better way to put it all back.

Go clothes shopping in your closet. Go grocery shopping in your cupboards, pantry and freezer. Go shopping in your garage, basement, or storage area. Such shopping won't stimulate the economy, but it WILL stimulate your life!

COMING UP: Tomorrow one of my favorite recipes will be featured on reducefootprints.blogspot.com. This has become one of my favorite blogs with lots of interesting articles on green living.

Make sure you check in the next couple of weeks. I have a ton of books to review and giveaway. The focus next week are a number of great books on relationships in honor of Valentine's Day.