BeCentsAble

So I was looking for something to read on my flight and I grabbed a copy of this Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half by Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee. Do you know about this? These gals cut their household budgets in half without reverting to candlelight or riding around in a horse-drawn buggy. There's some great stuff in here. Did you know that bottled water can cost up to 10,000 times more than the tap water that already comes into your home? And with more and more states setting up recycling programs for used water filters, there's no reason in the world to buy another bottle of water. And did you know that there is a "sales cycle" for just about every product you can buy? For example, in January you can expect chili, side dishes, and anything for hearty/warm meals to be on sale at your supermarket. That's definitely going on my calendar. And get this, June is the best month for TVs, hardware, dairy products, and pianos. The TVs and hardware almost make sense, but the other two? Anyway, if you've been dreaming of learning to play the piano while eating some smoked gouda, now is the time!

But the part of the book that is the nearest and dearest to my heart is Chapter 13: Travel. Can you guess how these wise moms save a ton of money on family travel? That's right, they rent timeshares on by-owner marketplaces like RedWeek.com. They get the benefit of multiple bedrooms, full kitchens, and great family activities, all for prices comparable to regular hotel rooms. This is the message I have been spreading as the Timeshare Ambassador and I am happy to hear that more and more travelers are catching on.

I'll leave you with one last CentsAble tidbit, and that is to know how long various household products can be stored. If you are going to be making bulk purchases to get better price points, you have to know how long this stuff will stick around, right? So how long do you think an unopened jar of mustard will last? How about two years. Are you kidding me?! I'm pretty sure I've got a jar in my fridge that has been in there since the 90s. I guess I ought to pitch it when I get back.