Cheapest Family in America - Have you read it?
By sedel1027
@sedel1027 (17846)
Cupertino, California
October 19, 2007 9:42am CST
I am always looking for ways to cut expenses down. I saw this couple, the Economisers, on Montel this week and they feeds a family of 7 on $350 a MONTH (includes paper products and hygene). Paid off their house on a $35K a year salary in 9 years. The wife wrote a book about how she does what she does. The book can be found cheap, about $10 used on Amazon.com
Have you read the book?
They also have a monthly newsletter that I subscribed to for free (through email) and it has some good tips in it. There is also a financial tracker for kids that helps you track their chores and money due, and the kid track how much money they have.
Here is the website if you are interested in the news letter:
http://www.homeeconomiser.com/index.html
2 people like this
4 responses
@patgalca (18174)
• Orangeville, Ontario
19 Oct 07
I did see them on one of the news magazine shows awhile back (Dateline, 60 Minutes or Prime Time). They go out every night and dig into dumpsters for recycleable bottles and cans. They sent their kids to college on doing that. Unfortunately, here in Canada, or at least Ontario, we don't have a place where we can take our recycleables in exchange for money. I'm not sure I'd want to buy lunch meat that expired that day either. Though I have been able to use cream cheese long after its expiry date. But there are some things I am just not willing to risk.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
19 Oct 07
I agree. I am not buying expired or soon to be expired produce or food. We really don't have any place to recycle things either. I want to buy the book to see what they do and what I could implement into our lives to help save more money. Even if it saves me $100 a month I am happy.
1 person likes this
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
19 Oct 07
Our supermarket has meats marked about 50% off. They throw things in the freezer when it's going to be out of date within a couple days. As long as it stays frozen it's no different than buying meat in bulk & freezing it at home. If I lived far away from the store, I wouldn't buy it in the summer as thawing & refreezing isn't safe.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
21 Oct 07
I am very interested in this. I haven't read it, probably because I am Australian. I am sure the same principals apply.
I just had a look at the link you provided, it looks very interesting.
Thanks for providing this useful info.
@visitorinvasion (7709)
• United States
19 Oct 07
Thanks for the tip, Sedel!
Bookmarking the page now...
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
19 Oct 07
Sounds very similar to Amy Dacyzins-(no idea how to spell her name now) Tightwad Gazette that was out in the 90s. They had their meals down to an average of 30 cents per person per meal. And it wasn't all beans & rice or living on ramen noodles. It was homemade, good for you & good tasting real foods.
I'll have to check out the site. Always looking for new ways to be frugal & responsible.
