Economy For The Christian Home

~ Our newest book, brought to you by "The Legacy of Home Press." ~


This book was written while taking care of grandbabies, cleaning the house, cooking, and caring for the family.  It was very difficult to write in my notebook when everyone was sleeping, or jot down Bible verses and look up passages while dinner was cooking.  It took many hours of formatting, proofreading and fixing mistakes.  It is still imperfect, just as I am. (gentle smiles). 

The front cover is of our Vermont property. The photograph was taken in November 2014. We still have lots of snow here as it stays all winter long in northern Vermont.  In the picture, you can see our tall Christmas trees, our American flag and our old wooden wagon.

The book is designed to bless and encourage you in saving and giving. It includes some personal stories from my own experience, along with ideas for your own home.  I hope this book will encourage you in the careful use of money,  as you strive to be the kind of wife your husband can say he does not worry about the waste of domestic funds. (Proverbs 31:11)

Here are the details:

Economy for the Christian Home: A 12 Week Challenge for Wives to Increase Charitable Giving

by Mrs. Sharon White

6" x 9"

110 pages, paperback

The Legacy of Home Press
ISBN-13: 978-0692361122
ISBN-10: 069236112X

 

Details:

 

A Bible study designed for individual or group use.  {Scripture quoted in this book is from the KJV Bible.}

 

 Includes 12 challenges, 12 homework assignments and 12 devotionals to inspire and motivate you. 

 

You will learn about a "Charity Box" for the home; how "New England Thrift" can help you save money; how "Prayer Directed Giving" can warm your heart; what it is like to "Live in Reduced Circumstances" and much more.

 

At the end of the 3 month program, your house-account should be more efficient. You will have money in your savings account and your giving will increase in ways that will bless you and others as well.

 

The book is for sale on Amazon. I hope you will like it.

 

Blessings

Mrs. White

 

 

From the Archives -

 

Training Children - Nobody Wants to Clean a Messy House.

 

For Homeschoolers - Education Must Not Be Rushed.

 

Welcome Home - The Light in the Window.

 

 

 

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Living in Reduced Circumstances

Several years ago, during a major oil crisis, gas prices rose to over $4.50 a gallon here in rural Vermont.  This caused food prices to skyrocket, partly due to the cost of fuel for the freight trucks who were delivering inventory to all the supermarkets.  

Many could not afford to drive to work and had to find ways to carpool, walk, or find some other form of transportation.  I remember having to give up going to church and limiting youth group events for my (then) teenage children.  It was shocking to realize we couldn't afford the gas to drive to church!

One of the hardest things during this time was having just enough food to feed one's family with little or nothing left over to share with a guest. Many did not entertain at home. Having company was rare and difficult. Offering just a cup of tea to a guest when one wanted to offer cake or pie was depressing!

Nobody wants to live in want or hunger. Nobody wants to feel like buying sugar to bake cookies would be a financial burden when the family needed more nutritious foods like vegetables or meat.

Food pantries in our county were suddenly full of the more affluent in our area.   We were told that many could not afford to buy food and pay basic living expenses at the same time.  One large church in our area was open on a daily basis and gave out emergency food boxes which were expected to last a family, or individual, for a couple of days.  We were seeing both homeless and middle class in the same breadlines.  Nobody wanted to be there.  Nobody wanted to need charity, but the economy forced many to seek help just to eat.

Another church in our area had a monthly potluck supper offered right after the morning service.  Almost everyone brought hot food, desserts, salads, bread and treats to share with each other.  This way each family could contribute what they could and enjoy a nice big meal without feeling like they were getting a handout.    This same church also provides a large spread of refreshments in the dining room after every Sunday service.  Most of the food is brought in by members of the congregation and is a lovely way to comfort one another with both food and fellowship.

There were certain days of the week where local supermarkets would provide display tables with food samples.  Children of customers were also given a cookie from the bakery or a piece of cheese from the deli.  This made grocery shopping, on limited funds, a special outing and a way to gratefully enjoy a special treat. It benefited the stores as well since they were able to offer new foods, and have a nice way to encourage customers to shop.

Today, times are better.  Gas prices have dropped to around $2.88 in our area.  This is the lowest I have seen it here since before the oil crisis hit our nation.  Yet, there will always be someone, or some family, struggling through a time of poverty, a time of "reduced circumstances."  These are the people on a financial adventure who will overcome the difficulties with prayer, faith, hard work, and the blessing of a good church family.

Blessings
Mrs. White

* [This post is an excerpt from my book, "Economy for the Christian Home."] *



From the Archives -

I will never Regret Staying Home - A Humble Parlour as a School of Theology.

He Still Hears us - Prayers Which Cannot be Uttered.

Marriage - When Groceries are the Presents.





Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."




An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email. 

Living on Mister's Income

One of the greatest challenges of the Christian wife, is to live on her husband's income. We are constantly tempted and encouraged to earn some supplementary money.   We are also bombarded with ideas for spending our money in ways that will "save" us money.  It is almost comical to think that spending money equals savings on any level!

Regardless of one's financial situation, one can spend every single dime that comes in; or, one can spend less than one makes.    It sounds simple in theory but is actually very difficult.  It is a fight, which goes on in the mind.

We have to fight against the idea that we need more.  We have to fight the temptation to buy things on impulse.  A responsible, elderly adult, is not in the habit of buying on childish whims.  This is a lesson we must learn.

The handling of money takes careful planning and thought.   For the housewife, it should also take a feeling of contentment and an understaning of the priviledge of having the luxury to stay home in this modern world.

I have noticed recent television programs and hallmark movies.  They always include a career woman, or some feminist actions on the part of the female characters.  When I watch old episodes of "I Love Lucy;" "Father Knows Best:"  "The Donna Reed Show;" "The Waltons;' or "The Brady Bunch" I am shocked by the shift in cultural thinking.  A Study in social living is happening by simply watching the old programs and the new ones!  Our way of life today is affected by the messages we are being fed through the media.  We must keep our guard up to prevent a subtle change in our own homes. 

Lately, I have been struggling to live on my husband's income.  This is normal and happens in many homes.  This morning it is fourteen degrees below zero, here in Vermont.  There is a ton of snow, which shows no sign of melting.  Mister took $20 of our grocery money to buy us 4 bags of wood pellets for our stove.   This will last us until his next paycheck.  But it leaves me with the struggle of coming up with nutritious and filling suppers for the next few days.  I will get out some of my old cookbooks and think of creative ways to make do.

I have been dreaming about getting the garden ready on the back property. I am thinking about my strawberry plants and all the lovely foods I would like to grow.  I look forward to the sweet warm sunshine of summer days, and hanging clothes on the line.  I want to see the grandchildren enjoying the property and laughing outdoors.  I am able to do these things because each day, I learn to live on Mister's income.  It is not easy.  It is my work, to live within the means he provides us with.  It is my challenge and my victory. 

I cannot express how very grateful I am to be a Christian housewife and be humbly taken care of by my husband.  Despite this world that seeks riches and fame, I am grateful for the old paths my godly grandmothers tread before me, where Bible reading, prayer and humble living is our way of life.

Blessings
Mrs. White


From the Archives:

Our Heavenly Father Hears even these - Prayers Which Cannot Be Uttered.

Discretion and dedication - The Behind - the - Scenes Mother.

What would happen?  - If I visit you at the dinner Hour.





Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."




An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email. 

Surviving Financially

Many of us are struggling financially. The culture around us is debt-ridden and debt - dependent. This brings about an illusion of suffering. What do I mean by that? Well, if we live in American "wealth" (compared to third world countries), our standard of living, our standard of "need" becomes distorted.   We think that if we don't have a new vehicle, we are poor.  We think that if we don't have a nice house to live in, we are poor.  We think that if we don't have enough money to go on vacation, or that we don't have enough gas money to go out for a drive, we are poor.  We think that if we can't buy junk food today, we are poor.  This has taken away a great deal of our courage in financial survival.

We have become weak, and pampered, when it comes to standard of living.

Last summer, I wrote about how my car died.  I have not driven at all since then. It has now been 6 months.  I have been mostly home-bound, other than an occasional ride I get to the market.   Shortly after this happened, my husband's van needed repairs that we couldn't afford. So he started "Yankee - style" repairs on his old Cadillac and got it to barely run.   It has failed him repeatedly in the last few months and is on the verge of dying.  He is now getting rides to and from work from co-workers.  We have old cars.  We obviously need a new one.  We have no debt, and little savings, so we must save and scrimp until we have the money for one.  We have suffered for the last 6 months, but we know that we are going to be okay.

It used to be that people had to walk many miles each day.  They had to work much harder to grow, gather and preserve food.  Today, we have buses and cars and large supermarkets. We don't have to make clothes for our entire family, we can buy them inexpensively.  There is less worry and less work.  We have it much easier.   Yet, when hard times come, when it takes more effort to pay the heating bill, or make food from scratch because we cannot afford the high costs, we have to bravely face each day and know that we are going to be okay.  We need a good outlook and a good attitude.  We need cheerful courage.

This is the Pioneer Spirit. It is the Immigrant Spirit.  We work very hard, we take on the task at hand, live the lot we've been given to our very best, and we wait until the blessing comes.  We work on through the dark, dreary days, waiting for the Spring, or the Rainbow of reward.  Good things will come.  The fruit of our patience and hard work will happen if we don't give up.

In the meantime, we keep praying and making do.  God is with us. Praise Him in all things. We can do this!

Blessings
Mrs. White



From the Archives:

Remembering my Childhood - When Television was Special.

The beauty of a formal morning table - Breakfast at Home.

Mother's work - The Pleasant Task of Cleaning.





Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."




An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email. 

Mister's Cadillac

Mister has a pastel - purple Cadillac, with leather seats.  He bought it used several years ago.  It had problems, and has never run right.  For the past few years it was off the road, hidden away in a carport, here at the Estate.  On occasion, in the warmer months, he would take it out and wash it, let it run, and perhaps drive on our driveway. He loves that car!  I used to see him, out the second story window, and tease him saying, "Are you hugging that car again?" 

With our current car crisis, Mister decided a broken down Cadillac is better than no car at all.  It is now on the road. (His old van died last week.)  The car is very pretty to look at. It is luxurious to ride in, but doesn't run well.

The other night, Mister took John (16) and I out in the evening.  We did the grocery shopping.  I felt like royalty riding in that beautiful car.   We drove out of the long driveway of our old Estate.  I thought to myself, no one would ever believe we were poor.  But perhaps I have to get my thinking straight.  What exactly is "poor?"

Many around us have debts.  I often see a brand new car pull into the driveway to pick up one of my children.  I say, "That was bought with car payments!"  Well, of course I am judging, but I can't imagine anyone having thousands of dollars to pay cash for these new cars!    I see people buying brand new clothes all the time.  But I don't see them using cash. They have those little cards that let them buy on "time."   Many, in our community, and around this country, are far more poor than our family, because they are burdened with consumer debts.  We often joke that we are "too poor to get into debt!"

So, I am thinking. . . Mister's Cadillac is paid for. . . We have a small mortgage on our House.  . . We have no other debt.   Yet throughout the year, we have major financial problems - like when the hot water heater had to be replaced.  We had no money at the time.  Earlier this year, our washing machine gave out and had to be replaced. It took every last dime we had saved to replace it with the cheapest model Sears had in stock.  Are we poor? 

When we got to the supermarket the other night, we felt like we were rich in that beautiful car.  We bought 2 carriages full of groceries, knowing we wouldn't be going back out for quite some time.  We never know when the car will work or not, and we must stock up.   That Cadillac has an enormous trunk and easily held all our shopping bags.  We were able to ride home in comfortable, leather luxury.  

As we drove down the road, we prayed. We all prayed, "Lord, please help us get home."  Because that car could die at any time, just like my car did late one afternoon in June of this year. 

We are rich in some ways, but poor in others.  We live on a financial roller coaster, but this is the way it was for many people before the credit card industry came along and convinced shoppers what a privilege it would be to have everything "now," rather than going without.

To answer the question:  Yes, we are poor.  Right now, my biggest worry is finding a way to fix our wood pellet stove (for $300), and buying enough wood pellets to keep us warm this coming winter.  But somehow, someway, we are getting through it. Just like the Pioneer mothers and Depression-Era mothers.   We have a history of poor families who made it through life with joy and gratefulness as our example.  And even though at times our financial poverty has us crippled with worry or sadness, in the end, God provides.
 
Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives:

The beginning of this year's financial troubles - Hard Times.

Tour the Grounds to see Mister's Purple Cadillac - Our Vermont Estate.

The Joy of Having a sweet grandbaby at Home - Singing Comfort to Baby.





Order My Books:


For Home-keeping Inspiration, - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 

A 90 Day Bible Study, inspired by John Wesley, -  "Early Morning Revival Challenge" 






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Home Shopping (History and Warning)

1940 New Mexico: Ordering from the Sears Catalog, because of the distance to the nearest store.
(Library Of Congress)

It used to be that every home had a Sears Roebuck Catalog.  This was a large book containing every kind of item you could possibly need.  It was a published mercantile for the home.   We would fill out order forms and mail in our order; Then eagerly wait for the postal delivery!   We children were often seen with the catalog, dreaming about the clothes, toys, and decorations we wanted.

Years later, they stopped publishing.  New ways of shopping were coming into fashion, and perhaps mothers at home were becoming more mobile - more able to go out to the stores. Mass shopping, for fun and recreation, was gaining popularity.   One of the saddest days in American family history, was the day Sears stopped printing their catalog. 

In the late 1980's cable television started appearing in homes.  This also brought a home shopping channel.  We were able to sit under constant sales pitches, and put under pressure, to order within the next 5 minutes or the item would be "gone."   Many bought jewelry, decorations and clothing through the telephone.  The panic of the ending sale played with the emotions and made us feel like we had to have it now.  . . This was the beginning of brainwashing (or brain-training) to turn the culture into a shopping- focused society, rather than a home- and- family focused society. Prudence, diligence, patience and hard work were being slowly eroded from our characters.

Today, we have Internet sales, and online shopping options.  This is certainly helpful for those who are generally homebound, or unable to get out much.  But we are still seeing the "buy now," and the "sale ending tonight" pressure that we never saw in the old Sears Catalog.  If we are not aware of these sales gimmicks, and are not armed with knowledge to fight off the fear of not "getting that sale price,"  we will be sucked into the lure of shopping for recreation; buying things we don't need, and of shopping without hesitation or prudence. 

Shopping from the comfort of one's home, with seed catalogs and Lehman's catalogs, while gathered around the kitchen table, are good ways of slowing down the spending process.  We may dream over the items, plan what we will do with them, and carefully come up with a wise shopping decision.  This is one way to counteract the consumer craze that has taken over our nation.

Blessings
Mrs. White




Did you get a copy of our newest book?

 "Dear Kitchen  Saints:  Letters from an Iowa Housewife" was written by Connie Hultquist.  Her amazing marriage testimony was recently published in Above Rubies Magazine.  Her book is a treasure of wisdom and encouragement!




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When Mother is a Shut-In

Life has been very quiet here at the Estate. I have been cooking and baking and keeping house, at a slow, peaceful pace. I have not been able to leave the property. We have no car and no public transportation, in our rural area.  Mr. White is getting rides to and from work.  It has now been 2 weeks since I've been able to attend our beloved Church.  Our car is in the shop and we don't know if or when it will be repaired. 

I have loved staying here at home.  It has been a great blessing. It has also been an important lesson for me:  Staying home, for a wife and mother, as much as possible, is the greatest thing she can do. Why? Because she is creative at home.  She is not harried or under pressure from constant errands and outings.  She can cook from scratch more and monitor the economy of the kitchen inventory. Her sweet presence in the home is invaluable to the family for a great many reasons.

Staying at home, for a homemaker, is part of the job description.  The reward is incredible!

Yet, there are still the worries without a car, even if it were just for Mister.  We must have a running, dependable vehicle.  We must.  There are groceries to buy, banking to do, and a job for him to get to.  Today, I had a sort of childlike wonder about it all. I trust the Lord.  I know He is doing some great work.  So I willingly yield to this trial, making do and bringing as much light and joy into my home as possible, while we wait. 

My mother-in-law used to keep a running note on her fridge.  She rarely left home. So when she was almost out of laundry detergent, trash bags or milk, she would write on a note on the fridge.   I never heard her complain or panic about running out of milk (like I am sometimes tempted to!).   Papa, her husband, would pick those things up at the store on his way home from work, on a certain day of the week, or when he had time.   

My pantry is running low and I wonder when I will get to the market.    A few days ago, I made chocolate chip muffins.  I used apple juice instead of milk, because I knew I couldn't spare the milk.  Yesterday, I made my sons Macaroni and Cheese, but we had no milk to mix in with the powdered cheese. So I used a little spring water instead. It turned out just fine, and the boys enjoyed their lunch.  If I didn't know to do these kinds of things, I would not be able to calmly make it through this trial.

Something amazing is up ahead for us.  I believe it. . . We've had many rough financial times, and this year is no exception.  But we've been down this road before.  I have seen miracles and been greatly blessed by them.  Today, to keep a holy faith, I pulled out my favorite children's books:    "Uncle Arthur Bedtime Stories."  I will read these in my parlour chair during homemaking breaks.  I will read about sweet families who prayed and pleaded with God for their daily bread.  Tears will fall as I rejoice with them, as God works in mighty ways!  These are true stories written by Arthur Maxwell, and are gems!  Reading these today, will encourage me in my own prayers, and help me on my walk to victory.

Blessings
Mrs. White






For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 





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Never a Car Payment - Reflections on Poverty

Mr. White and I received our first car as a wedding present. It was an old car given to us by an Aunt. She had decided to buy a new one, and gave us hers.  Over the years, we have been driving beat up cars, that were beyond second-hand. 

One of our vehicles had doors that wouldn't open.  We would be all dressed up, with our two little girls (at the time).  Mr. White would hand me one of the children (a toddler or a preschooler) through an open window, and I would reach back and buckle them in.   We certainly had our dignity and a sense of humor!

I remember once, in the early 1990's, getting a few thousand dollars as a tax refund.   We used most of this money to actually buy a decent vehicle from the friend of a relative.  It was a small, cream colored, station wagon. I was amazed!  It was old, but beautiful to me.   It lasted a few years, before it was totalled in an accident.  (A drunk driver had crashed into my husband and put him in the hospital. His recovery took several months.)

Insurance money provided us with another used car.  This one was an old mini-van.   By the time we were forced to give it up, it required a screwdriver to start!

One year, my husband bought a large, old conversion van for under $100.  We loved going for rides in it, with all of our (by then) five children.  My husband used it for commuting to work. I never drove it.  I was too afraid to drive a large van!

At one point, we had one dead car, and one barely running car.  I became very ill and couldn't walk without assistance for a month.  After some weeks, my husband's co-worker mentioned he was getting a new car, and did we want his old one for free?  That was such a great blessing!

I remember, a few years ago, my husband came home with a beautiful pastel purple Cadillac with white leather seats.  It was very old and cost under two grand.  We had our tax refund money and he wanted to ask me if we should buy it? I didn't hesitate. Of course! It was lovely and seemed like such a treat!  I loved riding in that car with him.  He used it for commuting. I never drove it, myself, because I am terrified of driving large vehicles. But I loved having him as my chauffeur.  This car now sits in a carport. . . Pretty to look at. . . but worn down so much that it can't be driven.

We've certainly had our fun adventures with cars, but we've never had a car payment.  We could never afford it.  To us, that is for those "rich" people. (gentle smiles) Or, the middle class.  It is a way of life for them.  As for the White House,  we have no idea what will happen to us tomorrow, financially, and can't promise to make those monthly payments.  This is poverty.  But it is also an adventure in faith.

Why am I writing all this out?  We have been having major car trouble, and it is only getting worse.  My current car was bought by one of my children in early 2008.  It was old then.  She bought it for me to drive her to college and to do errands with her. At the time, we had no money, but she did.  She paid cash from a year of hard work.   This precious child gave that car to me after a couple of years.  But now it is needing to be replaced.

The last few months, I have been wavering in my faith.  How will I drive the children to church and their activities?   How will I take them to appointments and do our grocery shopping? We live in a rural area with no public transportation.  A running car is an absolute necessity.  It is a basic need.

This morning, an answer came. . . I must take care of the car I have, even if it is falling apart, and making alarming noises (gentle smiles).  Today, when we do an errand, we will stop and get it all vacuumed out.  We will polish the dashboard and the windows and keep it as nice as we can.  We will take care of it, and continue to drive it, and do the best we can with the repairs, until the Lord brings our next vehicle.  Our faith in Him is the hope for those of us in poverty.  We know He can do all things. We know He is the one who feeds the sparrows and watches over us. . . In the meantime, I will love the car I have, and I will take care of it.  . . and I will wait upon my Lord.


Blessings
Mrs. White

 





For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 


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Overcoming Hard Times with Grace

In this economy, many of us are struggling. There is a confusion added to this, about standard of living.  We see magazine covers at supermarkets of beautiful homes and elaborately prepared foods.  We see television programs about rehabbing houses, and making them "livable" with the latest upgrades.  This is like an upgrade in standards, and it costs far more money than most of us can manage.

It used to be that thrift stores and churches had decent clothes available for free, or for a meager cost.  Many mothers used to talk about the missionary barrel.  When times were hard, they would find clothes and remake them with what they had at home.  They made lovely things with their own efforts, out of cast-offs.   

Mothers were able to create recipes based on what was left in the pantry, rather than what was for sale in the store.

Home repairs and maintenance was done to survive, with scrounged supplies, or inexpensive parts to make-do, for those with little money.

I realize we need certain skills to create out of little, but we can certainly learn. 

Money used to mean something different than it does today.  Money was for basic housing and basic needs, and an occasional treat, rather than for splurging and spending on what we want right now.  [Or what we think we need in this confusing, consumerist, culture.]

We need a good does of the history of the family during hard times.  We need to read about the depression-era mothers, the pilgrims, and the pioneers to find a way to overcome the culture of today, with dignity and grace.


Blessings
Mrs. White

For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 






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Not More Than We Can Bear

Our Financial troubles are easing. Yesterday was a beautiful day. The sun gave its warmth and the day was bright and pleasant. I sat on the front porch and read a Dickens' novel.

Mr. White and the men of this house have been busy installing a new hot water heater.  There are all kinds of plumbing difficulties since our old model was from the 1950's, and a new set of pipes are required.

This morning, my car was given back to me. It is now fixed. The cost was minimal and that was a relief!

Our financial burden became a joy when angels flew in and blessed us with kindness.  Their collective help made it possible for us to pay for the new heater and plumbing parts so we had no need to borrow money.  Those dear people know who they are and I am most grateful!

While we still have trouble with our high heating bill, the sky is brighter and we are happy and content.

The warm spring weather has helped me feel so much better. The chill is gone.  The beauty of spring is here.  And even though we still don't have any hot water, we feel tremendously thankful.

Blessings
Mrs. White





For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 


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Hard Times

There are periods of crisis in the homes of the lower class.   This is for the working class, who are often listed as living in general poverty.  Hard times make survival even more difficult.  Rising utility costs, transportation, and the high cost of food make basic needs almost too expensive.

 We are in one of those periods of hard times right now.  Mr. White and I are having car troubles.  My car broke down last week.   I have been unable to do my errands or take one of my boys to church events.  Because we live in a rural area, no one can help with the driving.   Mr. White has this large old van that was given to him, years ago, by a relative.  I am afraid to drive it.  I can only manage to drive the little cars or possibly mini-vans.    So early each evening, Mr. White has offered to take me to the store.  He has his own errands to do, but takes me along.  He opens the door for me and buys me Pepsi.  I am able to get his help in deciding what will be for dinner.  My evening outings with Mr. White would not happen if I had a car I could drive on my own. This brings a blessing out of suffering.

As this past weekend began, we woke to find that our hot water heater was broken.  The plumber arrived and found the damage was quite extensive.   I went off to one of the rooms and watched episodes of "Seventh Heaven" on DVD while Mr. White helped the plumber.  It turns out that our water heater is this pretty unit from the 1950's.  We had to wait until late Monday afternoon for a specialist (in older units) to come by and pronounce it needed to be replaced.  Of course, we had to pay for the service calls and still be without hot water.  In a home where there are no credit cards and no debt, one would think we had plenty of money saved to pay for such events.  Well, we scraped up enough to pay the service fees, but then we had to figure out how to replace the unit.

The plumber quoted us several hundred dollars.  We won't be calling him back.  Somehow, the men in this house (who are not plumbers) will figure out a way to buy a unit from the local hardware store (there are no Home Depots in the middle of nowhere - smiles).  They will find a way to do the work themselves.  We managed to borrow the money from one of our grown children. We will pay it back very quickly over the next few weeks, by scrimping and being careful.

In the meantime, I have been heating water on our electric stove for baths and dishes. This makes one grateful for running water.

This has happened right in the middle of one of my health breakdowns. I have been mostly bedridden for several days.  (I really believe the chill of the cold, and fighting despair can add to one's physical woes.)  Late last week, I told my boys, "I am taking a sick day. You will have to do the chores."  I have been resting ever since.

Is that enough of a crisis? Of course not. . . . Our electric statement arrived with a ridiculous bill.  Our wood pellet stove had broken down last year and we have been relying on electric heaters to try to stay warm all winter.  It has not worked well.  The cost is unbearable and we are still cold.

Somehow we will make the most of this.  Living in poverty is not new to many Americans.  Perhaps someone will go to the local pawn shop and sell something of value to help pay these bills. Perhaps we will go without a few more things to handle the crisis.  Once the smoke clears and all is well again, we will continue to scrimp and save and build up our savings for the next emergency.

This is the adventure of living in poverty for the lower class. It is a way of life.  Most of us, in this life,  will have periods of seeming wealth, and of dire poverty.  It is nothing new.  Yet, in these moments, our helplessness leads us to the source of all comfort and wealth.  It leads us to the Lord, our Father, who will care for His children. All will be well.


Blessings
Mrs. White




For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 


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My Husband's Money

My old fashioned ledger book is for my "House Account."  This year, as I started the 2013 entries, I gave the book a title.   It is to be called "My Husband's Money."

Each evening, as I write down any money I spent that day, I will see the title.  I will know I have been given a great privilege and honor to be put in charge of the management of Mr. White's finances. 

The last few weeks, in the bitter Vermont cold, I realized I needed a new pair of house slippers.  It was dreadful coming in the house and taking off my winter boots and just feeling so cold.   After some time, I stopped into a store and found a suitable pair for $6.00.  I also bought a special welcome mat to put in the front entry way. This cost $3.00 and is quite necessary since it helps get some of the snow off the shoes of the guests as they enter our home.  I was pleased with the practicality of buying both of these items.  The total will be handwritten in my book, along with an explanation of what I bought and why.  This is the recording of the history of my spending for the household of my husband.

At any moment, as I sit near the fireplace and hand-write entries in my financial journal, I would be proud to have my husband look over my shoulder and know I have done well with his hard earned money.  He will be content and at peace with his household affairs, being carefully tended by his trusted wife.

This accountability, of calling this year's Ledger book, "My Husband's Money," will give me a constant remembrance of the honor in which I have been given to take care of his funds.   It will stop me cold when I am tempted to spend frivolously and foolishly.  It will help me to keep a long-term perspective - of the future history we are making with our spending and saving, and prevent me from causing harm or waste in this materialistic culture.  

A few years ago when I first mentioned my House Account,  it was picked up by well-known blogger, Frugal Dad.  He and his wife decided to try a handwritten journal for their own home.  My House Account has brought me a tremendous amount of questions.  The following are a couple of links to help answer some of these questions:

1. The House Account (An introduction. This was originally designed as a monthly check-in, but I have given up on blogging continuously about it.) 

2. The History of our Financial Lives (includes photographs of my ledger book.)


Some have asked what I recorded, or how I separate things into categories.  This is for each family to decide for themselves, but I will share my own method.  I do not put things into categories. I don't particularly care how much was spent on transportation, grocery or insurance.  That is not my intention when writing out my ledger book.  I am simply keeping a financial journal of what I buy, or how I am spending.  This can be looked over, in a similar way as a personal journal, but we are seeing numbers and spending, rather than an abundance of words. 

The simplest way I can explain this is to share the three items at the top of each page of my ledger:

1. The Date.

2. Description.

3. Amount.

That's all there is to my ledger book.


My ledger book is not a budget. (I have a separate notebook for my weekly bills and planned expenses.)  It is a financial journal.    I can look back through the pages and see how much I spent each month and each year.  I can also see the carefulness, the love, the attention, and the reason behind the spending (there are notes in the entries) and look back to see the financial lives of the White Family Home.

Blessings
Mrs. White



Please don't be one of these - Bossy Wives.

It is my constant goal to be - A Wife Who Does Not Complain.


My New Book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking.






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Closing my Household Account

Throughout the year, I kept a record book of my household expenses.  The majority of entries were entered by my youngest son, John (15). I have taught him general bookkeeping by having him look over my receipts, organize them, and enter the totals of my spending. 

At this very moment, he is closing out my accounts for the year.  He is in the process of getting monthly spending totals, by looking over the handwritten entries in my old fashioned ledger book.  He is analyzing the numbers and thinking about all the different things his mother spent money on this year.

 (There is no computer doing this for him. It is an old fashioned method of thinking and seeing the history of our financial life.)

When he finishes the monthly totals, he will give me a final figure of exactly how much money I spent during the entire year. 

Tomorrow, we will set up a new household account in our ledger book. This will be for 2013. We will make plans and goals and find ways to be as economical as we can.  Since John has been working with me all year, I will seek his advice, ideas and input.    This is a very precious way for him to learn how to manage money, by helping his Mama to manage her household funds.

Blessings
Mrs. White


Great Peace - The Note in Mother's Pocket.

When Things are Going Wrong - Forgotten Kindness in Marriage.

We Took One of These - A Vow of Poverty.







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When it's Time to Walk Away

Many families are living on debt. They keep borrowing money and using credit cards just to survive. I know one family who repeatedly took out home equity loans for years until the bank finally took away their home.  It is unwise to live on someone else's money knowing it can't be paid back. It is unwise to dig oneself into such a deep debt that they can never escape.

There comes a point when one has to walk away. . .

A business would never stay open if it continually lived in the red.  The responsible thing for them to do would be to close the doors, take the losses and move on.   Modern families are facing the same thing, like no time in history. Easy credit, easy loans and the brainwashing in our culture that we can pay for everything later is destroying many.  It has created families who are, without realizing it, living a financial lie and they know not how to recover.

The only way to stop the deadly financial hemorrhaging is to walk away and start over.  Find a cheaper home - an apartment, mobile home or live with relatives temporarily.   If you are renting and have a lease, explain to your landlord that you are in dire financial straights and must move.  If you own a home that is far too expensive, or that has seriously lost its value and you can't sell, tell your banker about your financial difficulties and see what they can do. If nothing is available to help, then tell them to take the house back, then walk away. 

Walk away, but only if you've tried everything else.  Walk away and start at the bottom and begin to recover. Begin to be able to buy food again, have heat in the house and clothes that are not tattered.  Begin to breathe and start over.

This may seem radical, or even irresponsible to some, but if you are continually living on borrowed money, racking up debts higher and higher with no light at the end, it is time to walk away.

There is something called debt forgiveness, and debt counseling to prevent this from happening again.  Please don't continue to live on the edge of the cliff. There is help.  And there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Walk away and start again.  Everyone deserves a second chance.

Blessings
Mrs. White

This post was written as a response to an anonymous comment on my  Living Without Credit Cards  post.  There are many readers in her situation. I hope this helps them.  Please realize, I am not suggesting everyone walk away from their financial obligations, but those in dire straights have that option. I do not want them to feel so trapped and hopeless that it is difficult to go on.



We must understand this - Financial Separation of the Social Classes.

Be Proud to be one of these - Blue Collar - Working Class Housewife.







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Shocked by Blessings

I've had such a heavy burden hanging over me for such a long time. There are so many worries and they are all financial.  

Mr. White and I worry about our soaring heating costs here in Vermont. Each winter, the bills make one want to weep.   There is never enough money.

We have had car trouble and car repair bills. Our grown children are dealing with unemployment issues. Even though they seek out jobs and try so hard, there are no jobs.  They have their own bills to pay and food to buy.  Why is there no work in this country, for people who are willing to earn a living?

Our household has no debt - no credit cards and no car loans. Our only debt is our small mortgage. We live without Credit Cards.  We live simply. Our needs are minimal and include basic living  expenses - like food, heat, housing and clothes.  In this economy, we struggle even with this.

Trusting the Lord with these troubles is all we can do.  As a housewife, and the one in charge of the household funds, I work hard here at home - cleaning, cooking, and managing the money.  I do my part.  The rest of us do our own jobs.  We have to leave it in God's hands.

Yet, every now and then, something amazing happens to give me great joy and relief.  I have been praying all week about a car repair bill.  I begged the Lord to let it be less than $200. That was all the money I had.  Half of it came from this blog. The other half was what one of my children pitched in to help pay household expenses.  This morning the call came in. The bill was just as I had hoped! It was under the $200.  I almost cried.  What a blessing. I had been trying to figure out how I was going to pay it, had it been another hundred or two.  But now, my worry is gone.

Recently, a letter came in the mail from a blog reader.  It was so precious and sweet. The reader felt led to send me money.  I have no idea who this person was.  I had never even heard of them.  But the money they sent helped with our upcoming heating costs.  This was a shocking and unexpected blessing for which I will always be grateful.

When these kinds of things happen, pressure is lessened and we can smile more. We can go out for a walk, or have an ice cream with the children. We can laugh without hidden tears.  It frees us, and helps us understand who holds the real wealth.  We remember that He who watches over the sparrow, watches over us.

We still have many worries, as so many households do these days.   But these little blessings, these little miracles, keep us going and keep our faith strong.  We will be okay.  We will pray over each trial and we will wait on the Lord.

Blessings
Mrs. White


Home as an Inviting Place - The Light in the Window.

Why is This? - No One Respects Homemaking Anymore.

What Would It Be Like? - If I Visit You at The Dinner Hour.



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A Vow of Poverty

It always happens. . . We Mothers start building up our savings and something comes along to take it away. But most often, the need is for those around us, especially our own children.

Godly Mothers and Fathers often make a subconscious vow when they start a family. The vow is one of poverty.  This means they pledge to spend the majority of their money on the needs of their children. ("Needs" not "Wants.")

We never see these kinds of mothers in costly array, or in fine homes.  We don't see them shopping idly in boutiques, or dining in elegant restaurants. These mothers use their material resources to care for the poor, and the needy, even if that is often their (old or young) children.

Old Time Mothers in Poverty would scrimp and save and find ways to make sure their children had decent shoes, nutritious foods and a humble home.

When money came in and was saved for a rainy day, Mother was delighted to have the cash to feed a hungry, weary soul, who had entered her cozy parlour to take a break from the painful world.

All money that is used for selfish needs, all health that is consumed to glorify self, all worries of reputation fall by the wayside for the godly mothers.  She seeks not her own gratifications. 

The vow of poverty is not a promise to live a destitute life. It is a pledge to use all that goes through her hands, to bless and encourage those around her.

If I pledge my "wealth" and my "health" and my "reputation" for the ministry of my own family and for those that come through my door, I have made a vow of poverty for the Lord.

This means I will spend on that which is eternal.  I will find a way to serve despite my health issues.  I will not care what others say or think of me, but only care of the view from God's eyes.


Blessings
Mrs. White


What Would Happen? - If I Visit You at the Dinner Hour.

We Need to Be Here - As Sorrowful Yet Always Rejoicing at Home.

Please Don't be One of These - Bossy Wives.




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How Much is a Housewife Worth?

It amazes me that people still think homemakers lay around and do nothing.  Obviously it varies in each family, but for the most part, a working- class housewife is very busy, and saves her husband a fortune.

Here are some examples of what she does on a regular daily/ or weekly basis. (Please note - I am speaking generally here. This is just a list of very common examples of what many housewives do at home) -

FOOD

1. Cooks Homemade foods (saves money on restaurants). 

2.  Her home cooking keeps the family more healthy (less doctor bills or health troubles).

3. Her homemade meals and snacks fill the family up, so they are not as likely to eat large amounts of expensive store -bought junk food and snack items.

4. Her meal planning and frugal shopping strategies is like doing inventory-control in a restaurant. She works hard to avoid waste and excessive spending, keeping the grocery budget in line.

TRANSPORTATION

4. If she is home most of the time, she is not wasting money on gas, or impulse spending.  There is less wear and tear on the car. 

Being home helps her be more creative and resourceful. When she is less stressed, she can do more work at home.  (This is not to say she should never go out!)


MAID SERVICE

5.  It would cost $40 and up each week to hire a maid to deep clean the house.  This includes washing floors, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms and scrubbing the kitchen.  The housewife does these jobs herself. She also trains her children to help  with these chores.

CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION

6.   Hiring a babysitter or putting the children in day care can cost something like 100 plus dollars each week.  A Housewife who is home, can take on this job herself, saving a fortune of the household funds.

7. Tutoring, teaching and training of young children can generally be done by the housewife. Some homeschool their children which saves a fortune in "back-to-school" clothes, tuition, and transportation.

MEDICAL CARE

8.  Mothers who are home can nurse their families back to health, and help maintain their well-being. They can also help prevent the spread of germs and build up immune systems with their careful nursing.  Mom will certainly bring sick ones to the doctor when necessary, but she is able to generally care for many things on her own.

9. Housewives are also called on for psychology. They listen and guide and help solve the family troubles.  Their loving concern and attention soothes the aches of others and helps them back on the right track.  Since these mothers are home-focused, they are not being pulled in all directions, and have the time to peacefully handle a crisis when it comes along.


HOUSING

9. She is generally more content with a less expensive home.  There is no need to maintain an expensive two-income property. This saves money on insurance, repairs, maintenance, upkeep, mortgages, and so much more.

10.  The housewife can do her own frugal decorating. She can keep a nice (yet humble) home with all the time she has at her disposal. 


PEACE

11. Have you ever noticed the joy of going into a home where the mom is home and happy? The house looks fairly neat. The children are being cared for.  There is good food waiting to be served.  It is a happy place to be. [Is there a dollar amount for that?]    Of course, this is not to say that a housewife will never get grumpy. How boring would that be? - gentle smiles.

BIBLE TRAINING

12. The Housewife is able to have time to teach her children the Bible, to read with them and to encourage them to have strong religious values.   Abraham Lincoln grew up in a home where the Bible was valued, respected and read.  The Word of the Lord brings wisdom and this helps raise good citizens.  When a Home has the constant presence and  influence of a godly mother, such great things can happen to a nation!  [What is this worth in dollars and cents?]

(Are we, as a nation, losing more than just money when a diligent housewife is no longer at home?)


Please consider adding up how much is spent each month when a housewife doesn't do these things at home.  I know it would be time consuming, but those dollars and cents add up to a considerable sum of money, which could be used for so many other things.  Imagine taking that monthly figure and multiplying it by 12, then multiply that by several years, and you will have an amazing nest egg that will astound you.

What if having mom home made it possible for the family to NEED LESS INCOME?  Would the Dads be able to spend more time at home? Would the family have more time together?

Perhaps this is one way of getting off the common money quest, and of hiring out all the work a housewife is capable of doing at home.  

Now tell me, how much do you think a housewife is worth?  And what other ways is she saving her family a fortune?

Blessings
Mrs. White

A Very Sweet Encouraging Book,  - Mama's Bank Account.

Bringing back excitement and hospitality - Just for Company.

Work at Home - No One Respects Homemaking Anymore.

A Very Precious Home Industry - The Gentle Art of Homekeeping.





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Financial Separation of the Social Classes

Throughout the ages, there have always been different "classes" in society. We have the wealthy, the middle class, the lower class, and those in complete poverty.   In our current day, we have an illusion which masks our social status.   Obviously this is because we are able to carry debts to live at a higher standard of living. 

What I want to do today, is briefly examine the different classes. My hope is that once we see which class we are in, we can either be content and live accordingly, or we can work hard and responsibly to move to a higher financial class over a reasonable period of time.

The Wealthy

These are the financially independent. They have passive incomes. Passive - meaning without any effort. No labor required.  This income could be from a trust, an inheritance that was invested giving them continual payouts, stock income, or other investment income. Another possibility - generally for the young -  they receive an income from family as long as they do as they are told. (You've heard the threats of the ultra rich saying they will "cut off" all support if they don't do as they are asked?)

 Most commonly, the ultra - rich have wealth that has been carefully accumulated and passed down from generation to generation.

Characteristics -  They tend to own multiple homes, vacation properties, have a full staff of servants, own multiple businesses, own yachts, travel the world, have expensive cars and spend their time at charitable events, visiting, and carefully overseeing the family fortune.

If you have plenty of money to do whatever you wish, without any need to work whatsoever, you are in the wealthy class.  Very Few will ever move up to this rank.

 (Just in case you were wondering, I don't personally know anyone who is in this class. Also, if it wasn't obvious - I am not in this group :)


The Middle Class

Generally, this is the professional class. These tend to be college educated, white-collar workers.  This class has to labor to earn their income.   Many have been brought up in similar homes, by college educated parents and come from some sort of privileged background.  Privileged - meaning by white collar parents who have financially subsidised their children's growing up years and have helped them get established as adults.  

The key to surviving in this group, it seems to me, is the education.  These people are highly educated.

Characteristics - They own at least one very nice home in a beautiful neighborhood.   They may or may not have dual income couples. Many have only one parent working. The other parent tends to the affairs of the home, their social obligations, and community events.  This group has at least one domestic staff member. Either one full time maid, or a weekly maid service. Some have nannies and cooks.  This group goes on vacations and has a generously budgeted amount of spending money.  Their children tend to get an allowance, have plenty of new clothes, and can shop as needed.  This group has medical and dental insurance, and other benefits from work - like stock options, pensions and retirement plans.   This group has no financial  trouble getting on a plane when necessary.

This group is not wealthy since they have limited resources, which are dependent on working and getting paid in order to maintain their status.  

This group can, over generations of careful investments and a savings plan, move up to a budgeted state of financial independence. (This would be from passive income, built up and invested over time).  They would remain on a budget to make the money last, but they would be comfortable.

It is very difficult to  move up to this class, but can happen with help, encouragement, and possibly a generation or two of very hard study and work.   ( I personally know several people in this group. Some are even related to me.)

Can this group drop to a lower class? Are they in danger of this? Most definitely.   Two possible problems could come up - a lifetime of financial mistakes, or a collapsed economy.


The Lower Class

This is the blue-collar group who labor for their money. They may or may not live from paycheck-to paycheck.  Generally speaking, this group is NOT college educated. Or, at least does not have a college degree.  In my observation, there are two types of the lower class:


1. The Strugglers
[Those who struggle constantly to get to a higher class, and who are often in debt and have constant financial trials.]

Characteristics - This group may own or rent a home. They might finance a car. They might finance all manner of things and begin to require consumer debt just to survive. This group is often trying out the latest "get rich quick" program, hoping it will make their lives better. They are on a quest for money, but don't understand the concept of money. This group tends to have very little financial education. They may bounce checks at the bank, cannot balance their books and argue with bankers about overdrawn accounts. They have trouble paying their bills and misspend much of their earnings. They blame others and the economy for their woes.

This group cannot move to a higher class and will not even more to the class of "the content" [below] in their level because they cannot slow down long enough to change the way they live. In most cases, their children will repeat the same patterns.

2.   The Content
[Those who tend to avoid debt, and manage to generally be content with their lot.]

Characteristics - This group may rent a home, or own an inexpensive house. Very few of them ever finance a car, furniture or anything else that would cause debt. Not because they are necessarily averse to it (they are) but because they do not want to put other things in danger by promising over future money that they aren't sure they can consistently keep up with.  These people tend to be content with inherited furniture (or things bought at second-hand stores), and few possessions.   Once this group has enough chairs, and other furniture, they rarely ever buy more (or new) their entire lives.

They are very diligent at saving and careful spending. Their home expenses are kept to a minimum by very frugal endeavors.  This group will have to work their entire lives in order to keep to their standard of living.  They have no funds for a domestic staff. They generally do all their own home repairs, housework and car repairs. Or they trade out with friends, by helping each other.  In some cases, they do hire help for emergency situations but these expenses put a tremendous burden on their finances and could put them in danger of going hungry or having an electric bill shut off, or lose their winter heat, until they can get their bills caught up.  Some will find odd jobs (if they are lucky) and work a horrific amount of hours just to keep food on the table during this time. But these people have great characters, and a tremendous work ethic. 

It is possible, however, that their children can move to a higher class. Through sacrifice and hard work, their children can become educated in high paying trades, and carefully taught skills (both hands-on skills and book learning) to be able to earn a high and steady paycheck.  In must be noted here that the children themselves have to be hard working in order for this to work.

This group is highly educated in frugality and thrift. This is what helps them survive. They are also fully aware of the stock market, investments and money management, but are not able to use those skills with their limited earning potential.

Those In Poverty

This group can include those who are homeless, or those who are completely dependent on others for basic needs.  Anyone from any class can fall into this category, and it is devastating.   This group is not necessarily a "class" but a part of society where help is greatly needed, and always will be.  Those in the upper classes must find a way to be charitable, through organziations or their local food pantries, etc. to help on a regular basis.

Conclusion


They key to surviving in each class is financial education.  We need to constantly learn and understand the latest developments in our modern world - relating to money.   Even the ultra rich could possibly lose their wealth if a generation of their offspring spent away their money and made poor investment decisions. 

My recommendations to financially survive:

To Get Out of Debt

- Anything Dave Ramsey (He is the only one I recommend for debt elimination because he understands the difficulty of the "now," when one is struggling financially. He is also realistic and an incredible motivator.)

To Learn to Live on Very Little and Be Content

- Anything from The Good Old Days publications (with Ken Tate). Looking back in history to the Great Depression, will help us understand how they got by through incredibly rough times.  There are also a treasure trove of ideas for fun, happiness and inspiration that doesn't require any money.

To Learn To Live on Very Little

 - Your Money or Your Life will help put this all in perspective.  This book may also help you get off the crazy "Money Quest" that is ravaging our culture.

To Learn to Invest and Build Wealth

You will get many ideas and inspiration from Rich Dad Poor Dad.  

Learn how to Budget and Handle money wisely

Anything from Crown Financial Ministries, and the late Larry Burkett,  is amazing for this!


Being Content in your Class

Now that we've talked about the characteristics of each class, have you figured out where you stand?  I  know exactly which spot our family belongs in. But now the question is, are you content there? Or would you rather work your way up to the ultra rich?

The most important thing about the distinction of the classes, is learning to live as that class must live.  This includes studying money, staying within a budget and finding ways to build the education and skills of your family.  There are only 3 ways of moving up in a class:  1. An inheritance.  2. Winning the lottery. or 3. Hard work, tremendous study and patience!

One of the greatest books written for the lower class (which is the group a great many Americans are in) is The American Frugal Housewife.  Her introductory pages in the beginning are inspiring and sobering. She is also very clear that one should not "dress above their station in life," (which is a beneficial thought relating to the classes. We can't spend more money to live, than we can realistically afford.)

May I just say this? Don't be ashamed of the class you are in. Be grateful. Take pride in your lot in life.  It is amazing that we have so much freedom in this country that we can work our way up if we choose to.  We have the Immigrants as examples. Their hard work and determination helped build the wealth that generations of children now enjoy today.  Take pride in your class, just as the Immigrants took pride in theirs.

Blessings
Mrs. White


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This post is part of The Christian Home Magazine in the Financial category. To see more articles in different aspects of Home life, please visit the latest issue, hosted at Day by Day in our World.