The immensely popular blogger behind Little House Living provides a timeless and “heartwarming guide to modern homesteading” (BookPage) that will inspire you to live your life simply and frugally—perfect for fans of The Pioneer Woman and The Hands-On Home. Shortly after getting married, Merissa Alink and her husband found themselves with nothing in their pantry but a package of spaghetti and some breadcrumbs. Their life had seemingly hit rock bottom, and it was only after a touching act of charity that they were able to get back on their feet again. Inspired by this gesture of kindness as well as the beloved Little House on the Prairie books, Merissa was determined to live an entirely made-from-scratch life, and as a result, she rescued her household budget—saving thousands of dollars a year. Now, she reveals the powerful and moving lessons she’s learned after years of homesteading, homemaking, and cooking from scratch. Filled with charm, practical advice, and gorgeous full-color photographs, Merissa shares everything from tips on budgeting to natural, easy-to-make recipes for taco seasoning mix, sunscreen, lemon poppy hand scrub, furniture polish, and much more. Inviting and charming, Little House Living is the epitome of heartland warmth and prairie inspiration.

ABOUT THE BOOK So you want to live on less. Perhaps youd like to save for a downpayment on your first home or send your kids to private school. Maybe you have decided to quit your job to pursue a dream of starting your own small business. It could just be that you are seriously contemplating a simpler life, in which you drastically limit consumption and learn to rely on your own skills to survive. These days, you are not alone. The global recession has given rise to a growing number of frugalistas who are committed to getting the best deals on everything from toilet paper to funeral expenses. Websites like Fabulously Broke, Moolanomy, and Deal Seeking Mom prove that there is an approach for every thrift-seeking demographic. Thanks to hundreds of committed frugal bloggers, you can learn how to travel the world, decorate your home, entertain your children, and retire early, all for pennies on the dollar. The good news is that it has never been easier to learn how other people save their money. Unfortunately, this wealth of information can be intimidating for the novice thrift seeker, who doesnt know where to start or what specific advice to trust. How do you arrive at a plan that works for you? MEET THE AUTHOR Valerie Fulton is an award winning writer with experience in a wide variety of genres, from poetry to screenplays to academic and grant writing. A graduate of Colby College, she holds an M.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She lives in Austin, Texas. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Know the difference between a good deal and a thrifty purchase. How many of us have purchased fruit or vegetables from the local warehouse store at a fantastic price, only to have much of that produce eventually spoil in the refrigerator? No matter how low the unit price is, if we are buying more than we can use, the reality is that we are paying the bulk price for a much smaller amount of food and would have been better off buying the same item at a higher per unit price at the grocery store. This principle applies to many things. We may enjoy building a bookshelf by hand, but if the materials cost more than a similar bookshelf advertised on Craigslist or available through your local freecycle, it is not a frugal activity; we have wasted both raw materials and our time. We may purchase a deeply discounted gym membership that goes unused, or a dress from the sales rack that goes unworn. True thrift involves not only knowing the market value of things, and learning how to obtain them for less; it involves the ability to buy only those items we will use, regardless of how hard it can be to resist a good sale or bargain price. CHAPTER OUTLINE Thrifty Living: Frugal Tips for Living on Less + Introduction + Approaching and Adapting a Frugal Lifestyle + Incorporating Thrifty Practices into Daily Life + When Thrift Ends Up Costing You + ...and much more

Bestselling author and national columnist Marjorie Harris offers a timely and entertaining guide to living the thrifty life. Here are solid tips on how to haggle, how to find fashion deals, maintaining home and hearth on a budget, and money-saving ideas on gardening, travel, and entertainment. Thrifty is full of savvy advice drawn from harris's own experiences, and those of frugal friends such as literary legend Margaret Atwood, actor R. H. Thompson, and travel writer Sylvia Fraser. Written in her witty and engaging trademark style, Harris gives us an essential guide to living a quality life on less.

Encourages thrift behaviors including planting a garden, cooking at home, cutting one's own hair, exercising with a gym membership, and avoiding or repaying credit card debt.

The universal lament about money is that there is never enough. We spend endless hours trying to figure out ways to stretch every dollar and kicking ourselves whenever we spend too much or save too little. For all the stress and effort we put into every choice, why are most of us unhappy about our finances? According to Laura Vanderkam, the key is to change your perspective. Instead of looking at money as a scarce resource, consider it a tool that you can use creatively to build a better life for yourself and the people you care about. Drawing on the latest happiness research as well as the stories of dozens of real people, Vanderkam offers a contrarian approach that forces us to examine our own beliefs, goals, and values.

Frugal Living (FREE Bonus Included)Amazing Practical Tips For Saving Money and Learning How to Make Your Life SimpleThe whole concept of living frugally and simply is that you get more out of life but that you spend considerably less while doing it. Obviously, frugal living defined specifically will vary by each individual. But in general, most people view frugal living as living on a tight budget (allowing them to save more money and eliminate debt), living simply, consuming and using less, and living any life you want in an affordable fashion. Any person can add any characteristic they want to in addition to these ones.With that in mind, you would probably add more characteristics to this brief list to define frugal living as it means to you. In essence, living frugally is exactly as you want it. But while frugal living may mean something slightly or significantly different for each of us, the fundamentals for frugal living remain the same for everybody. Just a few of those fundamentals include avoiding unnecessary expenses, working on reducing debt, making significant lifestyle changes, and perhaps changing some goals in your career. This book will teach you about all of these fundamentals that will form the foundation for when you define your own way of frugal living. With the knowledge you learn in this book, you'll be able to convert your lifelong dreams into an enduring reality, and in the process, create a more secure lifestyle and future for you and your family. Contents of the book: Chapter 1 - Budgeting Chapter 2 - Cutting Expenses Chapter 3 - Making Lifestyle Changes Chapter 4 - Hobbies and Activities Chapter 5 - Career Choices and Direction Chapter 6 - Basic Hacks and Tricks to Save You On Money Chapter 7 Green/Thrifty Living Tips Getting Your FREE BonusRead this book to the end and see "BONUS: Your FREE Gift" chapter after the introduction and conclusion.

Learn how to spend less, be kinder to the environment and go in the direction of your dreams! Back in 2011 I became a parent for the second time and wanted to quit my job and be a stay at home mum. We had just moved house and increased our mortgage, now had two children to look after and I preferred to buy costly eco-friendly and organic products. How was I going to be able cut my spending by enough money to quit my job and stick to my eco-friendly principles? The challenge was set and a year later I did quit my job to become a stay at home mum and blogger. I saved far more money than I ever could have imagined by being eco-friendly! In this book I share with you what I have learned over the years of saving money and the environment. There are lots of practical hints and tips, which overall will help you to: 1. Make the most of what you have2. Reduce your rubbish3. Save you money4. Unleash your creative side. Topics covered in the book include:1.Kitchen waste2.Stuff3.Sustainable fashion4.Cleaning5.Bathroom6.Entertainment7.Celebrations and special occasions8.Energy9.Getting fit10.Kids11.GardeningIf you think freeing up some cash could help improve your life, you care about the environment and you are ready to do things differently, then this is the book for you! Zoe Morrison is the author of award winning blog www.ecothriftyliving.com. She is regularly interviewed on BBC Radio and she has been featured in newspapers around the world.