The weather is cold, snowy or rainy and you feel like snuggling in for an afternoon or a weekend. What a great time to settle down on your sofa with a cup of tea and a good book. Before you run out to that Big Box bookstore to get a new book for $15-30, consider trying your local library. Most libraries have a system to reserve the NEW books you’d like to read, you may just have to wait a few weeks. In the mean time, check out a classic (I just read Dicken’s Great Expectations and LOVED it) or check out one of the fabulous PBS miniseries DVDs that the Library always stocks. If you get what you want, you can put the $15-30 in your Wish Jar!

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With each New Year comes a feeling that we have opportunities to make positive changes in our lives. This year, we want to go deeper than the usual resolutions like “lose weight, drink less or exercise more,” and make some adjustments that affect our lives instead of our waistlines. To do this, we’ve put our heads together with Ms. Nickel to come up with the basic resolutions that will help us get back to simpler living, be appreciative for what we have and work together to make our lives better and less stressful. Here are some of our ideas:

1. Get your family finances in line. Take a realistic look at what you spend. When I feel like my spending is out of control, sometimes a cash budget is just what I need to keep me in line. Try to go to Nordstrom with only cash in your pocket and see if you end up spending on something you don’t need.

2. Commit to family cooking for your health and welfare. If you still “Hate to Cook”, take some baby steps like trying out a few of our simple recipes or dive right in with our Two-Week Meal Plan to get yourself organized. It will make you both healthier and richer!

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